Back in the summer of 2017, a new restaurant called 19 Raw slipped in on a side street in downtown Edgartown. Chef Joe Monteiro and partner/beverage director John Clift opened in the middle of summer and created an instant favorite.
Chef Joe and John already had great chemistry as partners with a few others in Wash Ashore Beer Company. John, a sommelier, also owns Vintage MV Wine & Spirits on Winter Street in Edgartown.
The menu at 19 Raw has a serious focus on the incredible seafood we have on the Island, with a selection of oysters, crudo, ceviche, and small bites. The restaurant has a tasting menu that perfectly complements thoughtful, unique, and approachable wines, as well as incredible specialty cocktails that are gorgeous and well-crafted.
In 2020 the restaurant space attached to 19 Raw became available and 19 Prime, an authentic steakhouse — something Chef Joe always wanted to open — was born. Though they were two separate restaurants in the beginning, the challenges of COVID and the chronic staffing issues that now riddle the Island brought the two restaurants together and they’re now combined into one.
“We decided to combine forces,” according to Emily Monteiro, Chef Joe’s wife, who is also marketing and events manager. “It ended up being a match made in heaven to offer the best of both land and sea on one menu, in one cohesive space, and one kitchen. It felt hard to go back to the idea of separate restaurants thereafter — because now, everybody wins! So we continued to go with it intentionally, and it just makes sense. As we like to say, it was a ‘meating rawmance.’”
Whiskey Sour
This is not your grandfather’s whisky sour. First, it starts with Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon, which is very smooth with no bite or fiery finish. And instead of the raw egg white foam, they use just a drop or two of vegan Fee Brothers. Also, the hint of ginger adds a lovely complexity and creates a very drinkable Whisky Sour that will soothe your soul.
2.5 oz Michter’s bourbon 0.5 oz Canton Ginger Liqueur 0.5 oz simple syrup 1 oz of fresh lemon juice drop or two of Fee Foam orange twist or wheel and Luxardo cherry
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds.
Strain the cocktail through a cocktail strainer or a slotted spoon into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange twist or wheel and cherry.
Radler
This is a version of an Aperol spritz, but better. An Aperol spritz is a Venetian wine-based cocktail from Northeast Italy. It consists of Aperol, prosecco, digestive bitters, and soda water. It has become very popular — and with that comes great creativity and many versions. This is topped with Nature’s Revenge Pet Nat Rose instead of Prosecco. Pet Nat, or Pétillant-Naturel, Natural Sparkling is a more rustic, sparkling wine that is bottled before secondary fermentation without additional sugars or yeast. The Radler is refreshing and complex. Perfect on a warm summer day.
1.5 oz Highclere gin 0.25 oz Aperol 0.5 oz ginger simple syrup 1.5 ounces pink grapefruit juice strained 4 oz soda water grapefruit slice and rosemary sprig
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add ingredients, stir vigorously.
Garnish with grapefruit slice and a rosemary sprig.
Top with a splash of Pet Nat Rose.
