Photograph by Chris Von Holle
Back in 2018, in an unassuming storefront on Monmouth Street, a jazz musician-turned-chef wanted to create a restaurant that made its own bread. Today, that restaurant has become one of the most exciting farm-to-table destinations in the tri-state. This is The Baker’s Table, and the chef is Dave Willocks, formerly of Salazar, Mita’s, and Allez Bakery. His wife, designer Wendy Braun, created the vibe, pairing the family’s antique 10-foot baker’s table with a relaxed vintage aesthetic inspired by Willocks’s love of old botanical texts. Cool greens that flirt with teal contrast the golden velvet couch near the entrance, and much of the framed art illustrates the theme. But James Beard Award nominations don’t recognize decor, and Willocks cares more about what he puts on that table than its aesthetic.
Most great restaurants source locally where possible, and chefs build a handful of seasonal specials around what’s available. Seasonal, in that context, is a quarterly concern: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Here, seasonal means something different. Every month, The Baker’s Table introduces a five-course meal centered on foods at their peak. That means strawberries picked at their sweetest, corn fresh from the field, and homegrown tomatoes. Apart from wine, olive oil, seafood, and spices, food comes from farmers no more than a stone’s throw away.
Photograph by Chris Von Holle
Constructing a new menu every month is not a one-man job. Willocks’s team elevates his phenomenal cooking to a well-rounded, inclusive experience. General Manager/Sommelier Ryan Hastings brings his passion and expertise to the menu’s wine pairings; Jake Schrader, the bar manager, designs a separate set of mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages; and Dining Room Captain Rachel Williams orchestrates the front of house. With the support of Sous Chef Evan Previte and Pastry Chef/Baker Sarah Ouelette, Willocks brings the monthly show to the stage.
Each course features two options, providing just enough choice to keep you involved, and making that choice can be heartbreaking. The easiest solution is to order opposite your dining partner and swap bites. The servers encourage sharing, and they understand the desire to try the full spectrum of limited-run dishes while they’re available. Once something leaves the menu, there’s no guarantee it will return. Even if it does, you’ll probably have a long wait before the key ingredients are back in season.
Photograph by Chris Von Holle
The unofficial first course is, naturally, the famous sourdough with a side of salted butter. Soft where it counts and crusty where it matters, it’s as comforting as it is exciting. There are typically two slices per person, and no one will steal your bread plate until it’s well and truly empty, so feel free to keep nibbling throughout the meal. Service is quick, but there’s always a pause when your dinner is made fresh, so a little finger food supports conversation and blunts impatience.
After the bread, your dinner will feature whatever the farmers have ready. The chefs like to challenge themselves with new techniques and skills. In July, that meant mastering smoked brisket, but your plate may feature a daunting type of pastry, a tricky sauce, or a foray into uncharted flavor combinations. While fresh food speaks for itself, Willocks translates it into poetry.
Something taste especially great? Ask who made or grew it. Treasures worth asking after hide on every plate, like the peaches in July’s stone fruit starter (cling stone peaches, cherries, cucumbers, smoked labneh, and lavender-infused honey). The entire dish was delicately sweet and creamy, but the peaches were something else. When we inquired, our server told us an Amish gentleman provides the fruit in tandem with a local co-op. Sadly, they don’t sell to individual shoppers.
Photograph by Chris Von Holle
Wine pairings are just as inspirational. Hastings matched the nutty, spicy bucatini with chile oil, hazelnut, and sesame with a charming Gewürztraminer from Good Pain Wines, a tiny brand by a friend of his based in Oregon. The wine cooled the chile’s heat without snuffing it out entirely, and the subtle sweetness drew out the hazelnut. And there’s no need to deceive yourself into believing this place is pure health food in the pejorative sense. The dark chocolate cake, with raspberry and candied pecan—with a texture so rich it’s closer to a torte—is decadence incarnate.
There’s just enough of everything. The portions encourage you to slow down, taste the season, and really experience the moment no matter what is on the month’s menu. You can trust each meal has the same hometown roots. The mushrooms in your pasta come from Rich Life Farm and Fungi, the edible flowers are grown by Little Sunshine, and the cheese hails from Urban Stead.
Photograph by Chris Von Holle
So once upon a time a storefront met a jazz musician-turned-chef, became a limit-pushing attraction, and did very, very well. And the chef? He’s a rising star with an exciting future, but he’s still a musician, even if it isn’t his day job. He has plans to perform with his friend Erin Fitzpatric and The Jazz Coasters, so the next time you see a swing band, check for the baker without his table.
The Baker’s Table, 1004 Monmouth St., Newport, (859) 261-1941, bakerstablenewport.com
Hours: Dinner Wed & Thurs 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m. (last seating), Fri & Sat 5 p.m.–9 p.m. (last seating)
Prices: $45 (Spirit-Free Pairing)–$90 (Tasting Menu)
Credit Cards: All major
The Takeaway: Taste the best of the season at The Baker’s Table, where local ingredients meet the monthly inspiration of a 2026 James Beard Award-nominated chef.
