Ernest Belmore Jr. started his career as a classically trained French chef in the 1990s before leaving the industry to work in real estate. However, a few months later, he said he had a burning in his belly and a yearning to create “a complete quality experience.”
“I thought up this concept from start to finish and sketched it in one night on a piece of paper,” he said. “Like, five months later, I found it, and I thought, ‘Yeah, this is pretty good.’”
That concept, mused from an imagined futuristic diner, came to life as the neighborhood-focused collective dubbed BuzzBrews. He opened the first location in 2005 off Central Expressway and had six locations across Dallas prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The menu has changed since it was conceived, now offering signature dishes, such as the French Connection crepes, the Hippie Miss Piggy and the Bluto, made with fresh, local ingredients.
Ahead of the curve with sanitation and adaptation, Belmore said he responded to COVID-19 by honoring the values of quality and innovation. He shut down three locations and renovated the remaining ones, including the Deep Ellum location, which should reopen in September.
The flagship Lakewood restaurant added the Brewers Arms this year and is built with the original 300-year-old Irish interior offering a full bar with local brews. It even offers its own menu and a casual yet intimate ambiance great for hosting its nightly events. Belmore said he hopes to add movie nights to the restaurant soon.
“My general process is that I go into that space by myself, and I become one with that space,” Belmore said. “And then I let it speak to me and tell me what it needs to get to where I want to be, and it’s all different, because every place is different.”
BuzzBrews Kitchen
5815 Live Oak St., Ste. 102, Dallas
214-370-5815
www.buzzbrews.com
