‘Something completely different, one thing enjoyable’: The Friendly Toast opens in downtown Concord

Red sparkly cubicles steadily full of hungry clients as morning daylight streamed by means of the home windows of The Friendly Toast restaurant in downtown Concord on its opening day.

The all-day brunch and bar, a part of a small chain of New England eateries that started in Portsmouth in 1994, moved into the primary flooring of the newly opened Arts Alley on Main Street.

Although The Friendly Toast didn’t unlock its doorways till 7:30 a.m., Bill Hall inaugurated the road at 6:55 a.m., decided to be among the many first individuals within the metropolis to soak up the meals, drinks and vibe.

One of his shut associates was working the bar, and Hall wished to point out his help. Plus, he was wanting ahead to getting a superb meal within the course of.

“We certainly need more restaurants in Concord and more breakfast places, too. It’s a beautiful building. They did a great job renovating it,” stated Hall, who lives within the Capital City.

The Arts Alley undertaking, spearheaded by developer Steve Duprey, sought to create new downtown leisure choices that appealed to all ages, particularly youthful individuals. The Friendly Toast, whose success throughout New England has skyrocketed because the pandemic, performs a big position in that endeavor.

Laura Starr-Houghton and Debborah Kaitz met for a Monday morning exercise earlier than heading to The Friendly Toast for breakfast. Like Hall, they stay up for seeing what the brand new spot will do for downtown.

“I’m going to call out Steve Duprey. He’s done a really good job because he’s really making a lot of things happen,” Starr-Houghton stated. “And nothing is open on Sunday, so let’s bring back something on Sundays.”

Both ladies have liked seeing Main Street blossom again to life in recent times. To them, the breakfast restaurant is the newest a part of this shift.

“I think it’s really helping the downtown area, getting local traffic,” Kaitz stated.

Inside the colourful eatery, clients chatted with workers like outdated associates and exclaimed over the embellished partitions whereas ready in line to be seated. Behind the bar, Rachelle Beaudoin whipped up completely different drink flights.

She frequented the unique location in Portsmouth as a buyer again in her early 20s earlier than gravitating to The Friendly Toast as a spot to work. The expertise has been “full circle” for Beaudoin, who lives in Loudon and educated on the restaurant’s places in Nashua, Bedford and Salem. The Concord spot marks the fifth within the state.

“It took me a little bit to find a company that I really like,” she stated. “The restaurant industry is kind of wild, and this company is just a fabulous company to work for. Everyone is super supportive, very organized, which is not a common thing in restaurants. It’s structured, and it’s fun.”

She appreciates the colourful, colourful ambiance that characterizes every of the restaurant’s places.

“I think [we’re] something different, something fun,” Beaudoin stated. “Because that’s what we’re going for. Something more creative.”

That artistic ambiance calls to individuals like Victoria Navarro, who goes to The Friendly Toast in Nashua every Sunday together with her household, together with her 90-year-old grandmother. She runs the occasion firm Party Through Life and has helped with completely different Friendly Toast grand openings throughout New Hampshire.

After working the Nashua grand opening final 12 months, Navarro tried the breakfast tacos and stated she was “hooked.”

“That’s one of the best things is their menu,” Navarro stated. “You can’t go wrong. And who else serves breakfast flights? They’re delicious.”

She created a balloon arch exterior the Concord location for its grand opening and watched the road of consumers stream into the restaurant to attempt the meals.

“Mainly, I just hope they find their family gathering, like my family does,” she stated. “If they can find something at The Friendly Toast that brings you back every week to make memories, I think that’s key. It could become a staple of the community.”

More info

The Friendly Toast in Concord is positioned at 22 South Main St., Unit 1 in Concord.

Here are the hours of operation:

Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

To be taught extra, go to https://www.thefriendlytoast.com.

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