To our friends, our guests, and our community...As Massachusetts allows restaurants to resume operations for indoor dining, Tasting Counter has been faced with a lot to consider to ensure the safety of our team and guests. Our restaurant was designed and built to be intimate, to offer our communal dining space as a way to get up close and personal with our chefs and the cooking process. What once set us apart from other restaurants with our unique dining concept is now, in the age of COVID-19, seemingly a curse. We want to reopen... but we must do it right.After discussions with our team, meeting with the City of Somerville as part of the Restaurant Working Group, and deliberating between ourselves, we have determined the best route forward is to reopen at 50% capacity. Maintaining 6 feet between guests means only 10 guests (out of 20) are able to safely dine with us. As we move into this new normal, Tasting Counter will remain committed to what we have always strived for: creating memorable dining experiences for our guests!We understand there are risks with reopening. We wish we didn't have to make the choice between taking these risks and keeping our restaurant open. We will continue to revise and monitor every service to ensure our safety protocols are being maintained and we ask that all our guests have patience and understanding as we navigate these completely uncharted waters.Our first service will be Friday, July 10. We will offer 2 seatings on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Between services, we've built in a 30-minute buffer to mitigate congestion with guests coming/going, as well as to ensure adequate time for our staff to completely sanitize and clean the restaurant before and after each service. You may purchase tickets or redeem your promo codes online now!Despite all the challenges, we are excited to open our doors again. No matter what is happening in the world, our commitment to providing guests with our unique dining experiences is the driving force behind Tasting Counter.We look forward to cooking for you soon!Peter & Ginhee
We have been so amazed by all the support we have received for our newest venture, TC@Home: our virtual interactive dining experience. Our friends at Atwater Studios have helped us transition TC@Home to its new (virtual) home: tastingcounterathome.com! Join the chefs of Tasting Counter as we guide you through a 3-course menu and share some cooking tips and demonstrate techniques to up your dinner game! We're launching our new July menu this weekend: STRAWBERRY GAZPACHO fermented green strawberry, cucumber, habanada pepper, trout roe, sourdoughOXTAIL ROULADEzucchini blossom, farro, ricotta, smoked eggplant, garlic scape, pickled & fermented blueberryRHUBARB CLAFOUTISpistachio, tarragon custard, beach rose crispTC@Home is also a great private event option! Reserve a night and cook alongside your friends, family, or co-workers virtually! Contact us for more information.
We are well into our third season with local farmers markets and it's been wonderful seeing some of you come out and support us! Everything we sell is handmade by our small and dedicated team, including our deliciously refreshing and unique non-alcoholic beverages... Schisandra Berry Tea and TC Tonic! We are also offering our usual favorites such as various house-made seasonal preserves, honey (cultivated from our own TC hives), local maple syrup, hot sauces, vinegars, and sourdough boules made with locally sourced wheat fermented for 48 hours!
Tasting Counter is proud to continue our partnership with the Somerville Community Growing Center, just around the corner from our restaurant in Somerville. Built on the foundations of a razed school, the Growing Center remains faithful to its heritage by educating about the natural world, community, science, and culture. Built by local residents and maintained by volunteers, the Somerville Growing Center is “a backyard for everybody,” with open hours for the public twice a week and diverse community programming and activities throughout the year. We are proud to help support their efforts to plant nutrient-rich vegetables in their raised beds to be donated to St. Patrick's Women's Shelter in Union Square and other local food security partners.Please consider making a donation to the Somerville Community Growing Center to help support their initiatives to create a more food-secure community!
