#farm-to-table

#farm-to-table

When Westport, Massachusetts, was named one of America's top "bougie on a budget" destinations by MarketBeat, it came as no surprise to locals like Molly Armando, a real estate agent who grew up in the area. "It is a truly special place, offering a slower pace, incredible natural beauty, and a lifestyle that celebrates both the land and the sea," she tells Travel + Leisure.

The best restaurants in Portland, Oregon reflect a diverse dining scene that has come a long way since the first wave of farm-to-table restaurants opened here back in the mid-1990s. Though only one of those original restaurants- Higgins-is still around today, the influence of such pioneers is still felt in many of the Portland's best restaurants today. New places like vegan fine-dining venue Astera, Will Preisch's 82 Acres, Gregory Gourdet's world-famous Haitian hotspot Kann, and the stunning Mexican-locavore Lilia Comedor

Whether or not to try the $38 caviar-topped chicken nuggets appetizer is just one of the choices facing visitors to Cafe Vivant, a new restaurant concept in downtown Menlo Park pushing the boundaries of the farm-to-table movement that's also home to one of America's rarest wine collections. Which chicken to share is another - there are three breeds of heritage chickens on offer at the restaurant, raised on a nearby 80-acre farm in Pescadero, and then there's the question of which wine to try.

While France will probably always be the top destination for a dazzling plate of steak frites, you don't necessarily need to fly all the way to Europe to enjoy the classic dish. In fact, if you're in the Delaware area, you can head right to Snuff Mill - a local restaurant, butchery, and wine bar known for its tender filets, dry-aged strips, and perfectly cooked steak frites. Snuff Mill was founded by William "Bill" Irvin, a restaurateur from nearby Maryland.

Though Stunnaman had already had certified hits like "Big Steppin'" (which even has an official 49ers' remix), his catchy 2024 ode to his love of leafy greens, "Eat a Salad," is what put him in the pantheon of health-conscious Frisco rappers. In the song, Stunnaman extols the nutritious properties of fresh ingredients like "lemon, lime, honey ... agave if you're vegan." To promote the single, he posted videos of himself performing custom verses that were essentially recipes for different salads he would prepare on camera -

Farmhouse at Descanso Gardens may not be the sort of revolutionary restaurant that would inspire people to trek up to La Cañada Flintridge on its own, but it's absolutely spot-on for the local foothills community. The menu is dense with vegetables, befitting its location in the sprawling Descanso Gardens; the atmosphere feels unpretentious but serene, its forest-like setting versatile enough to handle a book club brunch group, families with kids, or a quiet couples' catch-up at the bar.

There's nothing like mountain views, fresh air and farm-to-table food to help give tired parents a much-needed reset. And while quiet Alpine hikes might not appeal to all ages, the hotels on this list have reimagined the appeal of some of Europe's best family-friendly resorts and applied them to the mountains. Where kids' clubs include farm animal meet-and-greets, ski schools, and swirling waterslides, spa treatments are tailored to the tiniest of hands, and cosy nights are spent stargazing and toasting marshmallows by a crackling fire.

With The Pelican in Notting Hill, The Bull in Charlbury, The Hero in Maida Vale and The Fat Badger on Golborne Road, Public House Group has amassed quite the collection, and now another new addition is on the way. The Hart, opening on the corner of Chiltern Street and Blandford Street in Marylebone, is named after the family who ran an establishment on the same spot back in the 1840s. It'll be in the same vein as the other sites in the group - that means British beers at the bar and comforting dishes in the dining room.

"On Friday, I was out here literally cutting lobsters open on FaceTime," he said, "being like, 'Put the tile there.'"

For those seeking a picturesque dive into medieval history, Corrèze, France, is the ideal destination. The lesser-known region in south central France is home to six of the country's official most beautiful villages: Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Collonges-la-Rouge, Curemonte, Saint-Robert, Ségur-le-Chateau, and Turenne. These charming towns are all tucked into rolling hills, rivers, and woodlands, offering immersive historical experiences and outdoor adventures. With flower-lined streets, covered markets, thriving artisans, and dreamy terraces, visiting Corrèze really feels like traipsing through a fairy tale.

Just 15 minutes from downtown Charlottesville, Crossroads Inn has been in continuous operation since 1820, though accommodations are more luxurious than they would have been two centuries ago. A charming spot with porch rockers, a fire pit, and a small flock of chickens, it's part of the larger property of Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, right next door. Another place with a past is the Clifton, a modern boutique hotel originally built for Thomas Jefferson's daughter and her family.

In the early twentieth century, a community of Italian immigrants started selling fruits, vegetables, and other fare in Portland's Central Eastside, earning it the moniker Produce Row. These Italian American fruit markets and groceries planted the seeds of what would eventually become the city's farm-to-table ethos. Despite the outsize impact of the Italian community on our food scene, however, Portland isn't exactly a Little Italy town, lacking a dense concentration of ristorantes and trattorias.

"Alice Waters annoys the living [expletive] out of me," Bourdain said in a 2009 interview with DCist.

Perhaps it's no wonder then that it's given birth to some of the strongest slow food movements in the country, led by in-state visionaries such as Susan Watkins and Barbara Kingsolver - seriously, Kingsolver's 2007 book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" was what got many people, including my mom, into sustainable eating in the first place (it's among the best books for food lovers). With this context in mind, Virginia is, unsurprisingly, truly a mecca for farm-to-table dining.

The recently opened Farmhouse at Descanso Gardens features a summer brunch menu with dishes inspired by seasonal ingredients from local farmers markets and elements of the natural park.

"The personality you see on Instagram, in confirmation emails, in the food, and the dining room is all the same. I'm a human, you're a human, and let's communicate like that. I mean it's not too long before the robots take over."

Menorca, an UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1993, offers a unique farm-to-table experience that attracts those who appreciate authentic local Spanish cuisine.

Nopa wasn't just seasonally inspired and farm-to-table at a time when seasonally inspired and farm-to-table hadn't yet permeated the city. It was a place whose ethos making everything in-house, from scratch and atmosphere were as much of a draw as its damn good Cal-Mediterranean menu and thoughtful cocktails and wine list.

"The magic of Tinder Hearth is the alchemy of Tim Semler and Lydia Moffet, husband and wife Mainers who began their business by selling homemade sourdough bread at local farmers markets and shops."

Petaluma's farm-to-table trend started during the California Gold Rush, supplying essentials like eggs and meat to mining towns and San Francisco, showcasing its agricultural significance.

"We're looking to expand into doing something CPG with farmers, doing more extensive events off-premise and on-premise. We found that we really needed more help and guidance."