Door's open. Yum.
The weather is the first hint that the summer is approaching, and the stores and restaurants that have been in hibernation through the winter are beginning to rustle with activity. The yawn and scratch of Martha's Vineyard's seasonal activities have begun.
If you've been missing your favorite restaurant fare, here are some of the restaurants that have recently re-opened.
Coop de Ville on the Oak Bluffs Harbor is open seven day a week.
Photo by Susan Safford
Oak Bluffs
Perennial early bird, the casual bar/restaurant Lookout Tavern, with its view of Nantucket Sound and proximity to several ferries, is once again in full swing. New chef Kevin Alexander has added new entrees to the menu and expanded the all-day offerings to include choices with a Caribbean flair. According to manager Mike Santoro, "We're offering the same great menu items but adding some new flavors to our menu."
Farm Neck Café on County Road has been serving breakfast and lunch since April 10 with new extended hours. The casual golf-course restaurant has added a late afternoon menu that will fill the gap between lunch and dinner. Says café manager Mia Rebello, "We decided to focus on our golfers and also provide an affordable late lunch option." The pub style menu will change daily, influenced by a demand from a hungry post-golf crowd - featuring burgers, wings, etc. The café will begin serving dinner in June.
There's a new entrance for takeout orders at Giordano's in Oak Bluffs. Photo by Tony Omer
Coop de Ville on the harbor is traditionally the first to open on the Oak Bluffs wharf every season and the last to close, thanks to a loyal following of wings, burgers, and fried seafood fans. Open since last weekend, it is in operation seven days until dark, as long as the May weather holds. Owner Petey Berndt notes that they will be adding some new "recession buster" items this year - a 16 oz. New York strip steak for $15 and a raw-bar happy hour with one-dollar littlenecks.
Giordano's hasn't changed much at all in its more than 70 years as a Circuit Avenue landmark. But regulars may be surprised to discover that this year the takeout area has been remodeled. The clam bar and pizza side, which opens this weekend, is consolidated into one big user-friendly lobby. Pizza manager Carl Giordano explains that they have added a second pizza oven and a large shared indoor area so customers won't have to wait outdoors. Giordano's Restaurant opens May 21.
Smoke 'N Bones on Dukes County Avenue in Oak Bluffs opened earlier in April, and will soon be featuring outdoor dining in their newly revamped Boneyard. The open-air counter service Smoke 'N More Bones on Circuit Avenue, offering Southern specialties, will open Memorial Day weekend.
New owner-chef Cybele Sprague takes over at Zapotec on Kennebec Avenue, providing authentic Mexican dishes from peasant food to Mexico City specialties that she learned in Mexico. The traditional sauces are all prepared from scratch. All-day menu items are priced between $5 and $16. Bar manager Phil Tucker serves frozen drinks and an abbreviated bar menu. Zapotec opened Wednesday, April 29.
Edgartown
L'étoile on North Water Street will reopen for the season this Friday with an expanded bar. Chef/owner Michael Brisson refers to the new arrangement as a gastro pub - a popular trend transported from England in deference to a savvy new breed of young pub-denizens. Al fresco fans will be happy to hear that the outdoor bar has expanded in both space and menu.
At L'étoile in Edgartown, bartender Richard Very presides over the new bar service. Photo by Susan Safford
The addition of a wood grill has transformed both the menu and the name of Lure at the Winnetu on South Beach. The newly christened Lure Grill has replaced the white tablecloths and upscale dining air with classic wood top tables and an informal atmosphere. Says executive chef Mark Goldberg, "We've [switched] to a more casual and more approachable restaurant with comfort foods and grilled entrees." Lure Grill continues its tradition of being child-friendly with the addition of a back-corner activity area where children can play out of earshot of other diners.
Chesca's chef/owner Joanne Maxwell has added the option of half-orders of the popular pastas and risottos to the menu, and replaced some of the higher end offerings with new under-$30 entrees. In order to cater to the carryout crowd, Chesca's is now packing family-style dinners in eco-friendly containers to facilitate home/hotel or boat dining. For $25 per person, the take-out menu includes three daily offerings with sides, salads, and bread. Says Ms. Maxwell, "It's a nice way to take away if you don't want pizza or subs."
Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury
Saltwater on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven is taking advantage of the pond-front property by featuring a Sunday cookout. General manager Ron Gray says, "It will be a casual family-oriented BYOB barbecue with items grilled outdoors. You can bring a blanket and eat outside on the water." Saltwater features an upscale Sunday brunch served either indoors or on the new front patio.
The Lambert's Cove Inn and Restaurant in West Tisbury opened on Easter Weekend. The elegant West Tisbury restaurant will be testing out affordable offerings in a prix fixe bistro menu - soup or salad and an entree for $39. Co-owner Scott Jones says, "If the items go over well, we'll add them to our regular menu."
And there are other familiar restaurants recently opened and ready to serve:
In Edgartown...
Among the Flowers, where you can dine inside or out.
Atria, elegant dining and lively bar.
In Oak Bluffs
Mediterranean, in its new setting (formerly Lola's) with a new lounge area and enlarged dining room.
The Sweet Life Café, fine dining in a romantic setting
inside and out.
Gwyn McAllister is a regular contributor to The Martha's Vineyard Times.
