Our Story

The Pear Tree Restaurant was opened in 1986 by Albert "Al" Abbadessa in Bevier, a small town in Macon County, Missouri, known for its coal mining history. Al was inspired to create the restaurant after a memorable dining experience at Tony's, a now-closed acclaimed restaurant in St. Louis, during a trip to see the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees in the 1964 World Series. This experience motivated him to bring a sophisticated, high-quality dining concept to northern Missouri.

The Pear Tree became known for its "top-notch New York City" theme, offering continental cuisine and a warm, congenial atmosphere. It became a destination for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and business dinners, attracting patrons from as far as Iowa, Illinois, and Columbia, Missouri. The Pear Tree was celebrated for its "swarm service," where a team of staff attended to guests' needs with precision, including table-side service from a hot cart, a practice Al adopted from Tony's.

The Pear Tree became famous for its hand-breaded items, particularly its golden onion rings, batter-fried lobster tails, and in-house aged Creekstone Farms steaks. Other notable dishes included the Pear Tree Salad, prime rib, along with new items like the Prime Cowboy Ribeye with bone marrow butter and Voodoo Salmon with Cajun butter. The Pear Tree also offers homemade dressings, garlic croutons, and desserts, which have become customer favorites.

The Pear Tree's success is bolstered by long-serving staff, including executive chef Brenda Nanneman, who joined in 1986 after training at Johnson County Community College and an apprenticeship at the Country Club in Mission Hills. She was recruited by Al when he was general manager at The Potted Steer at the Lake of the Ozarks. Sous chef Ron Rushton, with 20 years at the restaurant, rose from prep cook to a key role in the kitchen. Their combined 59 years of experience underscore the Pear Tree's commitment to quality.

On November 29, 2012, a devastating fire gutted the Pear Tree Restaurant and spread to the neighboring Black Diamond Museum, destroying both. The loss was significant, as the restaurant was a Missouri landmark known worldwide, and the historic building could not be salvaged. Al Abbadessa, then 80, and his son Michael, who co-ran the restaurant, considered rebuilding but decided against it due to the irreplaceable nature of the original building's atmosphere. Instead, they merged the Pear Tree's legacy with their sister restaurant, A.J.'s Eat and Drink, opened in 2011 in Macon, Missouri, at 1407 N Missouri St. In 2019, this merged establishment was renamed Pear Tree Kitchen & Bar, blending the Pear Tree's classic menu items with A.J.'s offerings.

In 2014, the Pear Tree family mourned the loss of our beloved founder, Albert "Al" Abbadessa, whose vision and passion for exceptional dining transformed a historic Bevier building into a culinary landmark starting in 1986. Following his passing, his son Michael Abbadessa took the helm, carrying forward Al's legacy with unwavering dedication. Today, Michael continues to honor his father's commitment to quality, while fostering the same warm, inviting atmosphere that made the original Pear Tree a Missouri icon.