A popular breakfast-and-lunch cafe in Frisco is about to get a bigger sibling: The Nest Cafe, known for its avocado toast, benedicts, and craft coffee program, will open a location across from Galleria Dallas, where it will reprise its fresh renditions of breakfast and brunch, along with something extra: dinner and a full bar, as well.

Called The Nest Craft, it will open at 5217 Alpha Rd. #155, part of a newly divided space in what used to be, many eons ago, a location of Restoration Hardware. Founder Andrew Jin is planning a soft opening this week, starting with breakfast and lunch on November 10, then adding dinner service from 5-9 pm on November 11.

As part of the expansion, Jin has brought on veteran chef Tony Gardizi, a native of Sicily who's been on the Dallas scene for decades at restaurants such as Stephan Pyles, The Riviera, Decanter, Capriccio, the Lombardi group, Veuve, Vino & Basso, restaurants dating back in Dallas history.

"My first vision was to have a cafe, coffee roaster, and dinner place," Jin says. "Dinner is different from breakfast and lunch, and I felt like I needed a good chef to create a dinner menu. Tony has a lot of experience and has opened many restaurants with bigger names — I feel lucky to have him in the family."

Jin had a corporate background but wanted to create a place that served the community and had a positive spirit. He opened the first Nest in 2017, and has earned a dedicated following with its fresh ingredients, attentive service, and friendly atmosphere — all helping them survive the pandemic, which Jin modestly credits entirely to his customers and staff.

"Our customers supported us to keep us going, and my staff stuck with me during hard times," he says.

It was his staff that served as the motivation to expand.

"I realized that if I had a second location, it would give my staff a place to grow," he says. "We're a small company and I hoped to provide them with more opportunity."

Their menu leans healthy with bowls and a big selection of eight toasts including their bestseller avocado toast with choice of ricotta or beet hummus, topped with arugula, poached egg, and radish on multigrain bread.

Other toasts include a veggie toast with mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, bell pepper, and tomato; and a loaded Nutella French toast with banana, strawberry, blueberry, and almonds.

Sandwiches include grilled cheese, Philly cheesesteak, croque Madame, and a "pink Lady" with smoked salmon, eggs, arugula, and avocado. Their most expensive item is $13.25.

They also have wraps, salads, waffles, and pancakes, plus smoothies and a big coffee program with espresso drinks, teas, chai latte, and a popular matcha latte.

At Nest Craft, they'll keep their core menu of breakfast and lunch favorites, but with new dinner options such as blackened salmon, fisherman's stew, brisket tacos, and tenderloin steak. It's an eclectic, almost tapas-style menu featuring dishes such as "kofte" meatballs, Mediterranean sliders, a green-and-white asparagus salad, most in the highly affordable $10 range — plus cocktails and craft beer.

"That was part of the idea for the name — the 'Craft' stands for craft cocktails and beer, and a crafted, elevated food program," Jin says.