Mom’s Night Out at Farmacy in Knoxville

When the stars align (and so do your schedules), it’s finally time for a Mom’s Night Out! Somebody else is taking care of baths and bedtime so you can focus on uninterrupted conversation, good food and adult drinks. The best kind of night out with your friends ends when you realize you’re the last ones in the restaurant. It happened to me just last week at Farmacy. I was with my Knoxville Moms crew for a special evening courtesy of the chef and owner Bettina Hamblin.

I was no stranger to Farmacy before we walked through its doors Wednesday night. I used to stop for lunch at the previous Northshore Drive location because it was not far from our pediatrician’s office. (Yes, I would take my baby with me after his appointments!) You probably know about Farmacy from our Knoxville Moms Best Brunch Spots Guide. Since my baby lunch days, Farmacy has moved into beautiful and big new digs on Kingston Pike in Bearden. When you walk inside it feels fresh and modern. It’s the kind of ambiance that makes it easy to sit and linger, as we discovered.

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Once seated we decided to toast the start of what we were sure was going to be a fun night—and we weren’t wrong. I ordered a glass of wine from a not-so-ordinary wine list. All of the wines and wineries have backstories that align with Farmacy’s values and mission (each wine description makes those very clear.) Others opted for one of the house cocktails including the “Lavish Relief.” It’s a lavender infused vodka, yellow chartreuse and lemon with a lavender sugar rim.  It looked so lovely and I’m already planning to try it next time.

The menu is filled with southern favorites, but all have a bright and modern twist. All the food is made from scratch with a focus on super fresh and natural foods. We started with small plates of Brussel sprouts and a seasonal burrata. Those Brussel sprouts melted in my mouth and could be the best ones I’ve ever eaten. The burrata, which is made from mozzarella and cream, was served in a bowl with lemon-herb aioli, roasted baby tomatoes, cucumbers, cured onions, lemon-panko and pickled gulf shrimp. There were so many incredible flavors in each bite, but the dish was never overpowering.

For our main course, we each ordered something different with the agreement we would share bites for research, of course. As our plates came out, our eyes lit up and we all started to drool. My lemon-rosemary chicken is new on the menu and I’m sure it will become one of the house favs. The chicken was moist and perfectly seasoned. The spring gnocchi dish is also new and Bettina and her team nailed it. Light pillowy tasty perfection. I’m already planning to order the maple-pecan salmon on my return and I’m certain my husband will love the jalapeno-honey pork chop.

Gnocci Spring Dish pictured at the top, Lemon-Rosemary Chicken to the left, and Maple-Pecan Salmon to the right. 

On a night when calories don’t count, what better way to end your meal than splitting dessert with your friends. We opted for the skillet cookie, roasted banana puddin’, chocolate-coconut shortcake and pistachio layer cake. With spoons in hand, we passed them around. What we wouldn’t do for our fellow Knoxville Moms! We couldn’t agree on the best dessert because they were all so darn good.

Somewhere in between all those delicious bites we actually had time to talk, laugh and catch up with each other. Our tummies were full and happy and so were our hearts. Farmacy prides itself on packing “every ounce of love for life in each dish.” Mission accomplished. Whether it’s a mom’s night out or brunch with your family, Farmacy should be your go-to for good food and good times.