Restaurants in Martha's Vineyard
Restaurants tend to be expensive on the Vineyard, but the stiff competition has produced a bevy of places that offer excellent service, evocative settings, and creative cuisine. A note on spirits: Outside Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, and Vineyard Haven (also known as Tisbury), all of Martha's Vineyard is "dry," so BYOB; some restaurants charge a small fee for uncorking. Great Harbour Gourmet & Spirits, 40 Main St., Edgartown (tel. 508/627-4390), has a very good wine selection. There's also Jim's Package Store, at 27 Lake Ave., in Oak Bluffs (tel. 508/693-0236).
Satisfying Martha’s Vineyard’s Sweet Tooth
New Englanders do like their ice cream, and the Vineyard’s go-to ice cream outfit is Mad Martha’s. Founded in 1971, it now has shops in Oak Bluffs (117 Circuit Ave.), Edgartown (7 N. Water St.), and Vineyard Haven (48 Main St.). They offer just over a dozen homemade flavors, and they’re so good, you’ll wish there were even more. The scoops are huge (one is plenty). It’s cash only here, and the ice-cream counter is open daily 11am to midnight, May through September only.
Wherever you find a Mad Martha’s, you can bet there’ll be a Murdick’s Fudge shop down the street—they’re at 5 Circuit Ave. in Oak Bluffs, 21 N. Water St. in Edgartown, and 79 Main St. in Vineyard Haven. This velvety sugar-laden concoction is the top fudge on the island, made from the same recipe since 1887; kids enjoy watching it being made right there in the storefront. Shops are open in summer daily 10am to 11pm; call for off-season hours.
The Legend of the Black Dog
Back in 1969—or so the story goes—Captain Robert Douglas, a local sailor, spent a late cold night in Vineyard Haven and wanted a good meal. There were no restaurants open, and the only food he could find was a packaged stale donut from a convenience store. From that experience, he got the idea of building a good year-round tavern on the harbor in Vineyard Haven. The rest is (marketing) history, as the tavern logo—a silhouetted Black Lab—has been plastered on t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, and just about everything else possible. You’ll find the gear sold all over the island (and on Cape Cod as well); go to www.theblackdog.com for locations. Or buy the stuff on the website and just say you went to Martha’s Vineyard to get it.
Nevertheless, the Black Dog Tavern (Beach St. Ext.; tel. 508/693-9223) remains on the Vineyard Haven harborfront, open all winter long for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (summer hours are 7am–9pm; call for off-season hours.) You can still get a steaming cup of quahog chowder on a winter day here, as well as fish and chips and chicken potpie. Old-time favorites are clams casino, grilled swordfish and, for meat-lovers: bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Friday is lobster night: On sunny days, try to get a seat on the porch next to the harbor. Main courses range from $20 to $45. Reservations are a very good idea.
Just as popular is the Black Dog Bakery (11 Water St.; tel. 508/693-4786), which is the first place you pass as you get off the ferry in Vineyard Haven;this is where travelers in the know get their coffee and snack for the ferry ride. Muffins are a specialty, as are—naturally—dog biscuits.
Island to Island
Want to travel between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket? Hy-Line Cruises (tel. 800/492-8082 or 508/228-3949) runs passenger-only high-speed inter-island ferry service from Oak Bluffs, on Martha’s Vineyard, to Nantucket and back, from late May to early September (there is no car-ferry service between the islands). Each crossing takes 1 hour and 10 minutes; service runs three times a day. The one-way fare is $36 for adults, $24 for kids 5 to 12, and $7 extra for bikes; round-trip is $65 adults, $45 kids, $14 bikes.
Bookstore
Available as paperback
and as e-book.
