It’s dead of winter on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. What’s a girl to do?

Brunch with the girls, of course!

It’s winter on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s quiet. Very, very quiet. The winter winds are blowing. The Steamship Authority is canceling ferries. Circuit Ave, the hyper-active main street in touristy Oak Bluffs, is lifeless. The harbor is boatless. The usual gathering places and haunts are closed. The owners and employees are taking winter naps.

We, the full-time, year-round Islanders, are hunkered down with Netflix. The wood burning fire place makes us cozy and dozy.

And yet even we hearty Vineyard souls need to get out of the house sometimes, to literally break bread with friends and share a laugh or two or three or maybe even four. And some gossip.

Vineyard Haven, or Tisbury, is one island town that stays alive during the off season. I recently ate at two coffee shops that help keep the winter blues away. If you are on island, or planning to visit, make these your go-tos!

Catboat Coffee, in the Tisbury Marketplace..

Catboats are a New England thing. Invented in Massachusetts, they are much beloved because they are small and stable and can navigate tricky waters easily.

Like the original catboat, Catboat Coffee is small, stable and highly lovable. They’ve got all manner of coffee drinks, including a turmeric latte, which is my particular fave. On a warmer day, the rose lemonade is swoon-worthy. The selection of breakfast sandwiches, flatbreads, salads or bowls, all have a Mediterranean twist. The Lebanese dips like muaramma are as authentic as they come.

You can park anywhere in winter! And look what will greet you inside.

My friend got the sausage, egg and cheese on an English muffin while I had the Breakfast Bowl, which is lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, avocado, eggs, and pita chips with zaatar and olive oil with either hummus or Labneh (strained greek yogurt).

Breakfast bowl and Sausage/egg sandwich at Catboat.

My friend’s full-of-protein breakfast sandwich tasted amazing, she said. The english muffin was definitely hearty, not thin. And the sausage, egg and cheddar cheeses were the perfect combo.

I started to have a bit of sausage/egg envy until my Breakfast Bowl arrived. It’s a super healthy breakfast and salad; with Labneh, fresh veggies and za’atar, a blend of dried oregano, thyme, sumac and toasted sesame seeds. I loved the Labneh, the veggies were super fresh and everything worked well together. If you have never tried the spice za’atar, try it! It’s a blend of dried oregano, thyme, sumac and toasted sesame seeds.

I also discovered Thursday take-out night dinners. You need to preorder, but they offer dishes like a Lebanese mixed grill which includes chicken and beef kabobs, also a Fattoush salad and Baba Ghanouj.

Can’t wait to try some of these dishes in addition to a couple of their specialty lattes: a latte with warm Lebanese tahini and maple syrup, or a mocha latte with Cayenne pepper. Did I mention the amazing prices?

Breakfast at Catboat for two: $34.

Sausage egg and cheese breakfast sandwich
Breakfast Bowl
2 lattes: $10

Quitsa Kitchen

Knock those warm winter socks off at the new Quitsa Kitchen. For you Islanders, it’s where the old Humphries Bakery used to reside in the Woodlawn area. The first thing you notice when entering is the dazzling wall paper and seating. Who doesn’t love a blue velvet chair?

There’s a large communal table (better for local gossip!) and several cozy nooks in the bay windows. Theresa Manning’s new adventure has both take out and eat in items. They also have a variety of scones, cookies, cheese breads and croissants. Breakfast items include Shakshuka, the blue corn waffle plate, and biscuits and gravy. Lunch items vary from a French onion grilled cheese, to a fire and honey chicken (fried chicken with honey sriracha aioli on focaccia! Yum!!

Conveniently located next to my current work out facility, I come starving, post workout, and the Shakshuka hits the spot. Two eggs simmered in tomato sauce with peppers, onions, and garlic, a sprinkling of feta and served with a warm pita. Great all around dish, and it hit all those important macros details that people care about these days!

Another fave is the breakfast burrito - scrambled eggs, beans, cheese, salsa, scallions with a side of guac.

Breakfast burrito at Quitsa Kitchen

Next time I will try it with bacon. Oh, and I want the Blue Corn Waffle Plate too: house made blue corn waffle with 2 eggs and sausage patty served with a spicy hot maple syrup.

Aside from the main menu, they sell grab and go dinners such as baked ziti bolognese, house roasted pulled pork, beef stroganoff, mac n’cheese and chicken pot pie. There’s also a variety of salads and take away sandwiches. The sandwich that caught my eye was the fig, brie and arugula with prosciutto- wowza!

Breakfast for two: $33.

Shakshuka
Blue Corn Waffle Plate
Breakfast Burrito: $10

Where to go for brunch on Martha’s Vineyard

Catboat Coffee
79 Beach Road
Vineyard Haven, MA
Open 7 days a week, 7AM - 3PM

Quitsa Kitchen
455 State Road, #9
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
Open Tuesday - Sunday, 6:30 AM - 5PM

Do you have your own brunch experiences? Leave a comment!

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