“We are passionate about serving real wine; wine that is grown organically (no synthetic chemicals or pesticides), hand-harvested, made with wild yeasts with nothing added except minimal sulfites, if that. The food menu is a true daily snapshot of the world around us, highly seasonal and a reflection of our local environment. The driving inspiration to our cooking is seasonality, which requires us to use plants and animals local to our climate and region as much as possible. For instance, when local diver scallops are in season, they will certainly be on the menu.”

Fiddlehead Ferns with cured Atlantic mackerel, Parmigiano, and breadcrumbs; pork shoulder with celery root, morel cream, and stinging nettles; hake with braised lentils, razor clam salsa verde, aïoli, and agretti.

Seasonality and locality drives the small but studied menu that changes daily at Drifters Wife. Simple-sounding dishes, such as soft shell crab with chickpeas, ramps, and a fried duck egg, remain stamped in your memory long after you’ve enjoyed them via a combination of perfectly procured ingredients and Chef Ben Jackson’s unexpected touches and thoughtful techniques. Paired with his cuisine are is the stunning natural wine selection courtesy of owners Orenda and Peter Hale’s, poured by the bottle and glass. Pick up a bottle to take home from their adjacent wine shop, Maine & Loire.