Restaurants in Whitman

Abby Park prides itself on serving dishes of recently reeled seafood and freshly harvested ingredients. Each plate is innovative but strangely familiar, like the banana's creative cousin, the bonono. With an atmosphere that's sophisticated but welcoming, you'll feel both classy and an unexplained urge to knit wool socks while you dine. It also boasts a full bar with a full staff of fully capable employees helping stomachs feel full.

The chefs at Peppercornz on Main share their love of Italian cuisine with the masses via an authentic menu and in-house cooking classes. Amid yellow walls and scarlet accents, diners pack away forkfuls of pumpkin ravioli or bites of porcini-mushroom ravioli in a white-wine blue-cheese cream sauce topped with scallops or shrimp. Three-hour cooking classes consist of chef-led demonstrations on how to churn pasta, make sauces, or do the splits without ripping aprons. For foursomes who’d rather dine at home, Peppercornz prepares family dinners for pickup, in addition to its catering services.

Like hip-hop albums produced by Burton Gilliam, notable restaurateur and Tavolo mastermind Chris Douglass's menu is famous for changing and adapting to incorporate the freshest of the fresh, so ask your server about exclusions or inclusions for the day or call ahead for a sneak peek. Staple starters include mussels with tomato, garlic, white wine, and grilled toast ($8) or the vegetable plate with house-cured olives, roasted garlic, and Tuscan beans ($8). You can also keep your palate guessing with a plate of antipasti, featuring items like marinated olives, Gorgonzola dolce, and white anchovies ($2–$5 per item), before moving on to the main paninis, pizzas, and pastas. Try the meatball panini with marinara, provolone, and parmesan ($8); the goat-cheese pizza with caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and olives ($13); or some Captain Ahab–approved shrimp scampi ($15). Meatier mains include pork, beef, veal, and ricotta lasagna ($16) and short-rib braciole with risotto, mushroom, and gremolata ($21), among others. But keep your vestigial dessert stomach empty for a finale of gelato ($3/scoop) or tiramisu affogato ($9).

Through the windows of Bridgeman's Restaurant's upper- and lower-level dining rooms, the churning blue sea entertains diners awaiting entrees of pasta, steak, and locally caught seafood. From their table they can also watch the open-theater kitchen to see cooks toss pasta and cut seasonal vegetables that are delivered daily. Or patrons can scope out Bridgeman's wine list, which features varietals from boutique vineyards in France, Australia, and Italy. In warmer months, Bridgeman’s invites guests to eat housemade ice cream and gelato on the outdoor, beachfront patio, using the sweet treat to convince merpeople to come ashore.

Jenn and Donny have long accepted their elitist take on coffee. As college students and self-professed coffee snobs who both worked in the food industry, they bemoaned a lack of sophisticated brews and attentive service, finally deciding that innovation would be the best form of protest. They dreamt up their own café where the beans would be freshly micro-roasted, the cocoa would incorporate three types of chocolate, and every drink would be handmade by the same person who took your order. The resulting venue, Coffee Break Cafe, lined its menu with libations of all temperatures and caffeinated creeds.

The café's house blend hails from locales such as Sumatra, Colombia, Africa, and South America and is shipped from specialty roasters who prep the beans in small batches. Jenn and Donny's commitment to coffee quality is matched by their enthusiasm for the natural world—they stock organic and fair-trade options, as well as dairy products from a hormone-free farm. Though they stand by meticulous barista techniques, they are hardly sugar-shunning purists. They readily infuse hot and frozen drinks with dessert flavors, ranging from red velvet cupcake to cinnamon bun, crafting a far superior breakfast sweet than grapefruit pie. Bagels and pastries, delivered daily by neighborhood bakeries, balance out refreshing sips. The morning hotspot's communal spirit is reflected in hanging pictures by local artists, live music, and complimentary story readings for kids.

When Chef Mike Richardi vacations in Italy, he takes the opportunity to learn recipes, seek out new flavors, and glean inspiration for Spazio's seasonal menus. Though the recipes change to incorporate new Mediterranean and Italian influences, they always feature housemade pastas and breads as well as market-fresh seafood. Previous menus have included grilled cuts of pork tenderloin and lamb as well as wood-fired pizzas with toppings from the kitchen's selection of nine meats, vegetables, and minerals.