Let’s be honest: When you think about going to dinner on a Saturday night with your special someone, the bowling alley isn’t your first thought. Heck, it’s not your second or third thought either — but with the culinary talent behind the Barn Bowl and Bistro in Oak Bluffs, it should be.
Chef Albert Lattanzi, known for his previous Italian restaurant, Lattanzi’s in Edgartown, leads in the kitchen. His team is cooking for a varied crowd, from local students coming to snack on small bites while playing a game of darts to the Brazilian community grabbing lunch after church on weekends, to families and friends stopping in for a cocktail at the bar.
The lunch menu, which the Barn describes as “local Vineyard cuisine,” offers some international options as well as classic Cape Cod dishes like crab cakes and clam chowder. Try the Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls, or the Veggies and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Olives and Grilled Pita — great starters when you want something light and refreshing. Of course, you can get your classic American burgers as well as some Italian-inspired pizzas.
For dinner, the offerings are more specialized, and showcase a variety of cuisines, focusing on American and Italian. Whether you’re craving Mussels Portofino (with tomatoes, red onion, garlic, parsley, and white wine) or Grilled St. Louis Style Spare Ribs (with coleslaw and Boston baked beans), the Barn Bowl and Bistro dinner menu will entice your senses. As you would expect, they also offer a fantastic children’s menu, where nothing is over $8.
In addition to the lunch and dinner menus, there is a specific bowling menu and an extensive cocktail menu (try the Kingpin: Kraken Spiced Rum and coffee liqueur topped with a Guinness floater and a dash of bitters).
In the end, though, it’s the Barn Bowl and Bistro’s focus on bringing the community together — whether with a game of bowling or a cup of local Chilmark Coffee — that makes it a don’t-miss spot.
