30 Years In, Bread Winners Is Still Dallas’s First Name in Brunch
This year marks the 30th anniversary for the Bread Winners Cafe, a Dallas institution — especially when it comes to brunch. The Uptown location is in a building that is over 100 years old and reads like a haphazard space forced to be a restaurant.
“There have been times in the restaurant, I won’t name any names but the who’s who of Dallas in there, alongside people in the community who are reaching up [in their budgets] to eat here,”
Founders Jim and Cindy Hughes ran the beloved spot for very nearly three decades, until 2022, when Josh Bock of Stratega Capital purchased the existing locations and catering company.
Its current chief operating officer, Robert Hall, has been learning about the brand since the changeover. “At first I thought this is just a really stable concept,” Hall says. “We serve waffles, and the classic [breakfast dishes] in good portions, and that’s what the longevity is about. I don’t believe that anymore.”
It turns out, that getting to know the people behind the brand is the key, from the “newest” restaurant manager who has been there for several years to the bakers who’ve been part of Bread Winners for well over a decade, says Hall. Not to mention the servers at various locations who have been working at Bread Winners since the doors first opened. “It’s a rarity [in hospitality] to even have a significant portion of the staff 24 months after opening,” Hall says.
A few things have changed under new ownership — various technology upgrades, removing the free bread from the menu, and the expansion of what Hall deems “healthy” options. However, Hall notes that a lot of the diners are returning to the restaurant all through their lives and can always expect to find a plate of chicken and waffles, which is by far one of its most popular dishes. “There have been times in the restaurant, I won’t name any names but the who’s who of Dallas in there, alongside people in the community who are reaching up [in their budgets] to eat here,” Hall says. “In these economic times, we value that... We’ve retooled to embrace the whole community.”
Diners are mourning the free bread. But that doesn’t necessarily stop them from adding on an order for an extra $1.75. During a recent brunch service, a pair of older customers who asked about the bread didn’t hesitate to order the plate, which includes a decent assortment of breakfast pastries. Hall says the restaurant is offering a variety of promotions to honor the restaurant’s anniversary, including limited-time discounts on food and drink.
The future for Bread Winners looks like a business moving beyond Dallas and into DFW. Hall says that two locations will open soon, in Allen and Southlake.