The Farm at South Mountain

The Farm at South Mountain is a 10-acre working farm and restaurant compound tucked into the base of South Mountain in Phoenix, and eating breakfast here is one of the most memorable family dining experiences in the entire Valley. The property dates to the 1920s, when it was a dairy farm planted with pecan trees that now tower overhead, creating a shaded canopy that feels impossibly cool and peaceful even as the desert sun climbs.

Three restaurants operate on the property, but for families, Morning Glory Cafe is the destination. Open for breakfast and early lunch, it serves farm-to-table food in a garden setting under the pecan grove. The menu changes with the seasons but always features house-baked pastries, farm-fresh eggs, breakfast sandwiches on bread baked on-site, fresh-squeezed juices, and the famous cinnamon rolls -- massive, warm, dripping with glaze, and large enough to share among four people.

The dining experience is entirely outdoors, at tables scattered among the trees on gravel patios. String lights hang from branches. A rooster wanders past your table.

Garden beds of herbs and vegetables grow steps from the kitchen. Kids are free to walk the gravel paths, peek into the gardens, and enjoy the farm atmosphere between courses. It is the antithesis of a strip-mall breakfast joint, and it feels like a place that could only exist in the Sonoran Desert.

The food is genuinely excellent -- not just 'good for a farm.' Ingredients are sourced from the on-site garden and local farms, and the kitchen treats even a simple scrambled egg plate with care. The fresh fruit bowls use whatever is in season. The baked goods are outstanding across the board. Coffee is locally roasted.

Practical considerations: outdoor seating means this is a seasonal experience. October through April, the weather is sublime. Summer mornings work if you arrive early (before 9 AM), but by 10 AM the heat becomes unpleasant even in the shade. Weekend brunch between 10-11 AM draws crowds and waits of 30-45 minutes. Arrive at 8 AM for an easy, uncrowded experience.

The property is in south Phoenix, about 20 minutes from downtown Scottsdale. It pairs perfectly with a morning hike at South Mountain Park and Preserve -- one of the largest urban parks in the country -- which is a 10-minute drive south. The Mormon Trail and Judith Tunnel trail is an easy 1-mile family hike with caves and views.

Parking is free in the farm's lot off 32nd Street. The atmosphere is casual -- no reservations accepted for Morning Glory, just show up. Strollers navigate the gravel paths fine. Restrooms are available on-site.