City Farms Market & Grill

this place was so good. sad it’s no longer serving great food.
ahh. such is restaurant life
It is now Roost Carolina Kitchen. Former Roost food truck/.

I finally made it to City Farms last weekend. I went on a late snowy Saturday afternoon and only waited 5 minutes for a table. The waitress was very nice and explained many parts of the menu. I ordered the chicken sausage omelette and sweet potato tots. Those tots… AMAZING! The omelette was also really good. I probably should mention that I ordered the French Onion soup as an appetizer. Also tasty. What can I say, I was hungry and wanted to try many things! I will definitely be coming back!

I love this place.:) friendly and clean.
I never had a problem and the food taste great.
always get the brie omelet and salads are great alternative to
fast food or whole foods.

I was in a hurry and looking to satisfy my stomach. After a list of helpful recommendations from a barista at Asado Coffee, I found myself at City Farms. The place is small, but welcoming. I was greeted by what looked to be the owner/​chef who told me they could have anything ready within 5 minutes.
There wasn’t anyone else there but I enjoyed his commitment to my business. I wanted a breakfast sandwich and ordered what looked to be the only one on the menu, (several breakfast options just no other sandwiches) a grilled cheese sandwich with a heaping amount of scrambled eggs and a thick cut of ham. Before I saw the sandwich I wasn’t thrilled about the $ 8, post-​tax result, but the sandwich was definitely worth the money. A generous amount of watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberry came on the side also.
I’d be interested in coming back for a sit-​down breakfast in the future. I had a good experience, although the place wasn’t busy so hard to say on efficiency during a rush.
Either way, give it a go.

Uhh Ohhhh. Yet another place that is just «A-​OK»! After my boyfriend told me he got a pretty decent sandwich from this place I begged him to take me here for lunch the other day. The décor is pretty cute. It’s tiny with wooden tables and benches in this 1,000 square foot market.
We sit down to order and see that the menu is pretty good. We order the lobster quesadillas from this adorable little waitress. Well, the quesadillas were barely filled with lobster. It was mostly cheese. They were still yummy. But considering how tiny they were while trying to compare the price. They didn’t match up.
Then I ordered a blue cheese burger. It didn’t take too long for our orders to come out. But, my burger was raw in the middle (uhhhhhh? yikes…) Really? Who’s cooking back there? So I had them send it back. It came back shortly and it was mediocre. The fries didn’t taste very fresh and the burger was soooo greasy it was dripping and soaking the bun. Some people like that, some people think it will clog their arteries. I’m the latter.
Anyway while we were eating our food we saw some guy come in and place an order in which he we would come back 20 minutes later to pick up. When he came back 20 minutes later I overheard the waitress telling him that she ‘forgot’ to put it in. I wondered if she’d ever been in customer service before because you NEVER tell a customer that you forgot about them. You just play it cool, tell them it will be a few more minutes and then at the speed of light put their food together. But I guess she felt like being honest.
It wasn’t a place I’d brag to my friends about. The food was just ok and the service was… meh.

I hate to write a bad review, especially knowing how others opinions mean a lot toward giving an establishment your business. However it is absolutely warranted in this case.
I ordered two different omelettes and the lobster quesadilla for what I thought was going to be a terrific Sunday breakfast. Not only did it take nearly an hour and a half to arrive, the food was completely cold. No warmth to it whatsoever. Both omelets also had something about them that just tasted…‘off’. Could be due to old eggs, old cheese or both but regardless I was very unhappy with each dish and would absolutely look elsewhere when there are so many other great options nearby.

This place is not exactly A-​OK. More like C+. Newly opened breakfast/​lunch spot with urban style seating at long plank tables. Smallish, wanna be farmhouse décor and feel. The service was spotty. The waiter was new, very new. I’m not sure he understood the job description of a waiter, but he was friendly!
The food was nothing fancy. Tasty enough, but $ 11 breakfast plates need to really dazzle. Mine didn’t. I hope they make it. All and all I give them an E for effort.

