Lobster Rolls, Live Music, and Lawn Games Abound at This Martha’s Vineyard Restaurant

Though summer’s nearly at an end, year-round and seasonal restaurants are still running in full force, and Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard are packed with the yearly influx of warm-weather visitors.

Updated most Fridays, this round-up tracks the latest openings and reopenings throughout the Cape and islands, as well as other restaurant news from the region. Follow along for updates through the summer and beyond, and keep tabs on seasonal openings elsewhere around New England here. Got any Cape and islands dining news that should be on Eater Boston’s radar? Email boston@eater.com.

This guide was originally published on April 26, 2019; it is updated periodically, with updates listed below, starting with the most recent.

August 30, 2019

FALMOUTH — Devour Eatery (352 Main St. #3) is new to Falmouth and serves breakfast and lunch, with selections of sandwiches, french toast, and home fries loaded with cheese, avocado, and eggs. For lunch, the restaurant has a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, falafel, and more, with fruit and vegetable smoothies available at all hours.

HYANNIS — New to the Cape this year is Hyannis Oyster Bar (561 Main St.), which has a seafood-heavy menu that includes a raw bar with a variety of oysters, littleneck clams, and shrimp. The restaurant also regularly hosts live music acts and serves beer, wine, cocktails, and a bunch of frozen alcoholic beverages like a spicy paloma and a pink whiskey lemonade.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — Nomans (15 Island Inn Rd.) debuted this summer on Martha’s Vineyard. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Nomans serves egg sandwiches, veggie burgers, fish sandwiches, clam chowder, fish tacos, poke bowls, fries, and other snacks. The restaurant has its own branded rum, which is featured in many cocktails on the menu, and there are beer and wine selections as well, plus coffee and tea beverages in the morning. Nomans also hosts live music and events daily, plus and lawn games.

ONSET — Trevor’s (144 Onset Ave.), an art gallery in Onset, now has a low-key wine bar inside. There are selections of beer, wine, coffee, and tea, with desserts and pastries from local bakers.

August 9, 2019

Old Kings Coffeehouse/Official Site

ORLEANS — Longtime food truck Street Eats of Orleans opened a restaurant counterpart in May: 3 Fools (87 Route 6A.) specializes in pizza and sous vide wings and serves salads, soups, and subs as well.

PROVINCETOWN — Yolqueria (401 1/2 Commercial St.), which has won multiple awards from local publications, is known for its brunch service and tacos. Chef Brandon Quesnell operates the restaurant from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, and now there’s an addition in the evenings at the restaurant: Helltown Kitchen, from Laurence de Freitas, serves dinner from 5 to 10 p.m., with menu items like lobster risotto, yuca-crusted bay scallops, roasted half-duck, grilled pineapple salad, and pescado encocado. There’s also a selection of wine.

WEST YARMOUTH — Old King’s Coffeehouse (44 Main St.) is a new addition to the Cape this year, open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The sprawling space has exposed brick and wooden tables, and the menu consists of all-day breakfast (think egg sandwiches, breakfast burritos, and baked goods), sandwiches, salads, wraps, smoothies, and coffee and tea.

June 14, 2019

Mass Axes/Facebook

EASTHAM — Blue lobster alert: Cape Cod restaurant Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar (3580 US-6) received a one-in-two-million blue lobster in a shipment this week. The rare crustacean won’t be on the menu; owner Nathan Nickerson said he hoped to donate the lobster to an aquarium. Diners can stop by for a peek at the lobster, though, and can order all other manner of seafood at Arnold’s.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — An interesting trend that has made its way from Canada to various parts of the United States, including Massachusetts, has landed on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer: Mass Axes, a mobile ax-throwing operation, has taken up residence at Sea Smoke Barbecue in Oak Bluffs (7 Oakland Ave.) and will be open for patrons who want to chuck sharp objects at wooden bullseye. Already up and running, Mass Axes will celebrate with a grand opening on June 15, from 12 to 7 p.m. Ultimately, Mass Axes hopes to find a permanent home somewhere in the New Bedford area.

June 7, 2019

The Sweet Life/Official Site

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — The Sweet Life (63 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs) opened its seasonal patio last weekend (a candle-lit garden space), and it’s serving champagne and oysters (with live jazz) on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m. The restaurant focuses on local sourcing and is located inside a restored Victorian house.

NANTUCKET — Restaurant week continues on Nantucket through June 9, with participating restaurants offering menu specials in the range of three to five courses for between $25 and $50 per person. Further details on participating restaurants are available online.

May 31, 2019

Back Door Donuts/Official Site

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — Back Door Donuts (5 Post Office Sq.), which operates out of Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Cafe & Bakery, is back for the season, serving doughnuts out the back door until 1 a.m. each night through October 14. The front of the bakery just underwent some renovations, according to manager Josh Biren. The Oak Bluffs staple came under new ownership last year, and one of the new owners is a familiar name in the Boston restaurant community — Patrick Lyons of the Lyons Group, which manages numerous Boston food and entertainment venues.

NANTUCKET — Or the Whale (stylized as or, The Whale) is now open on Nantucket (38 Main St.), taking its name from the subtitle of Herman Melville’s famous work Moby-Dick. Partners George Kelly, Nicholas Nass, Jamie Lee Nass, Emily Berger, and chef Emmanuel Rojas are serving daily brunch, midday snacks, and dinner during the season, with takeout available between 9 a.m. and noon. A sample menu includes items like lobster rolls, braised short ribs, veggie burgers, and more.

