This afternoon, Greg and I made a return trip to Springfield, MO. We visited a month ago and looked for an interesting restaurant to try for the first time, one that offered vegan options. Our initial selection happened to be closed for Labor Day. We found a great cafe to dine at. Yet I was disappointed that this British pub style eatery was closed. Happily, today Farmers Gastropub was open!
From its interesting name to its unique menu, this was a fun place to dine. We arrived well after the lunch crowd, but the pub was busy, with most diners choosing to eat outside and enjoy the fine fall weather. Wanting to check out the atmosphere, we chose to dine indoors.
The pub was cozy with dark wood, gleaming tables and tartan plaids on the walls along with other interesting artwork. I love a good pub. Primarily, the atmosphere feels more casual and relaxed. That was certainly true of Farmers Gastropub.
The wait staff was friendly and efficient. I liked the charming extras, such as decanters of cold water left on the table, and the hummus and veggies appetizer was served on a wooden platter. The hummus was excellent, sprinkled with micro-greens.
For my late lunch I sampled a bowl of mushroom sage soup accompanied by a Farmers house salad with a light mustard thyme dressing. The food was wonderful, prepared from fresh, locally grown food.
And that was another plus for this pub. According to their website…
“Pubs are meant to be places where anyone can stop in to have a bite and a pint. A regular pub is sought more for its liquid fare than its fine cuisine. However, a gastropub like ours ups the ante on the food side of things. We’re a friendly, unpretentious neighborhood pub that serves really good food. Proper pub grub, in fact.
Farmers is a tribute to the people who start the process, the individuals who toil to produce the finest and freshest food possible. Our goal is to forge a relationship with those farmers who are as passionate about quality food as we are. Our role is to bring the fruits of their labor to our tables, to be enjoyed by you.
We make all of our sauces (aside from ketchup & mustard) and our house pickles from scratch. We cut the chips (aka French fries), smoke the trout, and grow peppers, herbs, radishes and a variety of other fresh stuff right at the pub.
Why are we doing it? We want to bring you the best fresh, local products for several reasons. First, it tastes good. The fresher the food, the better it tastes. Secondly, it’s just the right thing to do. For our health, for our economy, for our neighbors and community this concept makes sense. We want to invest in resources as close to home as possible, showing those farmers we are as proud of what they do as they are.
I applaud Farmers Gastropub’s dedication and commitment to creating the best tasting, freshest meals by partnering with local growers. I appreciate too that they grow their own herbs and veggies at the pub. I am officially a fan of this delightful place. I would love to see such a pub come to Joplin.
I discovered this evening that October 1 is World Vegetarian Day, and that the whole month, actually, is dedicated to raising awareness of the many health benefits of a vegetarian diet. I am even more restrictive than vegetarian or vegan, choosing a plant based diet that eliminates sugar, gluten, eggs, dairy, corn and soy as well. What a perfect day to try healthy new food at a fun new restaurant.
My awareness of the benefits is high and I have happily embraced these dietary changes. I am vibrant with improving health and wellness. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.
