The Ocean House at 40: Cape Cod's coastal culinary spot still a staple in the community
Built in 1983 by the Hart family on beachfront land purchased in the 1960s, it began as a single-room restaurant and owner's residence overlooking Nantucket Sound. Its first reviews applauded both polished hospitality and gourmet cuisine served by formally dressed staff.
Under owner and general manager Janet Hart-Barbato, along with her daughter, Kari Anne Hart, The Ocean House has remained family-owned for more than 40 years.
The duo have navigated changing tastes, scaling back the formality of its early years while preserving high standards of service and culinary innovation.
A turning point in the restaurant's evolution came with the recruitment of Executive Chef Tom Woods. A Rhode Island native and Johnson & Wales graduate, Woods honed his craft in Boston kitchens, including Ming Tsai's Blue Dragon and the Oyster Harbors Club in Osterville. He joined Ocean House's team the spring of 2021.
Chef Woods speaks fondly of his Cape Cod roots — holidays spent clamming, fishing and gathering vegetables shaped his commitment to local bounty.
His signature dish, Day Boat Halibut, exemplifies this ethos — a pan-seared halibut filet served over brown butter couscous with summer corn, tomatoes, passion fruit coulis and delicate pea microgreens.
The restaurant blends New England seafood traditions with Asian flavors such as with its popular small plates, including ahi tuna tartar, Jonah crab rangoons and rock shrimp calamari.
The Ocean House continues to gather acclaim as it's named among OpenTable's Top 100 Scenic Restaurants of 2023 and winning Cape Cod Times' Community Choice awards for Best Waterfront, Fine Dining and Most Romantic Restaurant.
Looking forward, The Ocean House remains a family affair with the Hart lineage at the helm.
Behind the scenes, Woods leads a culinary team rooted in local ingredients and contemporary technique. As it embraces its landmark status, this beach-side gem continues to deliver both seaside views and memorable plates.
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