From homemade jams and pickles to high quality cheese, another Austin home-grown company, Spread & Co. is spreading out and opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Husband and wife team Rosemary and Austin Ewald started the company in 2016 as a delivery service. On October 22, they opened the doors to their Rosedale eatery.

With a unique, charming, quirky, yet very home-like vibe, I had the pleasure of getting a preview of the new restaurant just days before the opening. Little details, like the painted oranges, grapes and other fruits on the green-accented walls, give the dining space a contemporary, Austin feel. Attention to detail can even be seen on the plates, as our food came on porcelain white plates lined with vintage floral prints. In my opinion, the location and the atmosphere of the eatery alone would make for a fun girls’ night or a charming, low-key date night.

Currently, the restaurant is only offering lunch and breakfast, but plans are in the works to add a dinner menu in about two months. Simplicity with the most unique details is the best way I can describe the lunch menu. There are about nine main course options, but each meal is crafted with precision to provide just the right amount of savory deliciousness.

My favorite thing on the menu is the Patty Boi, pictured at the top of this article. A double smashed patty, raclette cheese, pickled mustard seed, pickled cucumbers, caramelized onions, and brioche make for a tasty combination. The brioche is on the lighter side, and has a delicious buttery, toasted taste, which I find much more satisfying than a traditional burger bun. But the best part of the sandwich is the freshness of the pickled cucumbers and the caramelized onions, all made specially by Spread & Co. Both the cucumbers and onions are options on the company’s signature charcuterie boards.

In addition to the Patty Boi, my companion and I also tried the Baby Mustard Salad. Baby mustard greens, figs, candied almond, whipped goat cheese, mixed herbs, roasted beet, apple cider and honey make this salad the perfect combination for a healthy fresh treat.

Another stand-out on the menu – the house made chips that come with some of the sandwiches (including Patty Boi). Crisp and fresh, with just the right touch of saltiness, the chips are soaked in vinegar overnight.

While dining, I had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners, Rosemary Ewald, who raved about her favorite menu item, the Spamwhich. Similar to the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” I quickly learned not to judge the Spamwhich by its name. Instead of spam, however, this tasty bite is made with pork terrine, seasonal jam, five-year cheddar and brioche. Fun back story: The Spamwhich was inspired by the Ewalds’ desire to not waste any food. “The meat is meat that we use on the charcuterie boards. Once we get down to a certain point while cutting it, it’s not useable anymore for the boards, but it works perfectly for the Spamwhich,” explained Rosemary.

Lemonade and jams are made with the same philosophy at Spread & Co. The owners are careful to make sure that even a strawberry with a small bruise can still be used for a lemonade or a jam.

In addition to adding a dinner menu in the next couple of months, Spread & Co also plans to add a wine menu, and some charcuterie making classes.

Open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 am – 5 pm, you can find the new eatery at 1601 W. 38^th street, Suite 1.

For a complete menu or to order one of the custom charcuterie boards, visit the Spread & Co. website.

Cover: The Patty Boi at Spread & Co. Courtesy photo