85ºC Bakery Cafe planning to perk up Fort Worth

About this time last year, reports started coming out about 85º Bakery Cafe — nicknamed “The Starbucks of Taiwan” — moving into North Texas, beginning with a Carrollton location that has opened in the interim.

According to its website, there are two other DFW locations coming, in Plano and Richardson. But company representatives confirmed that a Fort Worth location is also en route.

BuildZoom, which connects businesses and other customers with building contractors, shows an 85º Bakery Cafe coming to 628 Harrold St. in a list of construction permits. That’s in the Left Bank shopping center anchored by the new Tom Thumb off of West 7th Street.

An 85º Bakery Cafe confirms the move-in, which is also included in a list of “tenants coming soon,” along with Hopdoddy Burger Bar, MidiCi Neapolitan Pizza and Nekter Juice Bar, on Left Bank parent Centergy Retail’s website.

The name “85°C” refers to the bakery chain's founder Wu Cheng-Hsueh’s belief that 85°C (185°F) is the optimal temperature to brew coffee, according to a release: “The chain began in 2004 in Taiwan and quickly spread across Asia. The brand now operates more than 985 stores worldwide, with heavy expansion in the US as a major market focus through the demand for more varied flavors, artisanal products and international food offering.”

A Frisco location is also planned.

One of the chain’s more unusual offerings is sea-salt beverages — including sea-salt coffee and sea-salt jasmine green tea. Bakery offerings include sweet and savory breads, and numerous cakes and pastries.

A target opening date has not been announced.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 5:40 PM with the headline "85ºC Bakery Cafe planning to perk up Fort Worth."