Austin French-Louisiana Restaurant Is Opening at Alfresco Art Museum

French-Louisiana restaurant Epicerie is expanding with a second location up at the Contemporary Austin’s sculpture park Laguna Gloria up in Tarrytown at 3809 West 35th Street. The new restaurant from chef-owner Sarah McIntosh is expected to open in spring 2019.

Officially called Epicerie at the Contemporary (though the name isn’t to be confused with the museum’s flagship location in downtown Austin), the restaurant will consist of a walk-up window near the entrance of the grounds. Food will be available to eat at the museum or to-go.

The French-Cajun comfort menu will feature familiar dishes from the original menu, like the porchetta and pastrami sandwiches, salmon and kale salads, cheese, and charcuterie. Epicerie will expand with new soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods.

For drinks, there will be coffee, wine, and beer. Retail items like jams, chutneys, pickles, fermented goods, spice blends, cookie mixes, and coffee, all from Epicerie, will also be available. To take advantage of the museum grounds, there will be picnic packages available. There are also plans for two shaded terraces right next to the walk-up window.

The restaurant is part of the Tarrytown museum’s giant renovation plans. Epicerie’s future building will be designed by New Orleans firm Trahan Architects, with landscaping by Boston-based architect Reed Hilderbrand.

Rounding out Epicerie at the Contemporary team is general manager Chloe Kennedy and chef de cuisine Keith Bate.

McIntosh had been thinking about expanding Epicerie, which she opened in 2013 on 2307 Hancock Drive in Rosedale. When the museum opportunity came up, she went for it.

• All Coverage of Epicerie [EATX]
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