Photography by Andre Baranowski
Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish’s lobster boil comes with lobster, steamer clams, red potatoes, and corn on the cob. |
100 Titicus Rd, North Salem
(914) 617-8380; farmerandthefish.com
You know this food. We’re talking brimming oysters shucked right before your eyes and fiery red lobsters, served with fries, locally raised produce, and tons of great wine. In short, Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish is the restaurant for well-heeled locals who can’t fly to their Nantucket homes for the night. And, just like those locals’ favorite Nantucket restaurants, Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish is housed in a sweet, centuries-old landmark.
The restaurant’s seafood tower offers a personal raw bar to keep for yourself or share with friends. |
Sure, there were a few that wailed when Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish’s new owners stripped off the post-1970 porch enclosure that marked the façade of the building’s former occupant, Purdys Homestead. Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish’s owners also opened the 18th-century staircase and removed an interior wall or two. But here’s the thing: Those small, intimate rooms are now one big party that wraps around a gorgeous, newly exposed chimney block. In warm weather, inevitable table waits can be spent with a glass of wine on the newly open porch (this joint has been a hit since the word go), overlooking sun-warmed fields and the twinkle of taillights. In cooler weather, those old hearths are fired up in a cozy raw bar. Take our word for it: Even with those waits, you will return.