Carissa Newton grew up in Spain and fondly recalls all the delicious food flavors that crossed her lips as a child. For the longest time Newton, director of marketing for Cunningham Restaurant Group, wished Indianapolis had an authentic offering for some of those tasty meals, and now such a concept exists in Livery, a Latin-inspired eatery with a tapas-style menu. Livery has done well on Mass Ave in Indy, and customers there have frequently requested a location on the north side. Now they are getting their wish, as the second Livery location opened on Levinson Lane in Noblesville.
The intention is for customers to order many small bites and have different flavors from different parts of Latin-inspired countries, Newton says.
Popular offerings include empanadas, ceviche, and patatas bravas, which is red potato, Spanish soubise, cotija cheese, bravas sauce and cilantro. The eatery also serves traditional churros and flan for dessert.
Other popular items include the house margaritas and specialty cocktails. The Carriage House margarita is a fan favorite, with Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila, orange brandy, lime and agave. The beer and wine menu, inspired by the region, includes items customers may not find at other restaurants or even at local liquor stores. Livery also has its own extensive tequila list.
Livery has some very unique items, says Newton, adding that it can be somewhat intimidating for unadventurous diners to dive into Liverys concept and flavors. Once they try it once or twice though, theyre hooked.
The empanadas are a customer favorite, and they rotate seasonally. The corn empanadas will soon be replaced by fall flavors. The restaurant also offers a red drum dish that includes sweet plantain, red potato, chorizo, chutney and chimichurri. Tacos are always popular, as is the roasted cauliflower appetizer.
We had a Brussels sprout appetizer that we removed from the menu once, and it was so frequently requested that it became a secret menu item, says Newton, noting that Livery opted to officially bring it back to the menu.
The small-plate concept enables customers to order three or four items in order to let taste buds dabble in a variety of flavors. Livery utilizes a scratch-kitchen approach with many fresh sauces, which means customers are introduced to flavors they might not otherwise experience in some mainstream restaurants. In addition to making these sauces and dishes from scratch, Livery tries to locally source as much as possible.
Plus, we have a greenhouse we own, which means were able to supply a lot of greens and vegetables for our restaurants, Newton adds.
Though it might be a little scary and chaotic to open a new restaurant in the midst of a pandemic, Liverys staff and management is taking all the necessary precautions to do so safely.
Thats one thing we hear a lot with the reviews that come in, that people do feel safe with the preparations and safety practices that we are taking, says Newton, noting that all employees including the servers, cooks and kitchen staff wear masks, implement six-foot distancing guidelines, and sanitize frequently.
The eatery uses plastic menu sleeves to make the sanitation process easier, and offers guests QR codes if they prefer not to handle menus at all. Carry-out and online ordering are also options for guests who prefer to dine at home. Reservations can be made through the official website or via OpenTable. In addition, Livery offers outdoor patio seating as weather permits.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days per week, and the lunch menu includes a pick-two option (guests can choose a salad and a sandwich, or a sandwich and an appetizer).
Livery Noblesvilles general manager is Eric Paulini, and the executive chef is Rand Lennox. Both are eager to bring the Livery dining concept to the Noblesville area.
Im sure patrons will love it, Newton says. What you get in a lot of these suburban or outside-of-Indianapolis areas is a good number of chain restaurants popping up, so any time there is a unique concept with a unique offering, people are drawn to it because its out of the normal.
Mandy Giles, an intermediate school math teacher, loves to unwind with friends, and Livery is one of her go-to places.
Livery is one of my favorite restaurants to bring a group, Giles says. I could order something different each time and not be disappointed. Its a lively place but allows good conversation at your table.
Livery is located at 13225 Levinson Lane in Noblesville at Hamilton Town Center. For more information, call 317-316-0410 or visit livery-restaurant.com.
