Coffee News
Dallas' Ascension Coffee opens new location with an extra: wine on tap
Dallas' acclaimed coffee concept Ascension Coffee has opened a new location in Fort Worth's WestBend complex, where it's doing coffee, food, beer — and wine on tap.
This is the sixth location, following Dallas' Design District, Addison, Crescent Court, The Star, and Cypress Waters; it's been in the works since 2016.
However, it's the first location to offer wine on tap, in a partnership with Sixty Vines, the wine-centric restaurant from Front Burner Group Dining (Whiskey Cake, Velvet Taco, Mexican Sugar).
Russell Hayward founded Ascension in 2012 with the goal of elevating the everyday American café experience to the level he had grown up with in his native Australia, where coffee is taken very seriously.
The Design District location was first, and was an instant and lasting success, thanks to its easygoing atmosphere, great coffee, and full menu of food, with breakfast all day, lunch, and weekend brunch. Bestsellers include ricotta soufflé pancakes, A-Bar-N Wagyu pastrami hash, steak sandwich, lamb meatballs, Ahi tuna power bowl, and a vegetarian Hippie Bowl.
The drinks menu includes espresso drinks, lattes, pour-overs, nitro coffee on tap, and Doki Doki (a Kyoto-style cold brew method).
They blend and roast their own coffee, and Hayward still oversees the procurement of beans from around the world. Company president and food & beverage veteran Bill Schaffler oversees operations. Since he came on board, Ascension has initiated a series of partnerships with luminaries such as Fort Worth's premier Black Rooster Bakery, whose croissants and pastries are featured at all of the shops.
The new Fort Worth location overlooks the Trinity River with a patio and a walk-up window for coffee and grab-and-go items. Safety protocols are in place, including masks, socially distanced seating, and hand sanitizer stations.
Fort Worth is enjoying a coffee bounty with 11 new coffee shops coming soon or already open.
Ascenion's hours are Monday-Thursday 6:30 am-5 pm, and Friday-Saturday 6:30 am-9 pm. A daily Happy Hour at 3 pm includes $5 glasses of tap and Australian house wine, $3 draft beers, and $6 craft cocktails.
