Farmhouse — Restaurant in La Cañada Flintridge

I recently had the absolute pleasure of visiting the newly opened Farmhouse at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, and I can confidently say it’s one of the best gems in the Glendale area! Nestled in the heart of pristine wilderness, right next to the iconic Descanso Gardens, this place feels like a magical escape where nature and modern elegance blend seamlessly. It’s a fairy-tale setting brought to life, with lush greenery and botanical beauty surrounding every corner.

From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the ample parking space, making the visit hassle-free. Inside, the atmosphere is nothing short of enchanting. The main dining room is spacious and inviting, while the garden patio and outdoor cocktail lounge offer a delightful mix of indoor and outdoor vibes. The stunning bar, handcrafted by local artisan William Stranger from oaks that fell in the gardens, is a true work of art. I even made friends with John, the warm and professional bartender who made my evening even more enjoyable with his friendly demeanor and expert drink recommendations. The drink menu is fantastic, boasting a great selection of wines and beers on tap—perfect for any taste!

The food, crafted by the incredible Chef Richard Mead, is an absolute highlight. His farm-to-table approach shines through in every dish, blending creativity and care with the freshest, locally sourced ingredients from nearby farmers he’s known for years. Each bite reflects the charm of Descanso’s natural surroundings, and the flavors are simply divine—delicious, innovative, and made with love. The hand-painted murals of botanical collections on the booth walls add a vibrant, artistic touch, seamlessly tying the restaurant to the stunning wilderness outside.

The staff here is exceptional—friendly, attentive, and truly professional, making me feel right at home. The hours are convenient too, open Monday to Friday from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM, so there’s plenty of time to plan a visit. I can’t say enough good things about this place—it’s a perfect spot to gather with friends or family and enjoy a memorable meal in a breathtaking setting.

My only small wish is that their reservation website worked better, as it strongly recommends booking ahead but doesn’t seem to allow reservations at the moment. That aside, Farmhouse at Descanso Gardens is a must-visit! I’m already looking forward to my next trip to this extraordinary haven of great food, drinks, and warm hospitality in the...

This restaurant is outstanding: from the beautiful premises to the friendly staff and the food…. Oh my gosh … the food. I was trying to come up with appropriate descriptives: a flavor experience, or a a palate party, is what I came up with so far.

Each dish is meticulously prepared and the flavors entwine perfectly and so wonderfully. On a personal note some of the dishes remind me of the incredibly delicious and tasty foods I had in Italy growing up and it was a refreshing experience to taste and experience such wonderful fresh and deliciously prepared food.

Today I had the PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND MUSSELS (with white wine, butter, herbs, bread crumbs & grilled garlic bread) 🎉🙌🔥🍽️🫶🥹😇 also the pizza of the day was with pesto, prosciutto, and grilled peach - outstanding, 💝🎀✨💥. We went today for Father’s Day, and we had a really great experience. My husband had the Steak (GRILLED AUTONOMY FARMS GRASS-FED COULOTTE STEAK With asparagus, cipollini onions, spinach, crispy fried smashed weiser farms potatoes, shiitake mushroom puree & red wine jus) - literally absolutely heavenly! My mother in law was also with us, and she is VERY discerning, and she was also blown away. She had the GRILLED ASIAN BEEF SHORT RIBs with butter lettuce, green papaya salad, pickled fresno chiles, sweet & spicy dipping sauce, and the FRENCH FRIED SATSUMAIMO SWEET POTATOEs with papaya mustard dipping sauce. Everything was a perfect combination of flavors and paired so beautifully. (I also love love love the roasted beet salad) I also appreciate that it says where the meat comes from - Autonomy Farms - I appreciate that I can know that, not all restaurants share that.

The also have a selection of outstanding drinks and cocktails and mocktails and they make their own bitters in house- which I think it’s so great! My absolute favorites “free spirited” mocktails are SUMMER SPRITz, (wilderton citrus, lemon juice, orange juice, sprite, soda, mint and lemon wedge) And the DAFFODIL (wilderton bittersweet, orange juice, pink peppercorn syrup, sweet tea, orange zest) Overall it’s a 100/100 experience! 💯💯💯💯 Thank you to the Chefs and to the whole team for being there and for having worked so hard to prepare and create such a wonderful restaurant and menu for us all to...

Something is wrong with the service. We sat down just after 7- I think our hostess forgot about us and acted like someone else was supposed to check us in. Took at bit for the waiter to arrive, he was very nice. We ordered the sweet potato app, drunken pumpkin cocktail and 2 mains. This was at 7:10 ish. Cocktail arrived- very good! App didn’t arrived until 7:40. Also good. Time goes by. People who arrived after us have all their apps and food already. Did they forget? A nice waitress comes and says she’ll check on our food. I smile and say ok thanks. 5 min later we flag out waiter, he checks the kitchen comes back and says 30 sec. We wait patiently. Now they bring Mr. Man with curly mustache. This guy brings total attitude and says the order was placed 20 min ago. It’s 8pm. Complete lie. I say no. It’s too long. He gives more attitude, “do you want to talk to the manager” like we did something wrong and now is saying we have an attitude. All he had to say is sorry it’s taking long. We left. So disappointed with how we...