Thursday, May 24, 2012

By Eleni Collins
Published: July 16, 2009

You have an advantage if you are lucky enough to live up-Island where you're steps away from the many take-out spots in Aquinnah and Chilmark. If you do not, these cafes and snack bars are at least a half-hour drive away, but the delicious food and stunning scenery make them worth the trip.

The Bite, located in Menemsha, is a popular place to go for fried seafood. Photos by Lynn Christoffers

In Aquinnah, the westernmost tip of the Island, is Faith's Seafood Shack and the Aquinnah Shop Restaurant. Faith's boasts the freshest seafood: oysters and littlenecks on the half shell, lobsters, steamers, and much more. There's also sushi and sashimi, with several Chef's Special Rolls, such as the Seafood Shack Roll: steamed lobster, fresh mango, and avocado with lemon mayo, for $18.95.

The Aquinnah Shop Restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch. Sit down inside or out for table service, and for a view that you won't forget.

In Menemsha, part of Chilmark, many places offer take-out food you can enjoy in a scenic spot - on the beach, dock, or jetties, among the fishermen.

The Galley, in Menemsha, is a popular place for hamburgers, ice cream cones, and hot fudge sundaes.

Larsen's Fish Market and Menemsha Fish Market offer fresh seafood and other snacks. They'll steam lobsters for you to eat outside on the lobster trap picnic tables, or you can take home fresh scallops, oysters, and many varieties of fish to cook at home. At the Menemsha Fish Market, chicken lobsters are $5.99/lb.; 1 1/4 lb. lobsters are $7.29/lb., and 1 to 3 lb. lobsters are $9/lb. Add $1 per pound for cooking, which includes cracking, splitting, plates, utensils, and napkins.

At Larsen's, chicken lobsters are $7.99/lb., 1 1/4 lb. lobsters are $8.49/lb., and selects (more than 1 and 1/4 lb.) are $9.29/lb. Larsen's also charges $1 per pound for cooking.

Also at the markets, find stuffed quahogs, clam chowder, lobster bisque, crackers, and seafood dips. At Larsen's, there are many gluten-free snack options.

The Bite in Menemsha is famous for their fried food: coconut shrimp, clams, scallops. You name it. Try the "Bite" fries, which are fried pieces of skin-on potatoes.

If you want a salad, visit the Menemsha Café. Under new ownership this year, the cafe boasts fresh food: healthy cold cuts, local vegetables, and farm fresh eggs.

The Galley offers a wide variety of take-out, from hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches to soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes. They also have many vegetarian options, such as tomato, pesto, and mozzarella on white or wheat bread.

Home Port's "Back Door" menu allows you to carry out your dinner to the Home Port deck, or to another spot overlooking Menemsha Harbor and the sunset. The menu offers everything from fried food to fresh fish. And find a raw bar on the restaurant's deck.

(Prices are subject to change.)