Starbucks in Dallas, Fort Worth launch beer and wine sales
Don't call it a coffee shop anymore: Starbucks shops in Dallas and Fort Worth will transform into wine and beer bars beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The three Starbucks The Dallas Morning News could confirm as early participants are at Shops at
Park Lane in Dallas,
at Lemmon Avenue and Inwood Road in Dallas,
and in Sundance Square in Fort Worth.
However, I've been tracking Starbucks licenses with the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission for months, and stores in
Southlake,
McKinney,
Carrollton,
Flower Mound,
Lewisville,
Coppell,
Mansfield,
Highland Park,
Murphy,
Plano
and Irving
have also applied for or received licenses to sell beer and wine at their store
The three Starbucks -- two in Dallas and one in Fort Worth -- are North Texas' first to sell beer and wine, however.
All three debut a new Starbucks Evenings food and drink menu on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And although it's technically an afternoon/evening menu, each store is offering food samples in the early mornings. Alcoholic beverages become available in the afternoon at all three locations.
Expect four bottled beers: Fireman's #4, Stone Brewing Co.'s saison, a Saint Arnold beer and a local one: McKinney brewery Franconia's wheat beer. The stores are also selling a sparkling wine, four whites and five reds. Drinks cost about $6 to $12.
The food lends itself to tapas-style food, made for sharing or snacking instead of grab 'n go.
The new Starbucks Evenings food in Dallas and Fort Worth includes
Spinach artichoke dip served with pita chips
Truffle mac and cheese with parmesan bread crumbs
Two flatbreads: chicken sausage and mushroom; artichoke and goat cheese
Cheese plate with Irish cheddar, goat cheese, dried apricot
Salami plate
Beef and Italian sausage meatballs
Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo and topped with a balsamic glaze
Breaded chicken breast skewers served with honey dijon sauce on the side
Truffled popcorn
The truffled popcorn is the least expensive item, at $2.45. The flatbreads are the highest, at $6.95.
Starbucks Evenings debuted in the coffee shop's home city of Seattle in 2010. The idea was to offer "a familiar place to gather later in the day," according to the company website. Besides, customers were already hanging out at Starbucks past the typical "morning coffee" times -- using wi-fi, conducting business meetings and grabbing a bite.
Starbucks has a sommelier (that's a wine expert) named Rachel Antalek who picked the drinks.
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