Layered offers breakfast, brunch and family-like bonds to McKinney

Nir Sela, owner of Layered in downtown McKinney, called working in the city refreshing as compared to his past days running coffee shops in the Big Apple.

The breakfast and brunch restaurant, located at 111 E. Virginia St., McKinney, sees regulars visit on any given day, and Sela said he is always eager to chat with them and offer his service. The former New Yorker said he decided to move to North Texas for its more homely, friendly atmosphere back when he opened his restaurant in downtown McKinney in 2017.

“That’s what I like more, so that’s the reason for McKinney,” Sela said. “It’s really amazing. We have a lot of repeat customers, and we have a lot of new faces.”

On the square in McKinney, Sela said families will often walk along the city’s promenade of small businesses before they step inside Layered. He said they might stop in for a coffee with several shopping bags, often with several family members, before they head out again to do more shopping at local businesses.

In a way, McKinney is a microcosm of New York City, Sela said, where there is plenty of commercial activity and tourism.

“I didn’t want to be up in a place like a mall or a strip center,” Sela said. “Being here in downtown McKinney reminds me, on a small scale, of New York City.”

Guests enjoy decadent breakfast and brunch fare, from sweet potato pancakes and banana foster Belgian waffles to what Sela called “the best coffee in McKinney.” In addition, Sela said, acting as a catalyst for small-town connections adds to his pride.

“We have people that work here who are still here from Day One—just like family,” Sela said. “We just like to see people interact with people.”

Layered

111 E. Virginia St., McKinney

972-542-6317

www.layeredtx.com