“We make every effort to embody the values of the farmers who partner with us. For us, that means paying attention to every detail, from the way we treat our team like family, to the way we choose our ingredients. We love cooking and creating from scratch – we’ve even launched our own micro-distillery, Founding Spirits, which produces spirits with grains from farmers we know; we use these spirits in all of our restaurants. Being environmentally conscious is at the forefront of what we do every day, alongside serving delicious, sustainably sourced food and drink.“

Founding Farmers Mid-Atlantic Scallops: perfectly caramelized scallops with sweet potato confit, quinoa salad, and creamy homemade parmesan grits.

This growing mini-empire, co-owned by the North Dakota Farmers Union, now spans seven locations and shows no sign of slowing down. The food is straightforward – think burgers, chicken pot pie, and crab cakes – but the overarching message is grand. With a modern farmhouse vibe and an emphasis on fresh ingredients and sustainable practices, the flagship eatery sets the tone with LEED and Green Restaurant Association certifications, plus a group-wide ban on plastic straws via their OurLastStraw.org movement. In 2012, the restaurant also partnered with George Washington University to build the school’s working rooftop apiary, which currently houses twelve hives, and continues to offer the Founding Farmers Bees Fellowship to two research students.