Little Farm in the Big City: The Farm at South Mountain
In a Nutshell:
Family-friendly outing & breakfast spot
Picturesque farm surprisingly close to the city (Phoenix)!
Green! Lush! Even better than a trip to the park.
What we ate: Pork Belly Tacos and the Chicken Enchiladas
Saguaro Sam:
What’s the best way to end a 2 day vacation in Phoenix, AZ? Visit The Farm at South Mountain for breakfast on the way out of town of course!
The restaurant located at The Farm is called Morning Glory Cafe (Lucy was quick to point out a dirty reference within the name). It has a convenient location, near metro Phoenix and not far from I-10 (which we take to return back to our homes in Tucson). Added bonus, it’s located outside, on tons of land (allowing for a safe, socially distanced dining experience).
From the moment we stepped out of the car we were amazed that we were still in Phoenix, the 5th largest city in the U.S. The farm, and all its beauty, stretched as far as the eye could see. It felt like a reverse Wizard of Oz moment… "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Phoenix anymore. We must be on a farm in Kansas!"
We excitedly walked past the rows of picnic tables, and the grand trees with string lights draped between them, to the line for ordering breakfast. Morning Glory Cafe prides itself on using fresh, local farm ingredients (that they grow themselves right there on site). Lucy got the chicken enchiladas and I got the pork belly tacos. They also offer coffees, smoothies and juices. After one sip of Lucy’s fresh-squeezed orange juice I instantly felt like a healthier human being.
While we waited for our food to be prepared we hit the bathroom. I only mention this because they were nice (like strangely nice) bathrooms for a farm. They were located in a little building with 4 doors, even the outside of the doors looked like they had just been renovated and painted and you were about to enter someone’s cute little house. (The inside was just as nice, seriously, you have to check out the bathrooms if you go. 10 out of 10. Would recommend.)
We only waited about 10 minutes until our breakfast was ready. The food was delicious… savory and comforting with a Southwest flair. Both of us were impressed with the fresh touches of locally grown bell peppers, cabbage, cilantro, onion, and lime.
Once finished we decided to explore the rest of the farm, and there was a lot of exploring to be done. We wandered through the “stone grove”, beautiful walls and a fireplace built of stone that you can just imagine a bride and groom reciting their vows in front of. We walked past vibrant, growing rows of crops. A huge (and adorable) chalkboard sign boasted what fruits and vegetables were currently being grown at The Farm. We visited the resident birds... ducks bathing in kiddie pools and chickens roaming around a large coup. We even met one, very vocal, turkey.
It was evident that The Farm at South Mountain is an ideal spot for families and children. We saw many examples of this… kids running free and enjoying the great weather, the space, the nature that surrounded them. One boy had a perfect imitation of the aforementioned turkey’s call (it even fooled me a couple times, it was impressive).
If you’re a fan of cute photo op’s The Farm is a place you’ll want to check out! Stone walls, random couches with cute pillows, symmetrical rows of crops, vine covered picnic gazebos, rustic trucks with flowers in the bed… you name it, we took a picture with it. No shame! At one point we were trying to get a good picture, but the sun was shining in our face causing us to squint… a few seconds later a cloud moved in front of the sun allowing us to get the shot. Pure kismet! (I’m stealing that word from Lucy, she introduced it to my vocabulary).
We climbed back into our car, feeling relaxed, content, and sure that we had chosen the perfect ending to our Phoenix trip. On our way out we noticed a sign saying that no outside food/drink was permitted at The Farm. We discussed how this does seem like a shame (because damn, it would be the PERFECT spot to bring a picnic) but we understood how they would want to be making money off their own restaurant (and it was well worth the money).
If you live in/near the Phoenix area (or are visiting) do yourself a favor and check out The Farm at South Mountain and their restaurant Morning Glory Cafe… you won’t be disappointed. It’s a naturally peaceful farm retreat that will relieve you from the hustle and bustle of city life and leave your soul soothed.
Lucy’s Notes:
I can totally relate to Sam’s this-isn’t-Phoenix moment upon visiting the farm. It’s honestly hard to believe it took us so little time to drive to this place (from inner city phoenix). The place made you feel transported.
The farm occasionally hosts special events and classes. Sam and I haven’t tried those (yet!) but it’s probably something worth looking into.
When visiting, parents should really encourage their kids to perfect their turkey gobble imitations… It was clearly an entertaining way to spend the time!
