Headington Companies’ Commissary Is Set To Open Next Monday And It’ll Offer A Taste Of What The Restaurant Group’s Culinary Portfolio Has To Offer.
Commissary at 1217 Main Street is a well-oiled machine, from its ground-level bakery and food prep center to the 5,000-bottle underground wine cellar and butcher and meat aging fridges.
So when it opens next Monday, November 6, it should be no different for the friendly faces behind the counter and in the kitchen because they’ve been preparing the bread, pastries, specialty cuts, pastas and condiments served at Headington’s 13 other properties like The Joule, Victor Tangos, Wheelhouse and Sassetta’s since May.
The only difference come opening day is that the self-billed all-in-one butcher, bakery and market cafe will also be selling those goods directly to the public, as well as offering dine- in or -out options as well as catering for small groups.
Still, everything going on at Commissary behind the counter is pretty much a version of in-house outsourcing, if that makes sense. Headington had all its separate businesses making the same pastries and whatnot and found that the best way to have uniformity was to centralize that production.
That production ranges from everything like sweet and savory pastries, handmade pastas, charcuterie and Commissary dishes that span breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The 2,500-square foot space feels spacious but not so that it feels like just an off-site bakery. Still, the bright blue tiling and the light coming in through the large windows (at least during the day) facing Main Street and Field Street kind of challenge coziness to develop. But that’s maybe for the best seeing as how the spot’s best attribute is the efficiency with which customers can easily navigate Headington’s culinary portfolio.
It feels like the kind of spot that you can sit in peace for about half an hour alone, sipping on coffee or meeting someone for a quick chat or a work meeting.
Of that, General manager of the nearby Joule Justin Fields, says it’s ultimately going to be up to the patrons to decide how they’ll use the space, even if the vibe the team is going for is more of a European bodega/cafe vibe, where it’s customary to visit those spots for dinner instead of just breakfast and lunch.
“If somebody wants to camp out on the internet for an hour and half, they’re basically taking up one of our valuable seats,” Fields says. “But I don’t look at it that way. We want people to be comfortable here. Some are going to use it merely as a grab-and-go, some as a market, some as exploration and discovery, so if people work here, we know they’ll be eating the goods. And that’s better than no business.”
That being said, even if the spot doesn’t generate much foot traffic, it’s still a win-win for Headington, as the kitchen still has to continue making all the goods that ship out to other restaurants around the city.
But with such a wide-ranging menu of both food and beverages, there’s no reason why Commissary can’t become the go-to spot for those living downtown or those looking for a quick but tasty Dallas dining experience.
