Openings

What to Eat at Farmshop, Now Open in Larkspur

Cerciello
Cerciello Photo: Courtesy of Farmshop

Farmshop, a new casual restaurant from chef-owner Jeff Cerciello, debuted last night at Marin County Mart in Larkspur. It’s a second location of the successful, James Beard-nominated Farmshop in Los Angeles, and the concept is farm-to-table, “refined but soulful,” California cuisine, with a focus on pizzas and meats from the wood-burning oven and grill. Cerciello is a ten-year vet of the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, and he’s working here with manager Michel Darmon and Executive Chef Mark Hopper (who’s worked at Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and the French Laundry) to launch the Northern California branch of the restaurant, with indoor and patio seating, and a large space of 6,500 square feet, designed by Kira Cunningham and Commune Design.

For Cerciello, whose family is based in Napa, the expansion to Marin he says is “a welcome homecoming,” and made perfect sense given how many of the purveyors he works with for the L.A. restaurant are based up here.

Cerciello began his career with Keller at The Laundry in 1996, eventually spearheading the opening of Bouchon in 1998, and moving on to help open Bouchon’s Las Vegas, New York, and Beverly Hills outposts, as well as Ad Hoc in 2006 while serving as Culinary Director for TKRG. He opened Farmshop in Santa Monica in September 2011, followed by Farmshop Market in Brentwood last year.

Expect a luxurious but low-key space at Farmshop Marin, with a dark walnut table tops, teal mohair and leather banquettes, jute macramé light fixtures, and a custom bar top by Alma Allen of Joshua Tree, CA. (Sidenote: The L.A. branch was nominated this year for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant Design.)

Farmshop is open for dinner only to start, but starting this summer there will be lunch and brunch as well. Also, there is a full bar highlighting local spirits, and there will be rotating wines on tap from local winemakers as well. Reservations by phone at 415-755-6700 are encouraged.

See a sample menu, sans prices, below.

Farmshop - Marin County Mart, 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur - 415-755-6700 - Open for now, 5:30 to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Starting in summer, lunch hours will be Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and weekend brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations encouraged.

What to Eat at Farmshop, Now Open in Larkspur