The farm-to-table approach is slowly making its name in the dining scene, especially among health-conscious eaters and sustainable advocates. As a response, many restaurants are adopting this food service system. For those who might not know, this system serves organic food on the table directly sourced from a farm or ranch without passing through common intermediaries, such as stores or distributors. By and large, it is a sustainable concept that allows local farmers to reduce costs and food businesses to acquire fresh ingredients easily, all while providing consumers with nutritious meals and mitigating threats to food security. By simply eating at a farm-to-table restaurant, you are already making an effort to support locals and protect the environment. If you are now convinced to play your part and looking for a place to eat, read on for the best farm to table restaurants around the world.
1. Babel Restaurant at Babylonstoren Hotel; Simondium, South Africa
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Set in a converted cow shed, Babel Restaurant marries traditional Cape Dutch architecture with trendy glass-enclosed windows, giving the place a bold and classy look. The restaurant practices a farm-to-fork philosophy and is committed to the “reducetarian lifestyle.”
Its sustainable approach begins from the garden by employing water-saving techniques for irrigation systems and solar power for electricity. Its farm shop uses plant-based plastic or aluminum as a replacement for plastic. Everything is made from or supplemented with farm-sourced ingredients, from appetizers to desserts. Offcuts are still used as ingredients, and non-edible food scraps are composted.
Babel Restaurant
Address: Babylonstoren, Klapmuts Simondium Road, Simondium, 7670, South Africa
Website: Babel Restaurant
Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 8am - 10am (breakfast); Wed - Sun: 12:30pm - 3:30pm (lunch); Mon - Sun: 6pm - 9pm (dinner)
2. Hortelão at São Lourenço do Barrocal Hotel; Monsaraz, Portugal
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Are you thinking of ways to surprise your significant other? Nothing compares to arranging a dinner night under the nocturnal skies in Alentejo! Romantic dinner is made even better by the restaurant’s farm-to-table food service. The extensive menu comprises garden-fresh vegetables on the grill, organic livestock, and freshly caught lake fish. Note that the restaurant only opens for dinner from mid-spring to mid-autumn.
São Lourenço do Barrocal Hotel has been gearing up towards a sustainable path since its foundation by generating job opportunities for locals, managing water resources efficiently, and installing solar panels, among many others.
Hortelão
Address: 7200-177 Monsaraz, Portugal
Website: Hortelão
3. Open Farm Community; Minden Road, Singapore
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
“Eat well, live well” is the key mantra of this farm-to-table restaurant in Lion City. Tucked away in an urban garden, Open Farm Community is where you can surround yourself with scenic nature amidst a reputable big city. The restaurant immensely supports local agriculture growers by directly sourcing freshly harvested ingredients from the farms.
Open Farm Community prides itself on the title of Singapore’s first urban farm in the city. Farm tours happen every second and fourth Saturday of the month if you want to try a new and unique activity. This restaurant also offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free menus. Plus, food takeaways and deliveries are possible for maximum convenience.
Open Farm Community
Address: 130E Minden Road, Singapore
Website: Open Farm Community
Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 11am - 4pm (brunch); Mon - Fri: 12pm - 3pm (lunch); Mon - Sun: 6pm - 11pm (dinner)
4. Marle Restaurant at Heckfield Place; Hampshire, United Kingdom
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
At Marle Restaurant, everything starts from the soil and ends on the soil, conforming to a regenerative system. The home farm and market garden follow the biodynamic calendar to produce healthy plants and farm animals. With a zero waste policy, garden yields not used in the kitchen eventually return to the soil.
This Green Michelin-starred restaurant offers seasonal dishes prepared from organic ingredients from the farm at Fern Verrow. The constantly changing Earth menu is only available at 5:30pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and weekend. If you visit on these days, be sure to taste the seasonal fare.
Marle Restaurant
Address: Heckfield Place, Hampshire, RG27 0LD, England
Website: Marle Restaurant
Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 7:30am - 10:30am (breakfast), 12nn - 2pm (lunch), from 12:30pm (lunch on Sundays), 6pm - 10pm (dinner)
5. Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons at Belmond; Oxford, United Kingdom
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
This 2-Michelin-starred restaurant serves a range of farm-to-table cuisine with vegetarian options paired with an extensive wine list which includes some biodynamic and organic wines. This dining venue nestles in a historic manor residence in the English countryside and has dedicated sustainable action plans. Moreover, the restaurant offers course meals and vegetarian and vegan options.
Ultimately, the green initiatives of Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons go beyond the kitchen and its homegrown gardens. It is part of a hotel with eco-friendly suites and 100% recyclable amenities. Energy conservation, waste reduction, and banning single-use plastic packaging are also part of the main practices to ensure sustainability.
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Address: Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford, OX44 7PD, United Kingdom
Website: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Opening hours: Thu - Sun: 11:30am - 2pm (closed on Mon to Wed for lunch); from 6pm (open daily for dinner)
6. PRU Restaurant; Cherngtalay, Thailand
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
PRU Restaurant earned its name from indigenous folklore about a place where the forest meets the sea. True enough, that is just exactly what the restaurant is! This place gained a Michelin Green Star in 2021 thanks to its farm-to-table principle and other sustainable methods.
All the delectable plates served on the table are put together through the collaborative effort of the chefs with local farmers, producers, and fishermen. Permaculture is the chief strategy of the restaurant. Do not forget to sample its signature dishes, such as the pickled egg, while here.
