UPDATE 23-07-2021: Jane has arrived. They are organizing a soft opening on Friday June 23 and Saturday June 24, from 5 p.m. to midnight (the kitchen closes at 11 p.m.). They are still finishing construction on their patio and will eventually announce an official opening date. Meanwhile, the Coffee Bar is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They encourage everyone to come by for a latte or try their cold draft brew.
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Wine bars are on the rise, and there’s now one in Southlake this spring: Called Joanit will be a wine bar and cafes serving coffee, wine, cocktails and bites, opening at 1151 E. Southlake Blvd., across from Southlake Town Square.
Owner Mo Noorali was born and raised in the DFW area and then lived in New York for almost 15 years. He and his wife moved back to Texas once they started having a family.
Together with Jane, they channel some of the excitement of the New York foodie scene. In fact, their concept is named after Jane Street in the West Village.
“We loved all the restaurants in New York, many of which were smaller and independently owned,” says Noorali. “When we started working on this restaurant, the name ‘Jane’ was initially just a placeholder. A monumental period of my time in New York was spent living in an apartment on Jane Street, we hosted always friends and family and celebrating some important life events there, and the name just felt appropriate.”
Encouraged by family members who have experience in the hospitality industry as well as an owner wanting a cafe option, they took the plunge. Right now they are in the fun creative stage of developing the menu and wine list.
They plan to open gradually: the cafe first, maybe in May, then the wine bar in June.
“It will be a wine bar with a selection of cheese and charcuterie boards as well as a few small plates – steak tartare and a few hot dishes including meatballs and mini burgers,” he says. “One thing we are passionate about is keeping the menu fresh and incorporating seasonal ingredients.”
For the wine list, they will bring wines from different parts of the world. “We try to keep it interesting, but we also have familiar labels that people are looking for,” he says.
In addition to wine, they will have a full bar with craft cocktails, as well as a full coffee bar, which means they will also be open in the morning.
They will also have the feature that has become essential for any new restaurant or bar: the patio. “It will be a covered patio with an open, airy outdoor feel,” he says.
For coffee, they opt for La Colombe, the Philadelphia roaster that also has cafes in cities across the United States.
“Jane’s foundations are wine and coffee,” says Noorali. “The way I explain what we do is that it’s like a nice bar in the lobby of a hotel.”
“In the morning, you can have a meeting, have coffee and a light breakfast, or sit at the bar and drink a cappuccino,” he says. “As the day goes on, it will become a place where you can grab a light lunch or come after work for happy hour, an aperitif or dessert.”
