Behind the Bookstore

one of my first meals on the island and WOW! first of all, the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. my family and I were recommended the apricot salad to split (so amazing), and they were very accommodating with making some changes to fit dietary needs. for my main I ordered the cauliflower dish… truly what dreams are made of. I will be dreaming about this meal for a long time. OH! and came back for coffee the following morning– highly recommend! 😋

Finally, a place on the vineyard that is offering something other than lobster rolls and crab cakes. Nestled behind the local bookstore under canvas sails and oak trees, you can find this little gem of an eatery. From mushroom tacos to Asian veg rice bowls, they offer a diverse selection of healthy and different food options that don’t include meat, fish or cheese. Not exclusively vegan but def vegan friendly. Quick service and relaxed vibe.

WHAT AN EDGARTOWN “FOODIE” HIDDEN candle light delightful GEM FOR DINNER!! Menu fabulous! Ambiance romantic and charming.. staff on top of it all. Total different feel than cafe hours during day!! A MUST GO!!! Loved every bite!!! We had a wonderful evening

Fun patio garden with (albeit somewhat overpriced) food and drink. Atmosphere and quality of ingredients made it worth the money. Favorites: Avocado salad and Mocha Latte (with homemade ganache) and homemade chai latte. Can't really go wrong with whatever though.

Literally a pound of mushrooms on the mushroom tacos! Tea is fantastic! Croissants are unwieldy though I had to throw out half :/ I heard someone else mention their size being too much. Great lamination though! Very expert!

Everything about this place is amazing. Incredible pastries, awesome food, perfect lattes (literally pouring swans). Crufin is wildly good. Awesome vibes with shaded seating hidden away down an alley. Wow. Only negative is the prices. Holy.

Beautiful cafe and bar on main street.. Under the trees with great atmosphere. They also have a bar where they serve cocktails. The problem is how expensive the place is; it’s a rip off. The cocktail is 15$ plus (Espresso Martini), the small brownie (tasty) is 5$… It’s just too much… We understand it’s on the island and that there is inflation, but those prices are not justified. Americano 4.5$, it is tasteless. Shame.

Nice spot for breakfast in town. My husband and I came on a Saturday morning around 8:30. There was only one person in line in front of us but it took a while because the gentleman taking orders was also the one making the coffees. They had an impressive selection of baked goods on display. Husband and I both ordered the Greek yogurt bowl with granola and fruit. He enjoyed it more than I did. Was fine but the yogurt didn’t have a lot of flavor and the granola wasn’t my favorite. Would for sure try an egg dish instead on a return visit.

I absolutely loved this place. I found this cute little not so secretive breakfast spot in Martha's Vineyard when visiting. We walked into a outdoor cafe covered with a tent-like structure to eliminate rain and too much sunlight. We quickly hopped in line to place our order as the place was busy. We spent some time evaluating the menu and searching for a seat in their dining area. While it was a little difficult to find a table, we finally snagged one right near by doorway. Upon being seated, we were greeted with the cutest pup - which happened to be owners. As dog lovers, this elevated our experience even more. We decided to place an order of a few coffees, a smore's cruffin, avocado toast, and a lox bagel as we wanted to share a few things. When I tell you that I love avocado toast, in general, I actually still dream about how delicious this was. My father in law who is a pickier eater loved his lox bagel and stated that the lox were extremely fresh. We will definitely be back!

Okay- to start- the coffee and baked goods are excellent. Nice ambiance out back too. Where we went wrong was ordering breakfast entrees- two avocado toast and a French toast. The French toast ($22- why?!?) came out burnt for my daughter and I had to get it re-made. Got an attitude at the counter - generally server staff seemed miz. My wife asked for well done bacon on her avocado toast and it came out basically raw- she gave up on fixing it after I waited at the counter for a re-made French toast for my young daughter while my food went cold. All this, with water, coffee and tip for $130! WTF?!?? Insane- even for MV. So- come here for the excellent coffee and baked goods, but don't waste your $$$ on the way overpriced, poorly executed entrees and subpar sad service.

