HERD Provisions combines the talents of executive chef and butcher Jeanne Oleksiak and vision of owner Alec Bradford, who travels every week to his Virginia Farm, Leaping Waters, to source grass-finished heritage beef for the menu. Oleksiak turns out dishes like beef fat fries, gnocchi Bolognese, and of course, steaks, but equally present and flavorful are seasonal vegetable plates, specials like Basque seafood stew, and alternative proteins like duck leg cassoulet. Everything is thoughtfully composed, like the beef tartare garnished with “everything the cows eat on the farm,” from violets to pickled onions.
The Grove Street space looks small, even unassuming from outside, but it boasts 150 seats on two levels, as well as on the patio if the weather is nice—yet even so, the seating is intimate, with tucked-away corners and cozy lighting. There’s a spacious bar and an impressive wine program reputed to be a favorite of local independent wine merchants. Live music happens every Tuesday on the patio. And if you can’t do without steaks from their rare, ancient breed of White Park cattle, you can take cuts of your choice home from the butcher counter in the front of the space, which also sources local pantry products.
