New England chefs and New England farms unite for the most sustainable and tasty food
“Farm-to-table” means that chefs source their ingredients from small local farms and growers to produce the freshest, most nutritious, sustainable and, of course, tastiest food and drinks possible. Here are 10 of the best restaurants for farm-to-table fare in New England.
Woods Hill Table – Concord, Massachusetts
A big stone fireplace (all aglow during notoriously bitter New England winters) greets guests, and high tops span out from the bar to tables lining windows overlooking the quiet road. While Woods Hill Table sources from several New England farms, owner Kristin Canty is also a farmer and fuels her kitchens (here, at nearby Adelita, and Woods Hill Pier 4 in Boston) with produce and meat from her Farm in Woods Hill in New Hampshire.
Try: Succulent, sweet Rhode Island scallops a la Plancha.
The Garden Room at Mayflower Inn – Washington, Connecticut
If the food and drinks weren’t superb enough, the atmosphere at this gorgeous restaurant makes the experience especially memorable. Overlooking the garden’s boxwood maze, and the wall of tall trees beyond, the interior’s bold wallpaper depicts larger-than-life flowers and butterflies.
The kitchen is equally plant-conscious, with chef Cortney Burns sourcing from local growers as well as the inn’s own garden. Of note are breads made with grains grown in the Northeast from Connecticut bakers Farmers and Cooks.
Try: Sourdough with nasturtium butter and roasted carrots with green tahini and sprouted fenugreek.
The Herb Lyceum at Gilson’s – Groton, Massachusetts
Come warm weather, every Friday night, spring through late fall, the Gilson family opens up their central Massachusetts herb farm for communal-style, chef’s whim dinners. They’re cooked by the team from Puritan & Company in Cambridge, where Will Gilson is the chef/owner. The Gilson family has operated this four-acre farm since the 1800s.
The five-course dinner is held in a gorgeous old barn that’s been made into an intimate communal dining room. Dinners begin with an herb spiked cocktail (think mezcal with basil) and passed appetizers around the fire pits.
Try: Roasted carrots cooked over burning lavender bushels and served with a basil vinaigrette.
Project Social Kitchen & Bar – Bar Harbor, Maine
A short walk from the often-crowded harbor, Project Social is a vibrant restaurant whose seating spills from the wood-clad interior bar and lounge to the porch overlooking Main Street via the Zen-like garden, which guests may wander. Along with local Maine drinks, including kombucha, ales and hard seltzers, the restaurant works with Fuzzy Udder Creamery, Kebo Valley Growers, Bar Harbor Oyster Company (for those tasty Bar Harbor Blondes) and A Wee Bit Farm.
Try: Butternut curry soup with sumac, toasted pepitas and mint.
Tine – Brattleboro, Vermont
Located in the heart of beautiful Brattleboro in the southern Green Mountains, Tine has prime views over Main Street. The bright modern restaurant is set inside Brooks House, built in 1871, and once one of New England’s finest hotels. Tine works closely with Vermont’s Allen Brothers Farm, Blue Ledge Farm and Grateful Greens, right in Brattleboro, to create a seasonally changing menu.
Try: Baked cauliflower steak lightly crusted with saffron, served on a bed of creamy pureed cauliflower and spinach, and topped with a melange of edamame, olives, pine nuts, caramelized onions and golden raisins.
Harvest – Cambridge, Massachusetts
For over three decades, Harvest has quietly contributed to the New England culinary scene as the breeding ground for kitchen talent eager to dig into local ingredients. Tucked away in Harvard Square, this elegant modern restaurant with an outdoor courtyard was among local resident Julia Child’s favorite places to eat. The kitchen is well supplied from the likes of Kimball Fruit Farm, Drumlin Farm, Dogpatch Farm and Boggy Meadow Farm.
Try: Lightly grilled, sweet day boat scallops with summer squash ratatouille.
The Dining Room at The Vanderbilt – Newport, Rhode Island
The signature restaurant inside this Gilded Age building, now a boutique hotel, has a magnificent brick fireplace, matched with ceilings of a deep, moody inky blue and a commanding bar at one side. This dramatic downtown Newport restaurant highlights coastal cuisine with Rhode Island seafood and fish. But the seasonally changing menu culls from inland farms and growers, such as RI Mushroom Co. in West Kingston and Roots Farm in Tiverton.
Try: Chilled corn soup with lobster, watermelon, pickled tomato and feta cheese.
Sister Ship – Nantucket, Massachusetts
Set inside the Faraway Nantucket hotel, this is a hot spot for garden-fresh food and drinks, all enjoyed in a beautiful post-Victorian dining room and bright leafy courtyard. Being an island, traditionally everything was shipped in, but the Sister Ship kitchen sources from local growers like Fog Town Farm, Washashore Farm and Bartlett’s Farms, greatly reducing the carbon footprint and upping the flavor content. Add wonderful beers from Nantucket’s Cisco Brewers and eclectic teas from Nantucket Tea Company.
Try: Rhubarb and rosehip granita with lemon verbena and marigold.
The Rooftop at Pelham House Resort – Dennis Port, Massachusetts
When it comes to ocean views, the aptly named Rooftop can’t be beat. Only the resort’s own beach separates diners from the water. While this renovated seaside resort might look typical, the food served in its ocean view rooftop restaurant is not. The resort’s own Pelham Farms, a nearby 10-acre regenerative farm using natural, traditional growing methods, provides produce and herbs as a supplement to meats and cheeses from Feather Brook Farm and Maple Brook Farm.
Try: Sweet potato, carrot and red bean veggie burger topped with kale, avocado and spicy ketchup.
Pavilion – Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Set adjacent to a beautifully renovated 1813-built former home, now housing the Pickering House Inn, Pavilion is a stand-alone modern tavern-styled restaurant, where many of the meats and vegetables come straight from nearby farms. That includes exquisitely fresh produce from Top of the Hill Farm, Green Thumb Farms and New Hampshire Mushroom Company, as well as fish and seafood captured along the Maine coast.
Try: Fresh wild leaves and peas paired with asparagus, laced with a green garlic vinaigrette.
