The bakery brand that has earned a devoted following when paired with a Metro Vancouver coffee shop is venturing out on its own for a debut standalone location.
Dope Bakehouse, whose cruffins, cookies, and croissants, have drawn raves (and line-ups) at Nemesis cafés, will open a new solo shop in a new build at 650 Mountain Highway in North Vancouver.
North Van is a fitting community for the first Dope Bakehouse standalone, given the baked goods made their debut on the North Shore.
"We first named our in-house bakery program Dope Bakehouse at our Nemesis Polygon location, and it really took off beyond our imaginations. It was then we knew we had something really special,” said Jess Reno, founder and CEO of Nemesis, in a media release for the new project.
Dope Bakehouse is led by pastry chef Kevin Lucas, who hails from Brittany, France (home of the famous sugary, buttery, densely layered treat called the Kouign-Amann).
For the solo Dope Bakehouse shop, Lucas will continue to work closely with the Nemesis culinary team, all of whom combined will remain dedicated to taking the brand's pastry creations to the next level.
The Dope Bakehouse menu includes a core selection of croissants, ranging from classic butter and pain au chocolat to eye-catching flavours like tiramisu, along with the croissant-muffin hybrid creations (croissants), Brittany's beloved Kouign-Amann ("The Queen") and a line of delectable cookies, all offered alongside seasonal specials and creative standouts, like Raspberry Rhubarb Pain Suisse to exciting collabs with folks like breakdancer Phil Wizard.
In the new North Van location, however, you can expect the Dope team to be rolling out even more fresh treats, all baked on site. Items you migh find in the pastry case include Mango Coconut Rice Pudding Danish, Hochija Strawberry Danish, Bacon Smoked Cheese and Fermented Honey Croissant, Marsala Tiramisu Cruffin, and Espresso Double Chocolate Smoked Sea Salt Cookie.
The treats will be available to enjoy for take-out or onsite, the latter thanks to Dope Bakehouse's 15-seater café in the new 3,000-square-foot Mountain Highway space.
Also on the menu will be Nemesis coffee, fresh-pressed OJ, and specialty beverages that match the energy of the food program.
“We’re just having a lot of fun with this concept. Our goal has always been to create spaces where people feel inspired by the whole experience – from the food, the drinks, to the music, the design, and the people. Dope Bakehouse is the embodiment of our tongue and cheek spirit – the playful, younger sibling to Nemesis. We can’t wait to share it with the North Shore community and beyond." added Reno.
Dope Bakehouse in North Vancouver is aiming to open later this summer. Follow Dope Bakehouse on Instagram: @dope.bakehouse.
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