All three women in Taylor Nicholson’s immediate family have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten. Her sister, Erin, was diagnosed first.
“I started making food bars for her,” Nicholson says. “She was a pre-med student — really busy and tired of eating nuts and dried fruit all day. That was kind of the impetus for this whole thing.”
“This whole thing” refers to Unrefined, the bakery Nicholson and her mother, Anne Hoyt, founded five years ago near White Rock Lake. Since then, the ladies have opened three additional shops. The newest sits in Preston Center.
“A lot of our customer base said, ‘Go west of the tollway, go west of the tollway,” Nicholson explains. So they did.
The space is small, but that’s just fine, because everything on the menu is grab and go. You’ll find food bars, of course, but there are also sandwiches — which you can order on Paleo bread — and bags of frozen cornbread to reheat at home. The main attraction, though, is undeniably the pastry case. It’s filled with muffins, cookies and cupcakes in flavors like lemon, strawberry and Loaded Monkey, a fusion of banana bread, chocolate chips and peanut butter. No matter what you select, it’s guaranteed to be organic, gluten-free and soy-free. But Nicholson swears that won’t stop it from being delicious.
“We don’t want people to feel left out just because they have food allergies or food limitations,” she says. “Food is a part of our culture. We celebrate with food. If you’re a little kid [with allergies] and you want a sprinkle cupcake like every other normal little kid, awesome — why not?”
Unrefined
6055 Sherry Lane
469.816.2414
unrefinedbakery.com
Ambiance:
grab and go
Price range:
$1.25 for cookies – $45 for birthday cakes
Hours:
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday
Did you know?
Unrefined also makes wedding cakes. “I never would have thought to send a thank you note to my wedding cake designer,” Nicholson says. “But I’ve gotten quite a few of them.”
more dining spots
Panini Bakery
Tying the knot? Panini Bakery specializes in wedding cakes. Owner Jeff Rotundo works with customers to create memorable designs. Past groom’s cakes have been shaped and frosted to look like hamburgers, cowboy boots and Budweiser beer caps.
6063 Sherry Lane
214.363.1225
paninicakes.com
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Sprinkles Cupcakes needs no introduction. The pastry shop has a cult following in seven states and the District of Columbia. If it’s after hours and you need your sweet fix, try the outdoor “ATM.” It works like a Redbox, except, thankfully, you don’t have to return the dispensed goods.
2020 Villanova Drive
214.369.0004
sprinkles.com
Society Bakery
This appropriately named sweet shop has whipped up treats for the likes of Mark Cuban, Billy Joel, Steven Tyler and many others. Cupcakes are the signature items, but pies, tarts, salads and sandwiches round out the menu.
7777 Forest Lane
973.566.7558
societybakery.com