I can only describe it as sad. I’m sad. My wife’s sad. The food’s sad.
We ordered the caprese salad, 3 way bacon sandwich with brie and potato fritters. The fritters were pretty good, but you can’t go wrong with deep fried mashed potatoes anyways.
The salad was supposed to come with mixed greens, but unless you count different sized arugula leaves as «mixed,» it’s a misnomer.
The bacon sandwich should have a bacon sausage, maple bacon aioli, bacon, apple relish and carmelized onions. I added brie for a little extra. Sounds great, right? Well they forgot the brie, I couldn’t taste the apple, onions were just burnt, and sausage was disappointing. The aioli was barely there, but some of it got on the fries and it tasted very good. Bacon? More like baCAN“T

The food was pretty bad. I had a brie, bacon, and apple slice omelet which sounded fantastic but literally left a bad taste in my mouth… it had a bitter aftertaste that took about 2 hours to get rid of. The coffee wasn’t too good, either, and both myself and my companion ended up not feeling very well after our meal.
The smallness and community seating was a nice touch, but the food just wasn’t good.

What can I say about City Farms? It’s so damn good, and it’s nice to be able to dig into a really delicious burger knowing that it’s «clean», by which I mean, humanely raised, grass-​fed and sustainable. So CF has become my new go-​to burger place. Everything I’ve had here has been delicious — Amish chicken, salads, portabella fries (OMG –YUM!!!), and the desserts are to die for! Especially that bourbon pecan pie with caramel sauce!!! I usually get burger delivery from CF on Fridays after I get home from my soul-​sucking job, and that burger is soul-​restoring. Mmmm!
I’ve eaten in a few times, each time bringing a friend who hasn’t tried this place yet, and every person I bring loves it! The people who work here are great! The owners are also the servers, and they are just on top of everything, all the time, as you’d expect. They’re also friendly and funny, and you can easily tell that they really put their all into this place — it has HEART, man!
The last time I was there, I was introducing my friend Thom to the amazingness that is the portabella fries with truffle aioli. We started bantering with the chef, and I think I almost have him convinced that he should make some fabulously delicious, sustainable fish’n’chips.
This place is an excellent, positive addition to the neighborhood, and I’m thrilled to call City Farms my new burger BFF! ;)

We had a nice weekday brunch here before a visit to the Music Box to see a film.
The fruit bowl was pineapple and fresh berries, a lovely surprise.
The husband and I both liked the very good coffee.
Our meals were good, but a bit high priced. The portions were large.
I recommend it, but I won’t be making special trips to eat here.

Ate here this morning and everything was wonderful.
I had the eggs Benedict and would recommend it to anyone. For whatever reason I have had trouble finding a good eggs Benedict. Either the English muffin is burnt or the hollandaise is too lemony; they got it right at City Farms. The ham is thick and tasty, compliments the eggs well. The eggs were perfectly runny and the English muffins were toasted perfectly as well. My gf got the egg and cheese sandwich and liked it as well.
The restaurant is small, I think 6 tables, a few of them are pretty large and could probably seat 8 or 10 people. We went around 9:45 and were the only people there. Although, after about a half hour the tables were all full.
I will definitely eat here again, especially because it is so close to home. A few very small suggestions I would make to the management here;
1. Serve the coffee with a spoon so customers can stir in cream or sugar.
2. Don’t refrigerate the cream as it tends to turn the coffee a little to cold. (Not actually cold, just not as hot as would be preferred).
3. Put a little garnish on the plates, parsley or a small tomato wedge; something to add a little color. You can see the photos I posted of the food (eggs Ben and egg sand) while it tastes good, it looks boring.
The coffee and service was great, the food was done well, no complaints there.
They also do take-​out.+
In reality it’s a 3.5, I’m inclined to round up because I wish them well and want more people to go here.
Check out more of my reviews at

