Is toast the new gourmet cupcake or artisan ice cream? 

We visited The Mill, a joint venture between Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel Coffee, this month. Named for the whole grain mill that is used to freshly grind the flour for breads and baked goods, the concept embraces glutenous counterculture with organic rants aimed at mass-production bakeries. Front and center at the San Francisco, CA operation is the toast menu. Four bread offering with simple spreadables and toppings for $3.50 per slice. 

The Mill also serves single origin coffee and sells bread by the loaf. 

We've seen this type of thing before in New York City. We visited Toast on Bedford Street – a concept by Blue Ribbon Bakery – nearly nine years ago.  Eventually it rebranded and evolved into Blue Ribbon Bakery Market with an expanded offering.  

There's no denying that all things gluten have taken a beating in the marketplace, but can this be a glimmer of hope for wheat-dependent businesses? A bread revolution?

Or is this an example of the "upper-middle class lifestyle consumerism" addressed in this Venture Beat article?

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Update 5.5.14: Trend confirmation via The New Yorker.