Meet Andrew Wolwowicz and Jess Jazey Spoelstra, the power duo behind Craft Farmacy. The two have been friends for years, and since they’re both entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, it’s no surprise to anyone that they ended up owning a restaurant together. Andrew has been a chef for years. Jess owns The River Room Cafe & Private Dining, The Rhino Lounge Bakery & Coffee Shop, and North Moore Catering Ltd. With their combined experience, they decided to blow the minds of Londoners by opening Craft Farmacy in late 2017. The name “Craft Farmacy” has multiple layers of significance. “Craft” refers to their emphasis on small, local businesses. Craft beers, local produce, even the art on their walls come from craftsmen from within the Forest City. “Farmacy” is where the stars truly align. Firstly, the restaurant’s menu puts heavy emphasis on foods fresh from both the farm and the sea – it’s not too much of a stretch to go from “farm and sea” to “farmacy” if you speak quickly or lack enunciation. Secondly, the building Craft Farmacy is now in was previously a Canadian Apothecary, a chain of pharmacies.
Craft Farmacy has the distinction of being Feast On certified, the only restaurant in London with that label! Feast On is a program run by Ontario’s Culinary Tourism Alliance. The Feast On certification is given to businesses that are committed to sourcing Ontario grown and made food and drink. Craft Farmacy sources at least 80% of their product locally, basically everything from the beer your drink to the greens you eat.
With all these local ingredients, their menu is extremely unique. Their brunch menu has mouthwatering dishes such as wild boar belly benedict and ricotta pancakes. Their everyday menu consists of sharing plates like arugula panzanella and roasted bone marrow with ox tail marmalade, and mains such as brown butter chicken schnitzel and a craft lamb burger. Their drink menu is equally insane, including craft beers, wines, spirits from all over Ontario and Canada. Their menu even tells you where your drink was brewed or distilled!
Their menu also has a couple of vegan options! Delicious dishes like a schnitzel Milanese sandwich or a roasted cauliflower bahn mi are available that will satisfy any of your plant-based friends.
Of course, we would be remiss if we failed to mention their pride and glory: the oyster bar. They’re typically serving between five and nine types of oysters every day, each with their own distinct flavour profile. They receive shipments of oysters on a daily basis and they’re only shucked once the order has been placed to guarantee freshness.