Sunday Supper at The Hope Farm

Sunday evening, Linda and I had a great time attending the Sunday Supper at The Hope Farm. Held in the Barn, the newest addition to The Hope farm’s dining options, the idea is to recreate the Southern tradition of Sunday family dinners. 

Executive Chef Adam Stephens tells me the inspiration for Sunday Suppers came after the long quarantine of the pandemic. The Hope Farm just opened in 2020, and they had to completely adjust their operating plan to accommodate COVID restrictions.

The Hope Farm has returned to normalcy doing what it was originally intended, to be a gathering place. Chef Adam tells me, “We wanted to reinvigorate the idea of socializing, meeting new people, and bringing back the tradition of family-style Sunday dinner. Over good food, you make new friends.”

“With owners Robert Bently and his son, Bentley, our first thought was to do an Around the World in 80 Dishes, taking the lead from all the places and cuisines we’ve experienced in our travels. That became our segway into Sunday Suppers. We felt like this was what Fairhope lacked and Fairhope needed. We wanted more social engagements centered around good comfort food with  more involvement between guests.” 

The first Sunday Supper was held in mid-January of 2023. Chef Adam tells me it was his grandmother’s recipe for fried chicken that started the idea. The plan was to mix and mingle over a cocktail and meet new people while enjoying a family-style dinner, in a relaxed social atmosphere. The menu changes monthly, and often is a result of his recent travels. 

“We usually decide the menu based on the season and the food we experience while traveling. He told me he is heading to Cuba after Sunday’s event, so expect something Latin next month. This month’s Sunday Supper dinner was Aloha-themed and included dishes curated from Hawaii. Alana, our host and server for the evening, whose family lives in Hawaii, played a part in creating the menu with Chef Adam. Assistant General Manager, Raleigh Swan, greeted us all and served as bartender for the evening.

As we arrived at The Barn, Alana welcomed and seated us at one of two large dinner tables featuring place cards and a printed menu. As other guests arrived, we were introduced and served a Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai in a tall ceramic glass. The glass depicts ancient petroglyphs, which are stone carvings etched centuries ago by Native Hawaiians. With several drink options from which to choose, this was the time to meet the other table guests.

At our table, we met a couple from Pensacola, a mother, and daughter who have migrated from Michigan, and a local couple who are fourth-generation Fairhopers. They have attended Sunday Supper several times and always mark their calendar for the next one each month.

For the “Aloha” Sunday Supper, Chef Adam introduced three dishes served family-style: Crispy Fried Short Ribs, which were spicy and delicious, Shoyu Chicken Sliders, and everyone’s favorite, Tuna Poke Taco with Pineapple Relish, Sushi Ginger with Jalapeno served over a bed of Avocado.

For entrees, we had shredded Kalua Pork, Hawaiian Fried Rice, and Loco Moco, a delicious beef and pork hamburger san bun, served with a fried egg on top. Sides of Mac and Cheese and Sushi Rice rounded out the main courses. 

All of the dinner courses were brought to the table at once and were passed around as we chatted and got to know each other. For dessert, we enjoyed Chocolate Haupia Pie. Additional cocktails and a selection of wines were also available for an additional charge. Everyone left happy, satiated, and took home to-go boxes, especially to feed hungry teenagers!

Sunday Suppers are held monthly and last from 6 to 9 PM. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling The Hope Farm. It’s worth noting that the restaurant is a proud semifinalist of the James Beard Award, and has just announced that it will open a new restaurant concept in downtown Fairhope with Chef Bill Briand, formerly of Fisher’s in Orange Beach. He, too, has been recognized by the James Beard Award committee several times.

The Barn is the newest addition to The Hope Farm and is open for breakfast and lunch. Other ticketed events include the Art of Mixology cocktail classes as well as Chef Dinners and Wine Pairings. The Hope Farm welcomes you to sign up to receive updates and information at The Hope Farm.