Dining
BY KAREN CHANEY
The Chestnut Tree owner Suzanne Johnson has lived in Denton for 24 years.
Healthy Hippie ($15) features mashed avocado on wheat bread, baby heirloom tomatoes, za’atar spice, arugula, a balsamic drizzle served with seasonal fruit and potatoes O’Brien.
PHOTOS BY KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Chestnut Tree boasts deep roots in Denton
Downtown Denton’s The Chestnut Tree—which started out as an antique shop with a tea room in the back in 1994—has transitioned into a tea room and bistro, sans antique shop, featuring a bustling catering business. “I love this place so much,” restaurateur Suzanne Johnson said. “I’ve been fortunate to be a part of an institution that has been here for a long time—it’s the oldest restaurant downtown—but catering allows me to ex my creative chops.” Mother and daughter duo Betty Seeders and Valeree Clegg opened The Chestnut Tree in 1994. In 2016, after six years of working as the restau- rant’s chef, and when Clegg was ready to retire, Johnson became the sole proprietor. On the menu Johnson said some food items, like the com- plimentary made-in-house biscuits and butter, have remained consistent since the restaurant’s inception. However, she has tweaked the menu over time to stay relevant and to honor customers’ requests. “Quality ingredients are important to me. It has some French in uence, but it’s not a completely French restaurant,” Johnson said. “We try to make sure we have vegan and gluten free options.” Top-selling menu items are from the brunch menu, including lox and bagels, the Monte Cristo sandwich and The Dentonite, which is a French toast sandwich featuring ham, Swiss cheese,
mushrooms, tomatoes, hollandaise, poached egg and a balsamic glaze. “[The Dentonite] is a good hangover food,” Johnson said. “It’s a nice, savory breakfast option which is substantial enough that when you eat it, you cure what ails you.” What else? Johnson said about half of The Chestnut Tree’s business is catering and a top request is for grazing tables. “There’s a local bar called Paschall [and] I’m doing my third tiki event with them, so it’s all Hawaiian in uenced,” Johnson said. “I don’t send a standard catering menu out to everybody because I like to gure out what somebody is looking for exactly. For the most part, we can accommodate any budget.” Making an impact Johnson said The Chestnut Tree’s customers, which she calls “guests,” are very diverse and include young children, college students and grandparents. “There are people who I catered their weddings 15 years ago, and now I’ve catered their daughter’s birthday party,” Johnson said. “There are people who had their rst tea party here when they were 5, and I’ve now catered their weddings. The loyalty of our guests—and getting to see them grow and change—is one of my favorite parts about this.”
Lox & Bagel ($21) has salmon, dill cream cheese, onion, tomatoes, hard egg, caviar and an everything bagel.
Buddha bowl ($17) includes greens, tomato, berries, sun ower seeds and blueberry pomegranate dressing.
W. HICKORY ST.
W. WALNUT ST.
N
107 W. Hickory St., Denton www.chestnuttearoom.com
20
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook