Martha's Vineyard

[jeunefilleparis]

I will be staying in Martha Vinyard the 20th of august til the 25th. I love oysters and all seafood. Can somone recommend some great, not terribly expensive restaurants on the island!

thank you

lauren

[johnnyd]

Sadly, I don't think such a thing exists anymore! When I was a kid, we used to get littlenecks with our toes out of Katama Bay off Edgartown and Chappy. There was a clam bar right next to the yacht club where I'd eat my weight of 'em but last I was there, it had morphed into a cheap burger joint. Find the clams. You might hit bluefish season at that time which, when fresh as possible, could be made into a masterpiece by some of those island chefs.

[bobmac]

Menemsha Bight or Bite (I'm not sure how they spell it because it's a play on words), if it hasn't morphed, is a great little stand. Best quahog chowder anywhere.

[9lives]

Second that recommendation. And if you have access to a grill or kitchen, Menemsha has 2 great fish markets....right on the harbor..some of the best swordfish I've ever had.

[Daniel]

I have to tell you, i just got back from Marthas Vineyard last night and i have an amazing place. I have been going to Marthas for some time now and I make a point to go to this place at least once a trip. The place is called Larsen's seafood. It looks like (and it is) a little shack right on the water. Now its primarily a seafood store, but they happen to sell steamed lobsters, steamed clams, mussels, shrimp, chowder, and other cooked food. What i do is because Menemsha is a dry town, is buy a few beers or a bottle of wine and go down there right around sun set. You take your food right around back where they have little tables constructed out of lobster traps, and you sit right on the dock watching the ships come in. Yesterday I had a three pound lobster at 8.45 a pound served with drawn butter and lemon and a pound of large shrimp cooked in old bay for 11 bucks. It was unbelievable. Oysters were a little pricey at 1.50 a piece. But this is truly the best seafood experience i have had since last year while i was there.

Another great food experience i had out there was going to this place called Lure right on South Beach. The setting was really relaxed with comfy chairs and setting. I had halibut in a clam bullouisabase (sp)? with choriso mashed potatoes. The halibut was prepared perfectly. My date had line caught swordfish served in a lobster broth with olives and fontina risotto. It was terrific. For an appetizer she had a large scallop with truffled mushrooms. Real good!! Place was pricey but definately one of the better places on the island.

You have to be aware of the fact that Edgertown, Oak Bluffs, and I forget which are the only towns that serve alcohol. So I would bring differents wines in anticipation.

[Daniel]

Sorry Lure is pretty expensive not ridiculous but pretty.

[JPW]

Unless they've changed the laws, E'town and Oak Bluffs are the only "wet" towns on the Vineyard.

In OB, try Jimmy Sea's for some of the best pasta dishes that you'll find anywhere. (I used to work there many years ago) Try the lobster fra diablo if it's still on the menu.

I think that the best seafood on the island is made when you go to any of the fish mongers and get your own ingredients.

Enjoy. I love the Vineyard.

[Daniel]

In OB, try Jimmy Sea's for some of the best pasta dishes that you'll find anywhere. (I used to work there many years ago) Try the lobster fra diablo if it's still on the menu.

Thats a pretty big claim for MV. But i will certainly give it a shot the next time I go back.

I just thought of another good idea, but i dont know if you feel like doing it. You can buy a clamming permit for next to nothing. And then go out to South Beach where the bay and the ocean are right next to each other. Then you can spend a nice day at the beach doing a little clamming and eat them right on the beach if you bring a grill. The blues were running when i was there too. People were grabbing them out of the water left and right, on south beach this saturday.

[johnnyd]

Daniel, you're gonna make me cry! I miss the Vineyard big-time!

[Jaymes]

How about Detente?

I'm probably going to the Vineyard sometime over the next few months and am looking for some good recommendations. I've heard Detente is good and that the folks that run it are super.