Fork has been on my “need to visit” list for quite awhile. It’s conveniently located right of an El stop, and they’ve been serving up delicious fresh and local food since before those became buzzwords. Opened on 3rd and Market street over ten years ago, Fork helped to begin the Old City renaissance, and served as a model for other restaurants interested in locally sourcing their food. The beautiful cookbook Forklore describes the history of Fork, and offers plenty of delicious recipes. I had the honor of hosting owner Ellen Yin at the Writers House earlier this year, and we prepared a reception spread of recipes pulled straight from the book!

The restaurant itself is modern, with a cool cement bar and warm lighting. I’d recommend a reservation, but walk-ins are offered bar seating with the same menu! I ordered the three-egg omelete, featuring branch creek farm spinach, shitake mushrooms and fontina cheese. The omelet, made from local eggs, was bursting with eggy flavor, while the ingredients sat demurely under their bright orange blanket, subtle and refined. The “home fries” were really young potatoes, boiled and delicately seasoned with fresh herbs, and the beautiful edible pansy added a bright splash of color to the plate. I’d already eaten a crusty, seeded bun before the main plate arrived, so turned out to be almost too much food! While drink prices are steep, food is very fairly priced, in a convenient location, and locally sourced! I’ll be back.