Our Story — 85 Main | Chef James Martin

The Chef

James Martin

Chef James Martin didn't set out to build a destination restaurant in rural Connecticut. He set out to cook food that excited him — and he refused to compromise on that vision for twenty years.

Trained in classical New American technique, James discovered early in his career that the flavors he craved lived at the intersection of traditions. The precision of French technique. The bold, layered complexity of Asian cuisine. The honest simplicity of farm-to-table cooking.

The result is a style that's entirely his own — dishes that feel familiar enough to welcome you in, then surprise you with something you didn't see coming.

"I never wanted to cook safe food. I wanted to cook food that makes people stop mid-bite and look at each other."

Philosophy

Farm to Table, Without the Cliché

Every restaurant says "farm to table" now. At 85 Main, we've been doing it since before it was a marketing phrase — because it's just how James has always cooked.

We work directly with Connecticut farms, foragers, and producers to source the best seasonal ingredients. Not because it's trendy, but because food tastes better when it hasn't traveled 3,000 miles to get to your plate.

Our menu changes with the seasons. What's on the plate in March won't be there in August — and that's the whole point. Every visit to 85 Main is a snapshot of what's best right now.

The Space

Where Comfort Meets Craft

85 Main sits on the historic main street of Putnam, Connecticut — a small town with outsized character. The restaurant is warm, inviting, and deliberately unpretentious. Dark wood, candlelight, the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay for one more course.

This isn't a place where you whisper. It's a place where you laugh, where conversations get louder as the night goes on, where strangers at the bar become friends over a shared appetizer.

Fine dining flavors. Neighborhood restaurant warmth. That's the balance James has spent twenty years perfecting.

The Cuisine

New American Meets Asian Fusion

The menu at 85 Main doesn't fit neatly into one category — and that's by design. You'll find miso-glazed salmon next to braised short ribs with gochujang. Matcha crème brûlée alongside a classic chocolate lava cake. Duck spring rolls as a starter, rack of lamb as the main.

It's a menu built on curiosity and craft — where the best techniques and flavors from around the world meet the finest local ingredients Connecticut has to offer.

Explore the Menu