Farmer & Chef: A Dynamic Duo

Farmer & Chef: A Dynamic Duo

By Julia Powers.

Are you a dedicated locavore? When looking for a new restaurant to try, does the descriptor “farm-to-table” seal the deal? Bravo! Responsibly sourced local foods check a lot of boxes: good for our health, our environment, and our communities. But, because farm-to-table is an expression that’s open to interpretation, some degree of caveat emptor may be warranted. Does the restaurant feature some local products or occasionally pick up items at the farmers’ market? Or does it have a true working relationship with farmers and craft its menu around the season’s freshest ingredients? We are all for restaurants incorporating local foods onto their menu, whatever the degree. However, if you are looking for restaurants where locally raised foods play a starring role, here are some standouts.

These six restaurants all have a unique approach to farm-to-table dining but, as their loyal customers can attest, it comes down to taste. As Chandra Gouldrup from The Farmer’s Daughter observes, “We hope our guests come simply because you really taste the difference in the food and let that spark the conversation of why does it taste better. Real, fresh, local food–that’s why!” This summer, break out of your routine and visit these and other restaurants that work collaboratively with local farmers. After tasting the delicious spin these creative chefs put on real, fresh, local food, you’ll be inspired to continue the adventure in your own kitchen.

Julia Powers is a passionate advocate for locally sourced food for reasons ranging from health to the environment. She favors local restaurants where a true partnership between farmer and chef elevates the already sublime taste of the food grown, caught and raised in southeastern Massachusetts.

Flower Power: Weatherlow Farm, Westport MA

Flower Power: Weatherlow Farm, Westport MA

By Rachael Thatcher. The idea of eating flowers might raise some eyebrows at first, but I’m not talking about chowing down on your average table arrangement. At Weatherlow Farms in Westport, they’re incorporating edible florals into salads, onto flatbreads, and most...

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Little Moss • S. Dartmouth

Little Moss • S. Dartmouth

As Little Moss’s website cleverly notes, Massachusetts’ South Coast is sometimes referred to as "Farmcoast" due to the abundance of farms that dot the area and the fisherman that ply the local waters. With its innovative menu, Little Moss in South Dartmouth takes full...

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The Tasty • Plymouth

The Tasty • Plymouth

When Mike Peters opened The Tasty, he was new to a kitchen centered on a farm-to-table philosophy. Luckily, his chef had existing relationships with several local farms. And, after tasting the difference locally sourced food made in the restaurant’s offerings, Mike...

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Just Right Farm • Plympton MA

Just Right Farm • Plympton MA

You can’t get any closer to an authentic farm-to-table experience than the seasonal, prix fixe dinners offered at Just Right Farm. From mid- June through September, Kimberly Russo, who owns the farm along with her husband Mark, welcomes guests to the stunning screen...

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Rye Tavern • Plymouth

Rye Tavern • Plymouth

From the on-site garden to the resident farmer who is part of the restaurant Staff, it’s clear that Rye Tavern, which is located in a charming 18th-century tavern in Plymouth, takes its commitment to farm-to-table dining seriously. In addition to supplying the...

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The Farmer’s Daughter • N. Easton

The Farmer’s Daughter • N. Easton

When Chandra Gouldrup opened The Farmer’s Daughter (TFD) in Easton in 2013, it was clear that local food was going to be one of the restaurant’s primary raisons d’etre. Raised by a father who grew up in a farming family and a Sicilian mother who filled her childhood...

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The Corner Stop • Cohasset

The Corner Stop • Cohasset

Although Rudy and Ron Vale, proprietors of The Corner Stop, were both raised on the East Coast, their restaurant coming-of-age happened in northern California during the nascent farm-to-table movement of the 1990s. The two worked together at one of the region’s...

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