Great little outdoor spot to enjoy a casual breakfast or lunch. We visited twice during our stay in Edgartown and liked the food and atmosphere. You order at a counter and they deliver the food to you, so there isn't much to say on the service. As with most things in Edgartown, it is VERY expensive for what you are getting. There were two of us and we paid close to $100 for breakfast which was probably not worth that sticker price. I would return on my next visit to MV because I did really enjoy the outdoor seating area. Also, definitely get the pistachio croissant! You will not regret it.

They make their own chai for their iced chai lattes!!! There is plenty of outdoor seating in a garden setting with shade. You order inside.

Nice spot for breakfast in town. My husband and I came on a Saturday morning around 8:30. There was only one person in line in front of us but it took a while because the gentleman taking orders was also the one making the coffees. They had an impressive selection of baked goods on display. Husband and I both ordered the Greek yogurt bowl with granola and fruit. He enjoyed it more than I did. Was fine but the yogurt didn't have a lot of flavor and the granola wasn't my favorite. Would for sure try an egg dish instead on a return visit.

This place was highly recommended so we gave it a try. I must mention that we went at the end of season so I am sure the employees were really over the crowds. However, it's a business so the staff really needs to push thru. They weren't exactly friendly. Just seemed over it. We ordered the AVOCADO TOAST(V) $16. Avocado Mash, Sourdough, Confit Tomatoes, Aleppo Oil Drizzle which was just average. The bread was very good tho. They forgot the bacon and we had to get in line again to get it. We also had the SHAKSHUKA $20 - Two Baked Eggs, Spiced Tomato Sauce, Crispy Onions, Greens, Feta Cheese, Jerusalem Bagel. THIS WAS AMAZING!!!! So much flavor! I didnt think the prices were high as other reviews mention. You arent going to get cheap Avo Toast anywhere! The dishes were a good sized and we were full afterwards. They had alot of baked goods which looked yummy. The outside patio was adorable. I would suggest that the management get together with the employees for some attitude adjustments but besides that, we would eat here again.

Good, not great and definitely overpriced. Coffee was meh, chai tea was awful. French toast was yummy but could've used more sauce, it was dry in the middle. Italian toast was good but the sourdough was extremely hard and way too crispy to enjoy. The outdoor patio is dog friendly so that was a plus.

The restaurant is located outside and behind the bookstore located on Main Street in Edgartown. The setup is good with seating for various sized groups so you can bring the whole family. There are lights and a tent like covering that will probably keep you dry if it rains. It is pretty cool looking with lots of vegetation around the restaurant area. The cocktails and food my table of 4 friends ordered were enjoyable. The presentation was nice. The cocktails were delicious. The wine list is limited. Our waiter was friendly and efficient however we had to remind him to bring our sides and ice after our mains were served. I will return.

We will definitely be back- we came in the late afternoon so we did not get food, just coffees but the coffees were delicious! Super cute little cottage style place with outdoor seating

This was my second time here dining here . One time for breakfast and this was my first time for dinner ! I love the set up of the restaurant . I love how it's behind my fav bookstore on the island (hence the name ) and how it's under outside lights that make it look like a stary night. It's def a unique spot with its own little charm! I dined here with my dad and his wife two nights ago! For apps we got Caesar salad , their tuna and house made bread . For dinner we got the halibut and lobster spaghetti ! The halibut was perfectly cooked, so tender and full of flavor! I absolutely loved the carrots that came with it as well! I saved some for my lunch to put on a salad the next day! My dad didn't love his lobster spaghetti but he's picky about his lobster dishes and I think it's something I would have enjoyed ! Dropped one star because our server took 20 min to come to us after being seated but we got there around 8;30 for dinner so it could have been a little busier then expected ! Regardless of that flaw of the evening. I do recommend this little unique and charming spot!