Nantucket Poke is now in operation on the island. The mobile trailer serves Hawaiian poke bowls and will appear at Nobadeer and Cisco beaches, among other locations. The menu includes tuna, octopus, tofu, salmon, and shrimp, plus assorted toppings, poke burritos, coffee, tea, and other beverages.

May 17, 2019

Nancy’s Restaurant & Snack Bar/Official Site

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — The Harbor View Hotel (131 N Water St., Edgartown) is newly renovated — and has new restaurants, too: Roxana Bar opened at the beginning of the month, and Bettini will open on May 31 with chef Patrice Martineau at the helm. Dishes at Bettini will include bouillabaisse, seared beef cuts, and more, and it will be open for breakfast and dinner daily, as well as Sunday brunch.

New restaurant Golden Bull Brazilian Steakhouse (13 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven) opened on May 14. Owner Thiago Machado told the town’s selectmen the restaurant would serve a large selection of salads, 16 kinds of meat, and more. The restaurant operates from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.

Grace Church Lobster Rolls (36 Woodlawn Ave., Vineyard Haven) makes its seasonal return on Friday, May 17. The Friday night operation serves lobster rolls, hot dogs, clam chowder, and pie, and proceeds support the church.

Chilmark Tavern (9 State Rd., Chilmark) also reopens Friday, May 17. The BYOB restaurant serves a rotating menu from chef Andrew Burkill, featuring items like shrimp and grits, braised halibut, crudo, pasta, seared scallops, and more.

Garde East (Vineyard Haven Marina, 52 Beach Rd.) reopens for the season on May 23, serving a mix of appetizers like roasted mussels, grilled lobster skewers, and charcuterie, as well as a seasonal catch of the day, ribeye, roasted chicken, and desserts. The waterfront restaurant also serves cocktails and craft beer and has a selection of more than 400 wines.

And Nancy’s Restaurant & Snack Bar (29 Lake Ave., Oak Bluffs) also reopens on May 23. Nancy’s has operated since 1960, serving a selection of seafood platters, sushi, and a handful of Middle Eastern dishes, like chicken kebab, falafel, and gyro wraps.

NANTUCKET — Two Nantucket businesses are boosting their Boston presence, both in Boston’s Seaport District: For a second year, Cisco Brewers debuted its family-friendly, dog-friendly seasonal beer garden in the Seaport this week, featuring wine from Nantucket Vineyard; tacos from Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar; lobster, shrimp, and crab rolls from Luke’s Lobster; and pizza from Flatbread.

Additionally, Nantucket’s Lola 41 and Lola Burger will add yet another sibling in Boston. Joining Lola 42 in the Seaport this June will be 111 East, an Asian bistro and hot pot restaurant.

April 26, 2019

The Club Car/Official Site

EAST FALMOUTH — Brandon Baltzley and Laura Higgins-Baltzley relaunched the Buffalo Jump (Coonamessett Farm, 277 Hatchville Rd.) for the season on April 12. The Buffalo Jump taps into local and indigenous Cape Cod ingredients and offers breakfast, lunch, and a kids menu during the day. In the evenings, diners can experience a multi-course, reservations-only tasting menu.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD — Chef Patrice Martineau (a veteran of Daniel Boulud’s New York restaurant empire and several other international culinary establishments) has landed on Martha’s Vineyard to step into a new role as executive chef at two restaurants in the Harbor View Hotel (131 N Water St., Edgartown). Starting May 1, Bettini Restaurant will serve breakfast and dinner daily, plus Sunday brunch, with a focus on seafood and sourcing from local producers, while Roxana Bar will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week with a mix of Asian, Mediterranean, and American dishes, cocktails, and more.

Town Bar & Grill (227 Upper Main St., Edgartown) has already debuted for friends and family, with plans to hold a grand opening for the public on April 29. The restaurant from Good N U Hospitality (which is behind Boston’s Local 149, Article 24, and more) has previewed bits of its menu on social media, including roasted Brussels sprouts, mac and cheese fritters, fried pickles, chowder, bolognese, crab cakes, and tuna tartare. The restaurant will operate year-round, with 18 draft lines, brunch on weekends, and seasonal patio dining.

NANTUCKET — Via Mare (Greydon House Hotel, 17 Broad St.) debuted on Nantucket in early April, bringing a Venetian vibe to the island courtesy of the team behind Nantucket’s Ventuno and Pizzeria Gemelle. With a bend toward Italian dishes with New England influence, the new restaurant serves items like stuffed quahogs with porchetta, squid ink spaghetti with Jonah crab and jalapeno, and beet-filled tortellini.

Ventuno, meanwhile, will open for the season on May 15, and Pizzeria Gemelle will return at some point this spring.

Also on Nantucket, the Club Car (1 Main St.) made its return for the season on April 25. The Club Car sources from local farms, producers, and fisheries, with various influences from New England, Spain, and the Mediterranean. The restaurant encourages sharing and offers dishes like grilled lamb skewers, roasted cauliflower, albondigas, and za’atar-roasted chicken. Diners can also choose not to choose — the Club Car offers a chef’s choice meal option for full tables.