Finally, after many months of anticipation, Merchants Social opened on Warren Street. I would say it was worth the wait. The food, service and atmosphere contributed to a lovely evening.

The menu is small, so as in too many restaurants these days, the limited choice makes returning in a short time difficult. I hope they expand the menu and/or make frequent changes, as we would love to make this a regular spot. There is also a raw bar, and cheeses and charcuterie but I’d like to see more main courses.

We began with a beet salad and an octopus dish that was one of the best I’ve had. I then had the steelhead trout and Stanley had the chicken. The flavors and accompaniments were imaginative and delicious. For dessert we shared chocolate pudding, which was excellent if a rather small portion. The wine list is small but well-chosen and the markups were surprisingly low. We had a bottle of Los Bermejos 2019. from the Canary Islands, for $60. It was quite impressive.

https://www.merchantssocial.com/