Toast News

DC toast concept Toastique pops first Texas location in Dallas

Avocado toast, the toast that started it all, now at Toastique.

Toastique

There's a toast concept opening its very first location in Texas and that location will be in Dallas: Called Toastique, it's a fast-casual gourmet toast and juice bar concept, and it's opening in the new Work/Shop development at 5455 Belt Line Rd., on the Dallas/Addison border.

According to a a release, it'll open in fall 2023.

Toastique was founded in Washington DC in 2018 by entrepreneur and former college athlete Brianna Keefe, a lifelong health buff who began making smoothies and juice as early as high school, and who developed a menu of toasts including her original avocado toast.

There are currently 16 locations in DC, Colorado, New Jersey, Utah, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Virginia, with more in the wings.

The menu features gourmet toasts, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and acai bowls, for consumption on site or to go.

The toasts include:

Avocado Smash - Avocado / Marinated Tomatoes / Watermelon Radish / Micro Greens / on a Multigrain Toast
3 Cheese Italian - Prosciutto / Jarlsberg / Fontina / Onion Jam / Arugula / Micro Greens on a Jalapeño Cheddar
Tuscan Tuna - Sundried Tomato Tuna / Bibb Lettuce / Kalamata Olive / Capers / Tomato on Rustico Toast
Spicy Crab - Lump Crab / Melted Swiss and Fontina / Sriracha Oil / Tomato / Bibb Lettuce / Jalapeño / Microgreens on a Rustico Toast
Tomato Buratta - Herbed Ricotta / Tomato / Buratta/ Basil / on Rustico Toast
PB Crunch - Honey Roasted Peanut Butter / Bananas / Strawberries / Granola / Chia Seeds / Honey / Mint - on Raisin Walnut Toast
Smoked Salmon - Smoked Pastrami Salmon / Herb Cream Cheese Spread / Thinly Sliced Cucumbers / on Sourdough Toast
Greek - Hummus / Arugula / Feta / Cherry Tomato / Cucumber / Red Onion / Parsley / Greek Dressing / Kalamata Olives on Rustico Toast

There's also bowls like PB + Banana with acai, blueberry, peanuts, granola, dates, and honey-roasted peanut butter drizzle; and Blue Mystique with blue spirulina, banana, pineapple, mango, almond milk, granola, coconut, and honey drizzle. Plus smoothies and juices.

Venture Commercial Real Estate brokers Amanda Welles, Amy Pjetrovic, and Mia Urena negotiated the 1,112-square-foot lease on behalf of Work/Shop owners Triten Real Estate Partners. Toastique was represented by Jake Sherrington and Rachel Tomlison of Shop Companies.

“Toastique’s focus on quality ingredients and health are a great pairing for the lifestyle that enhances our mixed-use development,” says Triten Real Estate Partners' John Hardaway. “The newly developed retail, 30,000 square feet of added green space specifically developed for health, wellness and events will create a vibrant sense of place for visitors, office tenants and consumers.”

The Work/Shop address has undergone a renovation, with retail and creative office space on 12 acres neighboring Prestonwood Country Club and White Rock Creek.

Scheduled to open in late spring/early summer, Work/Shop will be filled with retail shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and offices. Toastique will join tenants that include EVO Entertainment, San Martin Bakery, My Eye Dr., Crisp & Green, and Mesero.

openings trends

Ice Cream News

Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops

Dumont Ice Cream

An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Called Dumont Creamery & Cafe, it's a ice cream chain founded in Hyderabad that now has two locations in the Dallas area.

Their first location was Frisco, which opened at 1951 FM 423 at the end of 2023; a second location opened in late October in Coppell at 1535 S. Belt Line Rd. #160.

Dumont was founded in 1999 by brothers Vivek and Bhashkaar, and currently has 23 locations in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vijayawada listed on their website.

Bringing the concept to Texas are local franchisees and friends Sai Sashank and Tarang Tirumala, who moved to the U.S. in 2005 to attend college.

Both have successful consulting careers, but craved a taste of home.

Ice cream is the centerpiece at Dumont with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from gourmet to classics to flavors boasting global influences: from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

There is vanilla, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip — but also unique options such as cake and jam, an ice cream with a vanilla base, bites of cake, and spiced jam; and kheer, a coconut ice cream studded with dried fruits and nuts — a nod to the kheer rice pudding that's one of India's favorite desserts.

A single scoop is $4. They have cups and a cute version of waffle cones: shorter and fatter than usual, to provide a greater ratio of ice cream-to-cone.

In addition to ice cream, they have a beverage program with coffee and espresso drinks such as lattes, plus boba tea. There are also special drinks like falooda — an exotic Indian milkshake with rose syrup and vermicelli — as well as limited-edition drinks like iced kheer, a cool beverage version of that same popular rice pudding dessert.

Both locations are spacious, bright, and clean, with pale green banquettes at Frisco, and pale blue chairs and tables at Coppell. Both feature an astronaut theme with statues and framed photos and cartoons on the wall. The Coppell location also has a mural dedicated to great moments in Coppell history.