Front Porch likes to source its ingredients from local farms, serve local beer, and offer up local music.  They also want to make the color green great again. Located in The Plain, VA, just across the street from Happy Creek Coffee & Tea, which I reviewed here, Front Porch has both a front porch and a back deck to enjoy their southern inspired entrees, craft cocktails, and local confections.

From the restaurant’s green sign, roof, flower boxes, and some green dishware, their embrace of verdant summer themes is impossible to miss. Inside and out, brown tables, colorful artwork posters, and items for sale offer up some contrast. Whether outside on the porch or on the back deck, the restaurant seeks to make diners feel comfortable and relaxed.

On my first visit for lunch, in early October, while reviewing some backroads on Gabriella, my Ducati Monster, I ordered their mozzarella, parmesan, and herb pizza. The pie arrived shortly thereafter on a green earthenware plate with large leaves of fresh basil centered on this circle of crust and cheese. Pointing its sign more towards New York than Naples, Italy the crust was chewy with strong yeasty flavors and a solid amount of blistering char around the edges. While not to everyone’s taste, I do enjoy some dark edges for taste and texture. The mozzarella was fresh, flavorful and mild and ribbons of basil dotted the landscape like random green lanes on the piedmont hillsides around the hamlet. The sauce was a simple affair, playing a supporting role to both the crust and the mozzarella. A glass of ice water rounded things out on this visit.

As I still had room and it was rather hot outside, my dessert choice was their chocolate gelato bomb. At its center was a single maraschino cherry and a few pistachios, both wrapped in a combination of chocolate and vanilla gelato. In turn, the gelato was enrobed in a firm layer of dark chocolate, rounding out to the size of a baseball. Surrounding this orb of chocolate were century men of blueberries and strawberries, protectors of the confectionery realm, a few leaves of basil, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. After cracking open the dark chocolate shell, I was met with a ying and yang mixture of firm gelato. Rich and creamy, the combination of frozen chocolate and vanilla soon enough yielded cold but fresh pistachios and a bright red cherry. Along with my margherita pizza, the gelato bomb on a toasty day out on the back deck proved to be a tasty treat.

On my second visit, while reviewing the Ford Mustang GT, I ordered their heirloom tomato and burrata salad, with an added fillet of grilled salmon. Resting on a foundation of fresh leafy arugula, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of reduced balsamico, and bookmarked by two fresh orbs of burrata and three crostini, the grilled salmon filet was topped with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. All of the land bound ingredients tasted as though they had only traveled a short distance, with the burrata being the real standout for freshness, creamy mouth feel, and smooth texture. My drink choice was a sweet ice tea.

As I typically save room for dessert, I ordered a piece of their pumpkin pie. What arrived was a warm mini whole pie, with fluffy turrets of fresh cream and a sprinkling of snowy powdered sugar at the plate’s edge. The pumpkin custard was smooth, having good pumpkin flavors, with a bit of cinnamon. The crust was a touch dry, but still flaky and with good texture.  The whipped cream was excellent with very fresh cream flavors and just the right amount of sweetness.  Overall, the pumpkin pie is a good choice.

During both visits staff members were very friendly, worked well together, and were knowledgeable about the menu. Front Porch is a very solid choice if you enjoy farm-to-table fare with a slight southern focus.  I look forward to eating at Front Porch again as my car and motorcycle reviews bring me to the area.

Front Porch
6483 Main Street
The Plains, VA 20198
(540) 253-2018
https://www.frontporchtheplains.com/

Notes:
-There is very good street parking in the hamlet and more behind the restaurant.