Organic seasonal ingredients, many purchased from local family farms, are the stars of this intimate, former 19th-century grocery store turned organic American eatery. Chef/owner Nora Pouillon is a pioneer in the organic movement; Restaurant Nora was the first certified organic restaurant in the country (95 percent of the products used are organic). And it’s not only the purity of the edible ingredients that is attended to—all the water used at Nora is filtered three times on premises, including the water that washes your dishes and is used for cooking. While Nora’s focuses on healthful cooking, this is not flavorless spa cuisine. Pouillon coaxes intense flavors from nature’s superstar ingredients, creating stylish, delicious meals that integrate accents from places far and near—from the American South to Spain, and from Latin America to Asia and India. (If you’re looking for a soy burger on spelt bread, this is not the place.) The mouthwatering and imaginative menu changes daily and includes a selection of starters, main-course salads, and entrées, as well as two tasting menus. The rustic dining room is decorated with dried flowers and museum-quality antique Mennonite and Amish quilts. Soothing amber lighting warms the room, and Nora’s wonderful food warms the tummy.

Restaurant Nora Information:

• American, Mediterranean menu. Dinner. Closed Sun; also late Aug-early Sept. Bar. Business casual attire. Reservations recommended. Valet parking.