DURHAM TWP., Pa. - A restaurant serving up local and organic foods, roasted-on-site coffee and picturesque views of the Delaware Canal is now the toast of upper Bucks County's dining scene.
TOAST, an artisanal cafe and toastery specializing in organic coffees, teas, elixirs and plant-based foods, opened Feb. 15 at 1400 Easton Road in Durham Township, just south of Riegelsville.
The space previously housed other eateries, including Someday Cafe and, most recently, The Hungry Locktender.
"The concept is plant-based and vegan-friendly," co-owner Shawn "Shae" Kehs said. "Every item on the menu is inherently vegan until you add eggs or dairy. So, customers have choices when they order. For example, they could choose dairy cheese or vegan cheese."
Kehs is a longtime chef and product developer at Pipersville-based Brad's Plant Based - a producer of crunchy kale, veggie chips and other plant-based snacks. He's also developed menus for several prominent restaurants in New York City and Bucks County.
At TOAST, Kehs is partnering with Sarah Hinsch, a certified health and wellness coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City.
Hinsch previously operated downtown Easton's Greenmouth Juice Bar + Cafe (later renamed Greentruth Healing Haven & Plant-Based Kitchen), a mission-based cafe supporting local farmers and offering creative, plant-based food and drinks made from scratch.
Hinsch has studied nutrition for more than 14 years and started healing herself by feeding her body organic, high vibrational foods.
Together, the duo crafted a menu of signature toasts, salads, desserts and more - all featuring organic, locally sourced ingredients.
"The toast name kind of has a dual meaning," Kehs said. "You can think of toast as in cheers, salut and celebrations of health and happiness, but you can also think of toast as in toasted bread, toasted coconut and other foods."
Customers can choose from more than a dozen signature toasts, including sweet options such as Chocolate Banana Smash (smashed banana, dark chocolate avocado mousse, chocolate drizzle and cacao nibs) and French Toast (signature sourdough French toast with strawberry coulis and coconut whip); and savory selections such as Tahini Miso (roasted tahini, chickpea miso, massaged kale, grilled pumpkin tofu sliver, crispy onion, lemon, cayenne, kimchi and microgreens) and Not Tuna Melt (chickpea and sunflower tuna, shredded carrot, celery, crispy onion and choice of melted cheese).
Signature toasts, $4.95-$6.75 for a half and $9.75-$12.99 for a whole (served with side of greens), feature local organic fermented sourdough from Lehigh Valley-based breadfermented.
They are "interpretations of classics," said Kehs, whose personal favorites include the Bah Mi (avocado, mixed greens, grilled pumpkin tofu, pickled cucumber, pickled carrot, crispy onion, cilantro, chilis, sesame and kimchi) and Artichoke Spinach (cashew artichoke spinach, choice of melted cheese, crispy onion, hemp parmesan, microgreens and lemon drizzle).
"For example, if someone who eats meat came in and saw there was a BLT with coconut bacon and pumpkin tofu, they'd probably say, 'What's going on?'" Kehs said. "But I explain to people that it's an interpretation of a classic, and they should give it a try to see if they like it. After they do, they absolutely love it, and they can't believe that they love it. I've found the same to be true with our taco toast and taco salad, where we use walnut taco meat."
Customers also can opt for "Toast Basics," where they choose their toast (sourdough, gluten-free sourdough or sourdough English muffin) and accompaniments such as cream cheese, Irish butter, cultured vegan butter or extra virgin coconut oil; and "Toast Boards" such as toasted garlic hummus with toast points, carrot and celery sticks, Kalamata olives, olive and lemon drizzles, paprika, sesame and greens.
A build-your-own toast option allows guests to create their own toasts by choosing from more than 50 fresh ingredients.
There are proteins such as dippy-style egg, peanut butter and walnut taco meat; vegetables such as jalapenos, pickled carrots and spring mix; sauces such as Brooklyn-style pizza sauce, citrus vinaigrette and sundried tomato aioli; cheeses such as cheddar and cultured vegan cream cheese; "crunch" options such as crispy onion and sesame; and sweets such as banana and chocolate drizzle.
Other food menu highlights include soups such as adzuki miso, salads such as kale Caesar and desserts such as avocado mousse, cacao date bites, chia pudding and superfood cookie dough bites. There are also baked goods such as cookies, muffins and croissants.
"Our menu items also can be made gluten-free," Kehs said. "A perfect example is our Bonfire S'more Fondue platter, where you can choose between graham cracker or gluten-free graham cracker."
TOAST's drink menu includes fair trade organic coffee, including its own dark, medium and espresso roasts and cold brew. There are also specialty drinks such as cappuccino, cortado, macchiato, black and green teas and Holistic Vibes kombucha and lemonade.
More than a half dozen elixirs include a Cognitive Latte (Toast espresso bulletproof-style, medicinal mushrooms, MCT oil and frothed milk) and "Dirty Golden Milk Latte" (turmeric, ginger, pepper, cinnamon and sweetener with steamed milk and espresso).
Holistic Vibes, a business producing organic, vegan and gluten-free foods, also operates out of the TOAST space. Customers can browse some of the business' items, including soups, smoothies and chocolate mousse, in a cooler.
"Holistic Vibes, which is run by Brandon Cantin, is super great and we have a few of their items on our menu," Kehs said. "So, we kind of cross-promote each other."
TOAST, showcasing ample natural light and a living plant wall, features a variety of seating options, including lounge furniture, low-top dining tables and high-top counter seating at the windows.
The cafe, which also offers a seasonal outdoor patio overlooking the Delaware Canal, is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
The business plans to temporarily close for two weeks, beginning March 15, for more preparation work, Kehs said. It will reopen March 29.
"The first month was kind of our soft-opening phase, where we tested everything out," Kehs explained. "So, we're going to take a brief break to recalibrate and make a few small changes. Then we'll reopen at the end of the month."
To stay up-to-date on TOAST happenings, follow the business on Facebook and Instagram. Info: 484-903-2701.
484-896-8867
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