Dining like a Native

Alex and Caleb Johnson always knew they wanted to open up a restaurant of their own. The couple, who first met working together at restaurants in Philadelphia, made that dream a reality with Native, the farm-to-table restaurant they’ve run in Honesdale since 2019. 

Prior to opening Native, Caleb worked for two years as a chef at The Launderette in Narrowsburg, NY. There he was introduced to local farmers and suppliers, some of whom he still works with today. 

“John DiPasquale of Lato Sud Farm was one of the first people I met,” says Caleb. “He grows some of the most beautiful produce I’ve ever seen in my life.”  

Today, Native offers small and large plates focused on quality ingredients from local farmers and artisans. While Caleb’s busy in the kitchen, Alex wears many hats such as updating menus and social media, serving as beverage director and working front of house.

The eatery is known for dishes with wild game sourced from Boonton, NJ-based Fossil Farms; a popular dish that comes back on the menu each year is venison osso buco with polenta.

While wild game is a little more expensive than traditional meats, the chef has found ways to prepare it to keep the price affordable. 

“We do a venison tartare…even though it’s a much more expensive cut of meat, you’re serving a much smaller portion,” he says.

Caleb spends a lot of time procuring ingredients, visiting farms and farmers’ markets and seeing his favorite suppliers every week. While buying wholesale keeps the cost of buying local comparable to the alternative, there is a time investment to selecting all the goods himself. 

“We use a great mushroom farmer out of the East Stroudsburg area,” says Caleb. “I get my mushrooms from him at the Hawley Farmers’ Market, but there’s a good stretch of the year that he’s not there that I must drive an hour each way just to get my mushrooms.” 

A poster next to the bar showcases Native’s farm-to-table mission by listing all the local suppliers used by the restaurant. It includes Beach Lake Bakery, whose bread has been on the menu since it opened. 

“It is commendable when a chef gives as much care and thought to the bread served on their tables as their other dishes,” says Beach Lake Bakery owner Lisa Rubin-Woods. “Native is a fantastic restaurant, and we are proud that our bread is a part of it.” 

Thompson-based Bialecki Farms also has worked with Native since they opened their doors. “We have sold them salad green every week since,” says owner Amy Bialecki. “From us, in addition to his salad greens, he’ll buy tomatoes, zucchini, scallions, jalapeno pepper, whatever catches his interest.”

“Because they’re a hydroponic farm it’s super consistent year-round,” says Caleb, speaking of Bialecki Farms. The relationship is collaborative—before the growing season even starts, the farm will ask if there’s anything Caleb wants them to grow that they don’t normally do. 

“We’re proud of the relationship we’ve built with Native through the years and [of] knowing that we are a small part of providing their amazing creations to their customers,” says Amy. “We get to be on the list of some pretty amazing farmers that are on their wall.” 

The Johnsons encourage everyone to go to farmers’ markets and buy their produce direct so they can pursue the selection and get inspiration. 

With so many farmers’ market options in the area, which is their favorite? 

“It’s hard to beat Callicoon just because it’s so big and well represented,” says Caleb. “They have everything you could possibly need there,” including meat, cheese, eggs, bread, produce and flowers. 

“They even have the Montauk Catch Club now at Callicoon, so you can get fresh seafood,” adds Alex.

To be a better farmers’ market shopper, Caleb advises home chefs to get there early, and “go with a plan of what you’re looking for and what you’re trying to cook.” 

While it might take a bit more planning, it will be worth the trip. 

“The quality is just night and day,” he says. 

Native is located at 560 Main Street in Honesdale. To book, call 570/647-4933. www.nativehonesdale.com