Independence Fine Foods also serves salads and soups for lunch. The arugula and grilled corn salad costs $7.75. Independence Fine Foods also serves salads and soups for lunch. The arugula and grilled corn salad costs $7.75.[/caption]

On Aug. 7, 2014, restaurant industry veteran Casey Livingston started a mission to bring higher-quality food to the Southwest Austin area.


Before opening Independence Fine Foods at 1807 W. Slaughter Lane that day as its owner and chef, Livingston said he worked as a sous chef at Onion Creek Club and then left to join Whole Foods Market. While working at the Austin-based natural grocery chain, Livingston learned about new ingredients he had never seen before that were procured from high-quality sources, he said.


Livingston, being a Southwest Austin native, also noticed that the food options in the area were mostly fast-food related, but downtown was experiencing a restaurant boom.


“The philosophy behind [Independence Fine Foods] is that people who can’t afford to live downtown should not be forced to eat bad food,” Livingston said. “The restaurant is built on high-quality food, sourcing the best ingredients possible and having chefs prepare classic food.”


The restaurant serves what Livingston describes as “old classics at a higher level.” Independence’s cheeseburger, for example, is made with grass-fed beef and served on a house-made brioche bun made in-house. Other menu items include a turkey meatloaf panini; a pimiento cheese sandwich; and an arugula salad with grilled corn, citrus vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese. Entree prices range from $5 to $9. The restaurant sources from local farmers, including Segovia Produce, Livingston said.


In addition to sandwiches and various lunch items, Independence Fine Foods also serves breakfast and local Cuvée Coffee. Livingston develops a daily dinner selection featuring an entree and two sides, which customers can pick up for dinner to go.


The restaurant’s diners include customers working on their laptops as well as families eating a meal together.


Independence Find FoodsLocal focus


Independence Fine Foods uses locally sourced ingredients to make menu items including a cheeseburger ($9) topped with an egg from
Austin-based Vital Farms. Owner and chef Casey Livingston said the eggs from Vital Farms are of a higher quality, noting the brighter yolk and better taste from each egg compared with the ones found in grocery stores.


Independence Find FoodsUpscale options


The restaurant also serves a deconstructed banh mi Vietnamese sandwich ($8.50), which has house- cured pork belly, pickled carrots and jalapeno peppers, cucumbers, radishes, cilantro and sriracha aioli arranged on a plate. For a more traditional experience, the restaurant also serves banh mi in a baguette.


Independence Find FoodsBetter brewing


The coffee served at Independence Fine Foods is also locally sourced. The restaurant uses Cuvée Coffee from Spicewood. The coffee can be prepared in various ways, including French press ($3) and cold brew ($2.75). The restaurant also makes espresso, Americano, macchiato, cortado and cappuccino drinks.


Independence Fine Foods, 1807 W. Slaughter Lane, Ste. 100, 512-363-5672, www.independencefinefood.com, Hours: Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m.