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Here are a few tasty reasons to go to Martha’s Vineyard this summer - The Boston Globe.It’s never too early to be thinking about a trip to Martha’s Vineyard.And by “thinking,” we mean “thinking about where to eat.” Yeah, yeah, we’ll hike, sail, go to the beach, and window-shop for fabulous frocks in Edgartown, but we’ll plan all of that around dining.Restaurants are expensive these days, so we want those meals-away-from-home to be truly delicious and memorable.If that describes you, too, we see you.Here’s what’s happening on the local dining scene.A James Beard darling Ever been to State Road in West Tisbury?If you loved it, you’re in good company — this contemporary tavern was a 2026 James Beard Foundation award semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality.Owners Mary and Jackson Kenworth and chef Jonathan Warnock have perfected the art of showcasing creative and delicious dishes in an enchanting, antique-filled space.Everything is scratch-made, highlighting the bounty of regional farms and fishermen, plus gorgeous fresh produce culled from their own garden.It’s a true taste of the Vineyard.Mumbai-meets-Martha We recently visited the island on one of the gloomier Saturdays in March, so we relished the warmth (and heat, culinarily speaking) at Indigo, which opened last September in the old Sharky’s Cantina space in Edgartown.You wouldn’t recognize it now — the place has undergone a ceiling-to-floor makeover.Now it’s shiny and chic, with a long bar flanking the left side of the restaurant.You may know co-owner/restaurateur Babu Koganti for the Indian-fusion gastropub Don’t Tell Aunty, near Symphony Hall The island’s only Indian restaurant offers a lengthy menu that spans “Mumbai to Martha’s,” (their words), including kebabs from the tandoor, rice and noodle dishes, classic curries, a watermelon-mango salad that sounds very “island summer,” Kashmiri devilled eggs (with Indian spices and fried curry leaves) and .a bacon cheeseburger.We devoured every bite of palak pakora, a starter of spiced, deep-fried spinach leaves.Do not pass up the butter chicken, a dish made with a mixture of 60 to 70 spices, a symphony of creamy deliciousness.(Order your own dish; this one is too good to share.) They offer the same menu for lunch and dinner, with main dishes in the $26 to $35 range.Co-owner/restaurateur Babu Koganti is also known locally for Indian-fusion gastropub Don’t Tell Aunty near Symphony Hall, among other properties.For Honorary islanders Reasonably-priced eats in the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post in Oak Bluffs?We love this for the Vineyard.Honorary Tavern (www.honorarytavern.com) opened in December for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, year-round.If you’re an island regular, you’ve probably tasted owner/chef Shamel Abraham’s tasty food — he cooked at Coop de Ville restaurant for 20 years.At Honorary Tavern, think elevated comfort food (wings, chowder, burgers, ribs, fried seafood) plus Jamaican classics including curry goat and oxtail.Prices are comfy, too; jerk chicken with rice and beans, veggies, and fried plantains will set you back $18.That’s pretty friendly as island prices go.Meat me at the grill A steakhouse with a Brazilian twist — that’s how they roll at the recently opened (December 2025) Vineyard Grill, currently open for lunch and dinner at Five Corners in Vineyard Haven.(They’ll also be open for breakfast this summer.) For lunch, they offer an authentic Brazilian buffet that’s all-you-can-eat or pay-by-the-weight, featuring prime meats (Brazilian BBQ), side dishes, and salads.At dinner, order a la carte, say a seafood paella or whole branzino with mashed potatoes, spinach, and garlic sauce (each $36).The steak tips and yucca fries win raves.Taste the joy “We describe our menu as covering the entire spectrum of the Black Diaspora.It includes food from 68 countries throughout Africa, Latin America, the entire Caribbean, and across the southern US,” says Chef Ting of Black Joy Kitchen in Oak Bluffs.Black Joy has quickly become a local favorite thanks to their Brunch BBQ & Beats menu on weekends, featuring two meats and three sides ($48), with a DJ providing the beats.Meats are marinated, seasoned, and slow-smoked — among the very best BBQ bites in the state, Chef Ting says.For summer, they’re introducing Noepe’s Crown, a deconstructed lobster dish featuring flash-fried lobster tossed in ginger, garlic, jalapeno and shallots, with fermented black bean sauce and a drizzle of Rwandan honey.It’s $125, serves four, and is “a work of art,” the chef says.Bank on some fine cooking here That cool stone building on Main Street in Vineyard Haven, former home of Martha’s Vineyard National Bank?It is now a haven for fine dining, Ocean Club Restaurant and Bar, helmed by a seven-time James Beard Award nominee, chef Marc Orfaly.Known in Boston for Pigalle and Reel House restaurants, Orfaly’s focus here, as culinary director, is “Coastal Mediterranean,” emphasizing seafood and shared plates.But first, the space: They’ve restored the architectural features of the c.1902 building, including its domed ceiling, mahogany doors, and stained-glass clerestory arches, and repurposed the stainless-steel bank vault as a wine cellar and communal dining space.The vault door is actually a table top.Open for dinner only, the Ocean Club’s seasonal menu highlights mezze (small plates), handmade pasta, and meat and seafood from local purveyors — think Prime Brandt Beef steak frites, halibut piccata, Sicilian-style anchovy pasta, roasted cauliflower steak, and raw oysters from local waters (when possible).This is a splurge-y option — that halibut entrée will set you back $52 — but you can opt for a seat at the bar and settle in with a cocktail — say, the Old Stone Bank, made with bourbon, lemon, and sweet vermouth— and enjoy the scene.Start the day in a cozy kitchen café Chef Theresa Manning of Quitsa Cuisine Catering launched a new venture last year: Quitsa Kitchen Bakery Café in Vineyard Haven, in the former Life at Humphreys space.Open for breakfast and lunch, the café offers a rotating list of daily specials.The short but inspired breakfast menu features not-your-typical choices like shakshuka, and blue corn waffles with eggs, sausage, and spicy maple syrup (each $14.) For lunch, look for a burrata fritta (breaded and fried burrata with arugula and tomato jam), and a “French onion grilled cheese sandwich” with caramelized onions and Gruyere that sounds wonderfully indulgent.Meet your maker (café) Occupying the (cute, intimate) space of the former Little House Café in Vineyard Haven, Maker Café focuses on house-made pasta and seasonal dishes.Café co-owner and chef Carlos Montoya believes that pasta is a vessel to showcase beautiful local ingredients, so you’ll quickly discover this isn’t just another Italian joint.Case in point: Bucatini Bolognese, made with Wagyu beef, veal, and pork ragout and San Marzano tomatoes ($36), a dish that quickly became a favorite when the café opened last May.We’d visit for lunch to have a go at the mushroom melt with provolone and spinach on house-made focaccia ($16).Maker is open for lunch, dinner, and Saturday brunch, year-round.(Note: They close on Sundays.) Buh-bye, Linda Jean’s; hello, Highlands General Remember Linda Jean’s on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs?The homey diner, known for blueberry pancakes and a 40-plus-year presence on the island, is history.In April, developer Charles Hajjar and Doug Abdelnour, owner of island restaurants Nancy’s and Nomans, launched a fast-casual spot called Highlands General in this space.Open daily for breakfast and lunch, with counter service and plenty of grab-and-go options, the eatery offers rotisserie chicken, a variety of bowls (rotisserie cauliflower, anyone?), sandwiches and salads.No pancakes yet, but here’s hoping.Linda Jean’s set that bar high.For information, visit the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce; www.mvy.com.Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com