Coffee News

Downtown Dallas gets a suave new neighborhood coffee shop-cocktail bar

Coffee's hot, come and get it.

Photo by La Reunion

If you've run out of coffee beans today, hustle on over to Parterre, a new coffee shop-combo-cocktail bar in downtown Dallas from a longtime veteran of Dallas' coffee scene.

Parterre will officially open on November 8 at 1601 Elm St., #120, AKA the former Ascension Coffee on the ground floor of the Thanksgiving Tower building, with a limited slow-opening menu.

However, they're hosting previews, starting November 4.

Parterre is from Mike Mettendorf, who currently owns State Street Coffee in State Thomas and La Reunion in Bishop Arts, with which it shares many similarities in profile and mission.

Mettendorf describes Parterre very poetically as:

"a coffee date with a view, a lunch spot for the fastidious executive, or late drinks after a show at The Majestic. It is our living room for the city dweller, the urban explorer, and the downtown proletarian. Originally the namesake of ornamental French gardens and later adopted to describe the standing room found abreast of vintage theatre stages, a Parterre by any name is often filled by social and interactive users creating and driving the public sphere."

He says the name was chosen to reflect the historic theaters that once lined Elm street in downtown Dallas, as well as to highlight their love of our plants. Parterre gardens are those gardens where they cut hedges with sharp edges to transform them into hyper-symmetrical walkways and such — which is perhaps a wee bit more "Man Over Nature" than it is "love of nature," but we digress.

Parterre will follow the upwardly trending coffee-cocktail combo, serve coffee by day and cocktails at night.

They'll also serve food: breakfast to-go, lunch for the office, and date night appetizers: brisket and house-made bacon tacos, jambon beurre and smoked salmon for lunch, apps, entrees, and charcuterie at night.

They'll be curing and smoking their own meats, roasting coffee on-site, and making craft cocktails from scratch.

The coffee bar features a La Marzocco espresso machine, and coffee beans will be single-origin, both roasted in house and by Dallas-based Novel Coffee Roasters.

Environment is "casual upscale," and service staff will be more like concierges, available for tips that go beyond dining suggestions, with baristas whose pedigrees include national championship accolades.

Ascension had been in that space since 2017, with a similar mission of coffee-and-more, but closed during the height of the pandemic in August 2020.

Parterre's hours will be 7 am-10 pm weekdays, and 10 am-10 pm weekends. For the preview, they'll be open November 4-5 from 7 am-6 pm, and November 6 from 7 pm-12 am with DJ Smoove.

coffee

Ready to Bowl

Healthy bowl and smoothie chain Grain & Berry returns to Highland Village

Photo courtesy of Grain & Berry

A delicious-looking bowl from Grain & Berry.

A fast-casual chain specializing in açaí bowls and smoothies is making a comeback with local owners in Highland Village: Grain & Berry will reopen at 3196 FM 407, Ste. 203 in The Marketplace at Highland Village on Friday, July 31.

According to a release, the location has new local ownership from Denton County residents Danish Lakhani and Shahrukh Lakhani, who also own businesses in Flower Mound and Little Elm.

Founded in 2017 in Florida, Grain & Berry centers on health-conscious fare including açaí bowls, smoothies, fresh juices, grain bowls, avocado toast, chopped salads, and other grab-and-go meals. The chain says its bowls are made with organic Grade A açaí imported from Brazil and menu items are free of artificial additives and added sugars. They offer also customizable choices for vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets.

Highlights of the menu include:

A wrap from Grain & Berry.Photo courtesy of Grain & Berry

The Grain & Berry: The signature bowl layered with strawberries, blueberries, banana, granola, coconut, peanut butter, and Nutella.
Healthy Elvis: Chocolate protein smoothie blended with banana, honey, almond milk, and peanut butter.
Beat The Heat: Cold-pressed blend of beet, apple, ginger, cayenne, and lemon juice.
Cluck-n-Roll: Chicken salad with romaine, croutons, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing.
Go Fig or Go Home: Sweet-and-savory flatbread topped with fig spread, brie, apples, arugula, and balsamic glaze.

Guests can also build their own bowls, juices, and smoothies, or transform any salad into a wrap.

The Highland Village shop features an open prep counter where customers can watch bowls, smoothies, and juices being assembled.

The Highland Village location first opened in May 2025, but notably is now reopening under local ownership by the Lakhanis.

Co-owner Danish Lakhani says they were drawn to the brand's focus on high-quality ingredients and wanted to bring a healthy dining option back to the community.

“We immediately connected with the mission of the brand and its commitment to high-quality ingredients,” Danish Lakhani says in the release. “That inspired us to bring the Grain & Berry experience to Highland Village and create a place where healthy eating feels approachable and enjoyable. We hope every guest leaves feeling a little healthier, a little happier, and excited to come back.”

Grain & Berry will be open daily from 9 am-9 pm.

highland village smoothie bowls openings