The Breadfruit & Rum Bar, the beloved Jamaican restaurant that closed its brick-and-mortar location before popping up inside Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour for the past year, will serve its last meals there on Saturday.
Owner Dwayne Allen’s beverage business, Big Marble Organics, has grown to a line of four bubbly drinks, including its flagship ginger beer that was created at The Breadfruit & Rum Bar.
“Ultimately the focus is Big Marble Organics, and there’s just not enough hours in the day for me to do both,” Allen says of the decision to end the residency in Bitter & Twisted.
However, he promises this won’t be the last Phoencians have seen of The Breadfruit.
“I’m not done telling that story just yet,” Allen says. “We’re just going to take a short commercial break and then we’ll be back at some point.” 
When The Breadfruit does return, it will be for shorter pop-ups that focus on more “experimental food,” Allen added.
“That’s what people who’ve known and love The Breadfruit appreciate most about it – we were outside of the ordinary,” he says.
The Breadfruit closed its downtown location on Pierce Street in March 2020 after 12 years in the space. In September 2022, The Breadfruit announced plans to take over the kitchen at Ross Simon’s inventive downtown cocktail bar. For the past year, the bar's kitchen has served The Breadfruit’s jerk chicken, rice and peas and sweet plantains, among other favorites.
In a post on Instagram announcing the end of service at Bitter & Twisted, followers lamented the loss.
“You can’t go,” Stephanie Larkins commented. “Definitely swinging by to get some of that good cooking before ya go.”
Allen’s response is, “don’t be sad.”
“All good things must come to an end. This is how we grow, so let’s celebrate,” he says, adding that he’ll share updates about future Breadfruit pop-ups on social media.
Meanwhile, Allen is going full-steam ahead with Big Marble. The company has grown from ginger beer to tonic water and recently launched Proper Lemon and Proper Hibiscus bubbly beverages.
In July, Big Marble received two awards in the No/Low Elixir category of the New Orleans Spirits Competition, hosted by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation – the same group that holds the lauded Spirited Awards which recognize outstanding mixology. Allen says he’s creating his beverages with bartenders in mind and is already working on a fifth flavor. He wants to position Big Marble as a craft-driven startup that can take on bigger beverage companies.
“My goal with Big Marble is to take a bite out the pie the same way craft beer did some years ago,” he says.
1 W. Jefferson St.
Owner Dwayne Allen’s beverage business, Big Marble Organics, has grown to a line of four bubbly drinks, including its flagship ginger beer that was created at The Breadfruit & Rum Bar.
“Ultimately the focus is Big Marble Organics, and there’s just not enough hours in the day for me to do both,” Allen says of the decision to end the residency in Bitter & Twisted.
However, he promises this won’t be the last Phoencians have seen of The Breadfruit.
“I’m not done telling that story just yet,” Allen says. “We’re just going to take a short commercial break and then we’ll be back at some point.”
A rum-heavy Dark and Stormy made with Big Marble Organics ginger beer. Owner Dwayne Allen will focus on the beverage company, but promises diners will see pop-ups from The Breadfruit in the future.
Chris Malloy
When The Breadfruit does return, it will be for shorter pop-ups that focus on more “experimental food,” Allen added.
“That’s what people who’ve known and love The Breadfruit appreciate most about it – we were outside of the ordinary,” he says.
The Breadfruit closed its downtown location on Pierce Street in March 2020 after 12 years in the space. In September 2022, The Breadfruit announced plans to take over the kitchen at Ross Simon’s inventive downtown cocktail bar. For the past year, the bar's kitchen has served The Breadfruit’s jerk chicken, rice and peas and sweet plantains, among other favorites.
The Breadfruit & Rum Bar in downtown Phoenix has been closed since March 2020. Bad Jimmy's, the popular smash burger food truck, has applied for a liquor license at the address.
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In a post on Instagram announcing the end of service at Bitter & Twisted, followers lamented the loss.
“You can’t go,” Stephanie Larkins commented. “Definitely swinging by to get some of that good cooking before ya go.”
Allen’s response is, “don’t be sad.”
“All good things must come to an end. This is how we grow, so let’s celebrate,” he says, adding that he’ll share updates about future Breadfruit pop-ups on social media.
Meanwhile, Allen is going full-steam ahead with Big Marble. The company has grown from ginger beer to tonic water and recently launched Proper Lemon and Proper Hibiscus bubbly beverages.
In July, Big Marble received two awards in the No/Low Elixir category of the New Orleans Spirits Competition, hosted by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation – the same group that holds the lauded Spirited Awards which recognize outstanding mixology. Allen says he’s creating his beverages with bartenders in mind and is already working on a fifth flavor. He wants to position Big Marble as a craft-driven startup that can take on bigger beverage companies.
“My goal with Big Marble is to take a bite out the pie the same way craft beer did some years ago,” he says.
Smashburger purveyor Bad Jimmy's, run by James Piazza, will take over the former space of The Breadfruit & Rum Bar.
Tom Carlson
Bad Jimmy's to replace The Breadfruit in former location
Bad Jimmy’s, the popular smash burger business that regularly pops up downtown outside of Cobra Arcade Bar, will take over The Breadfruit's former space on Pierce, according to owner James Piazza, a former chef at Pizzeria Bianco and Valentine.
Bad Jimmy's is one of several popups that emerged from the pandemic, some of which have likewise transitioned to brick-and-mortar locations, like modern Mexican restaurant Chilte.
Though Piazza confirmed the coming move to the space, he said he could not share other details at this time.
Bad Jimmy's is one of several popups that emerged from the pandemic, some of which have likewise transitioned to brick-and-mortar locations, like modern Mexican restaurant Chilte.
Though Piazza confirmed the coming move to the space, he said he could not share other details at this time.
The Breadfruit at Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
Serving through Saturday1 W. Jefferson St.
