Eleven North – Bringing a Little Boston to Edgartown

When I first heard that a new restaurant was going in where the old David Ryan’s was, I have to admit that I was pretty excited.  Taking up such a large piece of real estate on North Water Street, whatever it was would have quite an impact.

Construction began and rumors swirled around the Island.  Some said it was going to be the restaurant of a famous Boston chef (even I bought into that one), while others said that the money for the project ran out and nothing would be opening this Summer.  These and other rumors are not true. The restaurant going into that space is indeed Eleven North, named for its location on North Water Street, and it is opening in August.

Unbelievable Changes Inside An Old Island Hangout

Behind the project is Island restaurateur David Henry.  He and two other partners are moving full steam ahead on the project.  What many may not know is that Eleven North’s construction has taken longer than expected because of all of the custom-made, hand milled wood work inside.  There is tons of white oak throughout the renovated space, all custom.  If you’ve ever been in construction, you know that things always take longer than expected.  Now that construction is wrapping up, the wait won’t be long, and it will be worth it.

Before meeting with David, I was thinking about the space when it was David Ryan’s and wondering how they were going to rework it.  A two-floor restaurant is tough to be successful with.  I had heard that it was completely gutted, but I couldn’t conceive of the changes I was about to see.  The space was unrecognizable.

Even though things were still being finished up, it was easy to envision the final project.  When you walk in, you immediately see this gorgeous zinc tin bar with copper lining.  It’s cool and sleek and begs you to have a cocktail on it!

The seating downstairs will consist of high-top tables and chairs.  The space  is modern and simple, and loaded with custom details.  It’s going to be more of bar/lounge area with dining upstairs.  I think people are going to be quite surprised when they walk through that door.  You won’t believe how open and sophisticated the space feels – yes you read correctly, sophisticated.

On to the second floor, which is accessible by a new, beautiful white oak staircase, you’ll find the dining area is light and airy, and has the most amazing views of North Water Street and more, which I had never noticed before.

There’s a second bar that’s going to cause you to rethink where you are.  Did we end up at a swanky spot in the Southend instead of Edgartown?  It’s like being at a really chic bar in the city, but with a certain Island feel.  Behind the bar is a smooth white alabaster back-splash that will be highlighted with LED lights, illuminating the bar.  Once again, you will need to have a cocktail here.  A specialty martini might just be the perfect fit.

Also, on the second floor, in the back corner, which has a stunning view out to the Edgartown Harbor, you’ll find the space that is going to house live music. Remove a couple of tables and voilà — you’ll have a great new music venue.  Eleven North definitely plans on hosting live music, and with that fabulous bar, I welcome it!  I can imagine getting dressed up a bit for the night, having dinner with the girls, and staying late for drinks to enjoy some music in that space.

Throughout the upstairs and downstairs, the color palette is filled with soothing greys and pale blues which are relaxing, and speak to the style of Edgartown.  I have to mention for my friends who I’ve been to the old David Ryan’s with, yes, the bathrooms have been completely redone as well, and look like they’re part of a Coastal Living spread.

Eleven North’s Food 

I was lucky enough to get a tour and spend some time with Eleven North’s Chef, Matthew Stogryn.  He’s young, energetic, funny, and excited as hell to be the Chef here.  Many of you may know him from his cooking at The Sweet Life Cafe in Oak Bluffs (which I love) and also Kitchen Porch (Jan Buhrman’s catering company).  Chef Stogryn has a passion for cooking and for cooking as local and organic as possible.

There will be a bar menu, a lunch menu, and a dinner menu, all of which will have something new to offer daily.  There will be something for everyone, from hand-crafted pizzas, to homemade pastas, lobster mac & cheese, to scallops with pork belly, to burgers, you’ll find something to be dazzled by.

Chef Stogryn is partnering with MV fishermen and fisher women too, of course, to get the freshest fish in season, and he is working with Morning Glory Farm for their goods as well.  I have to mention that he is also working with a farm on Chappy that will take away all of Eleven North’s compostable waste for their land – how cool is that for a way to reduce your waste!

Also, I need to mention that Eleven North will be family friendly.  David has two beautiful children, Abby and Jacob, so he knows how important it is to appeal to families.  A restaurant can be chic and accessble at the same time.  That’s music to my ears, since I like a place that welcomes the kiddos.

Not Just A Pretty Bar(s)

The first floor bar has 8 taps for draught beer and the upstairs bar has 10 taps – so be on the lookout for a great beer selection.  There will also be 20 bottled beers to choose from.  The wine list will be well appointed as well, and get ready for some delicious and refreshing signature cocktails.

With all the beers and wines that will be featured at Eleven North, there are plans to have beer dinners featuring the perfect brew to go with different foods and of course wine dinners too.  Perhaps these may happen in the off-season, since Eleven North is planning to be open year-round.

Yes my friends, that corner on North Water Street will no longer be dark.  I think that movie nights at Entertainment Cinemas during the Winter  just got a little more interesting since Eleven North will be open.

Let’s recap about Eleven North.  It’s opening in just a couple of weeks.  It will have an extensive menu.  The interior looks like you stepped into the hot new spot in Boston, but with a distinctive MV feel.  There will be live music, and a great selection of cocktails.  It will be kid friendly and be open year round.

I think it sounds like a winner for not only Edgartown but for all of us.  Once it’s open, I’ll do a follow-up post so you can see the finished product and have more details about the menu.  I am really looking forward to seeing the finished product.

I’m wishing David, Matthew, and the entire Eleven North team a successful opening season and look forward to many nights out there.

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Thanks for reading On Point. You can find Eleven North on Facebook and I would definitely check out all the photos they have on their page.  And speaking of social media, don’t forget to  “Like” us on Facebook, on follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Pinterest and YouTube.