Excellent desserts and bread service but the tapas and mains weren't my favorite. Great ambiance though!

Cute little hidden outdoors spot, went on a Thursday so it was not busy at all. The hemingway bar outside has a cute area for pictures. We had drinks specifically the Royal raising and the Sonoran sunrise both were delicious and strong. We also ordered fries and the shrimp cocktail. The Chipotle Cocktail Sauce was top tier, never had anything like it. The service was okay, nothing spectacular. The cashier inside was not the nicest. Bathroom was nice and clean.

Behind The Bookstore is a gourmet café that opened in Edgartown, Massachusetts in May 2013. It was founded by husband and wife Jeffrey and Joyce Sudikoff. Jeffrey was the founder and chief executive officer of IDB Communications Group Inc., and a former part owner of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team. The couple had been summer residents on Martha's Vineyard since the 1970s and owned a home in Edgartown. When the bookstore Edgartown Books went up for sale in 2012, the couple decided to purchase it. They soon began fixing up an area in the back section of the store with the intention of turning it into a small café. Seating was available on the sun-drenched terrace behind the store. Following the café's success, the Sudikoffs moved it inside a former attorney's office behind the bookstore. The larger kitchen and café opened in 2015 and they added dinner service. Sails now cover the terrace (which acts as a roof) and a rain canopy was added on top for all-weather protection. My family and I had lunch at Behind The Bookstore this past summer while we were visiting Martha's Vineyard. Around lunchtime, my wife went inside the bookstore to check out the selection. While waiting outside with our kids, I noticed a menu on display for the café and was impressed with it. When my wife came back, I suggested that we have lunch "behind the bookstore". We were seated on the terrace and were impressed with the rain canopy hung over our heads. Our sons were tired and decided to take a nap in the stroller, so my wife and I just ordered lunch for the two of us. They had a cool bar area dubbed "The Hemingway Bar" that crafted some nice-looking cocktails. I had the "Royal Rising" (empress gin, pineapple, orgeat, lemon, dehydrated lemon) while my wife had the "A Night In Cabo" (tequila, campari, simple syrup, grapefruit, lime, lemon peel). Both were excellent! For food, we ordered and shared the "Chicken Sandwich" (slow cooker chicken breast, banana pepper tartare, arugula, tomato on garlic bread) and the "Italian Toast" (basil ricotta spread, tomato & garlic confit, prosciutto, fig balsamic glaze, sourdough). Both were so delicious and fresh-tasting! We had such a fun experience at Behind The Bookstore and would definitely return the next time we're on Martha's Vineyard!

Here's the thing about this restaurant....came here for breakfast. Learned we had to order at the cafe counter and bring our coffees to our tables - if there are any tables available. We ordered two avocado toasts with bacon and two coffees. My bill was $80 after I tipped $15. I brought my coffee to a table. Pretty place. The waiter brings our food over and a bowl of fruit. I thought - oh how nice - he brought fruit over as a thank you for me tipping decently. He came back 5 minutes later to take the bowl away bc he said it belonged to another table. eyeroll. I told him I already touched the fruit and he might as well throw it away instead of giving it to the other table. What a crock of sh*t. If you want water you have to get it yourself. If you want condiments you have to get it yourself. So I'd like to say as a tourist I will never come back here. $20'some for an avocado toast is crazy. It didn't even have an egg included in the meal. In my opinion this place is overpriced for the offering. And the hospitality factor is low given my experience.

Favorite place for coffee, any time of day bites, and a chill vibey drink that isn't heavy on the nautical themes. Less salty sea shanty and more worldly cafe. Best coffee on the island, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise.

After hearing rave reviews about this cafe, we knew we had to check it out. Despite a short line, the service was impressively quick, and we were soon savoring our cold brew. It was everything we hoped for--sweet, smooth, and perfectly refreshing. As a little indulgence, I also picked up a cranberry orange muffin. It was packed with cranberries and had just the right touch of orange--absolutely delicious! Later in the day, I decided to return for a cortado, and it did not disappoint. Both drinks were exceptional, and the cozy atmosphere made it an experience worth repeating.

