Opening for it’s 47th season on Nantucket’s Straight Wharf sits a dining experience filled with heritage and nostalgia at every turn. Stepping almost directly from the ferry decks onto the doorstep of Straight Wharf Restaurant, visitors and locals alike discover a unique sense of pride within these walls where classic summer dishes are reinterpreted with incredible warmth and a true sense of hospitality.

We visited our friend, Chef & Managing Partner, Gabriel Frasca for a day filled with great company, wine, and oysters topped with the most delectable shaved ice we’ve ever tasted; Straight Wharf Restaurant’s famous Cucumber Granita.

We began by talking ingredients with Gabriel who leaned into the fact that dishes are designed from the ground up quite literally. He went on to describe that the team at SWR lets the ingredients drive each dish with a very localized and seasonal flare. Much in the way that crops have been farmed in the area for centuries, Straight Wharf Restaurant creates its menu on what is currently being harvested fresh from the source.

Naturally, that meant our next stop was the garden. We walked out the front door of the restaurant and off the side deck where a path, made from crushed seashells, lead us to fresh herbs snipped to garnish our dish of the day.

Heading back inside, we began talking about oysters and local seafood when Gabriel mentioned a new fish market they were opening to serve local catch to islanders in search of something fresh to take home. Recognized by many, the building under construction used to don a classic “LOBSTERS” sign that welcomed visitors from across the world to New England.

We moved on to oysters and sweaters. Gabriel, who grew up on Massachusetts’ north shore, was an early customer at Long Wharf supporting day 1 of our original crowdfunding campaign that first launched The SeaWell™ Collection.

For years, Straight Wharf Restaurant exclusively imported oysters from mainland farms and served them fresh to customers who could get them whenever they visited Boston or Cape Cod, but everything changed when he realized he had access to world-class oysters found virtually right off the back deck.

“Being on an island is different where you did rely on your neighbor a little more. There was more of a sense of community. And that’s not because there are better people here, it’s the nature of living here. You can’t go one town over - It’s just us.”

— Gabriel Frasca, Chef & Managing Partner - Straight Wharf Restaurant

We began popping oysters and opened a bottle of wine as afternoon sunlight began burning off the haze in classic island fashion. Famously known as The Grey Lady, Nantucket often experiences this weather pattern due to heavy fog conditions imposed by the vast Atlantic Ocean that surrounds it.

Gabriel brought out the Granita which is a combination of blended ingredients frozen together and shaved into an icy topping providing an incredibly crisp and sweet finish in every bite. Placing a dollop on top of each oyster, we began slurping them back enjoying one of the most unique dishes we’ve ever experienced.

five iced grey lady oysters kumquat-aleppo vinaigrette & persian cucumber granita

Ingredients:

1 qt persian cucumber juice (cucumbers blended whole and then strained)

1/2 pint lime juice

1 pint simple syrup

Zest of 1 lemons

Combine all ingredients and freeze in a wide, flat container.

When frozen, scrape, or “shave” the granita with a fork.

Whether you’re ordering oysters or elect to go with something like the wood grilled swordfish or day boat scallops, Straight Wharf Restaurant puts on an authentic Nantucket experience steeped in rich maritime history and carries on those traditions through the thoughtfully curated, locally driven dishes created on a nightly basis for its patrons.