# Founding Farmers

Founding Farmers is an American upscale-casual restaurant owned by the North Dakota Farmers Union and Farmers Restaurant Group (FRG). The restaurant was founded in 2008 when Farmers Restaurant Group co-owners Dan Simons and Michael Vucurevich partnered up with the North Dakota Farmers Union to open the flagship Founding Farmers on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. Founding Farmers was the first LEED Gold Certified restaurant in Washington, D.C. Since opening Founding Farmers DC in 2008, FRG has opened 7 other locations in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

## History

In 2005, members of the North Dakota Farmers Union (NDFU) were interested in developing a restaurant where guests could have access to, and benefit from, food grown, raised, and harvested on American family farms. They also wanted to bring awareness to American family farmers and help farmers earn a larger share of the food dollar. The NDFU first started a restaurant called Agraria, which failed due to numerous factors. The NDFU reached out to restaurateurs and owners of VSAG, a restaurant and hospitality consulting company, Dan Simons and Michael Vucurevich. They then partnered to open the first of their restaurants, Founding Farmers DC, in 2008.
Founding Farmers restaurants were sued in 2017 for overtime and wage violations. The lawsuit alleged they had employees work at different restaurants to get around having to pay overtime wages, had to share tips with managers, denied sick leave, and required employees to attend meetings without being paid. Founding Farmers agreed to pay up to $1.49 million to settle the lawsuit.

## Menu

The menus are slightly varies by locations, each incorporating with local tastes and trends. All of the food prepared in Founding Farmers kitchens is made in-house daily, and all locations are part of the Certified Green Restaurant Association . All breads are baked at their in-house bakery, with approximately 118,000 loaves baked per year. Their most popular items include: cornbread, chicken and waffles, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and bacon lollies. In 2013, Founding Farmers published a cookbook with 100 of their menu items. Their bar has gained recognition for their pre-prohibition style cocktails, wine, and craft beer. With a full bar in each of their restaurants, they have also gained recognition for their craft cocktails made with spirits from their distillery — Founding Spirits — located inside their Founding Farmers a & Distillers DC location.

## Reviews

Travel and Leisure Magazine named Founding Farmers "The Best Farm-To-Table" in Washington, D.C. In 2015, Founding Farmers gained recognition in the New York Times for their inclusive gender-neutral restrooms. In early 2011, Chef Robert Irvine discussed Founding Farmers' Devilish-Eggs on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". In June 2016, popular food critic Tom Sietsema reviewed Founding Farmers in The Washington Post, giving the restaurant a 0-star rating. Founding Farmers sets the DC Record for Number of Yelp Reviews

## Awards

* Washington City Paper – Best of D.C. 2019, 2019
* Huffington Post – The 10 Most Sustainable Restaurants, 2016
* Travel + Leisure – The Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant in Every State, 2016
* Mail Line Today – 20 Best New Restaurants on the Main Line
* Washington City Paper – Best of DC Best Bloody Mary, 2015
* Bethesda Magazine – Best of Bethesda 2018 Best Restaurant in Potomac, 2018
* Bethesda Magazine – Best of Bethesda 2018 Best Brunch, 2018
* Bethesda Magazine – Best of Bethesda 2018 Best Cocktails, 2018
* OpenTable – Most Booked Restaurant on OpenTable in the U.S.

## Locations

In 2025, Founding Farmers has seven locations throughout the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area and one location in King of Prussia, PA.