Brick Farm Market, 65 East Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ
T-Fr (7AM-7PM), Sa (8AM-6PM), Su (8AM-4PM). Closed M.
(609) 466-6500   Website    Google Maps

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Sometimes, you need to escape to something over-priced, pretentious, and utterly scrumptious. And on those days, you’d better get in the car and go to Brick Farm Market.

Brick Farm Market is located in the Malek Chevrolet Building (a 1930’s brick auto-repair shop) in the center of Hopewell. It is about a 30 minute drive from Trenton. A beautifully renovated establishment, they are part farm market (from their sister farm, Double Brook Farm), part bakery, part coffee shop, part butcher, part cheese shop, and part deli. It’s a little bit like walking into the cafe shop of a Whole Foods, only the food is superior, the ambiance is nicer, and the prices are (believe it or not) slightly higher. Is it worth it? Occasionally.

The market is a cyclist-friendly shop (that’s how I first got there, it’s a beautiful 17-mile ride from downtown Trenton, and mercifully downhill on the return trip!) with outdoor seating and bicycle parking in front. Inside this brick building, you’ll be greeted with a strikingly handsome vista. An exposed ceiling and warm colors make for a magnificent sight. In a loft above, you can see the cheese shop (their cheesemonger has earned the honor of Chevalier du Taste Fromage) where the staff will be quick to offer you a sample and advise on creating the ideal cheese plate. Next to it is the butcher’s shop, with locally sourced meats. Downstairs, there is a coffee shop (which uses Rojo’s Roastery beans!), a juice bar (with only fresh fruits and vegetables), a bakery (tempting beyond belief), and a deli. At the deli, you can get an assortment of breakfast foods in the mornings, and sandwiches, salads, and other prepared foods in the afternoons and early evenings. Their menu rotates seasonally, but on my last visit I saw a variety of tacos and focaccia, pulled pork sandwiches, various pitas and flatbreads, and a very tempting-looking vegan burger. In the display case, they also offer a variety of meat pies and vegetable pies, some with gluten-free crusts. The summer vegetable pie I sampled was toothsome, mouthwatering, delectable, and perfectly filling for a bike ride back home. Their omelettes are light and fluffy, and their breakfast sandwiches are perfectly constructed. They serve one of the best polenta dishes in the region (currently available for breakfast only). They also have a variety of prepared foods (sauces and whatnot) on shelves, as well as fresh produce for sale (where else can you find garlic scapes in an indoor market?). The quality is all completely top-notch.

Yes, it is pricy, and more than a little bit pretentious. But the ambiance is charming, and the food is heavenly. It’s not where you’ll want to eat every day, but if you are looking for some elegant treats for a picnic in the nearby Sourlands Preserve, or a perfect cheese and charcuterie plate suggested by a knowledgeable expert, there’s nowhere nearby that compares.

Just be careful not to go overboard, or you may find yourself re-financing your home just to pay for that smoothie.