Saw a new place and was looking for a quick bite to eat so I we dropped in. Let me say I have only been here once, and plan on at least trying it one more time.
Out of our group we ordered a sandwich, the bacon burger, and the salmon/​egg plate. Indicated on the menus, this place really pushes the organic/​fresh food concept– which is fine, but also means you are paying quite a premium. Expect no less than $ 10 a meal. With this price point, my taste bud’s expectations are raised a little bit.
The inside is nice, and setup as I would expect, friendly service too. No complaints in this department.
Now for the real reason I gave the lower score, the food experience was not quite what I was expecting. I personally had the Bacon Burger — the meat itself was cooked just fine, but seemed a little too small, the bacon was a little too little, I didn’t even really notice it — one slice of tomato and a lettuce leaf. The bread was pretty standard, like your normal packaged bun — not really what I was expecting for a $ 10 burger. I think if this was $ 5, I’d be pretty happy but considering the price point vs what I experienced made it tough to really say it was awesome. And additionally the fries on the side, not only seemed like your standard diner fries, but didn’t seem too fresh. I would have expected handcut fries or some special salted variation to compliment the burger. The whole plate was rather underwhelming.
We also had the salmon/​eggs breakfast platter which the salmon was pretty fishy, and the bagel was a pretty standard bagel. I think again the biggest detriment to this plate was the size/​quality for the price. This was over $ 10 so it just didn’t seem right –and I understand its «organic» and local, but still seems a little high for what you are getting. I think the salmon could have definitely been a little better.
Overall the price point might be the biggest negative, but the portion size is also a big killer. I’m not looking to binge eat everywhere, but maybe just more sides, or just better quality sides to compliment the small main portion would make me a little happier. Overall it just seems too standard vs price point. Given the other places in the area, its hard to really want to come back. I am willing to drop by just by myself for a pickup and try another menu item — I’ll check the positive reviews and see if I can maybe find a winner on the menu. If a place has nice service, I’ll usually come back a few times and I can’t pass final judgment on just a couple items, right?!

Stopped in for a SUPER quick meal. The chicken and rice soup was tasty and fresh. The salad was crisp and refreshing.
Would love to try a sandwich there!
Great place to stop on your way to Deluxe.

We got the Corned beef hash, Salmon eggs benedict, and one other dish that I can’t remember anymore.
In short, the food was really solid– actually exceeded my expectations (granted I wasn’t really expecting anything because I didn’t look this place up). The eggs were done properly (over easy), and all the flavors of each dish worked together well.
It’s a small spot, and one may feel slight cramped, despite the industrial look of the place.

To be honest, a lump developed in my throat as I realized this was the former Rockin’ Taco (RIP), but other than the layout being the same, the décor is worlds away from Rockin’ Taco. Cute little mason jars and minimalist décor have replaced posters of Rage Against the Machine and hard rock music.
My mom and I were the only ones there on a Wednesday morning shortly after opening, but I imagine they do a brisker business on the weekends.
The cuisine is farm-​to-​table (but what isn’t these days?) comfort food, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We were there for breakfast and while nothing on the breakfast portion of the menu seemed overly inventive, there were still some solid choices. I settled on the pan-​seared oatmeal cooked in fresh apple cider, only to be told they didn’t have it that day. Sad face. Must be more of a winter item. Instead I opted for a breakfast sandwich of ham, egg, and cheese on french bread. Mom had the yogurt, granola and fruit plate.
Our food was good; the ham on my breakfast sandwich was more thick and «steak-​y» than I like, but the scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly and overall it was a tasty sandwich, as was the strawberry smoothie I also ordered. Mom seemed to enjoy her decidedly more healthy breakfast, which was a generous portion of ripe fruit, yogurt and (what looked to be at least) homemade granola.
Our server was very sweet and pleasant. She was efficient and our coffee cups never went unattended. Granted, we were the only ones there, but I get the feeling she is on top of her game even when it’s busy.
We’ll go with 3.5 stars on this one. Nice little neighborhood spot in a neighborhood I’m rarely in.

Some might argue that the farm-​to-​table movement is totally blasé at this point but I am always happy to see when a new farm-​to-​table joint pops up. «Healthy», «local», and «simple» are words that are music to my ears and music that City Farms market sings. Unfortunately, «pricey» and «bland» are also words that made it’s way into the music.
The first time I came in I ordered a Porchetta sandwich ($ 8.99). With a menu description praising it as juicy perfections… Berkshire pork belly and pork butt (hehe), crackling crispy skin, slow roasted with rosemary, garlic, fennel, sage, and served with chimichurri sauce. This description made my mouth water and my belly grumble but unfortunately it sounds better on paper than it tastes in real life. Served with some potato chips, everything looked so beige and tasted kind of bland. I would have loved to see a small, simple green salad perhaps (sans potato chips) and tasted more of the ingredients listed in the menu description. Plus for $ 8.99 if was a wee bit on the small side. I can get a good sandwich with quality ingredients from Real Kitchen for only $ 6.50.
The second time here, I ordered a cheese egg sandwich with country ham served on crispy toasted french bread for carry out. Lies. It may have been better if I dined in the restaurant, but the crispy french bread turned very moist and soggy while wrapped in it’s foil waiting to be taken home. The saving grace for breakfast was the Asado coffee they served. Fabulous cuppa joe.
I like what they try to do, just do it better please.

