Best of the Best: More in Chester County

Morning: Farmer & Co.

5 Cemetery Ln., Unionville
610-347-0209 / FarmerAnd.Co

Head to the heart of Unionville for a great reason to get out of bed: Farmer & Co. Walk past the back garden growing flowers and vegetables to reach the cafe and market in a quaint old home. It has lots of cozy crannies to enjoy the yummiest mocha around or a special tea blend. Take your artisan striped cup and fresh egg sandwich up to the library room that overlooks a beautiful sprawling tree. Or for your morning coffee break, indulge in a big, premise-made cookie on the Victorian front porch. Fresh, locally sourced ingredients are just plain good.

Morning: ButterScotch Pastry Shop

1406 Hollow Rd., Birchrunville
610-827-0900 / ButterScotchPastry.com

Stop in after early-morning hiking on nearby trails or tumbling out of bed at 10 — still in your fuzzy jammies. Cross the footbridge and enter at the red door for a glorious breakfast or brunch. The artisan food, from quiche to salmon croissants with steaming matcha or espresso, made by two fabulous pastry chefs, is always a treat. It’s never too early for superlative desserts — signature butterscotch cake, mouth-watering cannoli with chocolate edges and more. The interior stone wall, fireplace and collection of antique kitchen tools make it cozy as home. An absolute favorite!

Noon: Hood’s BBQ

1664 W. Doe Run Rd., Kennett Square
610-347-1670 / HoodsBBQ.com

Leave your tie at work, ’cuz the BBQ sauce is so good you’ll have it on everything. Hood’s has a whopping-size parking lot and many tables — it’s a lunchtime crowd pleaser. Chow down a burger, brisket, a side saddle of fries or baked beans. A quick drive from downtown Kennett, and worth a longer drive from farther reaches to backroads near Unionville, find Hood’s star — the “Hoodie.” The lip-smackin’ sandwich has loads of pulled pork with sauce, provolone and coleslaw. Take home a bottle of sauce and a hooded sweatshirt with their logo. After all, it’s “Home of the Hoodie.”

Noon: Sovana Bistro

696 Unionville Rd., Kennett Square
610-444-5600 / SovanaBistro.com

Gracious, spacious Sovana Bistro is perfect for business or friendly lunches with any size group. Whether you’re a first timer from elsewhere or a local who became a regular, its cheery, accommodating staff greets you with a smile while opening the door for you. Chic décor with high ceilings and wooden tables holding modern white dishes create an ambiance that impresses, while spotlighting the great food. Order the ever-changing express lunch — soup from scratch, sandwich and salad with innovative taste combinations and scrumptious dessert for a superb meal that gets you back to your office or next activity on time from this idylic spot near the Willowdale races.

Night: Bloom Southern Kitchen

123 Pottstown Pk., Chester Springs
484-359-4144 / BloomSouthernKitchen.com

If there’s a dish you love from south of the Mason- Dixon line, you’ll likely find it at Bloom: hush puppies and deviled eggs for starters, seafood jambalaya, and fried chicken and waffles for dinner entrees, plus Arnold Palmers and juleps. Whether you grew up with Granny’s hand-ground pimento cheese, or you didn’t, you’ll approve of the pimento smash burger. It’s big — big bacon slices, big roll and burger, big flavor. Dining rooms are a warm combination of chic, comfortable and charming. All with an eye-catching mural of poppies growing up the outside of the old inn.

Night: The Whip Tavern

1383 N. Chatham Rd., Coatesville
610-383-0600 / TheWhipTavern.com

The Whip Tavern celebrates 20 years of consistently great food and the bustling atmosphere of a popular English pub. Its hearth beckons guests from fields and hills of local horse country and the county’s towns. Tables indoors and on the patio by the stream are laden with traditional dishes of beef Wellington, Yorkshire pudding, fish and chips with malt vinegar for the asking and sticky toffee pudding. The bar is rich with character, friendly servers and glasses of For Fox Sake cider, Everything Naughty stout and Belhaven nutty Scottish ale. Reserve a table — you’ll want to linger until the moon is high in the sky.

Happy Hour: The Stables Kitchen & Beer Garden

160 Park Rd., Chester Springs
484-696-7889 / TheStablesBeerGarden.com

Take your own party or join the one that’s already at The Stables. Gather with 449 friends or friends-to-be for bites and sips. From the kitchen, try nachos and pizza, including a street corn pizza option. From the bar and beer garden, choose from taps of craft beers and ales, plus cocktails — mojitos, mules, margaritas and more, a different one featured each Happy Hour. In summer, grab patio umbrella tables or picnic tables near cornhole games. In winter, ice skate outdoors or play beer pong in the former dairy barn. Friendly servers, casual atmosphere, lively fun.

Gem: Life’s Patina Co. Mercantile & Cafe

1657 Art School Rd., Chester Springs
LifesPatina.com/Historic-Yellow-Springs

In the charming village of Chester Springs, a historic home holds a gem of a cafe — Life’s Patina — for first timers or those who discovered it earlier and return repeatedly. Locals know: come early! Every table fills quickly — in the dining room with crystal chandelier and wood floors, in a smaller area with sunny windows and wide windowsills, and on the delightful front porch. Enter the back room with a beautiful wood counter that holds glass cases of masterpiece pastries (both savory and sweet), irresistible cake slices and more. When the line is long, shop for gifts and home goods in the front room while you wait.