Hundreds of new apartments are coming soon to the area around Zang and Beckley, which will bring lots of ready business for restaurants there.

The streetcar runs right past this unsung commercial strip. But it hasn’t always been peaches and cream.

These are the eateries that have made it work (or not) throughout the years.

1111 N. Beckley

Christine and Jonathon Erdeljac had been wanting to open a restaurant for several years. They considered buying BECKLEY BREWHOUSE, but it didn’t make sense financially. When the spot closed, the landlord offered them a deal, and they accepted.

“It had all the bones it needed. It was pretty much set up for us to come in and paint and add our touch to it,” Christine says. “And it was cute. It was charming.”

Jonathon’s Oak Cliff.

JONATHON’S OAK CLIFF opened in 2011 at the corner of North Beckley and Zang.

Since then, the Erdeljacs have expanded to a second location nearby. When they first started, they didn’t know too much about the neighborhood, but over the years, they’ve seen it grow.

Spiral Diner.

1101 N. Beckley

Vegan-friendly SPIRAL DINER is one of the oldest restaurants on the corner. It opened in 2007 and took the place of HENRY’S LAUNDRY, which had been there since 2001. Before then, the spot was home to ABE’S SPEED WASH.

1115 N. Beckley

There’s been quite a bit of turnover at 1115 N. Beckley Ave. In 2005, it was a restaurant called ALLEY OOPS. Then

it became THE OC TAVERN in 2009. That place had a brief time in business before LA CARRETA ARGENTINA opened in its spot in 2010. In 2011, design firm COEVAL STUDIO opened Campo there with Matt McCallister in the kitchen. The restaurant received favorable reviews for food and cocktails, but it closed after about a year. THE OUTPOST took over in 2011 and lasted a few years. Next, VH CASUAL DINING & BAR set up shop in 2015. Most recently, BECKLEY 1115, a new wine bar from renowned chef Sharon Von Meter, is expected to open this fall.

1127 N. Beckley

Just north of Spiral Diner and Jonathon’s lies a PAPA JOHN’S which has been on Beckley since 2014. That spot used to be a single-family dwelling, but it was torn down in 2004.

1129 N. Beckley

KESSLER BAKING STUDIO used to be called KESSLER COOKIE CO. Owners Clyde Greenhouse and Michal Taylor bought a former cottage at 1129 N. Beckley Ave. and set up shop there in 2006.