Nantucket: Where to Eat: Relaxed but Refined: Le Languedoc

Le Languedoc

The last time I visited this French staple was the week before Memorial Day, but it was already packed with locals and summer visitors who were warmly greeted by the staff and who were catching up on island gossip. There’s a formal dining room upstairs, but follow the locals’ lead and go for a table at the bistro downstairs. (You can call after 10 a.m. the day you want to dine there and reserve for either 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m.; for a late Gallic seating, you cannot make an advance booking.) There are just seven tables, covered in blue-and-white-checked tablecloths, and the menu includes such haute-brasserie favorites as sweetbreads, filet of sole, rib eye and lobster. Those waiting for a table can have a glass of wine at the zinc-clad bar.