After a full day of swimming, building sandcastles, riding boogie boards, and strolling along Martha's Vineyard's beautiful beaches, every family eventually asks the same question: "What's for dinner?"
Vacation should be easy. There's no need to dress up or rush from one place to another. Simply brush off the sand, slip into comfortable clothes, and enjoy a delicious meal together. Whether you're dining at a family-friendly restaurant or picking up takeout to enjoy on the beach at sunset, some of the best vacation memories are made around the dinner table.
One of the easiest ways to make meal planning fun is by creating theme nights. Kids love knowing what's coming next, and parents love not having to decide where to eat every evening. Whether it's Pizza Night, Burger Night, Taco Tuesday, Beach Picnic Night, or Dessert Night, each meal becomes part of the adventure.
Pizza Night: A Family Favorite
There's a reason pizza is a vacation classic. It's easy, affordable, and everyone can find a favorite—from traditional cheese and pepperoni to creative specialty pizzas featuring fresh local ingredients.
Many Island pizzerias offer outdoor seating where families can relax while kids unwind after a busy day. Picking up a pizza to enjoy back at your hotel, rental home, or even on the beach can be just as memorable.
After sightseeing, hiking, swimming, or exploring the Martha's Vineyard Museum, pizza is the perfect meal to satisfy hungry appetites.
Giordano's – Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs
From classic cheese and pepperoni to veggie pizzas and specialties like Eggplant Parmesan, there's something for everyone. Pizza is available by the slice or as a 14-inch pie. Indoor seating, outdoor picnic tables, and takeout are available. Note: Takeout orders are cash only.
Offshore Ale – 30 Kennebec Avenue, Oak Bluffs
A longtime Island favorite, Offshore Ale serves delicious thin-crust, oven-baked pizzas, including classics, Meat Lovers, and the popular Chicken Pesto. Adults can also enjoy handcrafted beers brewed on-site. Indoor dining, patio seating, and takeout are all available.
Bad Martha Farmer's Brewery & Pizzeria – 270 Upper Main Street, Edgartown
Whether you're craving a personal 10-inch pizza or a large 18-inch pie to share, Bad Martha offers a variety of artisan pizzas along with gluten-free options like the Martharita and Veggie Vibes. Outdoor patio seating and takeout make this an easy family stop.
Burger Night: Casual Comfort Food
After climbing the steps of the Edgartown Lighthouse, fishing off the Oak Bluffs pier, or spending the day exploring the Island, nothing satisfies quite like a juicy burger and crispy fries.
Burger night is relaxed, filling, and perfect for families. Most restaurants offer everything from simple cheeseburgers for younger diners to creative specialty burgers featuring local ingredients for adventurous eaters.
The Lookout Tavern – Seaview Avenue, Oak Bluffs
Overlooking Oak Bluffs Harbor, The Lookout Tavern serves generous burgers with fries and other kid-friendly favorites in a casual waterfront setting. Outdoor seating offers beautiful harbor views while everyone enjoys a relaxing meal.
Taco Tuesday (or Any Day!)
Vacation is the perfect excuse to spice things up! Mexican restaurants bring colorful décor, lively music, and menus full of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fresh guacamole, and flavorful specialties. Taco night is especially fun because everyone gets to customize their own meal. Kids love building their own tacos.
El Barco – Union Street, Vineyard Haven
Just steps from the ferry, El Barco is a casual walk-in Mexican cantina with outdoor seating and takeout. Their flavorful taco plates include two generously filled tacos with choices like chicken, pork, or fresh fish. Adults can enjoy fresh margaritas, regional favorites or a cool refreshing mocktail.
Nomans – 15 Island Inn Road, Oak Bluffs
Nomans is a favorite gathering place for families—and even four-legged friends. Along with live music and lawn games, you'll find delicious tacos, plenty of gluten-free choices, and a relaxed outdoor atmosphere that's perfect for vacation evenings.
Beach Picnic Night: Dinner with a Sunset
Sometimes the best restaurant on Martha's Vineyard is the beach itself.
Pick up sandwiches, lobster rolls, pizza, salads, or sushi, then head to your favorite beach before sunset. There's something magical about eating dinner with your toes in the sand while listening to the waves. Kids can keep playing while adults relax and soak in the scenery.
A sunset picnic often becomes one of the most unforgettable meals of the entire vacation.
Edgartown Meat & Fish Market – 240 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Edgartown
Perfect for all of your beach provisions, this local favorite offers freshly made sandwiches, sushi prepared on-site, salads, snacks, beverages, and delicious desserts.
Espresso Love – 17 Church Street, Edgartown
Known for exceptional coffee and smoothies, Espresso Love also serves thirteen creative sandwiches, including vegetarian and vegan options—perfect for packing a beach picnic.
ArtCliff Diner – 38 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven
Serving scratch-made American comfort food, ArtCliff is famous for its Special Mac & Cheese, hearty fish sandwiches, and an irresistible selection of freshly baked treats.
Dessert Night: Sweet Vacation Traditions
Not every themed evening has to center around dinner. Save one night just for a focus on dessert!
Visit an Island ice cream shop, bakery, or donut shop. Order everyone's favorite treats and take an evening stroll through town. Sometimes dessert becomes the highlight of the night—and even the vacation.
Back Door Donuts – 5 Post Office Square, Oak Bluffs
An Island tradition, Back Door Donuts was named one of USA Today's Best Donut Shops in America in 2026. With more than twenty varieties of fresh donuts, cookies, cupcakes, and other baked treats, it's a must-visit stop for sweet tooths of every age.
Mad Martha's Ice Cream
Locations: Circuit Avenue (Oak Bluffs), North Water Street (Edgartown), and Union Street (Vineyard Haven)
For more than 50 years, Mad Martha's has been delighting visitors with dozens of homemade ice cream flavors. It's the perfect way to end a fun-filled day on Martha's Vineyard.
Make Every Dinner Part of the Adventure
The best vacation memories aren't made only at beaches, museums, or scenic overlooks. They're also created around the dinner table—sharing stories, laughing together, and celebrating another wonderful day on the Island.
Years from now, your family may not remember every attraction you visited, but they'll remember sharing pizza after a beach day, enjoying burgers by the harbor, eating tacos under the summer sky, or watching the sunset with a picnic in the sand.
On Martha's Vineyard, every meal is another opportunity to slow down, spend time together, and create memories that will last long after the vacation ends.