Public House of Chattanooga is Proud To Serve Local Ingredients from Area Farms

A truly local restaurant is about more than where it sources its products—it's also about its involvement in and creation of community, and local entrepreneurship. Yet that's not to say that the ingredients don't matter. After all, local ingredients themselves create stronger communities. Like Catie Cummings Morris wrote for the Main Street Farmers Market blog, "Farming methods have a heavy impact on the quality of the air we breathe, and in turn the health of our community." Foods grown locally, sustainably, and as organically as possible make for better local environments and healthier produce. As if that weren't all enough, purchasing from area farmers strengthens our local economy, and creates wonderful relationships.

That's why we're so glad we have amazing farmers right here in the Chattanooga area that bring the farm to our table. We love working with Danny Roller of Barton Creek Farms, with Pickett's Ranch, Lee & Gordon Greens, Signal Mountain Farms, and Sequatchie Cove Creamery. Niedlov's Breadworks provides fresh buns and yeast rolls for our burgers, sandwiches, and sides. Local baker Dottie May's pastries, crusts, and baking goods are always a huge hit—her cheddar muffins are incredible and her pie crust is flaky each and every time.

Our mission statement is that we source locally when possible and always with integrity. Not every item on our menu comes from Chattanooga—after all we're a land-locked state with no easy access to seafood. But when we want to serve something that doesn't grow here, we still work hard to seek out sources that are high-quality, sustainable, and delicious. That's why we work with Foley's Fish out of Boston. It's a fourth-generation fish house that is fresh, clean, and carefully sourced. We trust them because they've proven themselves to the best restaurants in America for many years. Also, their commitment to sustainable seafood goes much further than watch lists and buzz words. The ocean and its bounty are the only way of life they know. Protecting it is the base of their business.

Perhaps the reason "fresh and local" have become such popular buzzwords in the restaurant world is because we intuitively understand that food brings people together. We meet not only over the table or in the kitchen, but at the market and in the fields. It's comforting to know that your vegetables have seen the same rainstorms and high temperatures that you have all summer long. It's reassuring to know that your farmer is someone you might run into at the movies or a concert downtown. Food is so inherently generous; it's pleasant to dine not on some anonymous meat or fish, but on something brought to you by your Tennessee Valley neighbors, to know we all come from the same place.