City Farms could well be one of Chicago’s best brunch secrets owing to its adorable set up, intimate atmosphere, and cheery management, but it has some growing pains to go through first. Located on Irving at Southport, the small and cheery City Farms brings a much needed breakfast/​brunch/​lunch and coffee spot to area. I was staying with a good friend of mine just down the street and spotted City Farms while walking by one rainy evening– I was very thankful to have somewhere nearby to go have a coffee and a bite in the Seattle-​inspired weather we were having that week, especially since Asado Roasters (across the street) seems to make up their hours as they go.
Let’s start with the most important part of breakfast– the coffee. City Farms uses the beans from Asado and does them justice. You’ll get a nice, dark cup that brings a little life back into your bones. I had the Eggs Benedict and thought it was good, maybe a little underwhelming. In the breakfast/​brunch department, their ooey gooey sweet items seemed to be the bigger hit with the rest of the brunch crowd. Looking through the menu, my biggest disappointment with the place was that City Farms is espousing a farm to table ethos, and yet their menu is one you might find at any chain restaurant (Eggs Benedict, Monte Christo Sandwich, etc). If I’m looking for Farm to Table, I don’t want a hot dog, or a beef sandwich, or a Monte Christo for goodness sake! City Farms is adorable and fills a much needed gap in the neighborhood, the management is sweet even if the waitstaff is a bit green, and the coffee is on point, we just need to add some flair to that menu. I’d love to go back and find that City Farms was offering some less run of the mill creations that celebrate the ingredients and inspire you to shell out $ 9 for eggs.

The first thing I have to say about City Farms is to quote my girlfriend’s blog:
«Wow. I don’t know whether to shout about this place from the roof tops or not tell a soul so I can always get a seat.»
It won’t surprise me if City Farms soon becomes the hot spot of the area we live in. Located on the edge of three neighborhoods (Riverview, Ravenswood and North Center) in a spot that has seen many restaurants come and go (farewell Rockin’ Taco) City Farms is this part off the neighborhoods answer to Glenn’s Diner. It’s smaller, more intimate and has an very clean modern interior style as opposed to the retro restaurant style of Glenn’s. It’s also more focused on the organic, fair trade angle but the food has the same amazing home cooked quality.
My girlfriend had a delicious veggie burger with sweet potato tater tots. They were excellent… the veggie burger was rich and flavorful and the tater tots were light sweet and crisp. That said, I don’t think I’m out of line though to say that the Lamb Shank I ordered was the star plate on the table. Clocking in at a mere $ 15, it was easily a $ 40 quality meal. The potatoes were rich and flavorful, the sauce and the vegetables were tasty and very savory and the lamb itself was fall off the bone, melt in your mouth delicious! Wonderful! We also had two smoothies both were delicious and for desert we had brownies that were very fresh tasting and very delicious.
Quite frankly, we only ordered desert based on how great the meals were and because the staff was so nice and friendly that I just wanted to throw more money their way.
I would highly recommend this place.

Saw their review and photos on
this morning. Glad I stopped what I was doing and dropped in for a bite for lunch. Owner Alex said they just opened yesterday and serve American comfort food as well as healthy choices. It’s a casual eatery/​grill that focuses on higher quality locally sourced ingredients at just the right price point of $ 9 – 10 for the stuff I like. I was intrigued by the «Triple Threat» sandwich, a ¼lb bacon sausage topped with carmelized onions and slivers of pan roasted apples. Top that with an awesome maple-​bacon aioli that reminded me of sweet and savory french toast and bacon, and I was enjoying a delicious juicy meal on a tasty French baguette.
They just opened yesterday and are just settling in. Was told they’re not just breakfast and lunch, but will be opening for dinner, as well as having a food truck in the works, too. More items are to be added to the menu soon, he said.
I will be back again and again (I have my eye on that apple crumble pie french toast that sounds like just what I would like).