Coffee News

Fort Worth coffee shop opens across from TCU with fun Frog-themed drinks

Specialty drinks include regular latte, taro latte, and matcha latte.

Photo courtesy of Ampersand

A unique Fort Worth coffee concept is expanding: Ampersand, which heroically serves both coffee and cocktails, is opening a second location at 3025 S. University Dr., in a strip across from the TCU campus, specifically in the space that was previously home to Record Town, which has since moved to Near Southside.

According to a release, the shop opened on December 3.

Ampersand is owned by Toan Luong and Mimi Lu, who are themselves TCU alumni, along with some unidentified partners. They opened their first location in the West Seventh District in October 2017.

They take an artisanal approach that includes syrups made in-house, single-origin coffees, and blended roasts. They also use a unique air-roasting process to roast their coffee beans.

Some of their specialty coffees and tea-based beverages at this location will pay a clever tribute to TCU's iconic purple. Those include:

iced taro latte
butterfly pea flower tea
lavender vanilla latte

Other menu offerings include Vietnamese iced coffee, shaken breve hazelnut latte, nitro cold brew, and matcha.

One departure at this second location is that there will not be a full-service bar. However, they'll roll out coffee-infused cocktails and craft beers in a forthcoming menu.

There will also be food, mostly small bites such as specialty toasts, pastries, breakfast tacos, smoothies and grab-and-go items.

The release describes the decor as modern yet welcoming, with exposed wood beams, geometric tile, blush pink accent walls, and ambient natural light. Seating runs from intimate tables for two to roomy communal tables.

Decorative elements highlight vintage Record Town and Fort Worth memorabilia and photography, plus works by local artists and muralists.

They'll also host performances by local musicians and guest DJs.

Saving the best for last, they're taking a strong eco-friendly stance that is so exciting, it requires another set of bullets:

repurposing their coffee grounds into compost for the Tarrant Area Food Bank's Community Garden
hemp-based straws
straw-less lids

Bravo, Ampersand.

"Our goal is to curate an environment where people connect over unique beverages in a creative atmosphere," Luong says. "Being TCU Alumni and Fort Worth locals ourselves, we’re super thankful to have a growing brand in a community we love."

coffee

Doughnut News

Luscious doughnut shop Duck Donuts makes Fort Worth debut

Photo courtesy of Visit Addison

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A decadent new doughnut shop is coming to Fort Worth: Duck Donuts, a North Carolina-based chain known for serving doughnuts made to order, will open a shop at 6387 Camp Bowie Blvd. #A within the Ridglea Plaza Shopping Center in Fort Worth.

According to a release, the shop will open on Saturday December 21 at 7 am.

Duck Donuts opened its first locations in 2007 in the beach resort towns of Duck and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with the intention to create an oasis for vacationers. They're now headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and began franchising in 2013, with more than 150 locally owned and operated shops across 26 states and international locations. There was previously a DFW location in Addison on Belt Line Road that opened in 2020 but it did not survive the pandemic.

The Fort Worth shop is owned and operated by husband-and-wife Justin and Morgan Thomas.

“We are delighted to be opening in Fort Worth,” Justin says in a statement. “The community has been patiently waiting for us to open our doors, and now we cannot wait to sprinkle happiness to all with our warm, delicious and made-to-order doubhnuts.”

The 1,035-square-foot shop reflects the franchise’s reimagined design which gives a modern twist on their iconic beach theme and family-friendly atmosphere. Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by the aroma of warm, light vanilla cake doughnuts.

Customers can create their own combination by choosing from coatings, toppings, and drizzles, including traditional favorites such as chocolate icing with sprinkles and more adventurous creations such as maple icing with bacon.

Key to their appeal is the viewing area where children and adults alike can watch their doughnuts being made.

Many of their flavors have a beachy theme such as the Beach, a cake doughnut with vanilla icing dusted with cinnamon sugar; the Sunrise with lemon icing and raspberry drizzle; and the Beach Ball with vanilla icing, rainbow sprinkles, and chocolate drizzle.

They rotate in seasonal offerings such as the current lineup of mint-flavored flavors including chocolate icing with mint buttercream. The doughnuts themselves are limited to vanilla and chocolate cake; the flavors come primarily from icing.

In addition to doughnuts, the Fort Worth location will serve coffee, doughnut breakfast sandwiches, doughnut sundaes — in which a doughnut is topped with ice cream and syrup — plus frozen beverages and milkshakes.

doughnuts openings