Welcome to Oliver & Co. in Downtown San Saba
The Texas Hill Country is famous for having some of the best restaurants in Texas, especially when it comes to comfort food, like chicken fried steaks, tasty burgers, Texas bbq, and of course those homemade desserts. Every once in a while, though, it’s good to find a food option that is a little bit on the lighter side and more healthy. Just in time for New Year’s resolutions to get in shape and eat healthily, we have Oliver & Co. here in downtown San Saba.
Filling a Need
Oliver & Co. opened in November of 2014 and was an instant hit with the San Saba community. While San Saba is a small town, with many good food options available, no one was really offering healthy food options at the time, and Oliver & Co. owner Shawn Oliver agreed. “I had been playing with the idea of a coffee shop and a bistro for a few years and when Clay Nettleship decided to put in the Dofflemyer Hotel the timing was right.” Oliver & Co. shares the ground level of their building with the Dofflemyer Hotel, with guest rooms above the bistro. The combination of the two certainly has the vibes of a boutique bed and breakfast. Guests of the hotel can walk down the stairs from their rooms and have breakfast in the bistro.
Making Use of the Space
Oliver & Co. is equal parts bistro, coffee shop, and marketplace. The front of the building that faces downtown San Saba features a variety of local products made by Oliver Pecan, as well as locally-made soaps from San Saba Soap Co. Beyond the shopping area, tables and couches are arranged to allow for comfortable conversation during a meal or a cup of coffee. Here you will find a variety of locals catching up, engaging in conversation, as well, as those passing through town on the main intersection of U.S. Highway 190 and State Highway 16.
A Unique History
The Oliver & Co. building also has a unique story, it was originally built as The San Saba National Bank in 1913 by W.C. Dofflemyer and was surfaced with artificial stone, which was something quite new at the time. “The two walk-in vaults are still intact for people to see,” said Oliver. The building remained a bank through a name change to Arrowhead Bank, until it moved across the street to its current home.
A Fresh and Tasty Menu
The Oliver & Co. menu stands out not only in San Saba, but within the region, featuring pressed paninis on a variety of unique breads, specialty sandwiches, homemade soups, fresh salads, as well as locally-sourced fruits, and of course pecan pie. If you arrive in the morning, waffles drizzled in syrup and pecan sauce and topped with whipped cream are undeniably tasty, and the house-made cinnamon rolls are also not to be missed. “I start every day with a latte and my favorite food item is the Jalapeño Pimiento Cheese Sandwich,” said Oliver.
Ice Cream And Coffee
A hallmark of Oliver and Co. is to make as many things in-house as possible, including ice cream! Tucked away and off to the side of Oliver & Co. is an ice cream station, and it is the only place in San Saba to get homemade ice cream. The coffee at Oliver & Co.uses single-source coffee beans and is often combined with pecans from local Oliver Pecan orchards to get a distinct, San Saba flavor.
A Relaxing Place
Oliver & Co. are always working on unique quality food items and coffee drink recipes to keep their customers coming back and has become a staple of the San Saba community, with weekday lunches becoming the best place to find someone you are looking for in town. It is a relaxing, beautiful atmosphere, with fast and reliable internet for the remote work crowd, and the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee with a slice of pecan pie.
You can find Oliver & Co. at 320 East Wallace Street in downtown San Saba. They are open most days 7am-3pm, with extended hours until 5pm on Friday and Saturday and opening at 8am on Saturdays. They are closed on Sunday.