When taking a trip to Mexico’s southern tip of Baja California the expectation is for views of turquoise blue water, mountain backdrops and breaching whales. I never expected to spend a day on a hillside wandering around a farm without a beach in sight. 

Flora’s Farm and Field Kitchen has been on my radar for a while. Our host in Cabo Pulmo, Janning Kennedy, trains governments in certification of organic farming internationally, so when I saw Flora’s business card in Janning’s house with a recommendation to go I knew we needed to. So when my ‘brother’ Mark suggested it upon his arrival in Cabo San Lucas we didn’t hesitate and made an immediate reservation. And a reservation is required, whether for lunch or dinner. Young hipsters love the place; Adam Levine of Maroon 5 was even married there.

Besides the farm there are high-end shops with everything from clothing to coffee, ice cream, jewelry and art galleries to handcrafted body lotions and soaps, even a spa. Cooking classes were underway in a separate space. But I was there for the food.

The farm was started in 1996 to supply organic produce to a small Cabo organic restaurant called Café Flora. The farm sold produce to local restaurants, including the late Charlie Trotter’s restaurant C at The One and Only Palmilla resort. The farm also served breakfast. The organic farm took off and Café Flora closed, but the breakfast spot eventually evolved into Flora’s Field Kitchen, opened in 2010. The farm now solely grows produce for their restaurant, as the response to the eatery has been so great. Retail patrons can buy produce, charcuterie, bread and pastry at the on premises grocery.

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The grounds are beautiful and meant for roaming around. Banana, papaya and mango trees, companion planted flowers, rows of produce, and a glut of turtles who just keep showing up. No, they were NOT on the menu. Which is probably why they keep showing up.

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As with any farm to table restaurant the menu changes with what’s available in the gardens. They also have pigs and chickens, so the menu had multiple poultry dishes, a country style pate, various pork entrees and sausages, pizza, and of course lots and lots of vegetables. Cabo is known for fish, so there was a catch of the day and a sandwich with fresh tuna as well. Certainly something for everyone, and all of it beautiful. My mesquite grilled chicken was superb.

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Our waiter was also the creator of a cocktail I loved, called El Viejo. Smoky mescal with a hint of jalapeño, some pineapple juice and garnished with cilantro. The translation means The Old, but it was fresh and delightful, and I’m definitely making it at home. And I like that they think the old can be fresh and delightful.

Words to live by.

Deborah