The owners are the kind of people who might get a text from fellow hockey parents about an epic bay scallop haul, and boom: you’ll find a crudo on the menu that night. The menu is super seasonal and seafood forward, with excellent sea scallops and housemade gnocchi with an anchovy crumble. The garden patio is pure magic complete with fairy lights and floral arrangements. A dinner here always feels equal parts special and laid-back.

Chilmark doesn’t have many sit-down dining options—but when the only show in town is as good as this spot, you won’t hear us complaining. After a hike through Menemsha Hills, head here for handmade pastas with just-caught seafood and crispy poulet frites that could rival any Parisian bistro.

So, you’re on Martha’s Vineyard, it started raining, and you’re simply not trying to get soaked while on vacation. When that happens, hit up this sprawling spot with excellent sweet chili and tandoori chicken wings, mussels in curry sauce, pizza for kids (and your friends who eat like children), and a strong beer list. You’ll be able to occupy yourself with a few games on the 10-lane bowling alley or catch up on the Yankees or Red Sox scores on the TVs throughout the bar.

9 Craft Kitchen & Bar gives VH a much-deserved bar worth lingering in. The seafood-leaning menu swings from a cast-iron swordfish club at lunch to a dinner lineup of entrées like lamb ragout rigatoni and hulking steaks that could double as an arm workout. The bar hums with energy, the draft list leans local, and the dining room is relaxed enough for a pre-or post-ferry pit stop.

This twinkle-lit courtyard spot has been quietly serving inventive American dishes since 2005, and the menu changes frequently. The wine list has lots of great choices, most of them coming from producers that prioritize minimal intervention. This is the kind of place locals quietly celebrate when it reopens each May before the visiting crowds catch on. So snag a reservation, or hope there’s an open seat at the five-person bar.

The big dining room overlooks Lagoon Pond, and you’ll want to make a reservation—or luck into a bar seat for a proper spread of oysters, bouillabaisse piled high with seafood, and top-tier drinks. If you come up short on a bar seat, and it’s early enough in the evening, just mosey across the parking lot to Catboat Coffee Co. for Lebanese chicken shawarma and housemade muhammara.

Tucked behind Edgartown Books, this loungey spot has a full-blown coffee and pastry operation, plus a full bar hiding under shade sails and string lights. Start the day with a cardamom-orange morning bun or a seasonal cruffin, then slide back at dinner for oysters, lobster linguine, or a surprisingly excellent vegan farro bowl that’s bursting with kaffir lime.

In a space just off Main Street in Edgartown, this is arguably the best raw bar on the Vineyard—which is something we don’t say lightly. They usually serve oysters fresh from the waters around the island, with a few littlenecks thrown in, along with dishes like lobster roll sliders topped with caviar, fresh and creative crudo, and wet- and dry-aged steaks. The patio that’s tucked away behind greenery (but still lets you people-watch as the masses walk by) will be your favorite hang all summer.

Larsen’s is exactly what it sounds like: a market selling fresh seafood in a working fishing village. And it’s one of the best places on the island to eat. Grab a hot buttered lobster roll, freshly shucked oysters, or a tub of smoked bluefish spread, then walk your feast to Menemsha Beach, where the sunset gets a round of applause as it dips below the horizon. The team behind the counter is the perfect mix of salty and warm—quick with a recommendation, or a side of sass.

Nomans is a place where the scene vastly outweighs the food. The burgers, tacos, fried chicken sandwiches, and the like are solid, but you’re really here for the giant yard full of picnic tables, lawn games, dogs, live music, and kids chasing each other around like it’s summer camp. Seating is fend-for-yourself, both food and the bar are counter-service, and there’s often an oyster cart stationed outside slinging local bivalves. They also bottle their own rum as a nod to the Prohibition history.

Opened in Spring 2025, Black Joy Kitchen serves a diasporic menu that turns every entrée into a flavorful world tour. There are dishes like Somali coconut fish curry, Ethiopian doro wat with injera, Peruvian huacatay shrimp and pineapple, and a “Rice Journey” from Ghanaian jollof to Gullah red rice from South Carolina. The menu is designed with sharing in mind, and the bright dining room makes it a natural fit for brunch with friends where you might run into half of Oak Bluffs in the process.

This breakfast spot is tucked between a defunct movie theater and a Jeep rental business, and you’ll know you’re in the right place when you see groups waiting outside. There’s usually a crowd at Biscuits, but it’s worth it for these hearty breakfast plates that will definitely wake you up if you’re still sleepy. The cod cake benedict is the move—classic brunch meets New England charm, complete with an Old Bay hollandaise—and the whole-roasted breakfast potatoes.

Just steps from the Oak Bluffs ferry, Red Cat Kitchen serves some of the best and most playful food on the Island. If you’re just there for a drink, claim a seat at the bar and try one of their housemade, clarified cocktails (we love the I’d Tie Mai Tai for you). If you’re visiting in the summer, grab a patio seat and start scheming your return in the off-season for one of their iconic drag brunches.

