Vivilore, Independence
November 2026
As of January 2024, new owner Jollene Hastings has put her stamp on the cuisine and the ambiance. She purchased the restaurant after attending a birthday lunch and discovering it was for sale. At that time, she owned an event and wedding planning business, which has dovetailed perfectly with Vivilore’s event space, “The Mandarin.”
Since taking the helm, Hastings has revamped the boutique. But the biggest change has been the addition of Chef Hannah who leads the predominantly all-female kitchen. Her background includes Kansas City’s Halbrook Country Club, working with James Beard Award winner Michael Smith and sous chef at Verbena in Prairie Village. She particularly loves brunch, and Vivilore now serves an upscale menu on a half dozen Sundays throughout the year.
From a varied selection of wines and craft non-alcoholic creations, my sister and I chose the refreshing orange cooler mocktail. Bread service featured yummy scratch herb focaccia slathered with whipped honey butter and tomato jam—enough for four. Popular appetizers, house made crab cakes and crispy coconut jumbo shrimp came artfully plated with remoulade and pineapple chili chutney respectively. However, mushroom cheesecake dip upstaged both. Combining smoked gouda, white cheddar, raclette and cream cheese and torched like a brulée, it paired well with grilled baguette, honey-drizzled blue cheese, candied walnuts, berries and grapes.
Next, we sampled summer’s bounty on the heirloom tomato salad. Grilled corn and peaches, toasted pistachios and burrata adorned arugula tossed with a light basil vinaigrette. Another win, roasted Atlantic salmon dolloped with chimichurri accompanied crispy smashed new potatoes in lemon herb butter plus shaved veggies. Lobster agnolotti featured bite-size ricotta and basil filled raviolis pooled in sweet corn cream drizzled with chili oil and garnished with brown butter poached lobster.
Our meal ended with the in-house pastry-chef’s rendition of peach bread pudding, a specialty with flavors changing seasonally. Afterward, we wandered Vivilore’s second and third floor boutique stocked with art, estate antiques, knick-knacks, lotions and soaps.
For more information, see Vivilore.com.