Carbs News

Artisan bakery Village Baking Co. expands to Dallas' hippest neighborhood

Village Baking Co is bringing its croissants to a new neighborhood.

Courtesy of VBC

An acclaimed Dallas bakery is bringing its carbs to the perfect new neighborhood: Village Baking Co. will open a location in the center of Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts, at 308 N. Bishop Ave.

The location is at the corner of Melba, in the former cute-cute house that was previously home to the Good Companions coffee shop. According to a Village Baking Co. representative, the new bakery will open in spring 2023.

"I know we're hoping for March, but you never know for sure," the rep said.

Good Companions was the coffee house and natural wine bar from Exxir Hospitality and the first business to open in at that location, a 1916 Craftsman-style house that was previously owned by the Kemp family and carefully restored.

The cafe opened in mid-2019 with European-style sandwiches and pastries, including its signature bombolone (aka Italian cream-filled doughnuts). It was popular and got good reviews, before closing quietly during the pandemic.

Village Baking has been a longtime bread presence in Dallas, founded by husband-and-wife Clint and Kim Cooper in 2004, who started baking out of their home kitchen.

They opened their first wholesale bread bakery and boulangerie on University Boulevard in 2014. The space had a small storefront where they could sell breads and baked goods to the public, but no seating. That led them to Greenville Avenue, where they debuted their quintessential French-style boulangerie in May 2015.

They do crusty sourdough breads and authentic patisserie including scones, palmiers, financiers, chocolate truffle cakes, fruit tarts, and coconut macaroons.

They make an amazing variety of croissants, from sweet to savory, from almond and chocolate to croissants brimming with meal-worthy fillings such as ham and cheese.

They were among the first in Dallas to offer trendy items like the canele, the small, moist cylindrical French pastry; and the kouign amann, the rich croissant-based Breton treat named for cake (kouign) and butter (amann). They've also become known for their laminated brioche, sort of a fancy version of a cruffin.

They've been on a minor opening spree, with new locations on Knox Street and Oak Lawn.

Opening News

Dallas diner & music venue will open in former Ferris Wheeler space

Courtesy

Pancakes

A new restaurant has been unveiled that will take over the former Ferris Wheeler space near Dallas' Design District at 1950 Market Center Blvd.: Called AM/FM, it'll be an all-day diner and lounge with a big backyard and a stage for live music, and it's from Spune Productions, the music and event production company.

According to a release, it'll open in early January initially with evening hours, cocktails, and a few afternoon soccer matches. Music acts are already booked beginning January 8. More hours will be added down the road.

Ferris Wheelers BBQ, which was also a restaurant with a big backyard and a stage for live music, closed in November after eight years. Spune had already been involved since 2023 to help ramp up the live music side. Now they'll take it over with a fresh new personality and long hours.

They were famous for having a Ferris wheel on-site; an inquiry on its status went unanswered.

The diner will open daily at 7 am, serving "musicians coming off late nights, workers heading into morning shifts, and neighbors who want a place that remembers their name," says the release very poetically.

They've redecorated the interior with a new bar and banquettes that wrap the room. Alongside the renovations inside, the set-up outdoors will evolve over the coming weeks, with extra care given to the concert experience,

Menu
The food at AM/FM will be rooted in elevated Diner classics, with a menu overseen by chef Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Oh, Hi! Hospitality) that's influenced by Mexican-American kitchens and Nuevo Southern traditions.

Breakfast offerings include huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, breakfast empanadas, French toast, avocado toast, pork belly toast, and an intriguing twist on pancakes called masa pancakes, made using masa harina AKA corn flour.

Lunch includes a chicken Milanesa Caesar salad, Sonoran hot dog, fried catfish po'boy, kale salad, Cobb salad, and a Mexican twist on chicken noodle soup with fideo noodles.

Entree plates include pot roast, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a weekly pot pie.

The beverage program will aim for accessibility with coffee, cocktails, and craft beer, says Victor Rojas, Quinones-Pittman's partner at Oh, Hi! Hospitality.

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