Plus, Fife and Farro has a food allergy menu for guests with dietary restrictions.
It’s simply impossible to be a local lately without hearing about the recently opened Pullman Market at the Pearl — what makes the proverbial pearl within the Pearl such a treat to visit is the large market inside with locally-sourced products, and multiple restaurants offering everything from upscale Tex-Mex, ceviche, and more. During my multiple visits to the market, I found myself intrigued by Fife and Farro, an Italian eatery with scratch-made pizzas and pastas that seemed packed to the brim with customers for their lunch and dinner hours every time I passed by.
But could I eat at Fife and Farro, given my dairy and egg allergies? Having initially written it off as a place unlikely to have allergy-friendly options, I can happily confirm the staff quickly proved me wrong when I finally went over to inquire about the menu.
I didn’t even have time to finish my standard food allergy spiel to the kind hostess who seated me upon my first visit before she pulled out Fife and Farro’s allergy menu – essentially, it showed a list of every food option at the restaurant, and listed every allergen that each plate contained so guests were aware of what and wasn’t safe.
Fife and Farro has rapidly become a date-night hot spot. Amid the throng of customers making their way to tables, I found myself seated at the bar between two couples as I sipped a glass of a 2021 Nals Margreid pinot noir ($16) during my second visit to the establishment.
I couldn’t help but curiously eavesdrop on the couple to my left, hearing them note that they had already been to Fife and Farro multiple times (an impressive feat, given the Pullman Market had only been open for about two week prior to my second visit), while the couple to the right eagerly dug in to the restaurant’s roasted beets appetizer ($13, complete with pecan pesto, goat cheese, and arugula.)
Like the couple at the bar, I had also already visited Fife and Farro once, during Pullman’s opening week. During my first visit, I happily discovered (thanks to the allergy menu) that I was able to safely order (and eat) the $17 pecan pesto pasta plate.
Fife and Farro’s pasta is made from scratch in-house (you can even buy your own personal cooked and/or dry Pullman Market pasta), and the quality is evident in every bite.
The pecan pesto pasta came out warmed to perfection, cooked al dente, and carrying a subtle hint of sweetness upon each bite. What was evident from every plate I ordered at Fife and Farro was that nothing was ever over seasoned — each plate’s flavor profile was delicately balanced, so both dining experiences left me feeling pleasantly satiated, and not stuffed.
At the bar during my second visit, I opted for the crudo appetizer ($17) and the pomodoro pasta plate ($16), the latter of which paired perfectly with my pinot noir.
While the crudo was delightfully tart, and free of multiple major allergens, I didn’t find it was worth the $17 price tag. The $9 focaccia appeared to be a popular app order amongst the fellow guests I observed, while a lady further down the bar raved about the $16 pork and beef meatballs. Later on in the night, the unmistakable aroma of Fife’s mozzarella appetizer ($14) caught my attention and the guests to my left, to the point where we all curiously glanced over at the plate full of freshly pulled mozzarella with cauliflower sott’olio (essentially, cauliflower in oil.)
As a freshly baked, wood-fired pizza arrived for guests within my earshot (Fife and Farro has a full section on their main menu dedicated to pizza, with another for pastas), a server brought my perfectly portioned pomodoro pasta.
Once again, the pasta was heated to perfection, and cooked al dente, like the pecan pesto pasta plate I had enjoyed previously. The tomato sauce complimented the flavor of the spaghetti, rather than drowning the pasta in a sea of red. Each twirl of the pomodoro brought a taste of garlic and basil that married well with the wine I nursed throughout my meal.
Pictured — a look at the dining area adjacent to the bar.
Dining out should always be an enjoyable experience for all, even for guests with dietary restrictions. Fife and Farro impressed thanks not only to the quality of their ingredients, but also due to their dedication to serving patrons with food allergies.
Another enjoyable aspect of the experience was the communal joy of discovering new dishes with other guests, from the pulled mozzarella to the pork meatballs. It evoked the classic la dolce vita feeling— further emphasized by the fact that the most expensive dish on the entire menu was only $20.
