Somerville, MA | Restaurants (Farm-to-Table) | Supper Club Subscription

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Key Results

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• A shared audience from day one: Field & Vine regulars discovering June Bug, and vice versa
• Table22 handles guest service and admin, freeing the team to focus on the food
• A second creative outlet: monthly playlists and poetry, now built into every box

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From an alley in Union Square to a wood-fired encore

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Sara Markey and Chef Andrew Brady opened Field & Vine in 2017 down a quiet alley off Union Square in Somerville, building a menu around whatever New England's farms and waters were offering that week. It’s seasonal farm-to-table, featuring small plates, a wood-fired grill, a wine list built on producers who let the land speak. 

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Six years later, the pair opened June Bug just steps away. Centered on naturally leavened, wood-fired pizzas and a looser, more playful energy, June Bug carries a different rhythm but a similar instinct: cook what the season hands you, and take care of the people on the other side of the pass.

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That driving force is the closest thing Sara points to when asked about a core value behind her businesses. "I think our core value here is taking care of what we're working with, of each other, of the guests," she says. "A lot of care goes into everything we create, and it's really important for everybody to model that."

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Connecting concepts

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June Bug was still finding its footing when the team decided to build a club with Table22, and the opportunity in front of them was straightforward: a loyal following at Field & Vine that hadn't yet made the short walk over to June Bug's dining room, and a brand-new kitchen with room to build its own audience. A club was a way to introduce the two to each other.

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Each month, Chef Andrew and the teams at both restaurants build a multi-course dinner, delivered ready to finish and eat at home. Members pick an omnivore, vegetarian, or blended track, sized for two or four. They can also add a seasonal cocktail pairing or a June Bug wood-fired pizza, par-baked and ready to warm in their own oven. Everyone gets an email on the same schedule each month, so members always know when the next box is coming.

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Beyond the recurring revenue generated by their strong member base, the club has also provided the team a chance to stretch creatively in a way regular service doesn't always allow.

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"It's been a really great way for us to dig into our creativity, because a lot of the dishes are one-offs. You won't see them on our menus. They're special for the club."

— Sara Markey, Co-Owner, Field & Vine and June Bug

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The creativity extends beyond the food, too. Their general manager builds a new playlist for every monthly box, and the team folded in a piece of restaurant lore that started almost by accident: poems posted in the bathroom. Originally just for Valentine's Day, a team member noted the warm guest reception and suggested keeping them up year-round. The poem now changes monthly and travels with the newsletter, a small, specific piece of the restaurant sent home with every member.

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Partnership for a lighter lift 

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Sara is quick to point out that running the club isn't just cooking - it's guest communication, billing, and fulfillment logistics that could easily have become a second job on top of two restaurants. That's exactly where Table22 took weight off the team. 

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"You do so much of the work for us. It's the guest interfacing, the fact that that's all taken care of,” she explains. “I love my rep, too. She keeps me accountable, but she also always gives me really great feedback, and we've carved out a really nice relationship.”

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That division of labor is what let the club become a creative outlet instead of an operational burden. Table22 owns the guest-facing and back-office work, so Sara, Chef Andrew, and their team can spend their time on the parts that define their unique character: the seasonal menu, the playlist, and the poems.

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“There's so much admin behind the scenes running a restaurant, and the fact that Table22 takes that on for us makes the lift so much less. We're very appreciative of that."

— Sara Markey, Co-Owner, Field & Vine and June Bug

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Knowing it landed

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The clearest signal of the club’s success for Sara has been the members’ feedback, over not just the food, but also the curated letters they include alongside it.

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"People have expressed that they've enjoyed the food time and time again,” she says, “which always means a lot, because it's hard when you box something up and put it out there into the ether. Are people going to receive it the same way? It seems like people are responding to the newsletters, and that feels really nice, because that's where we bear a little more of ourselves. It's a wonderful feeling to know there's connection on the other side."

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That connection is the thing Sara tells other operators to protect if they're considering a club of their own. "Be authentic, lean into it, and have fun with it," she says. "It's a wonderful opportunity for the team to all own different aspects, and really showcase what makes your space and your team wonderful." 

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