Local Foods to Open First Austin Location Downtown
The Houston favorite will serve up high-quality, fresh meals in the 2ND Street District as it immerses itself in the local community
Local Foods, a stylish and casual restaurant offering sandwiches, salads and soups, is opening in downtown’s 2ND Street District. After operating in Austin as a pop-up for the past year, the business will launch their first Austin brick-and-mortar eatery on Saturday, June 25.
The restaurant was founded by restaurateur Benjy Levit, chef Dylan Murray and partner Martin Berson — all proud UT alums. A Houston favorite after opening four different locations in the metropolis since 2011, the team is now bringing their inspired recipes and sustainable efforts to Austin.
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Designed by the renowned Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, the restaurant space features two stories of comfortable seating and a spacey patio. Pops of vibrant yellow and blue make for a welcoming setting for sharing a meal with friends and family.
Local Foods is an ideal choice for conscious eaters who don’t want to compromise on flavor. The menu offers an array of artfully crafted plates with freshly harvested ingredients. Menu highlights include the Crunchy Chicken Sandwich, the Asian Chicken Salad and the Garden Sammie. In addition to the main courses, there are tasty options for regional wines, local beers, sides and sweets. Be sure to try the Tuscan Kale side salad, Housemade Chips and the exceptional Very Very Chocolate Chip Cookie.
As small business owners themselves, the Local Foods founders are devoted to supporting local farmers, ranchers, fishmongers, artisans and vendors.
“At Local Foods, our goal is to always be a landing place and partner for local and regional farmers and purveyors, with the ultimate objective of symbiotically expanding their businesses along with ours,” says chef and co-founder Dylan Murray. “We are a small business ourselves, that has been mom and pop-run since 2012. Bringing this longtime Houston favorite to Austin furthers our purpose and commitment to supporting local in an approachable, neighborhood setting.”
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In addition to their many long-standing Houston partners, Local Foods has a handful of already-established partnerships with Austin brands, including Joe’s Microgreens, ToGoCo, Hifi Mycology, Basic B Chai, Dos Lunas, Mill King, Flying Brothers Tempeh, Good Flow Honey and Vital Farms. They are also adding to their sourcing list of Austin, Hill Country and Central Texas area purveyors, with Rio Grande Organics for Pecans, Fresh Tofu, Pure Luck Dairy, Antonelli’s and Farm to Table. The team at Local Foods intends to further grow upon these relationships and support their neighbors.
Local Foods will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m at their new downtown Austin address of 454 W. 2nd Street. Parking in the 2ND Street District AMLI garage on San Antonio Street is complimentary before 5 p.m. on weekdays for two hours. Find more information about Local Foods at localfoodstexas.com and follow Local Foods on IG @localfoodstexas.