Looking back at 365 days seems daunting at first, but as you browse through photos, articles, and your own memories, there are key moments that stand out, specifically when it comes to food on Martha’s Vineyard in 2025. For those of us that live on island and travel often to the mainland, we understand that the rhythm of the island is quite different – not only in seasonality, but in access, trends, and creativity with the constraints that apply to an island seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod. As we look back on the past year, we can see how the Island’s food scene has continued to evolve in ways both quiet and exciting, balancing a nod to tradition while moving forward with change, albeit slowly. But that’s the upside of living here, isn’t it? The slow-living concept, the thoughtful approaches to cooking and baking, the intentionally with ingredients grown right on Island soil – it all adds up to a year of delicious food and drink.
New Openings, New Energy
This year brought a handful of restaurant openings to the dining landscape on Island. The majority of them were in Vineyard Haven and this port town has now become a dining destination for those looking to intentional food experiences. That doesn’t leave the other two down-Island towns behind, both having their own openings this year as well.
Here’s the short list of openings in 2025 for your reference, as well as a quick to-do list for your to tackle this year: Ocean Club Restaurant (VH), Simone’s Waffles (VH), Andrea’s Brew Cart, Honorary Tavern (OB), The Maker (VH), Pocket Dogs (OB) Iggy’s (Menemsha), Indigo (EDG), Vineyard Grill (VH), Black Joy Kitchen (OB), Revel Galley (VH), and Quitsa Kitchen (VH).
The National Restaurant Association estimates there to be 15,284 restaurant locations in Massachusetts alone, making it the second largest employer in the state, creating over 354,000 jobs for residents. Zooming in on Martha’s Vineyard and knowing that 9 establishments opened in 2025 creates excitement within me, as we know how much the restaurant industry adds to the overall economy of the island.
Restaurants Recalibrated
It seems that this was a year for Island restaurants to find their new rhythm, a full five years after the pandemic. The pandemic was obviously the most intense factor in the recalibration, but also noting the endless staffing challenges, shifting tourist patterns, and rising costs on pretty much everything that is needed to open and operate a restaurant, and our Island establishments continue to do the best they possibly can. Noteworthy was to see that collaborations became a part of these recalibrations, where we saw chefs partnering with farms, bakeries, and fishermen to tell a more cohesive food story. Not only were these partnerships good marketing, but they showed us how truly interconnected the Island is. Great partnership ideas in 2025 included: Aquila and Yoga on the Vine partnering to seamlessly deliver Aquila smoothies after your yoga class, Black Joy Chef’s Table Dinners, Back Door Donuts and Bakes for Breast Cancer specialty donut, The Dunes at the Winnetu and their beekeeping program, among others.
Food in Words, Cookbook-Style
This year we saw a few new cookbooks come to life and this marks an upward shift in the cookbook world to have three Island cookbooks in just one year.
Here are the cookbooks launched into the world this year by Island authors, in case anyone reading wants to kick off the new year with cookbook clubs focused on any of the three:
- Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine by Jessica B. Harris
- The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook: 100 Recipes from the Island’s Restaurants, Farmers, Fishermen & Food Artisans by Julia Blanter
- The Sea Table: Stories of Fishermen & Recipes from Martha’s Vineyard by The Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust with Catherine Walthers
As we look to 2026, will we see an alpha-gal specific cookbook to come out of Martha’s Vineyard? I’m sure there’s someone already with a proposal in the works, and if not – I suggest you get on it!
Making Space at the Table for Everyone
We can’t talk about food this year and not talk about how Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) and/or Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA), which can be used interchangeably, affected the Island population. The number of new diagnoses for this allergy rose from 180 cases (between 2015 and 2020) to 10,132 cases (between 2021 and 2025)**. As cases rose and the New York Times’ August coverage titled “Why Is Martha’s Vineyard Going Vegan? It’s All About Tick Bites”, published, our Island chefs and restaurants adjusted for this new dietary need. As mentioned in their article, places like Mo’s Lunch, North Tabor Farm, and North Tisbury Farm & Market all have adapted their offerings to make a space at the table for everyone. In my own experience, not having AGS but always looking to see what the vegan offerings are, places like MV Salads, The Port Hunter, Lucky Hank’s, The Pawnee House, and Tiger Hawk are not only intentionally crafting plant-based dishes, but creating them with flavors and textures in mind so that you might not even miss the meat or dairy.
