Photo by Olaf Growald
Dwell Coffee & Biscuits
Near the intersection of South University Drive and Berry Street sits a 1970s-era building — its architecture displaying its obvious history as a bank — that is now the Woodcrest Capital building. Since the arrival of Dwell Coffee & Biscuits in January, this financial edifice has become overflow seating for TCU study-buddies who, on most weekdays, inhabit the new coffeehouse from open to close.
At first glance, the concrete and glass tower — dwarfing a neighboring Exxon station and TCU Florist — seems an odd spot to tuck a coffee shop. But, upon closer inspection, the building affords Dwell Coffee & Biscuits its retro charm.
As you enter through the old elevator bank and descend a half flight of stairs, you’ll find floral wallpaper wrapped around columns that borrows its color palette from the exterior glass — a combination of water-stained gold and aqua tones. You’ll also find the catchphrase “Best Day Ever” in neon, providing patrons a perfect Instagram opportunity.
A counter-service coffee bar at its heart, Dwell’s journey began in a tiny cottage in Burleson — the hometown of co-owners Jeff and Stephanie Brannon — in 2014 and expanded to its current location in Burleson’s Old Town the following year. The shop on University is the Brannons’ second, and the duo recently announced plans to add a third location inside the Fountains Fellowship in Crowley.
The pair jumped on the biscuit trend in 2016 and now offers a bevy of options. The Basic Biswich ($5), which includes a thick-cut slice of melting cheddar cheese and a scrambled egg patty neatly folded over, is just that, “basic,” and can even receive comparisons to McDonald’s — albeit much, much better. Though superior to anything you’ll receive from a fast-food joint, the biscuit was dry and came without any sauce, gravy or condiment of any kind. The Sausage Biswich ($7) is a far better option, which comes stocked with a nice-sized sausage patty, the same cheddar cheese, but sausage gravy and tangy bacon aioli sauce succeed in moistening the ’wich.
You can get one called Straight Up ($6), which is a buttermilk biscuit smothered with your choice of sausage or vegetarian gravy. And, finally, in its most simplistic form, the biscuit & jam ($4) comes with your choice of locally crafted Moore jam.
Dwell also offers few mini biscuit options ($2 each, three for $5 or a dozen for $18), whose savory varieties include classic buttermilk, jalapeño cheddar, cinnamon roll and lemon thyme.
Biscuits come in many styles, from delicate and pillowy to layered and flaky, but the biscuits I sampled at Dwell were on the dense and chewy side, and they were not my style.
While a few patrons/TCU students were nibbling on biscuits, all had some form of caffeinated beverage to sip. The coffee menu is affordable and well-executed — anything your heart desires from cappuccino and cold brew to cortado and from mocha and matcha to macchiato. In keeping with the retro vibe, all hot drinks are served in pale, green-hued, diner-style cup and saucer sets. Their roaster is Pinewood, which has a coffeehouse of its own and also recently opened a pub house in Waco, and its coffee is robust and aromatic.
The spring menu includes some fun concoctions like the Lavender Latte, a combination of espresso, steamed milk and not-too-sweet or too-overpowering lavender syrup. The Honey Oat Cappuccino rides the wave of another new trend — oat milk — with espresso and a touch of honey.
The Ruby is a completely “chill” drink of Topo Chico over ice blended with Alfred Blush Tea concentrate and a dash of simple syrup, and The Caddy consists of equal parts cold brew and raspberry lemonade, simple syrup and an orange peel garnish.
You might not find a two-top open for dine-in, especially near final exam week. In fact, if you arrive without a backpack or a laptop, you might feel a little out of place, but it’s nice to have a new nonchain coffee shop near campus.
