Martha’s Vineyard is a foodie’s delight with a broad range of outdoor dining options from casual waterside cafes and seaside takeout spots to intimate fine dining restaurants nestled in the woods. No matter what you're craving, if the weather is nice you’re sure to find a delicious dish with a beautiful view. During the warmer months, nothing beats good eats and cold drinks at one of the Island's many restaurants with outdoor dining.
Here’s a round-up of some of our favorites by town.
Oak Bluffs Outdoor Dining
Oak Bluffs is a bustling town, with dozens of restaurants between Circuit Avenue, Kennebec Avenue and Oak Bluffs harbor. If a water view is what you’re after you’ll want to check out the Lookout Tavern across from the Steamship Authority Terminal, a popular casual eatery with an open-air concept inside including a large patio and additional tables outside. They’re known for their lobster roll, sushi and housemade potato chips, not to mention their full (and busy!) bar.
Located nearby along Oak Bluffs Harbor is even more waterside dining from Nancy’s , the Sand Bar , Lobsterville , Fishbones and Coop deVille & Shuck Shack . Any one of these iconic spots delivers on ambiance (who doesn’t love to watch boats come in and out of the harbor while indulging in their meal?) and flavor, with menus offering seafood favorites and beloved American cuisine.
If you walk up Circuit Avenue you can experience dining al fresco at Flavors MV , a new bistro with Southern-inspired fare; Dos Mas , a taco restaurant with a rooftop seating area; Oyster Bar 02557 , with a second-floor patio to discover fresh dishes with locally sourced ingredients; and Sweet Life Cafe , where you can savor modern cuisine in a beautifully restored Victorian home. Turn the corner down Kennebec Avenue and you can eat outdoors at Offshore Ale Company , the Island’s only brewpub known for their award-winning beers, and Seaweed’s a natural wine bar and restaurant with a great patio for people watching.
Edgartown Outdoor Dining Options
Edgartown is a mecca for fine dining enthusiasts and many of the town’s restaurants offer outdoor dining during the summer months. Town Bar & Grill on Upper Main Street boasts a large tented patio (and heaters!) for eating outside rain or shine. Downtown Edgartown is where you will find the creative cuisine of Atria , Alchemy , The Covington , and 19 Raw , all of which offer tables in the open air. For the seafood lovers, you can’t miss Seafood Shanty , a popular casual establishment with a full sushi menu and expansive views of Edgartown Harbor and Chappaquiddick, or Atlantic Fish & Chophouse for fresh seafood, steaks, and cocktails right on the harbor.
Set back in Nevin Square is Détente , a charming restaurant and bar that serves seasonal, creative dishes, with multiple dining areas including an outdoor patio. Take a trip down to Katama and take in the view at The Dunes restaurant at the Winnetu resort, the only restaurant at South Beach, offering casual, relaxed dining, and refreshing sea breezes. For a real treat in the open-air take the scenic water taxi provided by the restaurant from Edgartown Harbor.
Outdoor Dining in Vineyard Haven
Vineyard Haven is home to the year-round Steamship Authority Terminal, making it one of the busiest towns all year long. In the summer months you can enjoy upscale fine dining at Garde East , which offers seasonal, locally sourced tasting menus on Vineyard Haven harbor. One of the newest restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard is Salvatore’s Ristorante , an authentic Italian bistro with outdoor seating along Union Street, just steps from the ferry terminal. For more casual take-out bites that can be eaten outside the restaurant check out Bobby B’s for pizza and sandwiches, The Net Result for sushi and seafood, and Waterside Market and Little House Cafe for breakfast, lunch, and baked goods.
Up-Island Dining Outdoors
Up-Island refers to the towns of West Tisbury. Chilmark, and Aquinnah. While there are no bustling downtown areas, the quieter, more rural side of the Island still offers tranquil spots to enjoy your meal in the open air. In West Tisbury the Lambert’s Cove Inn brings you Woods , featuring locally sourced and carefully crafted menus served in their beautiful wooded gardens. The charming fishing village of Menemsha in Chilmark is where you will find the freshest seafood on-Island. Stop by Larsen’s Fish Market or Menemsha Fish Market for a cooked lobster dinner, clam chowder, lobster roll or any other New England seafood favorites you can dream up and take in your food on the shore of nearby Menemsha Beach or along lobster-pot-lined Menemsha Harbor. In Aquinnah, the shops at the Aquinnah Cliffs are home to the Orange Peel Bakery Café and Cliffhangers, where you can grab food to go and sit on the nearby hill or Aquinnah Public Beach. For a sit-down meal with quite possibly the best view on-Island check out the Aquinnah Shop Restaurant, with breathtaking views of the colorful clay cliffs, a National Historic Landmark.
Pro tip: Hit the West Tisbury Farmers Market, open every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am to noon in-season, and get yourself the freshest food around to eat wherever you desire for some DIY dining.
We hope your time here is satisfying and is delicious!
