our story

LUNCH opened it's doors in 2023 with a vision of feeding it's community with ingredients and produce grown and foraged by local people. With an emphasis on seasonality, LUNCH's menu changes weekly (sometimes daily) based on what's being harvested on and around the Cumberland Plateau. Alongside our weekly menu are freshly baked pastries, coffee, & teas. We also keep stocked some dry goods, kitchen essentials, and a small selection of beer, wine, cheese, and LUNCH made treats in our market.

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We are motivated by the hard work our farmers put into each ingredient and are influenced by the seasons. In addition to creating a cozy, welcoming space for all, we believe in limiting our environmental impact, slow dining, supporting local farmers, cultivating a sense of place, making beautiful food, growing what you eat, and fair pay for employees.

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How do we operate? LUNCH is a walk-in counter service establishment which means we do not take reservations. We do not have a telephone or an online ordering system and encourage you to stop by and place an order with one of our team members! We also host weekly community events and monthly ticketed dinners, cooking classes, and private events.

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We sell out of items. Due to our small team and kitchen size, commitment to limiting waste and sourcing locally, our menu is in constant rotation. If a particular dish is popular that day, we may sell out.

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The big picture. We believe that if a community can feed itself, the community can thrive. Our sustainability ethic focuses on local people, local skills and local materials. The meat & produce that comes to our kitchen each week travels and average distance of 5.6 mi from LUNCH. We also grow a lot of ingredients at our own farm, Trout Lily Farm, located in Sewanee. All appropriate food waste is taken from the kitchen and made into compost on the farm, then used to grow the very vegetables, herbs, and flowers that you see on your table when dining with us. 

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Questions? Interested in learning more?

Email us at lunch.sewanee@gmail.com.

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