Bill Fogarty makes his own ketchup. While the chef/owner of Kitchen Table in Beverly respects Heinz 57, and his flavor profile hews closely to what most consider the gold standard of that condiment, he is stubborn. But more important, he is also committed to serving comfort food that is minimally processed, locally sourced, and sustainably raised, with results that are vibrant and delicious. Whether you are stopping by the bar for an order of bacon nachos and a craft cocktail, or looking for a succulent roast chicken dinner, that same attention to detail carries through the entire menu.
Yes—we did mention bacon nachos. Those words alone should be enough to encourage just about anyone to head directly to Beverly. Not surprisingly, the dish starts with chips cut from locally made tortillas and fried in-house. Or maybe the dish really starts with the chunks of smoky-rich bacon, which the chef cures in-house from heritage-breed pork belly. The cheese topping is gilding the lily—a house-made blend of cheddars and Mexican cheeses. The whole thing gets a kick of heat from chef’s own jalapeño chili garlic crisp: thin slices of garlic, jalapeños and shallots, deep-fried and tossed with pepitas for another layer of crunch, tamed by an avocado cilantro crema. It comes in two sizes: Solo (for one) and Mucho (to share). Pair it with a salad and you’ve got a meal.
Greens & Things starts with a mix of local leaves, maybe from Iron Ox Farm or from New Entry, a Tufts University farm incubator by the airfield that the chef collaborates with regularly, topped with shaved carrots and radishes and a light, bright Champagne lemon vinaigrette.
Another starter, the duck and beet carpaccio, combines lush and smoky with crisp and leafy on one delicious plate. Fogarty starts preparing the duck days ahead, first curing it in a mix of salt, spices, shallots, garlic, and onion for 24 hours before poaching it for hours in its own fat, then setting it in the restaurant’s smoker for a few more hours, finally searing it for service. The duck sits atop thinly sliced local beets, baby lettuce, and whipped goat cheese, dressed with a port vinaigrette—the perfect counterpoint to the rich duck.
The smoker takes pride of place in a number of the restaurant’s dishes, adding a savory edge that is never overpowering. Fans of Fogarty’s previous restaurant, Scratch Kitchen in Salem, might remember that the chef has a sure hand when it comes to the art of smoking and grilling. His small smoker, fired with applewood, handles everything from the bacon to onions for the smoked onion jus that accompanies the K.T. Steak and Potatoes, Fogarty’s take on Steak Frites. Rather than a whole steak, the chef uses char-grilled steak tips, marinated in his house sauce made with coconut aminos—a salty and savory substitute for soy sauce—along with a fresh herb rub. The marinade is sugar-free (the chef himself has diabetes, so he is intentional about cutting back on unnecessary sugar while ramping up flavor).
Care is evident throughout the allergy-friendly menu—pepitas take the place of nuts, for example, and other allergens are avoided when it doesn’t compromise the overall dish. Like everything else on the menu, you’ll never notice the sugar is gone. These moist and flavorful tips don’t skimp on the umami, and they come paired with Maine fingerling potatoes that are cooked, then smashed and fried to get loads of crispy edges, and buttery pan-fried cabbage. It’s a dish that celebrates classic New England steak tips, while also subtly elevating them.
The steak tips come from humanely raised animals, just like all the meat on his menu, including the half chicken in the garlic and herbed roasted chicken, a dish that has quickly become a favorite since the restaurant opened in August 2023. Chef removes all the bones, save the drumstick, making it easy to eat. It comes with the most indulgent mashed Maine potatoes, made with cream, milk, and butter, and then topped with the chef’s special bacon-herb butter. The mashed potatoes could be a meal in themselves.
Desserts rotate based on what is seasonal. A recent offering included a mango galette—an open-faced tart with an airy crust—and an “Old Fashioned” flourless chocolate cake, so named because it emulates the bourbon-based cocktail, with notes of cherry and a generous splash of the spirit.
Speaking of spirits, the cocktail list is a creative display of ways to drink local produce, like in the weirdly delicious Beet the Heat. It spins a gin gimlet on its ear in a delightful way, with a sweet, earthy beet juice and refreshing green apple. It’s an excellent pre-theater cocktail, and Kitchen Table is working on partnerships with the Cabot Theater, which is just down the street, and North Shore Music Theatre. There’s even a button in the order system to indicate if someone is rushing off to a show, to ensure everything comes out in a timely fashion. And if you flash your ticket, you will definitely get some sort of treat. The program is evolving, but Fogarty wants to support local arts just as much as he wants to support local farms. And indulgent scratch-made eats.
392 Cabot St., Beverly, 978-720-8930, kitchentablebeverly.com