Spring is a time of renewal; a celebration of life, rebirth, and the cyclical patterns existing in the world around us. Considering that we live in one of the most rapidly growing culinary cities in the world, Philadelphia residents have the pleasure of welcoming spring at one of our many gourmet, farm-to-table establishments. For a literal taste of all the freshness that spring has to offer, enjoy the fruits of a spring season inspired menu, featuring local, seasonal ingredients at one of our favorite seasonal restaurants:
There was a time that the owners of M Restaurant at The Morris House strongly considering moving to the French countryside, but luckily for us they found Frenchtown, NJ to be a suitable alternative. These Francophiles are now harvesting the majority of their weekly veggies from their farm and then hauling them into their restaurant to serve in their seasonally inspired dishes. In M’s beautiful outdoor courtyard, they also reserve some planting beds for growing herbs and peppers, establishing seed-to-table cuisine in the heart of center city Philadelphia just off of Washington Square.
When you step into the wrought iron courtyard, you’ll be transported by the romantic ambiance of the quaint venue. Besides serving farm fresh, contemporary American small plates, they feature Garden to Glass cocktails using their fresh, infused liquors and handmade syrups. We love The Zen, a fresh tasting libation made with cucumber vodka, ginger, lime, mint, cucumber, triple sec! Jazz and Gin, a weekly event featuring gin based concoctions and educational tastings, is held in the bar and courtyard garden every Wednesday and Friday night from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
A Philly favorite for its quaint dining room, this tiny BYOB takes the finest sustainably-sourced ingredients and creates delicious dishes that are modern and inspired. A leader in the farm-to-table movement, Josh Lawler and his wife Colleen promote the area’s farmers and their locally farmed produce.
Growing up with a small farm in his backyard, Josh Lawler is no stranger to the incredible metamorphosis of a seedling into the fullest actualization of itself. Of course, his exposure to harvesting food as a young boy had a remarkable impact on how he runs his own restaurant today, and as each season comes to a close, Lawler brings us new dishes that feature the flavors and textures of the earth’s bounty.
Most recently, before opening F&F, Josh worked for five years as Chef de Cuisine at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills – one of Food & Wine Magazine’s “10 Life-Changing Restaurants”. In 2012, Farm & Fisherman was honored as a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in America. With plates like the Mycopolitan Mushroom Salad, a dish that features pistachios, fresh ricotta, D’Anjou pear, mache, and beets, or their always impressive Bloody Beet Steak, The Farm and Fisherman is one of Philly’s most outstanding dining experiences.
The sister restaurant of one of the world’s most coveted dinner reservations – Talula’s Table, the 12-person Chester County BYOB – Talula’s Garden brings Aimee Olexy’s locavore vision downtown to the heart of Washington Square.
In 2011, Olexy joined forces with Stephen Starr to recreate her wildly popular, farm-to-table cuisine downtown under the direction of Executive Chef Charles Parker. Like Joshua Lawler of The Farm and Fisherman, Olexy recalls a childhood rich with the simplicity of nature, gardens, and backyard-fresh farming.
Parker & Olexy craft freshly innovative menus featuring delicious and satisfying items inspired by the seasonal harvest. Be sure to try their Springtime Mojito, a rhubarb-infused take on the classic hot-weather cocktail; the Spring Leek and Watercress Soup made with herb focaccia croutons, whipped Lancaster goat cheese, and peppery watercress; and their Creamy Robiola Ravioli with earthy black truffle butter sauce, spinach, and local crimini mushrooms.
When Ellen Yin opened Fork more than 15 years ago, she was a trailblazer of the farm-to-table movement that was, at the time, virtually unknown. Now that “local” and “seasonal” are buzzwords cropping up on restaurant menus all over the city, Fork still manages to set itself apart from the crowd with an impressive and well-earned reputation for inspired dishes.
It wasn’t until her 2013 shakeup that the Old City establishments started really getting noticed. When Chef Eli Kulp of Torrisi Italian Specialties in NYC decided to leave Manhattan behind to run Yin’s kitchen, Fork transitioned to a new level of culinary excellence. Having only missed one rumored day of work in 15 years, Yin’s dedication to the farm-fresh movement, to her clientele, and to the Philly food scene has been rewarded with outstanding press. In 2014, Chef Eli Kulp was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine Magazine, and in 2014 Fork was honored as an Outstanding Restaurant Semifinalist by the James Beard Foundation.
If you have the great opportunity of dining at Fork in these upcoming months, don’t miss the Fennel Pappardelle with country time pork arista ragu and pollen or their Apple Salad with mustard greens and black walnuts.
Chef and Owner Christopher Kearse has worked at the best restaurants in Philadelphia, with a resume that includes Lacroix, Blackfish, and Pumpkin; but what you might not realize is that Kearse has worked at some of the best restaurants in the world.
It’s not often that you have the opportunity to experience the culinary talents of a chef who has worked at some of the most prestigious, award-winning restaurants found in the U.S., like Alinea (Chicago, IL) and The French Laundry (Yountville, CA).
Will’s modern French-inspired BYOB is focused on seasonal ingredients, but what makes Will so unique is the sheer talent coming from behind the kitchen doors. From an early age, Kearse was fascinated with the culinary world. By the time he reached his teenage years, he was preparing dinner nightly for his parents and seven siblings. Today, Kearse’s culinary excellence has been recognized all over the world. He is a two-time semifinalist for a James Beard Award.
If you can manage to nail down one of their highly sought after reservations, we recommend the “Pot-au-Feu” of flageolet and fava beans, chanterelle mushrooms, and spring onions, and the Artichoke Barigoule Bouchot Mussels with country ham and marigold.
As with any seasonal menu, dishes are always rotating to reflect the finest ingredients available at the moment. Please be sure to follow these establishments on Twitter to stay up-to-date on their latest offerings: M Restaurant, The Farm and Fisherman, Talula’s Garden, Fork, and Will BYOB.
What seasonal restaurants are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