Best coffee on the island, excellent pastries, but the food isn't great. Shakshuka is the best option. Lox bagel was comical. Stick with shakshuka, coffee, and pastries.

A gem of a warm garden space to enjoy a proper cortado or a cocktail. An hideaway for a break from the day.

Good pastry and coffee drinks, nice ambiance outdoor seating. Service was fine. Good location for walking to shops before or after.

Great vegan options and friendly staff. We went there for coffee almost the whole week while visiting

The burger and bun was very overcooked and dry. For the price I expected more however the ambience of the courtyard was quite nice

What a gem--delicious coffee and food and such a pretty ambiance. We had breakfast here, and the service was quick. The outdoor seating was covered and there were heaters, making it cozy for a rainy day.

My family and I enjoyed a fantastic dinner at BTB last night, from start to finish. We got seated in a prime spot, in the middle of the tented, cozily lit patio. Our waiter, José, went above and beyond, sharing stories, giving excellent recommendations, and making my ten year old feel at ease in an adult establishment. My mother-in-law is still raving about the halibut this morning -and I get to be the hero for having made the last minute reservation at this wonderful little gem.

Overpriced cafe totally lacking in charm or anything that makes you feel you received value to make it feel " worth it". The bread is good though if they let you have any. Service is phony they put on a show like you're important but later on you realize it's superficial. Ambiance is okay to weird. No feeling of privacy or like you can really settle down amidst the gravel that is the flooring. Oh did I mention overpriced?

I cancelled my reservation last night and even received a confirmation email stating it had been cancelled. Yet, this restaurant chose to charge me a $150 no-show fee. I called the restaurant, and the kind manager, Sean, refused to reverse the charge and informed me to go ahead and dispute it with Amex because he wasn't reversing it. Finest display of customer service I've ever received.

Honestly, this was kind of disappointing. Actually, really disappointing. The back covered patio is absolutely fantastic. But do not come here for the food. I am sure the coffee/drinks are great, but the food is well below average. We arrived just before breakfast turned to lunch (there is a half hour window between to the two), and they we so rude as we waited. They were delayed 15 minutes because something was happening in the kitchen...that should have been our indication to leave. We got the smash burger, but I fell apart the second you got it. We got three green chicken sandwiches which were ALL totally different; one had a salad that had peaches, one had a salad without peaches (wtf?), and the fries on the other portion had exponentially more fries than were accompanied with the burger. The chef confirmed that the chicken was cooked THE DAY BEFORE, so it was SO DRY, we all had to douse our sandwiches in mayonnaise. That's not what should happen. Go to hang out, but don't bother ordering food.

What can I say? One word "Awesome". It was romantic setting, food was good overall. Don't get the Linguine and Lobster. Not very good. All claw meat on the lobster, pasta was off, and it was very expensive. Halibut was 1000 times better. I suffered having the Linguine and Lobster. I'd go back, but avoid the pasta and/or lobster dishes.

Unbelievably disappointing. This restaurant used to be one of best meals one could have in Edgartown and now, well...I have had better meals between flights...Did someone break up with the current chef because the meal we had was done by someone who was pissed off. Over cooked, under seasoned, the meal was giving I am over it vibes. Please give your staff time to recharge during the intense summer season, or you are left with a meal that feels hostile and tastes of bittter regret. I hope next summer season heart and passion will return to this beloved kitchen.

What a delightful find during my visit to Edgartown. The service was wonderful, the ambiance so welcoming. The courtyard was a hidden gem to enjoy breakfast on a nice spring morning. The aroma of the coffee drew me in. The divine breakfast options from healthy to decadent has something for everyone. The pastries looked and smelled sinful... I went for a healthier choice for a change and wasn't disappointed at all! Their lunch menu looks equally tantalizing. I will return.

