Wine and flowers: Roger’s Gardens open-air cafe OK’d

Roger’s Gardens shoppers soon will be able to have a meal and drinks at the Newport Beach nursery while sitting among the flowers.

The city zoning administrator on Thursday approved Roger’s Gardens’ request to build and operate an open-air cafe on its property at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road in Corona del Mar.

The 108-seat, full-service restaurant, dubbed The Farmhouse, is slated to be built near the rear parking lot by spring 2016. Construction is expected to start by summer.

The restaurant will serve “farm to table” fare with a focus on fresh garden vegetables. It also will have salads, sandwiches and meat options such as steak and chicken, said Roger’s Gardens owner Gavin Herbert Jr.

“It’s a pretty unique retail business,” Herbert said of the nursery. “Our goal is that the cafe is just as unique.”

The Farmhouse also will serve wine, beer and liquor, according to a city staff report.

The cafe is expected to be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Several Roger’s Gardens neighbors attended the zoning hearing to raise concerns about potential parking problems and noise with the addition of the restaurant.

“There’s a big difference having a nursery living next to you than a restaurant living next to you,” said Harbor Point resident Dana Lee.

Herbert emphasized the mature clientele the gardening business attracts and its reputation for being a cooperative neighbor since it opened 50 years ago.

With about 200 parking spots onsite, the business will have enough spaces for the nursery and the restaurant, according to city staff.

Herbert said Roger’s Gardens will continue to focus on the garden “retail experience.”

“Gardening will always be the core,” he said.