For decades, the building at 1001 North Central Avenue in Phoenix was a plain mid-rise office building, the kind found in cities all over the country. That changed when the building was acquired by True North Studio, known for its extensive real estate holdings around Roosevelt Row. Rechristened the Ten-O-One building with a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt on its glass facade, the structure's ground floor and basement have been converted to an urban retail experience with new stores and restaurants. One tenant, Dialog, is a little bit of both.
masala chai
If the overall theme of Ten-O-One seems one of Uptown style and aesthetics in a Downtown location, that is true not only in a figurative sense, but also a literal one, with Dialog. The shop continues the combination of design store and coffee house that originated at its older sibling, For the People, three miles north. With For the People closing, Dialog has effectively become the heir to its mix of contemporary furnishings, clever gifts, coffee table books so big they could be coffee tables themselves, and a corner coffee bar with beverages, pastry, and snacks.
matcha latte
Those categories flow seamlessly into one another within Dialog, but generally retail is up front facing Roosevelt with the coffee counter in the back, adjoining a seating area that also serves as the building's lobby. The building is directly across the street from the Roosevelt/Central light rail station, and bike racks are found via an alley between the Ten-O-One building and an adjacent parking garage. The printed beverage menu is available at the counter, and whatever pastries are available on a given day are displayed under glass domes there as well.
sesame asparagus brioche
Coffee and espresso drinks, if ordered for consumption on site, are presented in ceramic vessels with latte art to match the stylish aesthetics of the shop. Those include not only standards like cappuccinos and cortados, but also original drinks like a Honey Bee latte with vanilla syrup and honey and espresso tonic made with carbonated quinine water from local producer Big Marble. Tea is given equal attention with matcha and hojicha green varieties, masala chai, and a variety of loose leaf teas brewed to order and served hot or iced.
sweet potato herb scone
The pastry to accommodate the beverages includes sweets like brownies with embedded Oreos, but there is also an ample selection of savory baked goods. Scones with sweet potato and herbs seem reminiscent of a Thanksgiving break basket, and brioche with sesame and asparagus can serve as a modest meal. For something even lighter, there are some packaged crackers, chocolates, and yogurt from specialty purveyors in the small grocery section of the shop. That portion of Dialog also has a refrigerated case with bottled and canned drinks.
blackberry thyme fizz
Dialog does not have a liquor license like the increasing number of places that combine coffee and cocktails, but it does offer a selection of mocktails using tonic, sparkling water, and fruit and botanical essences. The result is drinks like an effervescent blackberry thyme fizz. The shop generally sticks to daytime hours, even during First Fridays, but does occasionally host special events. Like its neighbors Bunky Boutique, Now or Never, and Rough Rider in the previously prosaic building it now occupies, Dialog is creating its own dialogue with Roosevelt Row.
1001 N. Central Ave. #110, Phoenix AZ 85004
https://dialogphx.com
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