The Meat Experts of Salt & Time Are Opening a Burger Restaurant

The meat experts behind East Austin butcher shop and restaurant Salt & Time are opening a dedicated burger restaurant next year. Before the Butcher’s Burger opens in a yet-to-be-shared location in 2021, it is previewing the menu through a delivery-only service starting on Thursday, November 5.

The namesake dish — Salt & Time’s very popular Butcher’s Burger — is made with trimmings from various steaks from the shop, lending to a really great, textured patty. (The burger will still be available through Salt & Time’s pickup menu.)

The rest of Butcher’s menu features four other burgers, including the lamb birria one with accompanying consommé for dipping purposes; a breakfast-themed one with a pork chorizo patty, fried egg, and avocado; and the vegetarian griddled halloumi cheese.

There are non-burger items available too, including beef fat fries, a salad, and a slaw made with jicama. Drinks-wise, there’s an array of beer and wine, two-portion cocktails (from the mezcal Negroni to tequila/mezcal palomas), and non-alcoholic options.

Starting Butcher’s Burger as a delivery-only service for now made the most sense to co-owners Ben Runkle and Bryan Butler, seeing as Salt & Time’s dining room is still closed to dine-in service (the market is open to shoppers and the restaurant is operating pickup service).

The Butcher’s Burger will make its deliveries through national delivery service Caviar. This also means it’s the first time that this particular service is now available in Austin. The company was known for its more upscale, curated restaurant selection when it first launched, but was acquired by DoorDash last year. A scan through both companies’ Austin options show that there isn’t much difference between the restaurant availabilities, minus the appearance of corporate chains on DoorDash but not on Caviar.

This plan to expand with a new project was something Runkle and Butler had been wanting to do for a while. “We have a lot of great people who we have to give growth opportunities to,” says Runkle, “as well as relationships with ranchers who want to grow with us.”

As for the original East Seventh location, which they opened in 2013, they are going to expand with a new patio for outdoor dine-in service and add first-time cocktails to the menu. The restaurant is known for its great wine selection, and with that in mind, there are also plans to open a wine shop in the former Spun ice cream shop space just two doors down. Further details on that will be available later.

Runkle and Butler already expanded Salt & Time with a downtown Austin location in Republic Square Park over the summer. There are no updates on the forthcoming South Austin location inside of the Saint Elmo Public Market, which is still pegged to open this year.

Butcher’s Burgers delivery hours are from 5 to 10 p.m. daily, or until everything is sold out.

• The Butcher’s Burger [Official]
• The Butcher’s Burger [Instagram]
• All Coverage of Salt & Time [EATX]