Few Fairhope restaurants have had to rewrite their script as quickly as The Hope Farm. The father-and-son venture opened just as the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, forcing its founders to improvise from the first day. By late 2022, with restrictions finally in the rearview mirror, The Hope Farm was turning back to the vision it had started with, unveiling plans for a new dining space called The Barn, a larger kitchen and a Brasserie-style menu built around shareable plates.
For Robert Evans and his son, Bentley Evans, the moment felt like a renaissance. Robert described it as “getting back to all the nuances we originally thought we would do.”
A Gathering Place Built by Newcomers to the Restaurant Business
Neither Robert nor Bentley came to The Hope Farm with restaurant experience. What they had was a clear idea of the kind of place they wanted to create: a gathering spot made up of a collection of casual dining areas in a beautiful setting, where guests could relax in a pleasant atmosphere and enjoy a superior selection of fine wines paired with great food.
The concept fits comfortably in Fairhope, the Eastern Shore city that has long drawn visitors with its walkable downtown, bayfront parks, galleries and a dining scene that punches well above the town’s size. The Hope Farm, located on Nichols Avenue, set out to add something distinctive to that mix: a property where diners could wander between spaces, sit indoors or out, and linger.
The Scottish poet Robert Burns famously observed that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. For The Hope Farm, those words proved prophetic almost immediately.
Opening Into a Pandemic
“We opened right when Covid hit,” Robert said. “People couldn’t sit close together; extra expenses were incurred to ensure enhanced sanitization processes were implemented to battle the pandemic. We really had to improvise.”
Like restaurants across Alabama and the nation, The Hope Farm had to adapt to distancing rules, added sanitation costs and shifting guest habits. Its spread-out layout of indoor and outdoor spaces proved to be an asset. As the restaurant and bar adjusted, The Hope Farm found itself doing roughly twice the food service it had anticipated.
“Not a bad thing,” Robert said, “but we knew we needed to increase our kitchen capabilities. We are excited about the new space!”
The Barn: Coffee, Lunch and Specialty Dinners
That new space was The Barn, a casual yet upscale, open-concept dining area. As announced in November 2022, the plans for The Barn included:
- A specialty coffee service by Nova Espresso.
- Lunch service Monday through Friday.
- Specialty dinners and wine tastings.
- A larger kitchen to better support the growing number of events hosted on the property.
Events had already become a major part of the business. Receptions, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties and corporate gatherings represented a significant portion of The Hope Farm’s revenue, and the expanded kitchen was designed to keep pace with that demand. The Barn went on to become one of the property’s signature spaces.
A Brasserie-Style Menu With More Choices
Along with the new dining space, the owners wanted to steer the menu back toward the direction they had originally planned. The culinary team, led by Executive Chef Adam Stephens and Chef de Cuisine Ben Snellenberger, began implementing a Brasserie-style menu featuring more shareable plates.
The term brasserie comes from France, where it originally referred to a brewery and later came to describe a relaxed, often lively restaurant serving hearty, approachable dishes throughout the day. In practice, the style suits a place designed for groups of friends and families sharing a table.
“There will be a little more choice in building what you choose to go with your entrée,” Chef Adam said.
Steak was a particular point of pride. “We want our steak selection to be the best in the area, with seven house-made butter services and five sauce services,” Adam said. “Our staff is as strong as it’s ever been.”
A Property Full of Nooks, Gardens and Dining Rooms
Part of what sets The Hope Farm apart is the property itself. The restaurant grows its own mushrooms and herbs in specially designed containers, and raised beds of lettuces and greens are tucked into nooks and crannies around the grounds. Fruit trees adorn the outdoor areas, which carry names of their own.
Outdoor spaces include:
- The Pavilion
- The Back Forty
- The Patio
Some of these areas have private bars and televisions, making them popular for football parties and similar gatherings. Indoors, guests can choose among the Main Dining Room, The Hall, The Cellar and The Loft. Dining inside or out is up to the guest, weather permitting, which on the Gulf Coast means much of the year.
Tasting Dinners, Wine Dinners and a Leisurely Pace
In 2022, the owners said they planned to add more multi-course tasting dinners, wine dinners and events. “One tasting dinner we plan to do will feature mushrooms and Wagyu,” Robert said.
Coming to the business from outside the kitchen shaped how the Evanses approached hospitality. “Having never been a chef, we build on processes from the guest’s perspective,” Robert said. “I want people to come and enjoy an elevated, leisurely dining experience. No need to be in a hurry here.”
Bentley Evans, in addition to his other responsibilities, handles all event bookings. The Hope Farm can accommodate large or small groups for dinner parties and special occasions. He also created a series of podcasts under The Hope Farm name that tie into the restaurant’s vision.
Grateful for Community Support
Looking ahead from late 2022, the owners framed the changes as a return to first principles rather than a reinvention. “We are excited about the changes and additions,” Robert said. “Now that we can gather again, we can go back to our original concept with a few modifications that we feel will enhance The Hope Farm experience for everyone. We are grateful for the loyal community support we’ve received since we opened and look forward to growing together!”
The Hope Farm’s story is a familiar one among restaurants that opened in 2020: a business forced to survive first and follow its dream second. What stands out is how directly the pandemic’s pressures, particularly the unexpected surge in food service, fed into the expansion that followed. For diners on the Eastern Shore, the result was more room, more choices and more reasons to slow down over a long meal and a good bottle of wine.