Any way you slice it, Toast will add flavor downtown

Downtown update: Toast, a soup and sandwich shop next to Five Points Café in downtown is wrapping up construction and planning to open by mid-December.

The Italian-themed eatery, like so many new ones sprouting up in Durham, is being developed by veterans of the local food scene.

Co-owner Billy Cotter previously was the kitchen manager at Lantern in Chapel Hill. His wife and co-owner, Kelly, is a server at Magnolia Grill.

Kelly Cotter's family in Pittsburgh is from Italy, giving inspiration to the theme of the eatery.

"We threw around different concepts and wanted to have something we didn't have in the area," Billy Cotter said.

Toast will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and will include the following menu items: Counter Culture coffee for breakfast; paninis, tramezzinis and bruschettas for lunch; and an all-Italian wine list available for dinner.

Toast will have about 40 seats inside and have tables and chairs outside as well.

Oct 16, 2007 - The Herald-Sun