Coffee News

Coffee shop with Turkish twist opens at AC Hotel Fort Worth Downtown

Coffee done Turkish style.

Photo courtesy of PB

Downtown Fort Worth gets a new coffee spot with a cool Turkish twist: Pax & Beneficia Coffee, known for its Turkish coffee and gourmet food, just opened at the AC Hotel Fort Worth Downtown, the 16-story hotel that opened at 101 W. 5th St., near Sundance Square, in fall 2020.

This is the second location of Pax & Beneficia, which was founded by friends Mouyyad Abdulhadi and Mamdouh Khayat in 2019; their first is in Las Colinas, at the Gables Water Street mixed-use project.

They're also opening a location in Dallas, near Victory Park at 1700 Cedar Springs Rd.

The AC Hotel Fort Worth location offers traditional coffeehouse beverages like cappuccinos and Americanos, but also Turkish coffee, served traditionally on hammered plates. They're not cheap: A Turkish coffee is $6, and a French press is $5.50. Cappuccino is $4.25; a mocha is $5.25.

They use beans from San Antonio-based Merit Coffee Company, plus syrups crafted in-house.

Food-wise, they do toasts with Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and American themes that include Mediterranean Avocado Toast, Nutella & Fruit Toast, Ricotta Sweetened Toast, Labneh & Za'atar Toast, Za'atar & Feta Toast, and PB&J Toast.

Joe Blewitt, Jackson-Shaw VP of asset management and developer of the hotel, says in a release that Pax & Beneficia is the perfect match for the hotel.

"In combination with the hotel’s AC Lounge and its European-style breakfast and tapa-inspired small plates, Pax & Beneficia Coffee will offer an additional harmony of cultures, bringing together classic favorites with nontraditional Andalusian, Arabesque, and Turkish flavors," Blewitt says.

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Healthy Eating News

Mediterranean chain Cava brings healthy bowls to Saginaw

Photo courtesy of Cava

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A Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant has opened in Saginaw: Cava, a concept based in Washington DC, just opened at 1428 N. Old Decatur Rd. #150 with Mediterranean-inspired bowls, pitas, dips, and dressings.

“Our mission is to bring heart, health, and humanity to food, and everything we do at Cava is grounded in that spirit of generosity, to our guests, our team members, and our community,” said Tony Frazier, Regional Director. “We couldn’t be more excited to be in Saginaw.”

Cava is known for its customizable menu featuring their signature "crazy feta" - whipped with jalapeño, onion, and olive oil - as well as a rotating seasonal offering of juices, soups, and roasted vegetables.

You start with a base from a selection of salads, bowls, or pita bread, which you can make into pita sandwiches and plates, salads, greens-and-grains bowls, and a mini pita plate for kids. Sandwiches include options such as Greek chicken, falafel, or spicy lamb meatball. Sides include hummus, red pepper hummus, roasted eggplant, and more.

They made their DFW debut in early 2020 with a location in Uptown Dallas, and currently have 29 locations in the DFW area, including Arlington, Euless, Southlake, and Fort Worth.

Cava started out as a full-service restaurant in Rockville, Maryland, in 2006. The concept was founded by three childhood friends to celebrate the flavors of their families' traditional Greek and Mediterranean cooking in a casual modern setting, dedicated to fresh, Mediterranean-inspired, better-for-you cuisine.

The chain has since evolved into a fast-growing, fast-casual brand with locations in 25 states across the U.S., including 62 across Texas - a number that grew quickly after Cava acquired the Plano-based Zoës Kitchen Inc. chain in 2018.

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