Back Forty

Back Forty Review

Pioneering chef Peter Hoffman, a longtime leader in promoting local, sustainable food, attracts a devoted crowd at this casual restaurant that feels like a neighborhood joint. Despite Hoffman's pedigree, Back Forty displays plenty of humility. Prices on the short, rustic, greenmarket menu are low, and the homey decor features a pastoral mural behind the bar and rusty farm tools on the walls. Begin with bar snacks like chicken-liver mousse on toast washed down with a fine house cocktail like the rum-and-Concord grape Collins. The simple family-style dinner selections (for parties only) include a perfect grilled trout; a moist, shareable pan-roasted chicken; and a wide array of seasonal sides, including the roasted Brussels sprouts with maple-cider vinegar and lemon-thyme butter. A hearty and popular brunch is served on Saturday.