With the reminder that making space at the table for everyone should guide menu creation even more so in 2026, it should be said that there’s much more space to grow in this intersection of food and health. Personally, I’d like to see more restaurants embrace the plant-based ideas offered by the more casual locations. As I know it’ll ruffle some feathers, I’ll say it: almost anyone can salt, pepper, and grill a steak, but not everyone can make mushrooms/cauliflower/eggplant taste delicious. Let’s put the same effort into vegetables in 2026 and confirm what the vegans have always known: you can make delicious dishes without animal protein.
In Attendance Just for the Food
If you know me, you know that the moment I get invited to an event, my first question will always be: “who is catering it?”. Not only because I’m always hungry, but food sets the tone for an event and without it, guests not only leave hungry but disappointed. The event that truly impressed me with their food offerings was the Jewish Culture Festival. This year, the food highlighted dishes from each main Jewish holiday – Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot, all paired with kosher wines. I’ve never seen more abundance in terms of food diversity at any event on the Island! If you haven’t been to this event, put it on your calendar for 2026. Aside from this festival, other notable foodie events included the Taste of the Vineyard, Edgartown’s Chowder Cup, and the Ag Fair of course.
My hopes and dreams for 2026 are this: may the food events of the past resurface! I’m talking about the Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine Festival, the Art of Chocolate at Featherstone, the Big Chili Contest, MV Craft Beer Festival, and the MV Oyster Festival.
Food as Community Care
Our community non-profits did the most this year, in the best way possible. Finding ways to support the island community through food is truly one of the most admirable things to do in my opinion, and organizations such as Slough Farm, Island Grown Initiative, Island Food Pantry, The FARM Institute, and the MV Boys & Girls Club, among so many others, deserve a round of applause. Making sure that access to food is available to everyone on island, no matter what, is also at the forefront of a lot of the work being done by the Councils on Aging crafting meals for seniors and the community meals done by our local churches such as St. Andrew’s, Federated Church, and Chilmark Community Church.
The efforts made by many were not flashy, but they were deeply impactful to community members in need. Free markets, holiday meals, soup programs – each and every one of them chipped away at that need. A standing ovation to those behind the scenes making sure no one goes without nourishment on an island filled with such abundance.
Diverse Voices at the Table
Seeing how Brazilian, Jamaican, and Balkan foods are shaping the Island is significant. If I’m craving a taste of Brazil, I’m getting empanadas at Vineyard Grocer and brigadeiros at Sweet Bites; if I’m wanting Jamaican for lunch, I’ll stop by to get jerk chicken with rice and peas at Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine or the fried stuffed snapper at 11 Circuit; and if I’m craving Balkan snacks, I’ll stop into Cozy Corner Cafe for warm bureks, as well as unique ingredients like mild ajvar that I love using in my home kitchen.
My hope for 2026 is that more Island restaurants bring in diverse flavors into their menu, drawing inspiration from these countries rather than the French and Italian-centric inspiration we’re so used to seeing and are, quite honestly, tired of.
The Power of Prepared Foods
Something I’ve noticed gaining more and more traction in the last year was that the options for prepared foods grew in 2025. It seems that it might have become part of the steady drum of eating on Island for most – whether you’re busy working 12-hour shifts in August, needing a few extras to feed your family during the weekends, or just looking for fresher options than the classic meal delivery kits from the mainland, the prepared foods section at a few places have truly been elevated. More and more people are relying on farmstands, markets, and specialty shops to bridge the gap between eating out and cooking at home, and this section fills that need.
Places that come to mind that are doing prepared foods well include but not limited to: Beetlebung Farmstand, Black Sheep, Catboat Coffee Co., Chilmark General Store, Great Harbor Market, Katama General Store, Morning Glory Farm, S&S Kitchenette, Tony’s Market, and Waterside Market.
A Look Towards 2026
If this year proved anything, it’s that food on Martha’s Vineyard isn’t just something we consume to feed our hunger. It’s something we participate in, together, to feed our souls.
*Source: National Restaurant Association, Industry At A Glance in MA: https://restaurant.org/getmedia/91121b0e-a294-4c94-b0e4-19ce645fed0c/massachusetts-state-fact-sheet-2025.pdf
**Source: Alpha-Gal on the Rise: The Alarming Growth of Alpha-Gal Syndrome in High-Risk Regions: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12365936/
Disclosure: Marnely Murray works in marketing and with a food industry background, has connections, ties, and clients in this industry. For the sake of transparency, if she mentions an Island brand that is/has been a client of her business, Shored Up Digital, it will be noted at the end. In this piece, clients mentioned are Morning Glory Farm, Cozy Corner Cafe, and Waterside Market.
From 180 to 10,000 cases?