Where SouthCoast Chefs Eat When They’re Off the Clock

There's no doubt about it, the SouthCoast has really made a name for itself in the restaurant world.  Few towns in New England can match the quality and price of SouthCoast restaurants.  The heartbeat of these restaurants? The ones who create the dishes that keep customers coming back for more.

That got us wondering: Where do SouthCoast chefs eat when they’re off the clock? Here’s what we found.

Chef Joe Rego from New Beige in New Bedford

"My favorite place in the whole world is Little Moss in Padanaram.  For brunch the soft shell crab sandwich is my pick.  For dinner, anything that is a whole fish," he said.  Rego likes how the Little Moss menu changes regularly .  "They have a great execution on all dishes and she strives for locally grown products."

Chef Fehmi Khalifa from Tipsy Toboggan in Fall River

Khalifa insists on a local restaurant.  He enjoys eating at Sagres and focuses in on ordering anything seasonal or on their specials.  "Their specials will tell me if something is left over or if something is fresh off the boats.  There's nothing like rating fresh, local strawberries in season," says Khalifa.

Chef Matt Verronneau from Cask and Pig in Dartmouth

Verronneau says he rarely goes out to dinner, but enjoys going out to breakfast on the weekends with his son.  "We usually go to Courtyard Restaurant or Jake's Diner in Fairhaven.  Always delicious at both of those spots," says Verronneau

Chef James Weare from Bocca in Fairhaven

Hailing from Wales on the island of Great Britain, Weare says he enjoys eating the tuna nachos or the pizzas at Joe's Original in Dartmouth.

Chef Joe Melo from Candela Cucina in New Bedford

The longtime SouthCoast executive chef has had a hand in launching and developing a number of successful restaurants.  Melo will frequent Bocca and Saffron By the Sea in Fairhaven.  Melo says he's a fan of Bocca's specialty pizzas and says the lamb at Saffron is very good.  He says he makes an effort to try something different each time he goes to Saffron.

Chef Brian Dasilva from Candela Cucina in New Bedford

Dasilva says he enjoys grabbing lunch in Downtown New Bedford at New Beige and Cultivator Shoals. Dasilva says he loves the Piri-Piri Gulf Shrimp and the watermelon salad at New Beige

Chef Dave Veronneau from Charred Oak Tavern in Middleboro

Veronneau says that he and his wife enjoy going to the Black Whale in New Bedford for their cod loin or their steak frites.  He also enjoys heading to Acushnet to the Blue Point Restaurant.  He raved about Blue Point's meat pie, steak and cacoila.