Atria has two distinct moods. Upstairs, it's all twinkle lights, picket fences, and white tablecloths. In the basement cellar, you'll find leopard-print carpet and neon art like you just stumbled into a glam-rock speakeasy. Whether you’re sipping cocktails under fairy lights or crushing beers under neon glow, Atria is a guaranteed splurge with two very different but equally fun personalities. When it comes to the food, though, everything here is dialed in.

They have ginormous sandwiches, like the Italian with ample mortadella, unhinged desserts like cookies that defy the cookie-to-mouth-size ratio, and a rotating selection of weekly specials—we’re still thinking about the grilled swordfish steak sandwiches. The Leo Burger is by far the best bang for your buck. It's a smashed and griddled four-ounce patty loaded with cheese, shreddy lettuce, pickles, and a housemade special sauce, all for $10.

The Pawnee House feels like a dinner party you actually want to be at. You’ll find everyone from farmhands to fashionistas, with a menu full of things like whipped feta sourced from the island’s Mermaid Farm, and mains like vegan curry pot pie and Korean jackfruit tacos. The owners clearly care—not just about the sourcing and quality of the food, but also about making dinner feel like a special event even if it’s just a random Wednesday night.

This Chilmark favorite has been open since 2009—it’s a farm, it’s a bakery, and, yes, it’s got fresh cheese. Visit and you can stock up on freshly baked bread, sweet treats, orange rind-covered Prufrock cheese, milk, preserves, and meats raised right on the farm. Swing by and stock up on a ton of stuff for your visit to the island, because starting your day with a freshly baked chamomile cream bun or lemon poppy danish is clearly the correct life choice.

If you’re looking for a dinner spot where the pristine patio matches the quality of the menu, head to The Pelican Club at the recently renovated Faraway Martha’s Vineyard hotel. The space is tropical-meets-nautical without being kitschy, and the menu leans kind of healthy in the best way. Think ceviche, crudo, and shareable sushi rolls that won’t weigh you down before a stroll through the harbor. It’s great for groups, dates, or anyone who likes their spritz served underneath fringed umbrellas.

This Peruvian-fusion sandwich shop is right in the heart of Oak Bluffs. It’s hard for us to stray away from the fried chicken sandwiches—we take ours “tiger style” with sweet chili and miso mayo—but we’ve been happy with their pickle-forward bánh mì and poke bowls, too. We recommend taking your food on the go as there are only a few countertop seats inside. Tigerhawk happens to be conjoined with popular ice cream spot, Mad Martha’s, so you can stop by for a scoop after.

Yes, Beetlebung Farm is way up-island, but it’s absolutely worth the drive. This small-but-mighty farmstand is packed with some of the best bread and pastries on the Vineyard, most of which are made from grains they mill on-site. Stop by on Saturdays for the quiches (if they’re not already sold out), and pick up a fresh-baked Island Loaf made with 100% island-ground grain, MV sea salt, and Island Bee Company honey, that’ll ruin supermarket bread forever.

The West Tisbury Farmers Market isn’t just for picking up bunches of island-grown kale and fresh-cut flowers—it’s a must-stop for some of the best bites on the Island. Check out what’s smoking at The Swimming Pig—hopefully their housemade sausages or a rack of BBQ-rubbed St. Louis pork ribs that have a perfect bark after a six-hour smoke. Or visit Goldie’s Rotisserie for some juicy chicken or a french onion hot dog.

Alchemy has long been a mainstay for white-tablecloth date nights. And while it’s still good for that situation, they recently rolled out something rare for the Vineyard: a late-night menu served from 10pm to midnight. After-hours options include truffle fries, meatball and hot pepper pizza, and a hot dog tower that calls to us like a siren’s song. The dining room still feels elegant, and the back bar knows how to party—perfect for when you want one last espresso martini and a second dinner.

Outermost Inn feels a bit like dining at the edge of the world, with sweeping ocean views and the Gay Head Light blinking just beyond your table. The menu is hyper-seasonal, spotlighting what’s freshest that day. Later in the summer and into fall, they open for brunch, which is your cue to grab some friends, take the scenic drive, order something eggy, add in a large format cocktail, and linger as long as they’ll let you.

You’re not here for the coffee—you’re here for everything coming off the sizzling flat top griddle. Dock Street is a chrome-stools-only, straight-rail diner. The flat top is always cranking, and the breakfast sandwiches—or anything with the aforementioned linguiça—are exactly what you need the morning after one too many at the nearby Wharf Pub. It’s walk-in-only, cash-preferred, and all the better for it. If you manage to snag a stool, mind your elbows, and soak in the old-school Vineyard charm.

Get up early, and take the ferry over to Chappaquiddick for an adventure, which should include stopping at the Mytoi Japanese Garden to feel one with nature and have some pond time. When you’re done, Atlantic Fish and Chop House is waiting for you right in Edgartown with waterfront seating and harbor views. It’s not super stuffy, but the energy is resort casual—think heavy on the loafers and linen—and you’ll have a slew of great options for seafood and whole fish.