An acclaimed local coffee concept has opened in Southlake: Ascension Coffee, the Dallas-based coffee shop chain, debuted its first location in Southlake at the Southlake Town Square shopping center at 100 State St., on Monday, October 12.

The new shop is in a 4,223-square-foot space previously occupied by Corner Bakery and is the brand's largest location yet, says a a release.

This is their seventh location and their second in Tarrant County, following a shop that opened in Fort Worth at West Bend in 2020.

The Southlake café features Ascension’s specialty coffee program, rooted in small-batch roasting and partnerships with producers around the world. This includes their commitment to supporting women-led farms, and investing in producer relationships that prioritize livable wages and economic resilience.

It features a full espresso bar, seasonal coffee flights, and a lineup of rotating single-origin coffees from global producers. They roast their beans at their in-house roastery in Dallas' Design District, and sell the beans in the cafés and online.

They also offer a serious tea and beverage selection with unique offerings like iced nitro Earl Grey tea topped with salted rose cold foam, and fresh lemonade with violet syrup. Plus a full bar with wine, beer, and cocktails including three kinds of espresso martinis, which can be ordered separately or in a flight.

They serve breakfast and brunch with dishes such as migas, steak hash, pancakes, overnight oats, and pastries. Lunch options include the Latin chicken & grain bowl, Mediterranean chicken naan, and an Asian noodle bowl with chicken, soba noodles, kale, roasted peppers, cucumber, and avocado in a red pepper-miso vinaigrette.

The Southlake shop is opening with a fall menu that includes:

• Twilight Mocha: adaptogenic mushrooms, white and dark chocolate, oat milk, and smoked sea salt
• Dotiki Apple Chai-der: doki, black tea, caramel, spices, and ginger beer
• Crispy Hot Chicken Sammie: hand-breaded chicken thigh, spicy agave house slaw, roasted red pepper aioli, and house pickles on brioche
• Apple Pie French Toast: croissant bread, house-made apple chutney, vanilla cream, cinnamon sugar, and maple syrup

Ascension has always served food in addition to coffee, dating back to its early days when it first debuted in Dallas' Design District in 2012. But they've stepped up the café component in recent years, both in breadth and quality. That includes partnerships with top-quality purveyors such as croissants from Fort Worth's Black Rooster Bakery, and bagels from award-winning Starship Bagel.

Their upgrades have not gone unnoticed: Ascension won Best Coffee Shop in the 2026 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards.

Ascension was originally founded by Russell Hayward, a native of Australia, a country well-known for its coffee obsessiveness. The current CEO and president is Jessica Keenan, a certified Q Arabica Coffee Grader who oversees green coffee purchases for Ascension as well as managing quality assurance.

Keenan joined Ascension in 2021, as did culinary director Jason Connelly, who oversees food and drink. He was previously executive chef at the Adolphus and before that, worked at numerous Marriott properties.

“At Ascension, we’re intentional about every part of the experience, from the coffees we source and the food we serve to the relationships we build with our guests and our producer partners,” Keenan says in the release. “Opening our largest café in Southlake allows us to share that commitment on a larger scale, creating a place where people can gather throughout the day for coffee, food offerings, conversation, and connection. More than anything, we hope to become a meaningful part of the community and a welcoming third space woven into everyday life.”

For the Southlake shop, Dallas-based Tower Design Studio designed the interior, and Fort Worth artist Jan Riggins created a commissioned 3-D art installation.

Ascension will hold a grand opening celebration on Thursday, October 22.

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This story was originally published on May 7, 2026. It has been updated October 12 to include new information about the opening date, size, design, and menu.