Food not good!! Nice ambience- outside seating with heaters and foliage cover. I ordered "cheesy eggs". Soupy yellow goop was served with sour dough toast and some greens with a few cherry tomatoes. (No meat). This and a small bottle of IJ was $38.00 not including tip. You order at a counter and besides dropping the food at your table there is no service-- so I don't get why the tip- but I added for good will, anyway. The egg concoction was extremely salty!! I brought it in and requested that two eggs be scrambled and to put a little cheese on the side. I received the same extremely salty eggs without the soupy goo. They were mushy and obviously came from the same batch of poorly seasoned eggs. As I had given up and eaten the second effort the manager asked me if it was better. I let him know that all I wanted for the $38 was fresh scrambled eggs and toast, I saw others eating other things on their menu, who made no comment that what they had was any good-- since there were only about 6 people in there- it wouldn't have been hard to miss their comments. Someone needs to Taste the good and care more!!

Over priced. Food isn't worth the price. They were very busy so maybe not entirely their fault. Cool place. Give us more cream cheese

I just love this place. It's really something special. The bookstore itself is cute and they have a great selection, but the real gem is the bar and cafe in the back. Do yourself a favor, buy a book and then head to the back for a cocktail and a croissant. You won't regret it! Delights: ham & cheese croissant (have them warm it up), cruffin, and any cocktail! I really enjoyed the hibiscus mocktail, if you're not drinking.

A year after our first visit we returned. This is a perfect spot for a cup of cappuccino- expertly made by the barista. On a cold fall and rainy day, the outdoor setting is especially welcoming in the age of Covid: spaced out large glass covered tables and gas heaters, protected from the wind and rain. Great if you have a furry friend in tow. Bathroom is immaculate as well. We had the avocado toast and cheeseburger- both were excellent. Good place to sit and plan the rest of your day! Oh and to top it off: reasonably priced for the Island considering all of the above.

Good food and vegan options. There was a good choice of food and bakery options, with vegan food options and vegan cookies. They had a covered seating area outside, and the food came within 10-15 minutes of ordering.

honestly? i'd say it's overpriced, though really the only place to get decent food in edgartown without having to go to a fine dining restaurant. I got the asian bowl, which for $22 a cup of rice with some veggies is not worth it at all. The wait time was insane, though i do get that it being 12:30pm and lunchtime it was just a coincidence, and i get that, though everyone was waiting for more than half an hour for their food. I waited for takeout for 40mins. That said I will say everyone there was super nice about it, they were apologizing, checking on my order, and were trying their best. Also, though it was not worth $22, it all turned out okay in the end, as for an apology for the wait time the owner gave me two free pastries AND THE FOOD OMG it was DELICIOUS. The sauces especially the asian sauce (peanut sauce) made it absolutely scrumptious. To sum it up food was good ngl but the place is definitely trying to earn as much money as they can while saving money by only hiring a few workers.

Beautiful little outdoor space with plenty of shade. Bar looked really cool, though we visited for coffee and a treat. The peach cruffin was excellent - one of the better pastries I've ever had! Cortado was made well and served with a pretty design in a small tray with a glass of water. Very classy and simple presentation. Recommended!

Great food and great environment! We were able to find seating (which I feel like is typically unusual for such a busy place) and the food was actually super great. I honestly think this place had the best food on the whole vineyard.

Absolutely loved this place! The backyard patio is so charming. The service was great. And the food was amazing! We ordered mango ceviche, cauliflower bites, and the scallop linguini. Everything was delicious! They recommend making a reservation for dinner (which you can do on Resy), but we didn't have trouble making a same-day reservation only a few hours in advance. Hope to come back (and maybe for breakfast!) next time I'm on the island!

