An all-day cafe serving hand-crafted toasts and smoothie bowls is now open in South End

Toastique, a gourmet toast and juice bar chain out of Washington D.C., recently opened its first North Carolina location inside the Vantage South End .

Why it matters: Charlotte is in its wellness era , and the emphasis on living a healthier lifestyle is evident in our city's food choices as well.

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Between the lines: This is the second wellness-centric cafe to open in South End this month. Mamaka Bowls , a smoothie bowl cafe from Fayetteville, Arkansas, opened a storefront South End last week.

What to expect: Toastique is an all-day health cafe serving hand-crafted toasts, smoothies and smoothie bowls, cold-pressed juices, wellness shots and coffee. There's also a small grab-and-go section with pre-made juices and bowls.

• Customers can order at the walk-up counter or place an order online — check out the full menu here .
• Seating includes indoor high tops, bar seats and tables with outlet access. There are a few tables outside the cafe.

Flashback: Former D1 athlete Brianna Keefe opened the first Toastique in The Wharf neighborhood of Washington D.C. in 2018.

• Today, the cafe has locations in 18 states, with 21 additional franchises planned to open by 2025, according to its website .

Dig in: We ordered Toastique's signature "Avocado Smash" toast ($14) with an added poached egg ($2) and the "PB + B" bowl that comes topped with fresh fruit, chopped dates, granola, nuts and PB drizzle ($13).

If you want a sweet and savory setup, do what we did and order a toast and a bowl. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Stop by: 1120 S. Tryon St., in the same building as Culinary Dropout .

• Open daily from 7am-5pm.