Bar Yoshi: This is where Lizbet and Heidi Bick go for dinner in this novel. Bar Yoshi was new in 2021 and I ate there multiple times because the food is so light and fresh and the space so appealing. This is the place to go for sushi; I always opted for fried rice, dumplings, spring rolls. The restaurant is on Old South Wharf and has water views out the large open windows. Website: Baryoshi.com; Instagram: @baryoshinantucket.
Or, The Whale: Or, The Whale (which is the subtitle of Moby-Dick) occupies prime real estate on Main Street. It has a long bar and an adorable back garden. This past year, I discovered the best reason to go to OTW: the Korean pork butt. It’s expensive but it will feed four people with leftovers to take home. This is a pork butt roasted for hours so that it is so tender and succulent, you can eat it with a spoon. And it’s served with light, bright, and spicy sides—lettuce wraps, fresh mint, chili sauce. Website: Otwnantucket.com; Instagram: @orthewhalenantucket.
Ventuno: If dining out for you means Italian food, you want to go to Ventuno, located in the heart of downtown. During my first twenty years on the island, this was the beloved restaurant 21 Federal, which appears in many of my novels, including The Blue Bistro and Golden Girl. The antique building has remained the same but the cuisine has changed to upscale Italian, plus the best steak on the island. However, what I love most about Ventuno is the bar scene. Revelers might prefer the spirited back bar, but like Mint Benedict’s nurse Charlene, I can be found at the inside bar with the legendary bartender Johnny B. Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. Website: Ventunorestaurant.com; Instagram: @ventunorestaurant.
American Seasons: Great choice for a romantic night out. Chef Neil Ferguson’s food is exquisite. The tiny bar is a hidden gem. Website: Americanseasons.com; Instagram: @americanseasons.
Straight Wharf: Straight Wharf has a split personality. There’s the bar side, which attracts a young crowd and can get loud. But the restaurant side is some of the most elegant dining on the island. The dining room is stunning, and tables on the deck are the most coveted because you can watch the ferries coming and going and might be able to catch a glimpse of Lizbet headed into Mario’s cottage! (It was while dining at Straight Wharf that I first noticed the cottages perched at the end of a dock and thought, I’m going to have Mario live in one of those!) Website: Straightwharfrestaurant; Instagram: @straightwharf.
Languedoc: The hits keep coming! Languedoc is a classic French bistro on Broad Street. I have set scenes in many books here—this is where Isabel’s baby shower is held in Winter Storms and it’s where Vivi and Willa go for a mother-daughter dinner in Golden Girl. The Languedoc is elegant yet relaxed; you can eat escargot in your Patagonia puffy vest (lots of people do this). I always order the cheeseburger with garlic fries; paired with the chopped salad as a starter and the sweet inspirations sundae for dessert, it’s the perfect meal. The downstairs dining room and the bar, helmed by the great Jimmy Jaksic, are my preferred spots, although the upstairs dining rooms are cozy and charming. Website: Languedocbistro.com; Instagram: @languedocbistro.
Millie’s: We’ve talked about Sconset on the east end of the island but we haven’t yet talked about Madaket on the west end. Madaket is primarily residential—a drive out to Smith’s Point will take you past the tiny summer cottages (such as Wee Bit in my novel Golden Girl). It is the place to watch the sunset, and the vistas over Madaket harbor will immediately improve your Instagram. The epicenter of fun in Madaket is the Millie’s universe. Millie’s is probably best described as a Tex-Mex-inspired restaurant with a heavy Nantucket influence. All of the menu items are named after places on Nantucket. I always start with the Altar Rock, chips with salsa, guac, and their incredible queso. Then I move on to either the Wauwinet, which is a luscious Caesar topped with grilled shrimp and served tossed in a creamy lime dressing, or the Esther Island, a seared-scallop taco with purple cabbage slaw. Millie’s has a ton of outdoor seating as well as upstairs and downstairs indoor seating, but there is always a wait, which can be frustrating. I suggest going before you get too hungry! There’s an ice cream stand for after your meal as well as a small market where you can provision for trips out to Smith’s Point! Website: Milliesnantucket.com; Instagram: @milliesnantucket.
Chanticleer: The Chanticleer, out in Sconset, has a long-standing tradition of elegant French dining. I think it’s fair to say that back in the day, it was a bit stuffy. (The original owner did not allow music in the dining room, for example.) However, since being bought by Nantucket restaurateur Susan Handy (of Black-Eyed Susan’s, featured in my novel Here’s to Us), it has achieved the perfect balance of classic and modern. The front garden, anchored by the iconic carousel horse, is one of the most delightful places to eat in the summer. There are also two indoor dining rooms as well as a sunporch. (I prefer the cozy, clubby dining room to the right.) In addition to more formal French fare, there’s an outstanding burger on the menu (I’m not embarrassed to say this is what I usually order). The restaurant used to attract an older clientele, but that has completely changed—it is now popular with savvy millennials, and I am so here for it. Website: Chanticleernantucket.com; Instagram: @chanticleernantucket.
Petrichor: A hidden gem. This wine bar located in mid-island has outstanding food, including my favorite fried-chicken sandwich on the island, and it does a terrific business at brunch. Highly recommended, and after dinner and some thoughtfully curated wines, you can walk right over to Island Kitchen for dessert! Website: Petrichorwinebar.com; Instagram: @petrichorwinebar.
Island Kitchen: Also located in mid-island, Island Kitchen is exactly that, a terrific and cozy local spot where the food is outstanding and the ice cream is even better. The ice cream flavors change with the season, but in years past, I have been a huge fan of the lemon soufflé and the peach and biscuits. There was a time a few years ago when my daughter was obsessed with their charcoal ice cream. (It was delicious.) Island Kitchen ice cream can also be found at the Counter on Main Street in Nantucket Pharmacy and at my beloved Surfside Beach Shack. Website: Nantucketislandkitchen.com; Instagram: @iknantucket.
Sea Grille: A classic, family-run seafood restaurant and islander favorite! The Sea Grille is my choice for best lobster roll and best lobster bisque. I like to sit in the fun front-bar area and order from the bar menu! The food is crazy good. Website: Theseagrille.com; Instagram: @theseagrille.
Get it to go!