I loved everything about this place when we visited during a recent weekend on MV. Upon our arrival to the island our taxi driver (Milos, who was amazing) pointed it out as a great place for breakfast (pretty sure he said best on the island). Our first full day we stopped in for a coffee while shopping. Two others that I was traveling with ordered a Lavender Iced Latte made with Oatmilk. At first I thought that didn't sound appealing at all, but I decided to give it a try too. WOW, I was blown away. Best iced coffee beverage I ever tasted. As soon as I walked away I wished I had ordered another one to go. The next morning four of us went back for breakfast. Along with the breakfast sandwich i ordered I got my second Iced Lavender Latte, which was as good as the day before. Everyone in our party loved the food and atmosphere, and the service was excellent. The only improvement I could suggest is tableside ordering service. You have to order inside and then grab a table, and they bring the food out to you. That won't take away at all from my rating since I loved, loved, loved this place. I will be back.

The most delicious, creamy scrambled eggs I have ever eaten (and I am 70 years young). lovely atmosphere. French toast was also good but portion was small and not filling for my hubby. Will return next time we are on the Island.

Really cute coffee shop and restaurant. Coffee shop has espresso and lots of good drinks and quality pastries. Highly recommend the lavender latte. The seating area outside is unique with nice shaded trees. Cool place to sit and chill.

If you are thinking of coming here just don't. It was the worst meal that we had on the island. I asked for a plain grilled cheese sandwich instead of the arugula, sausage grilled cheese sandwich. What I got instead was a arugula sandwich.... With no cheese. So of course like any person who ordered a grilled cheese would do I ask them for some cheese for my sandwich. What I finally got was one cold slice of cheese on Luke warm bread due to how long it took for them to serve it to me. Needless to say if the cook cannot prepare a simple grilled cheese sandwich I cannot imagine how there other foods taste.

the ambiance is nice enough, if the price point were lower. but at these prices you would expect much better ambiance, service and better tasting food. as with most martha's vineyard businesses the summer staff is made up of inexperienced college students or young persons from abroad. there is one bathroom for the entire restaurant and staff and it's right by the kitchen so you get to see the chaos that is clearly happening behind the swinging doors. wish we hadn't wasted our time and especially our money at this place since it was a big disappointment all around. don't even get me started on the entrees... no flavor and over cooked.

This café had a wonderful ambiance, however, the experience was extremely unpleasant. Upon walking into BTB, we were informed that we had 2 minutes to place our breakfast orders. In a panic my friend and I both ordered the waffles ($18!). When their system momentarily shut down upon inserting my card, the hostess rolled her eyes at me as though it was my own fault. I also ordered an iced mocha which was decent. The waffles came out cold, dry, and nearly inedible despite their deceiving plating. The texture was similar to that of cardboard or styrofoam. An Eggo would have made me happier than this $18 "waffle". If I am spending $30 on breakfast (waffle,mocha,&tip), I expect for it to be edible and the service to be somewhat decent which is sadly not what I experienced here.

Cute spot to grab coffee and breakfast. Interesting coffee flavors - tried the Orange Thyme Iced Latte which was ok. Breakfast menu looked limited and overpriced. Overall average experience.

I ordered the fried grilled cheese sandwich. I only ate half cause I wanted to eat the rest later! That's how good it was!

Awful staff and food. During COVID everyone sitting on the back patio was maskless (as it should be) but if you were STANDING or WALKING in the outside back patio area you got yelled at for not wearing a mask. In other words, they were somehow under the impression that the virus behaved differently if you were either sitting or standing. Talk about a lack of critical thinking skills. The attitude really pushed it over the top, though.

Went for dinner with my family. Dinner was absolutely delicious (we ordered cod and sirloin dishes that were incredible). Service was super friendly and professional. Will definitely come back.

Disappointed in dry chicken sandwich and hamburger... both served on dry brioche buns. Maybe Mondays aren't the best day for eating here... I felt like it was yesterday's leftovers at outrageously high prices. First time visitors & likely last time here ... 2 stars is probably just being generous.