Houston Sandwich Shop Finally Opens That Austin Restaurant

Houston sandwich restaurant mini-chain Local Foods is finally opening its first Austin location this weekend in the downtown area. The 454 West Second Street location will open on Saturday, June 25.

The sandwich menu includes the crunch chicken sandwich made with a nut-seed crumble on a pretzel bun; the vegan mushroom po’ boy; and the truffled egg sandwich. Salads span the seasonal harvest with a mess of vegetables, watermelon, and goat cheese to the Texas Caesar with seared poblano peppers and red onions. Then there’s chicken posole, potato salad, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and more. Ingredients and produce are sourced locally from Houston and Austin.

As for drinks, there are wine options including a selection from Hill Country wineries such as Southold Farm + Cellars and Wine for the People; beers from Austin breweries like Live Oak Brewing Company and Independence Brewing; various coffee and espresso drinks; strawberry-basil lemonade; and more.

The two-story space was done by Michael Hsu’s company and includes a patio. The West Second address was formerly home to next-door Italian restaurant Numero 28’s casual cafe Alimentari 28, which closed in 2019.

Before this permanent opening, Local Foods had been operating in Austin as a temporary preview pop-up since June 2021. First, it had been slinging takeout and delivery sandwiches in Allandale. Then it relocated to ghost kitchen center Kitchen United Mix in Wooten in January 2022.

Co-founders and co-owners Benjy Levit, chef Dylan Murray, and Martin Berson (who lives in Austin) started Local Foods in 2011.

Local Foods’s Austin hours will be from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Brunch hours will be added later, as well as a takeout window for breakfast service in the fall. ‘

Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Mackenzie Smith Kelley