More Martha’s Vineyard Eats

As will become clear from this article, we didn’t make it out of Edgartown during our entire three-day stay on Martha’s Vineyard. (We did the preppy version of this weekend’s NYT tour.) While the picturesque Victorian town of Oak Bluffs is definitely worth visiting, there’s enough dining in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard to fill a long weekend’s worth of meals, if you don’t mind ending up at the same bar every night. Best of all, you can walk everywhere.

Chesca’s

On a chilly summer evening, Chesca’s is the place to go for great atmosphere. Past the white rocking chairs on the front porch, a crowd gathers in the relatively warm interior—artsy types in funky glasses and flowy dresses, chic women in white jeans, a big family gathering, a group of couples doing a summer house—basically a cross section of the MV summer community. The Italian dishes are good, and even if they don’t dazzle, they rarely disappoint. Eggplant involtini ($12), stuffed with melting ricotta, was like comfort food from the garden, and the scallops had a buttery crisp finish. Chesca’s attention to detail is apparent in the presentation: even an apple pie dessert is dressed up and served with a flower on top. Chesca’s, 38 N. Water Street, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, 508-627-1234.

Among the Flowers

Of several restaurants laying claim to the island’s “best lobster roll,” Among the Flowers may just deliver. The exterior is a garden overflowing with—you guessed it—flowers, while the interior looks like an old-fashioned sweet shop. There are many tempting things on the menu, including a daily quiche and even a lobster salad plate, but try not to stray from the aforementioned lobster roll ($15.99, pictured above), or you will just be cheating yourself. The sandwich comes jam-packed with prime lobster meat, barely dressed with mayo and a hint of cayenne, overflowing from a soft, white flour hot dog roll toasted on a buttery grill. Among the Flowers, Mayhew Lane, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, 508-627-1234.

Soigné

It was love at first sight when we opened the door to Soigné. The concept may be a little unusual: wine shop turned wine, cheese, gourmet goods, and sandwich shop, but the owners show excellent taste across every category. Go here for moderately-priced but upscale wines like Elyse, Grgich, and La Crema and pair them with cheeses like Istara or La Tur for an impromptu wine and cheese party, as we did. The picnic-ready gourmet sandwiches like smoked turkey with horseradish cream are made on addictive French bread, and should you need an entire shelf of specialty mustards, they’ve got that too. Soigné, 190 Upper Main Street, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, 508-627-8489.

Atlantic Fish & Chop House

Snazzy new nautically-themed restaurant Atlantic deserves an entry all of its own, but alas, we spent most of our time here drinking, not eating, since it’s also the most happening spot in town. There’s live music on Thursdays and a great DJ on Saturday, so be prepared to kick up your Jack Rodgers and get down. This is a great place for celebrations, especially if you start off with the deceptively-named “Small Atlantic Bouquet” ($48), which consists of two huge tiers of oysters, colossal crab cocktail, lobster cocktail, shrimp cocktail, and clams. Finish it off with some herbed French fries, roasted tomatoes and roasted artichokes with garlic, and you’ll be fueled up for the dance floor. The waterfront views and open porch also make this one of the prettiest places in town for lunch. Atlantic Fish & Chop House, 2 Main Street, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, 508-627-7001.

MacPhail’s

New MacPhail’s coffee shop was one of the few disappointments on the island. Lured in by the “best lobster roll” sign (yes, I’m that tourist), we chose MacPhail’s for our last meal. The lobster roll took an eternity to make, but apparently an eternity was not enough time to grind the $20 pound of organic coffee we requested. When it did arrive in the wrong grind, it was a pound of coffee in a plastic Ziploc bag. For $20, you’d think they’d put it in something a little less ghetto. This rather sad lobster roll ($15.99), served, oddly, as a grilled panini, cost the same as the lobster roll at Among the Flowers away but contained less lobster and no fixin’s. MacPhail’s homemade blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, and coffee are all redeeming qualities though – if you get better service than we did. MacPhail’s, 18 Dock Street, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, 508-939-3090.

Check out the full photo album of Edgartown restaurants on Flickr.