Flora Farm: Organic farm-to-table in San Jose del Cabo

The farm-to-table experience at Flora Farm offers a spectacular blend of old and new.

Flora Farm is just 15 minutes from San Jose del Cabo but feels much farther. A good portion of the drive is along a bumpy dirt road ridden with gullies, and you’ll probably see a few grazing cows along the way. The rough desert landscape is reminiscent of Los Cabos vintage 1976, before the area was developed as a planned resort.

Once you park your car at the farm, the feel is distinctly different: a mix of old Mexico and sophisticated Southern California. The place almost seems Disney-esque, picture perfect with something for everyone—especially food-lovers.

The best place to start your visit is at the Farm Bar, which is set beside a growing field. You can choose from garden fresh juices, craft cocktails, wines and bubbly by the glass, or beers from the farm’s microbrewery. Live music enhances the festive outdoor ambiance and attenuates the wait for lunch or dinner.

We secured a hard-to-get 1:30PM lunch reservation on a Wednesday and waited almost another half hour for a table in the Field Kitchen (restaurant) but it was well worth the wait. The menu offered an array of choices including interesting appetizers, salads, pastas, sandwiches, main course and daily specials.

All the dishes rely on farm-fresh ingredients that are grown on site and are artfully presented. The same tomatoes you buy in the supermarket that are imported from Mexico taste the way they are supposed to taste here. The earth surrounding the farm looks totally arid but this and other local farms have discovered the magic of long growing seasons and abundant sunshine coupled with modern irrigation systems.

The house-made ricotta appetizer was flavored with citrus, herbs, fresh radishes and pickles.

For carnivores, there is a limited ranch menu with meats that are both hormone and antibiotic-free. We especially enjoyed the culatello appetizer, served on a plank of wood with tiny pickles and a delicate honey-mustard sauce.

But hands-down, the eight varieties of thin crust pizzas made in the wood-fired outdoor oven with fresh tomato, cheese and other toppings are unbeatable for a meal or appetizer.

We also enjoyed the roasted pork shoulder sandwich on a ciabatta roll with a side of broccoli leaves and garlic-cilantro mayonnaise, served either with chips or a salad. Speaking of breads, the house-made breads are hard to resist— even when you’ve just ordered a sandwich. The fish on the tuna sandwich comes from local waters; it is slow poached with fennel, dill, lemon, sun-dried chili and aioli. The desserts were also picture-worthy.

Before we left, we browsed through the organic farm market where you can even smell the freshness of the different types of lettuce or take home breads or savory sweets. Farm tours and cooking classes can be arranged in advance.

There’s even an old-fashioned outdoor ice cream cart if you have one more notch left on your belt.

Those who are shopping-compulsive will want to wander through the small, beautifully curated shops on the grounds that sell local soaps, crafts and art. There is also a lovely wine shop/bar and an unexpected LA-designer James Perse Concept Store.

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IF YOU GO

Flora Organic Farm, San Jose del Cabo, Los Cabos, Mexico; Open Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday for brunch only.

Tips:

• Reservations are essential; they can be made by phone or online.
• We highly recommend that you visit during the day so you can walk around the grounds and enjoy the beauty of the farm setting.
• If you are skittish about driving on unmarked roads after dusk, it’s wise to take a taxi to the farm. If you do decide to drive, be sure to plot your route with Google Maps.