29 Results
- American
Among the Flowers Cafe
A charming little cafe, Among the Flowers is where to go for a moderately priced lunch or dinner that feels like visiting a friend. Outdoor seating on the patio is particularly pleasant. For breakfast, best bets are apple cinnamon French toast and omelets loaded with veggies. Lunch,…$Edgartown - Diner
Art Cliff Diner
Every town should have a really good diner with a sense of fun. At Art Cliff, even the menu is playful. Green eggs and ham? That’s an omelet with Swiss cheese, spinach, and ham. There are frittatas, crepes and wonderful Drunken Sailor Pancakes (pecan pancakes with real rum sauce). Go…$Vineyard Haven - New American
Atria/Brick Cellar Bar
Many of the Vineyard’s fanciest restaurants, including Atria, also have a more casual dining area (and less expensive menu). The Brick Cellar Bar here, with live music, bumper pool, and fish tanks, has perhaps the Vineyard’s best burger menu, from the PETA (vegetarian, with a…$$$Edgartown - New American
Black Dog Tavern
Back in 1969, Captain Robert Douglas, a local sailor, spent a late cold night in Vineyard Haven and wanted a good meal. There were no restaurants open, and the only food he could find was a packaged stale donut from a convenience store. From that experience, he got the idea of…$$Vineyard Haven - Italian
Chesca’s
What distinguishes this classic Italian restaurant may be a boisterous bar scene where you can catch a game on TV while dining. The casual and lively restaurant also includes an enclosed porch for a quieter dining experience. This is the place to bring a large group and enjoy a big…$$$Edgartown - Seafood
Coop de Ville
The beauty of this place is the outdoor raw bar where you can sit facing Oak Bluffs harbor and watch the boats come and go. There is no indoor seating, but there is an awning over the seating. Fried fish, hamburgers, chicken wings, and lobster dinners are the staples here, washed…$$Oak Bluffs - Pan Asian
Copper Wok
Pan-Asian is how the cuisine is described at this sleek restaurant in the Mansion House hotel, steps from the ferry in Vineyard Haven. Besides Chinese food, there are dishes from India and Thailand, as well as a full 20-seat sushi bar. The Chinese items on the menu are a bargain for…$$Vineyard Haven - American
Espresso Love
The place is a little difficult to find, tucked back behind a parking lot off Main Street in Edgartown. But once you find it, you’ll be glad you did. The MV Blue Beast Sandwich (roast beef, caramelized onion, blue cheese, and mayo) may be reason enough to visit this deli/gourmet…$Edgartown - New American
Garde East
You may go for the view, a calming expanse of Vineyard Haven Harbor, but you’ll remember the cuisine: French-inspired of-the-moment (okay, trendy) preparations of all the bounty the island has to offer. Diners might start with cauliflower tartar with Okinawan sweet potato chips and…$$$Vineyard Haven - Seafood
Home Port Restaurant
At some point after 1930, when the Home Port opened on the slope overlooking Menemsha Harbor, it became not just a casual clam shack but an institution, a place that defined summer for Vineyard visitors. It’s still a place for lobster dinners and sunsets, but now it’s also about…$$$Chilmark - Contemporary French
L’étoile
Long known for being the fanciest restaurant in a town of fancy restaurants, L’étoile now has a bar menu if you want the experience of eating the exquisite cuisine of Chef Michael Brisson without the intimidating prices. Locally caught and sourced fish, meat, and vegetables are…$$$Edgartown - French
Le Grenier
It’s the wonderful traditional French cuisine that brings people back year and year to one of the longest-running restaurants on the island. Chef-owner Jean Dupon from the Lyon region of France knows exactly how to satisfy with local ingredients. So you might start with mussels…$$$Vineyard Haven - New American
Lighthouse Grill/Henry’s Pub
Whether you prefer the fancy atmosphere of the Lighthouse Grill, a special occasion summer-only restaurant with big windows offering views out to Edgartown Lighthouse and Edgartown Harbor, or the clubby gastropub atmosphere of Henry’s Pub, you are assured of good food. Both…$$$Edgartown - Diner
Linda Jean’s
A summer staple in Oak Bluffs since 1976, this diner with a long counter and cozy booths and tables is a particularly good choice for breakfast, although by mid-morning in season, the line waiting for a table goes out the door.$$Oak Bluffs - Diner
MacPhail’s Corner Café
Six oranges go into each glass of fresh-squeezed juice and muffins are baked daily at this top-notch diner steps from the harbor. Breakfast is all day and the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich is a winner. For lunch, there is clam chowder, lobster rolls, and huge cookies.$Edgartown - New American
Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company
Located across from the Flying Horses carousel, this restaurant has sort of a dark, clublike atmosphere when you enter. As you might hope, the signature soup is indeed special—made from scratch with a thin cream base, bacon, and lots of clams ($9 for a cup; $12 for a bowl). Other…$$$Oak Bluffs - Bakery
Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Cafe & Bakery
You can’t imagine the heavenly smell and then taste of a chocolate donut pulled fresh out of the oven at midnight on Martha’s Vineyard. That is when people line up at Back Door Donuts (the alleyway in the back of this coffee shop) for extraordinary baked goods—donuts and apple…$Oak Bluffs - New American
Restaurant Détente
Both this hidden gem and its menu are small but expertly executed and innovative. People book days in advance for dishes like local monkfish with Spanish octopus, mint, grapefruit, and hazelnut ravioli. As a main course, choose between Vineyard fluke with buttermilk risotto or…$$$Edgartown - New American
Saltwater
Chef Joe DaSilva, one of the island’s best, has made this a destination. The dining room uses its location to full advantage with a wall of windows overlooking Lagoon Pond and a high-vaulted ceiling. On the starter menu, lump crab cakes with caper aioli are a longtime favorite. As…$$Vineyard Haven - Mexican
Sharky’s Cantina
With many menu items under $15, this high-octane Mexican restaurant is a great place for budget travelers. On the menu are the usual burritos and chimichangas, but also an entire wings menu with fun flavors like tango mango teriyaki. Beverages are a specialty here, with carefully…$$Oak Bluffs - Deli
Slice of Life
This cafe serves upscale deli food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner at reasonable prices. A lunch favorite is the meatloaf sandwich on a ciabatta roll. At dinner, you could have pan-seared salmon with sweet-potato hash or even fish and chips.$$Oak Bluffs - New American
State Road Restaurant
The restaurant, located way off the tourist track in North Tisbury, bills itself as a “contemporary American tavern,” and though it is open year-round, it is certainly more upscale than the usual tavern. The restaurant’s stone fireplace, rough-hewn beamed ceiling, shingle-sided…Chilmark - French/American
Sweet Life Cafe
Set in a restored Victorian house, this high-end choice has a large outdoor patio, with tables lit by candles and under Japanese umbrellas. It is lovely on a summer evening. Inside is casual elegance. If it’s on the menu when you visit, try the striped-bass ceviche in season as an…$$$Oak Bluffs - New American
The Beach Plum Inn Restaurant
This secluded restaurant in the Beach Plum Inn is one of the best on the island. A big long table is the focus point, though there are also individual tables. The focus here is on local food, be it a salad of North Tabor Farm greens or Menemsha mussels. In a restaurant with views of…Chilmark - Seafood
The Bite
If you happen to be in Menemsha around sunset, you can’t do much better for dinner than stopping in this unassuming clam shack by the harbor. This is fried seafood to go, simple and basic. The warm lobster rolls are superlative, as is the chowder.$$Chilmark - Pub Grub
The Newes from America
If you’re looking for a pub with atmosphere, this one has it. Set in the basement of a 1742 building, the Newes has beams, brick walls, and a hearth. The pub food includes bangers and mash; curry fries; and of course fish and chips. The beer menu’s extensive, too.$Edgartown - American
The Port Hunter
This casual flatbread pizza and burgers place is also the best live (and loud) music venue in Edgartown. The menu always has creative specials like tempura shrimp with a ginger dipping sauce; catch of the day like grilled scup (porgy) with mixed greens; and vegetarian choices…$$Edgartown - New American
The Red Cat Kitchen at Ken ‘N’ Beck
Chef Ben DeForest has created a winner here, in this quirky little hole-in-the-wall on a side street in Oak Bluffs. DeForest’s signature dish is Island Fresca, a soup of corn broth, tomatoes, corn, and butter, topped with Parmesan and basil oil. Fresh from the Vineyard, it tastes…$$$Oak Bluffs - Seafood
The Seafood Shanty
What distinguishes this seafood shack from others along the waterfront is the two levels of indoor and outdoor dining. The roof deck overlooking Edgartown Harbor is really the ultimate place to enjoy a meal in this quaint seaside town. The menu includes sushi and sashimi, with…$$Edgartown
