Woods Hill Pier 4

"What were your first impressions when you arrived? With all of its new-feeling glass high-rises, it's easy to think that the Seaport is the object of some real estate developer's imagination, detached from reality—but this excellent farm-to-table concept is proof positive that real Bostonians, in search of real, really good food populate this neighborhood. Owner Kristin Canty is in the restaurant most nights, and can be seen greeting guests, and sharing the story of her restaurant and her Bath, New Hampshire farm from which much of the food comes. In terms of dining, Woods Hill Pier 4 is among the best that the Seaport has to offer. What’s the crowd like? During the warmer months, the outdoor section teems with after-work corporate types and date-nighters alike. (The restaurant also sets up year-round outdoor igloos for those who still feel more comfortable with a little social distance, those seat 8 people each). Come sunset, it's hard to think of a more scenic spot in the Seaport than the main dining room here, which has a panoramic view over Boston Harbor. What should we be drinking? There's a tightly edited wine list, with an emphasis on organic and biodynamic vineyards, many of whom are personal friends of the restaurant's owner Kristin Canty. Otherwise, the cocktail menu is where it's at. The use of local ingredients, often from Canty's own farm, takes the mixology to a whole new level—try the Lavender Bee's Knees, which uses lavender and honey cultivated by Canty herself, or the Flight of the Concords which uses local Concord grape shrub. In the warmer months when there's more outdoor seating set up, the bar area has a service window so anyone passing through the area can grab a lounge chair and enjoy a quick drink or two. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. Pure farm-to-table poetry. Nearly all the meat is raised by the restaurant's owner Kristin Canty, and a good amount of the produce is grown by her farm, as well. Whatever she can't grow is sourced hyper locally, and hyper seasonally (which, thanks to an influx of greenhouse farms in Massachusetts means that growing season in New England is now a yearlong affair). This obsessive attention to detail comes out tenfold in the food's flavors: the lamb shoulder with labneh and olive tapenade is that much juicier, the housemade bucatini all'amatriciana with guanciale from Woods Hill pigs is that much more delectable, and seemingly simple dishes like the charred broccoli simply burst with flavor. And whatever you do, make sure to try Woods Hill’s inventive take on a lobster roll: it comes with a dollop of crème fraîche in a warm popover. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? How many of us have requested a gluten-free dish, or had a dinnermate do the same, only to be met by the server asking freshly, "Is it a gluten aversion or an actual allergy?" Here, there are no questions asked. Canty's journey as an organic farmer and restaurateur began as a way to combat her own son's plethora of childhood allergies, so you won't find a restaurant in Boston that takes nut, nightshade, gluten, or whatever allergies more seriously. The servers are impressively knowledgeable about the in's and out's of what's in everything on the menu—and are more than happy to steer you in the right direction to accommodate any and all dietary restrictions. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? We've all seen plenty of "farm-to-table" concepts in numerous cities, but Woods Hill Pier 4 is an outlier in how owner Kristin Canty has fully integrated her mission. From being able to explain the bush your cocktail's lavender came from, to explaining how rotational farming and organic practices create better and better-tasting foods, nobody in Boston (and few anywhere) do it better. The best part is that Woods Hill Pier 4 does it all with panache and no pretense—proving that sustainable farming can still be scrumptious, and elegant food has a place in everyday life." - Todd Plummer