Farmhouse at Descanso Gardens Review: Dine Among the Trees at This Botanical Garden Restaurant | Eater LA

"Not the sort of revolutionary restaurant that would inspire a special trek to La Cañada Flintridge on its own, this calm, unpretentious spot is perfectly tuned to the local foothills community. Set within the sprawling Descanso Gardens, the forest-like setting is serene and versatile enough for a book club brunch group, families with kids, or a quiet couples’ catch-up at the bar. Look to the short specials menu for hyperseasonal dishes with shoutouts to specific farms, like a late-summer tomato salad of brandywine, green zebra, celebrity, and sungold from Munak Ranch topped with fresh basil, pesto, and spicy croutons. Main courses stay produce-packed: the grilled pork tenderloin comes with pickled corn, chorizo cornbread stuffing, and a halved grilled apple, presented with dandelion greens sticking out at jaunty angles like a scraggly rooster comb. It’s kid-friendly — the kids’ menu arrives on a coloring-and-puzzle sheet; get the cheese pizza for them and for the bites you’ll inevitably steal. The dining room is nice, the patio nicer, but the best seats are at the bar, a wooden rectangle spanning indoors and out and hewn from a fallen garden tree, where cocktails lean on herbs and berries alongside craft beer and an approachable wine list." - Ben Mesirow