Cheddar jalapeƱo biscuit? Or peach biscuit? Or bacon salted chocolate chip biscuit?
That’s just a sampling of the 10 plus biscuit varieties available at new Grandview joint Basic Biscuits, Kindness & Coffee, 1160 Goodale Blvd.
Diners will have two options to get their biscuit fix – pre-order by the dozen online or swing through the carryout-only cafe.
“The online ordering allows the customer the flexibility to order whatever size they want, whatever flavor they want,” says Owner Rebekah Hatzifotinos.
Biscuits come in two sizes – mini and big – and there’s currently 11 flavors to choose from, ranging from savory to sweet and classic buttermilk. For those that can’t choose just one flavor, half-and-halfs and sampler packs are available.
Individual biscuits will be up for grabs at the cafe as well, but Hatzifotinos says every flavor won’t be available in every size every day.
At the cafe, customers can order straight biscuits, or jazz it up with add-ons like cheese, bacon, honey or jam. There’s also a “not so basic” menu which includes biscuits with sausage gravy, biscuit breakfast sliders and biscuit quiche.
Hatzifotinos has called on some neighborhood help for parts of the menu. Basic Biscuits will stock Stauf’s coffee and The Butcher & Grocer is responsible for the sausage – which is a custom blend for the restaurant.
Opening a brick-and-mortar was always part of Hatzifotinos’ plan for Basic Biscuits.
Building a bakery is a new direction for the former attorney who spent ten plus years in the field. Finding the work-life balance difficult with two younger kids, Hatzifotinos chose to stay home with her children.
During that time she started exploring another love – cooking. Taking cooking classes at local spots like the Seasoned Farmhouse continued to drive her passion, putting the idea of opening her own bakery on the agenda.
A trip to a biscuit restaurant in Charleston, SC provided the inspiration for Basic Biscuits. While the South Carolina joint was tasty, it wasn’t exactly what she had in mind when it came to biscuits.
There was no passed-down family recipe or anything like that. Hatzifotinos hadn’t really made biscuits before, either, but she thought, “Iām going to try to make these the way I had imagined they were going to be.”
It was a classic tale of family and friends first, then people started offering to buy her biscuits. The home bakery was more of an accident that met the biscuit demand while Hatzifotinos waited on her brick-and-mortar.
There was a sprinkle of serendipity on the location. Grandview residents for the last decade and a half, Hatzifotinos’ husband was looking for a space for his law firm. When touring the building at 1160 Goodale Blvd., he realized the space had a commercial kitchen from a long-gone take-and-bake pizza shop.
The coronavirus pandemic has – luckily – only really impacted Basic Biscuits in terms of slowing down construction.
“I just feel fortunate that my business plan was always carry-out so I donāt really have to change that,” Hatzifotinos says.
A self-described extrovert, she’ll miss some of the customer interaction given the current circumstances, but is excited to be situated in a community that supports local businesses.
“People really rally around each other and support local businesses here,” Hatzifotinos says. “Itās almost like the smaller, the better.”
Basic Biscuits is currently accepting online orders available for pickup Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. The cafe will open in the next few weeks, with hours from 7 – 11 a.m.
For more information, visit getbasicbiscuits.com.
Photos provided by Basic Biscuits, Kindness & Coffee