Market at Bonton Farms

This sunny, contemporary cafe opened last year as part of the Bonton Farms project to create a gathering space and market in a South Dallas food desert. But the cafe and its gardens are also a haven for those beyond the neighborhood: Just 10 minutes from downtown, it feels light-years away from the stress and jangle of the city. Chef Scott Tobey’s breakfast and lunch menu of Southern staples and seasonal fare is far more ambitious than it reads. The hoppin’ John is made with Bonton’s Mangalitsa ham and Sea Island red peas; eggs were laid by Bonton’s hens; hot sauce is fermented Bonton peppers; and impeccable salad greens are grown on a neighboring South Dallas farm. Comfortable chairs and genuinely good vibes make you linger on quiet mornings, or enjoy the energy during the lunch rush. Afterward, take the time to walk through the farm out back — you’ll be allowed to pick and purchase whatever’s ripe, like a living produce aisle. Michalene Busico/Restaurant Critic