Dallas-Fort Worth gets a little taste of NOLA with the arrival of PJ's Coffee, the New Orleans-based coffee chain which is opening three locations in the DFW area.

According to a release, it's part of PJ's expansion across the U.S., and includes McKinney, North Dallas/Farmers Branch, and Northlake.

They're located as follows:

• McKinney, at 6091 West University Dr.
• Northlake, at 4901 Texas Highway 114
• North Dallas/Farmers Branch, at 13605 Midway Rd.

McKinney and Northlake are already open; North Dallas will open in early February.

The stores are all owned by franchisees, two of which have ties to New Orleans. As the release notes, that makes their arrival that much more special.

The North Dallas/Farmers Branch store is from franchisee Brittany Willis.

"As a New Orleans native, I’ve been a long-time PJ’s customer and fan," she says. "There are thousands of people just like me - New Orleans and Louisiana transplants - in Dallas, and I’m eager to bring a little taste of home to these residents."

Northlake is from Mark Null, who says that he and his wife spent many years on the Gulf Coast while in the Navy. "I fell in love with PJ’s 30 years ago while stationed near Slidell, Louisiana," he says. "I told myself that one day I would own a PJ’s Coffee of my own and now that dream has come true."

The McKinney store is from franchisee Ridham Bhatt, who liked the company's approach.

"I was drawn to the humanitarian side of the brand, specifically with the farms," he says. "I saw that PJ’s was investing in the communities in which the farms operate and that really caught my eye. Plus, PJ’s has coffee that is more flavorful and fresh."

PJ’s Coffee Roastmaster Felton Jones says that their beans are special.

"We only use the top one percent of Arabica beans, sourced from farms like Finca Terrerito Farm in Honduras, and we’re one of the few companies to small-batch roast coffee which is immediately bagged for the freshest possible taste," he says.

In addition to a slate of traditional espresso-based drinks, PJ's is launching a line of Mardi Gras-inspired coffee drinks and King Cakes for a limited time. Those include:

• King Cake Crème: King Cake cold brew concentrate steamed with milk and cane syrup, garnished with whipped cream
• King Cake Latte: Espresso dolce, steamed milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, topped with whipped cream and purple sanding sugar
• King Cake Protein Velvet Ice: King Cake cold brew concentrate, skim milk, no-sugar-added vanilla powder, and protein powder
• Zulu Coconut Iced Mocha: Viennese blend cold brew, milk, Hershey’s syrup, and coconut concentrate served over ice

PJ's currently has more than 120 stores, including four international locations and seven in Texas so far, with more to come. In fact, the chain expects to open 48 more stores in 2021