Our Story

Our Whale of a Tale

The Black Whale was created by New Bedford locals to honor the seafaring heritage of New Bedford and the world-famous seafood bounty landed in its port. 

Steve Silverstein, The Black Whale owner, comes from a family that is as New Bedford as it gets. In 1900, Silverstein’s, The Family Store, opened selling basic dry goods from a pushcart in the South End of New Bedford. Steve was the fourth generation to operate Silverstein’s, which prospered until 1998. Steve grew up in New Bedford, working as a scalloper in the summers and developing a deep love of New Bedford’s seafaring history, especially the fishing industry. 

The Black Whale is designed to be an innovative seafood kitchen with a great bar. Our food mission is to serve fresh, bold, and innovative food that reflects the history of New Bedford and celebrates the New Bedford fishermen, their catch and their culture. 

The foundation of our business is incredible guest hospitality. We hope you feel our passion for The Black Whale and our commitment to you. We ask that you speak up should you not be completely satisfied. Steve will get right back to you, he can be reached at steve@theblackwhale.com.

Thank you for your interest in what we think is a special place.