The title compound, C₁₇H₁₅NO₄, a DL-meta-tyrosine derivative forms a hydrogen-bonded network in the solid state which consists of Oacid--H... Ophenyl--H...O=Cisoindole chains [O...O 2.668 (2) and 2.653 (2)Å], Csp³--H ...O=Cacid [C...O 3.225 (3)Å] and two C--H...πarene intermolecular interactions. The Carene--H...πphenyl interaction is short, C...Cg 3.542(3)Å, where Cg is the phenyl ring centroid (H...Cg 2.64 Å and C--H...Cg 165°). The interplanar angle between the five- and six-membered rings of the isoindole system is 0.95 (13)° with the carbonyl-O atom 0.096(3)Å from the C₄N ring plane. π-π stacking involving inversion symmetry-related isoindole groups occurs with RS pairs (interplanar distance of 3.43 Å).