Massachusetts

L’Espalier features a mix of New England and French culinary approaches. Chef/owner Frank McClelland with chef de cuisine Matthew Delisle offers starters such as Georges Bank scallops and spring sunchokes with Maine crab salad and popcorn. Main courses could be butter-poached Maine lobster with braised Belgian endive, shrimp dumpling, white asparagus, grapefruit and basil. 

This 1800s Beacon Hill townhouse offers a classic view over Boston Common. Chef Barbara Lynch’s fare can include appetizers such as kampachi crudo with lobster aioli, cucumber and radish salad, and calamansi vinaigrette, or prune-stuffed gnocchi with foie gras, almond and Vin Santo. Equally fine main courses might be Atlantic halibut crusted in pistachio and cocoa nib with asparagus, ramps and wild mushrooms, or grilled venison loin with cotechino sausage, mint ricotta and pickled spring onion. The intelligently crafted wine list highlights France and Italy.

With its choice location overlooking the Public Garden, this lovely restaurant says that it celebrates the cuisine of Provence, but there’s more to it than that. The restaurant’s two levels give it a chance to offer contrasting settings. The downstairs, with a sweeping zinc bar and posters, very much evokes a French bistro in style and ambiance — it’s a particularly nice lunch spot when, on a good day, the front windows are open to the garden — while the upstairs serves as a more intimate dining room. We strayed from Provençal orthodoxy, but with rewarding results. The starter of squid-ink tagliatelle came embedded with chunks of Maine lobster, as well as sea beans and zest from chopped arugula. And my grilled pork chop, with grilled peach, was as succulent as could be.

For about 30 years, Grill 23 has been a Boston steakhouse favorite. The beef comes from a single herd on a family-owned ranch in California that uses neither hormones nor antibiotics. To begin, there is an extensive raw bar with oysters and a generous shellfish sampler, and appetizers such as the restaurant’s take on Caesar salad with brown-butter croutons and anchovy marmalade, and a blue crabcake with mango, passion fruit and cilantro. 

In this handsome bistro-style restaurant in Cambridge, chef Tony Maws has built a reputation for using the abundant produce of the area in exceptionally imaginative ways. The seasonal menu changes daily, but look for starters such as crisp fried clams from Essex, a New England favorite given a twist with preserved lemon, pickled peppers and a squid-ink anchovy paste; and main courses like olive oil-poached halibut with almond cream, asparagus and Muscat grapes, or Vermont pork prepared three ways: spice-crusted rib, slow-cooked belly and roasted shoulder. Closed Monday.

This relatively new place in Edgartown is located in a choice spot right on the harbor. The building’s exterior comes with the mandatory shingles and white trim, and the interior hums with activity. The fare is straightforward but enticing. Coming to the end of my starter of bone marrow and cod brandade topped with Asiago cheese gratin, I found myself wishing for more. Fortunately, a juicy swordfish steak, which needed nothing more than the accompanying lemon beurre blanc, was entirely satisfying. Other standouts include the wild striped bass crusted with pumpkin seeds and served with a charred tomato vinaigrette. Carnivores are not neglected, and I have particularly enjoyed the Moroccan lamb tajin.

Edgartown provides excellent window-shopping, and once you have become immersed in this, you often find that more time has elapsed than you thought or intended. It was under just such circumstances that we discovered Espresso Love, just out of the bustling town center. The cool garden is perfect for enjoying the baked goods that draw morning crowds, as well as the fresh-made, generous sandwiches and salads.

Located in the fishing town of Menemsha, this long-established restaurant was a personal favorite for many years. But after a while, the place seemed to have lost its stride. I am happy to report that the good times are back. A short walk from the Coast Guard station, the Home Port serves excellent Vineyard seafood. I can’t think of a better starter than the smoked bluefish pâté; then I invariably opt for the baked lobster stuffed with shrimp and bread crumbs and topped with butter. Reservations are a must.

The question of who makes the best clam chowder is a source of endless debate on the Vineyard. I have long since resolved this weighty issue to my satisfaction: The Bite. This is not a restaurant; it is a takeout stand in Menemsha. Not a typical Harper recommendation, to be sure, but still worthy of attention. The fried clams are also excellent. I invariably head to the nearby Menemsha Beach for a sunset feast.

Neighboring Oak Bluffs is much more relaxed than Edgartown, with dainty Victorian gingerbread houses encircling the Methodist Tabernacle (the scene of lively band concerts in summer). There, The Sweet Life Café is a longstanding favorite. Its French-American cuisine strikes a judicious balance between casual and fine dining. Notable dishes include the beet and burrata salad, followed by the breaded Vermont quail breast served on a ragout of quail confit with favas, cherry reduction and foie gras mousse.