Island Kitchen

Nantucket Recipes

Cook with the island's finest ingredients

Sally Scallop

Welcome to my island kitchen. I'm Sally Scallop, and I've been cooking with Nantucket's ingredients my whole life. My grandmother fed fishermen at the family boarding house. My mother catered every wedding on this island for thirty years. I was shucking oysters before I could ride a bike.

These recipes celebrate what makes Nantucket special: bay scallops so sweet they need nothing more than a hot pan, corn so fresh it's still warm from Bartlett's fields, oysters briny with the taste of our harbors. The secret isn't complicated technique—it's knowing where to find the best ingredients and letting them shine.

Browse Recipes

From the waters and farms of Nantucket

Where to Source

The ingredients make the dish

Seafood

  • Sayle's Seafood — 99 Washington St Extension. The real deal since 1965.
  • 167 Raw — Oysters, scallops, and pristine shellfish
  • Nantucket Lobster Trap — Live lobster, steamers, and more
  • East Coast Seafood — At the harbor, straight off the boats

Farm Fresh

  • Bartlett's Farm — 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Seven generations. Go early.
  • Moors End Farm — Organic produce, herbs, and eggs at 9 Polpis Road
  • Saturday Farmers Market — Cambridge Street, seasonal Saturdays

Specialty & Pantry

  • Cisco Brewers — Local beer for cooking (and drinking)
  • Nantucket Honey — Local apiaries, ask at farm stands
  • Beach Plums — Foraged in late summer (Madaket area)

Cooking in a Rental Kitchen

  • Bring your good knives: Rental kitchen knives are notoriously dull. Pack your chef's knife if you're serious about cooking.
  • Check the basics: Salt, pepper, olive oil, and butter may or may not be stocked. Assume nothing.
  • Shop early: Bartlett's Farm is picked over by noon in summer. Fish markets sell out of the best catches.
  • Plan for propane: Many rentals have gas grills. Make sure there's fuel before you plan that fish dinner.
  • Keep it simple: The best island meals let fresh ingredients shine. You don't need twenty components.
  • Embrace takeout prep: Many fish markets will clean, fillet, and even portion your catch. Ask!

Seasonal Guide

What's best when you're visiting

Spring (April-May)

Oysters at their peak brininess. Early greens at farm stands. Striped bass season opens mid-May.

Summer (June-August)

Peak produce: corn, tomatoes, herbs. Bluefish running. Lobster season. Best time for grilling.

Fall (September-November)

Bay scallop season opens October 1. Beach plums ripen. Root vegetables. Cranberries.

Winter (December-March)

Bay scallops continue through March. Oysters excellent. Hearty chowders. Comfort cooking.