Bravo!
by Thomas Mitchell Dec 15, 2055
editor@stoningtonfresh.com
Abbey Hemmann and Johan Jensen opened Whitecrest Eatery in Stonington's iconic Velvet Mill back in 2019. In 2023 and 2024, CT Magazine recognized them for "Best Brunch", "Best Burger" and "Best Hidden Gem" two years running, “Best Burger” again this year, and finally the CT Restaurant Association has crowned Whitecrest "2025 Best Restaurant in New London County." For us local fans, that is no surprise.
The name "Whitecrest" is a tribute to White Crest Beach in Wellfleet, Cape Cod, where Abbey and Johan were married. They met in a restaurant on the Cape, Abbey as the owner's nanny and Johan working in the kitchen. As the About page on their website says, they are now a "dynamic husband-and-wife team" and, along with four-year-old daughter Suna, have brought together a talented and super friendly staff of professionals. The Velvet Mill location feels like a child of Copenhagen and Brooklyn, right down to the perfectly mismatched antique thriftshop plateware.
About that food: Johan, a native of Denmark, brings a "super local" philosophy to the kitchen, influenced by the Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, which emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients. With the Stonington Farmers Market just 60 yards away in the Mill every Saturday and a host of local farms providing everything from pasture raised Longhorn beef burger ("local patties" on the menu and those multiple “Best Burger” awards) to artisanal cheeses, just-harvested veggies, straight-off-the-boat seafood and more, Johan takes full advantage of our regional Stonington Fresh abundance. He also teaches Sunday Sourdough classes in the restaurant kitchen during the winter.
If all that wasn't enough, Abbey and Johan frequently relive their travels abroad through inspired "Culinary Tours" at the restaurant, where the menu becomes your passport to very authentic meals from cultures around the world they have experienced and learned from. This Christmas Johan take us home to Denmark for a traditional Jule Dinner, featuring roasted duck with Christmas gravy and many classic sides.
Congratulations to Abbey, Johan at the whole Whitecrest team!
