21 Federal on Nantucket, MA

21 Federal is a popular, well-established eatery located in the heart of downtown Nantucket. We serve new and traditional American cuisine and continue to be held in high regard in our local markets, as well as in National Reviews.

The building at 21 Federal Street was built in 1847 after the “Great Fire of 1846,” in which much of the downtown area was destroyed. The structure was built in the Greek Revival Style which was very popular in downtown Nantucket at the time. It was converted into a rooming house in the early part of the 20th Century and changed hands many times before it was taken over by the Emmons family in 1946. The conversion of the building to a restaurant began in April of 1984. Chick Walsh, former maitre’d of the Opera House, opened the restaurant in 1985 after extensive renovations spearheaded by Weather Hill Restoration of Vermont, producing the facility you see today.