Some of the best things about dining out in the summer are our region’s bounty of fresh seafood, the availability of locally farmed produce, and eating al fresco. This year, South Shore diners have three exciting new restaurants to try, each offering a taste of the season in its own unique way.

By Lauren Diggin

Bar Rustic at the Kingston Collection, a sister restaurant to Rustic Kitchen, sources from the area’s farmers, ranchers and fisherman “to create classic New England fare with worldly twists.” Chef Joseph DiFrancesco uses Greenway Farm in Kingston for produce, including microgreens, red Russian kale, and tomatoes, sources seafood from Red’s Best out of Boston and frequently cooks with perch from the Gulf of Maine and scallops from Georges Bank.

The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, and the menu changes seasonally. The lunch menu features snacks, salads, woodfired pizza and sandwiches; the dinner menu adds pasta dishes and entrees to the mix. Each menu includes dishes inspired from around the globe—from Cape Cod to Italy to Asia to Cuba. At the time of this writing, the dinner menu included Cape Cod Spring Rolls and Ahi Poke as starters, and Wild Mushrooms ‘Bolognese’, Fettuccini Pomodoro, Jerk Chicken, and Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon as entrees. The dessert menu is, as they say, drool-worthy.

In addition to the restaurant, Bar Rustic includes The Studio Kitchen, which is billed as a culinary entertainment & education destination. It’s a kitchen, TV studio, and cooking school. Both an Emmy® Award-winning television series and live shows open to the public are set at The Studio. At the live shows, guests are welcome to ask questions while the chef creates the meals, and then everyone enjoys a three-course meal with wine parings. The hands-on cooking classes are limited to 10 participants.

Editorial note: Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, Bar Rustic has closed. 

Bar Rustic
101 Kingston Collection Way
Kingston, MA 02364
(781) 582-1010

Duxbury, celebrated for its oysters, is home to a new restaurant called The Oysterman. Most of the eatery’s oysters are sourced from Duxbury’s own Island Creek Oysters. Other local sources are Boston’s North Coast Seafoods and New Bedford’s Sid Wainer & Son. The Oysterman takes sourcing locally a step beyond food—at least half of its extensive beer list comes from local breweries. It also uses vodka made in Hingham at Bradford Distillery.

The lunch and dinner menus feature a variety of seafood options, as well as pasta dishes, sandwiches, and entrees. Some of the dinner menu’s appetizers are buttermilk-fried oysters, cream of crab soup, and steamed mussels. Entrees run the gamut and include seafood fra Diavolo, grilled sirloin, fish & chips, and pork schnitzel.

The menu also offers bar snacks, with tempting bites like fried pickles, crab cakes, buffalo cauliflower, and deviled eggs. Brunch is served on weekends and includes an impressive Bloody Mary bar. If you want to try The Oysterman, get there early because it’s always crowded.

The Oysterman
30 Railroad Avenue
Duxbury, MA 02332
(781) 934-2900
www.TheOystermanDuxbury.com

Mia Regazza, a busy Italian restaurant in Abington, has opened a second location at the site of the former Marshfield Tavern. The restaurant, which celebrated its ninth anniversary in February, is known for its generous portions. A large menu includes plenty of seafood dishes, Italian favorites, “lighter” fare like pizzettas and paninis, and daily specials. Popular choices include the Regazza mussels, which are available three ways, the lobster ravioli—on the antipasti menu but often ordered as a main course—and Mia’s Medley, which features sirloin tips, bacon wrapped scallops, and a seafood stuffed lobster tail.

The Marshfield location is much larger than the original and offers outdoor seating that will accommodate up to 70 diners. The patio area will be a popular spot for dining al fresco, with fountains, a full outdoor bar, and entertainment at night. Like its sister restaurant in Abington, the Marshfield location serves lunch and dinner seven days a week.

With these latest additions to the local restaurant scene, diners can head out for a fun and delicious new dining experience. All three are located in coastal towns and offer plenty of local seafood options—sure to make them popular summer spots. They all also offer more than just a great lunch or dinner out, from brunch at The Oysterman to a live cooking show at Bar Rustic to outdoor drinks and entertainment at Mia Regazza.

Mia Regazza
1 Proprietors Drive
Marshfield, MA 02050
(781) 871-5800
www.MiaRegazza.com

Lauren Diggin is a South Shore-based writer, gardener and aspiring locavore. She loves trying new restaurants and eating out in general, and the clean kitchen she comes home to.