Valley Larder owner Annie Perez
Inspired by a passion for great food and a love of entertaining, Annie Perez launched Valley Larder in 2023 to offer the community personalized catering services and customized cheese and charcuterie boards (www.valleylarder.com).
“Larder” means cupboard, and the business name is a nod to the way previous generations stored food. Valley Larder products include uniquely crafted trays, cups, boxes, baskets, boards, and grazing tables featuring both sweet and savory selections, as well as hot and cold catering options.
Orders can either be delivered or picked up at the newly opened Valley Larder Farmhouse Cafe & Coffee Bar in the Tillman Center, 1281 Kimmerling Road, Suite 10 in the Gardnerville Ranchos.
Perez was looking to expand her successful catering business and wanted to offer customers a brick-and-mortar option. Valley Larder originally operated out of a shared kitchen on Industrial Way, but the impending closure of that space spurred Perez to find a suitable location to help bring her restaurant vision to life. After finding availability in the Tillman Center, she got to work converting the existing space and creating another shared kitchen opportunity to help support other cottage industry businesses in the area.
The Farmhouse Cafe & Coffee Bar opened June 19 and offers breakfast and lunch options Wednesday through Saturday from 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
The cafe idea came to Perez after traveling in Scotland and visiting Balgove Larder (balgove.com), “The most perfect concept of a business model I had ever seen,” she said.
Balgove Larder features a farm shop that offers daily provisions, deli items, and pantry essentials; a cafe, take-away hut, and steak house; locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce; and a garden shed offering fresh-cut, seasonal flowers and greenery.
Perez envisioned bringing that same energy and collective concept to the Carson Valley through the Farmhouse Cafe. In addition to fresh, locally sourced scones and pastries, menu selections at the cafe include sandwiches, salads, a full-service coffee bar featuring Alpen Sierra Coffee, and grab-and-go items such as breakfast burritos and baked treats.
A certified sommelier, Perez is already looking to expand into special events such as wine tastings, painting parties, and gourmet dinners. Eventually, she’d like to incorporate a fresh produce market and steak barn into the cafe’s offerings.
Numerous area vendors help keep the cafe stocked with goods, including pastries from Crysi’s Cake Scene (crysiscakescene.com/), artisanal chocolates from Knight’s Candy Shop (knightscandyshop.com/), tortillas and salsa from el Rosal (elrosaltortilleria.com/), and aguas frescas from Michoacána Pedir de Boca in Carson City.
With a focus on keeping things locally sourced, Perez is seeking additional vendors to supply the cafe with eggs and fresh fruits and vegetables. Those interested in providing these items can contact Perez via email at annie@valleylarder.com.
Additional staffing needs at the cafe include a full time prep cook and someone with the flexibility to work as a food server, barista, and counter attendant. Applicants must be 21-plus and have restaurant/barista experience.
Visit valleylarder.com for more information, to peruse the different menu and ordering options, or to see photographic examples of catering choices and charcuterie boards.
The Farmhouse Cafe & Coffee Bar phone number is 775-790-7681.
