Sawyer & Co. {Best Comfort Food in Austin}

Good Friends, Good Food, and Fair Prices

Stephen Shallcross designed Sawyer & Co to recreate his memories of being a student at the University of Texas in the early 1990s and sitting down for blue plate specials at what was then known as Arkie’s Grill. “It literally felt like walking into my living room at my house in Baton Rouge. So I kept going back not only because the food was good, but it was also a place where they made you feel at home,” Stephen recalls.

Thirty years later, Sawyer & Co remains dedicated to creating a living room-like atmosphere that serves up plates of comfort and cultivates conversation. “Comfort food is the hospitality of food. It’s the food that makes you feel a certain way. And when you feel nostalgic and loved, cherished and cared for, and welcomed and special, it’s something that triggers a memory of eating, [and] that is what’s so fun to me about it,” he smiles.

Whether it’s a plate of shrimp and grits or Cajun fried turkey with cornbread dressing and cranberry orange relish, a dish at Sawyer’s is sure to be served up with a smile and a story. Even the simplest blackened catfish and chicken and sausage gumbo can trigger a lengthy dialogue with staff over the ideal ratio of chicken to sausage or how spicy catfish should come out of the pan.

Sawyer & Co remains loyal to its traditional southern roots but keeps the spirit of culinary creativity alive. While Stephen reveals that many of the dishes are those that were on the menu when the diner was known as Arkie’s, he says that some are transplants straight from New Orleans. Yet others are collaborations that have come out of the back of the kitchen. “The best food tells a story,” he explains.

In a way, the diner’s food functions as an almanac of Stephen’s life journey. His supper dishes and brunch specials are meant to evoke memories from diners with each mouthful. Regardless if a patron hails from Louisiana or the Lone Star State, Sawyer & Co has a menu tailored to cater to everyone at the same table. “Arkie’s motto was Good Friends, Good Food, and Fair Prices,” Stephen says. “We’ve tried to be respectful and honor that. You know, we’re still a place for good friends, good food, and fair prices.”
 
4827 E Cesar Chavez St. | (512) 531-9033
sawyerand.co