It all started as a chance meeting at an industry mixer.

Kate Chomko, owner of Downtown and Vine, and Jennifer Kaye of About a Bite met, got to know each other, and now are cooperating on a new space on K Street.

For Downtown and Vine, a hidden favorite for those who work around the State Capitol, it means expanding its kitchen, Chomko told Cowtown Eats last week.

For About a Bite, it means moving the business from Gold River, sharing a kitchen with Downtown and Vine, and opening a storefront.

First, more on Downtown and Vine. Their current menu, which I often enjoy with co-workers, is limited by the fact that they don't have a kitchen with a vent hood. That means they can't cook meats and instead have to serve sliced bread and cheeses, flatbread, chips and dip, etc. which don't require a stove.

Come June 1, their menu will expand where they san serve a lot more small plates, featuring meats, sausages, peppers, etc. They'll also be adding soups, salads and a juice bar to their offerings. Chomko says they'll grow their own microgreens and wheat grass.

Downtown and Vine's new menu will be farm-to-fork, where what they cook will be based on what's dropped off from the local farms and what's in season that week. As part of that, they'll return their compost back to the farm.

For those who haven't been to Downtown and Vine recently, when they opened, they were a multi-winery tasting room, which only permitted them to serve wines for places which they served as a tasting room. They now have an expanded liquor license so they can now serve wine and beer, regardless of what winery it came from.

The two restaurants will also share a new event space.

As for About a Bite, loyal Cowtown Eats readers learned recently that the bakery was opening an outpost on K Street. In a late April interview with Cowtown Eats, Kaye says that they're actually relocating their entire business.

Unlike their current location, About a Bite on K Street will also be a retail store where they will have a display case a la Ginger Elizabeth. The current location is just an industrial bakery and a spot to pick up pre-ordered desserts.

One of the reasons Kaye decided to move Downtown is to be closer to their clientele. They do a lot of corporate gift business, and they hope their increased visibility will help build the 3 year old business.

In addition to desserts, About A Bite will be offering gelato from Devine Gelateria.

About a Bite faces sharp competition for diners craving sweets on a street featuring Estelle's Patisserie, Vampire Penguin and Ambrosia.

About a Bite's new location will be at 12th  & K.

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