Dallas' Oak Cliff is set to get a unique new dessert shop that any neighborhood in its right mind would want. Called Swirled Peace, it's an ice cream shop opening at 309 W. 8th St., with three cool hooks:
- it's soft-serve ice cream
- it's self-serve
- it's all plant-based
The shop is going into a cute Craftsman house that used to be an art gallery, and is slated to open in early summer.
UPDATE 7-3-2024: Swirled Peace is now open. They'll be hosting a grand opening soft-serve party on Saturday, July 6 from 4 pm-12 am with giveaways, a live comedy show, and a DJ starting at 8 pm.
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Swirled is founded by Sara Saginaw, who lives in Bishop Arts and wanted to bring something positive to the neighborhood.
"I've always had a burning desire to have an ice cream shop or bakery," she says. "I went to medical school, but I almost went to culinary school instead. I love the idea of doing something plant-based, that's healthier and better for the planet."
The setup will be similar to a self-serve frozen yogurt shop with six flavors of premium soft-serve ice cream, made inhouse, and a toppings bar. You grab a cup, choose your soft-serve, then help yourself to toppings such as fruit, nuts, candies, brownies, and so on — but all plant-based.
"For our soft-serve flavors, we'll have the basic chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and then rotating flavors like peanut butter, white chocolate, and hazelnut," she says. "Toppings will be plant-based versions of classics like Snickers and Twix, plus some more toppings you don't see at every dessert shop."
The soft-serve will be oat milk-based from a recipe Saginaw developed herself. "I have a background in biochemistry, and used that along with a lot of trial and error to get the product to exactly how I wanted it to be," she says.
Ceremonial cacaoAmazon
There'll also be coffee, cappuccino, and adult milkshakes infused with "plant magic" (THC/Delta 9). Plus one other item that'll be entirely new to Dallas-Fort Worth: ceremonial cacao.
"It's a very natural, minimally processed cacao with chocolate and cocoa butter, like a thick dark chocolate," she says. "It has high levels of theobromine which have been found to have health benefits, but it's also just really good."
The location's history as a gallery has created an elegant platform with wood floors and walls. She's adding art and brightly colored tables. "It'll be simple with bright color pops," she says — plus a projector to show movies or photos.
"It has a big back yard where people can grab ice cream or a shake, hang out, and enjoy themselves," she says.
