Growing up in Orange County, California, Javier Nuñez fondly remembers the comforting, regional Mexican dishes prepared by his grandmother, Aurora Meneses Arriaga, who learned to cook on the family ranch in Michoacán, Mexico. A beloved figure in their family, Aurora predicted—accurately—that Javier would marry Kerianne, his then-girlfriend, and after her passing in 2020, Javier and Kerianne, now husband and wife, decided to name their first Kansas City restaurant in her honor.
Aurora Café & Bakery, which opened its doors this past spring, is located inside the lobby of the BOK Financial Tower, often nicknamed the “Darth Vader Building” for its sleek, black, smoked-glass exterior and rounded curves that evoke the villain’s iconic helmet. Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the bakery quickly gained a loyal following, thanks to its house-made Mexican breads and pastries. The bakery’s star attraction? Their pan dulce, or Mexican sweet bread—perfect for savoring with a hot cup of coffee.
In addition to pastries, Aurora Café & Bakery offers a full breakfast and lunch menu, featuring seasonal soups, fresh salads, and sandwiches, all made with Javier’s scratch-baked telera and bolillo rolls. The café has drawn a crowd, and not just from customers within the building, but locals across the city who flock wanting to try their scratch made food and Mexican pastries.
The couple’s culinary journey began at The Culinary Institute of America in California, where Javier specialized in pastry and Kerianne in culinary arts. After graduating, they moved to Los Angeles, working in several top-tier kitchens—Javier honing his bread-making craft and Kerianne developing a passion for pasta and pizza making.
By 2018, the couple had relocated to Kansas City. Javier became the head baker at Ibis Bakery and taught pastry courses at Johnson County Community College, while Kerianne managed pasta, pizza dough, and pastry production at North Italia in Leawood. Their shared love for baking inspired them to launch a small wholesale baking business in 2021, called Pan de Javi, specializing in traditional Mexican breads such as conchas (a sweet bread with a colorful shell-like crumble topping) and cuernitos, a croissant-shaped pastry laced with chocolate and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Their signature crème brûlée concha, with its creamy vanilla filling and hard caramel shell, quickly became a favorite, amassing a devoted following.
Following the birth of their son, Enrique, the couple opened Aurora Café & Bakery, a charming spot that combines their talents for both sweet and savory creations. “When I left Ibis Bakery, Kerianne and I realized that Kansas City had an abundance of European and French-style bakeries,” Javier explains. “That’s when I decided to focus on the Mexican breads I grew up eating.”
Javier uses locally sourced Marion Milling whole grain flour in all his breads, emphasizing the importance of supporting local grain farmers and millers. Kerianne, originally from Wichita, also brings her appreciation for local products to the café, sourcing items like Tianguis salsas from Tacos Valentina in Kansas City, Azulitas blue corn pinole wedding cookies and Esperanza coffee, both produced in Wichita.
With its unique niche of scratch-made Mexican pastries and breads, alongside a delectable breakfast and lunch menu, Aurora Café & Bakery is already making its mark on Kansas City’s vibrant food scene. The Nuñezes are excited to continue sharing their passion with the community, offering a taste of both Javier’s Mexican heritage and Kerianne’s Midwestern roots.