Field & Main

“We’re most passionate about relationships – with the farmers and artisans that provide us with the food and drink we feature, with our patrons, and with our team. What makes us distinctive is the building that houses our restaurant. It was built in phases over time since 1790, with the main portion being built about 1830 for the purpose of being a restaurant. So it is gratifying to take an old building in a small town and render it functional and relevant by returning it to its original purpose.”

Ember-roasted whole rockfish with soy sauce and olive olive; grilled porchetta with pickled ramps and foie gras sauce; buffalo-style pig ears with ribboned celery with blue cheese crumble.

The beating heart of this seasonally-focused gem is the ten-foot-wide hearth reminiscent of colonial times. The dishes prepared over the rollicking flames are deliciously primal, but nonetheless refined. Almost everything, from the produce and meat to the wine and beer, is local, helping to support the larger community and reduce the restaurant’s environmental footprint. Be sure to visit on a night with the Seedlings program, which Field & Main kickstarted in 2017. The initiative invites local students to prepare and serve a three-course meal, learning about each step along the way.

“Our newest country obsession is this Federal-era restaurant ... We’d happily travel for a host of small plates such as crunchy Buffalo-style pig ears." Washingtonian magazine