PRU Restaurant
Address: 60/1 Moo 6, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket, Thailand
Website: PRU Restaurant
Opening hours: Thu - Mon: 6pm - 10:30pm (closed on Tue - Wed)
7. Three Blue Ducks Byron Bay at The Farm; Ewingsdale, Australia
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
If you are more of a spontaneous traveler looking for a farm-to-table restaurant that accepts walk-ins, Three Blue Ducks Byron Bay at The Farm is definitely for you. Feel free to saunter around the 80-acre (32-hectare) working farm while waiting for your food. You can also pre-arrange an al fresco picnic with your loved ones with the house-made picnic hampers for a different experience. Remember to bring your rug or blanket!
The five restaurant owners, called “The Ducks,” are implementing a spray-free farming technique and helping local growers and micro businesses thrive for sustainable measures.
Three Blue Ducks Byron Bay at The Farm
Address: 11 Ewingsdale Rd, Ewingsdale, New South Wales, 2481 (Entrance off Woodford Lane), Australia
Website: Three Blue Ducks Byron Bay at The Farm
Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 7:30am - 11am, 11:30am 3pm; Thu and Sat: 7:30am - 11am, 11:30am 1:30pm; Fri and Sun: 7:30am - 11am, 11:30am - 3pm, 4:30pm - 8pm
8. Twins Garden; Moscow, Russia
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
An amalgamation of nature and science is the core of Twins Garden. Advanced technologies are administered in harnessing the seasonal organic crops from the farm. Operated by twin chefs, this restaurant acquires 70% of the ingredients from their farm and utilizes a zero-waste concept by using residues to feed farm animals.
You can try five tasting menus, such as the Vegetable, Rediscover Russia, two Twins signature menus, and the personalized menu. These meals ensure you are spoilt for choice and are often partnered with one of Russia’s most extensive wine list collections for a nice finish.
Twins Garden
Address: Strastnoy Blvd, 8А, Moscow, Russia, 125009
Website: Twins Garden
Opening hours: 12pm - 10pm (daily)
9. Otahuna Lodge - Restaurant; Christchurch, New Zealand
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
The past meets the present in Otahuna Lodge as it settles on a lush pastoral farm setting. This historic Victorian property boasts a farm-to-table cuisine with ingredients extracted straight from the estate-grown offerings.
Ornate original wallpaper, a grand fireplace, and glittering candlesticks elegantly adorn the formal dining room. Meanwhile, you can book a private table for two if you prefer an intimate space.
Besides the dining experience, the restaurant also offers a variety of side activities, such as local farm tours, cooking classes, and seasonal mushroom foraging. You will find a potager-style vegetable garden and an orchard on the lodge’s outdoor grounds. It is home to a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and mushrooms used for the restaurant.
Otahuna Lodge - Restaurant
Address: 224 Rhodes Road, Tai Tapu 7672, Christchurch, New Zealand
Website: Otahuna Lodge - Restaurant
10. Hiša Franko; Kobarid, Slovenia
Satisfy your picky palate with nutritious food in Hiša Franko, crafted meticulously and creatively by a talented chef, Ana Roš. The 2-Michelin-starred restaurant champions sustainable practices by collaborating with local producers to create fresh items and transform them into delectable dishes. This restaurant also has a backyard vegetable garden.
The team is composed of skilled members, including a forager, an herbalist, a fishing family, and a network of farmers to ensure optimal care of the produces. The best part? All of them are locals!
Moreover, the restaurant welcomes guests older than 12 and your four-legged friends.
Hiša Franko
Address: Staro selo 1, 5222 Kobarid, Slovenia
Website: Hiša Franko
Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 12pm - 4pm, 7pm - 11pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
11. SingleThread Farm - Restaurant; Healdsburg, United States
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
You can set your expectations high at SingleThread Farm - Restaurant. This place boasts a 3-Michelin star badge headed by the renowned chef Kyle Connaughton. He works closely with his wife, Kyle Connaughton, and their farmer team to tend their farm. The 24-acre (10-hectare) farm is where they get their supply of vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, honey, eggs, and olive oil. These stocks are then used to arrange healthy recipes that make up the tasting menu for guests to relish.
Besides the sustainable farm-to-table movement, the restaurant also provides guests with friendly hospitality and exceptional service.
SingleThread Farm - Restaurant
Address: 131 North St, Healdsburg, California, 95448, United States
Website: SingleThread Farm - Restaurant
Opening hours: 4pm - 8:45pm (daily)
12. Borgo Santo Pietro Saporium at Borgo Santo Pietro; Palazzetto, Italy
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
The 5-star Tuscan boutique property is perched on 300 acres (121 hectares) of a well-manicured estate, consisting of tastefully decorated rooms and suites, a bar, restaurants, a luxe spa, and 13 acres (5.26 hectares) of landscaped gardens. It is also home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Borgo Santo Pietro Saporium, imbued by the principles of biodiversity and regenerative agriculture, coupled with an innovative cooking style.
The executive chef collaborates with his kitchen and farming crew to create authentic soil-to-plate cuisine. They utilize traditional lunar planting and biodynamic techniques to encourage organic growth for the crops.
Borgo Santo Pietro Saporium
Address: 110, Loc, Località Palazzetto, 110, 53012 Palazzetto SI, Italy
Website: Borgo Santo Pietro Saporium
Hunt for good and nutritious food around the world
The concept of farm-to-table rears positive impacts on all the participants of the food supply and distribution chain. It allows local farmers and businesses to thrive while serving delicious and hearty meals to consumers. Usually, farm-to-table restaurants are positioned near farms and ranches, so you can also enjoy tranquil scenes of nature while finishing your food. Make this list a guide for your meaningful food hunt!
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