Sneak Peek At Rockfish – What To Expect From Martha’s Vineyard’s Newest Restaurant In Edgartown

Just think a year ago we were talking about Eleven North, the restaurant that had replaced David Ryan’s in Edgartown. That didn’t last long.

The doors closed and the windows were covered with paper. It was sad to see that corner dark again.

Then suddenly, there was construction happening in the space again. I was so surprised. The building had just been redone, what’s happening to it this time?

After a bit of time, we found out what was happening, and people began to get excited and hopeful for this space.

The Coogan Family, Will, Nell, Geoghan, and their mother, Liza are opening a new restaurant there. The Coogan family has owned The Wharf Pub since 2004, and have been successful in their family endeavor.

Though they love The Wharf, it’s going to be fun to be involved with something that is quite different.

What’s Another Name for Striped Bass?

Rockfish! Yes the new restaurant will be named Rockfish. The Coogans thought it would be great to have a tie to the Vineyard in a clever way, and we as an Island love our striped bass.

It also makes you think of a restaurant that will be serving seafood which this one will of course. It will also have amazing wood fired flatbread pizzas and more.

I know when I last wrote about this building, I said it was almost unrecognizable, well it’s even more so now. The restaurant is still two floors but everything is completely different. Even the stairs are in a new location.

When you walk in, you’ll notice that the bar is now in the center of the room. The bar is lined with the wood from old whiskey barrels and there are chairs all around it.

There are also a number of tables for seating. The color pallet is earthy and soothing. The space is so much more warm and inviting. You get a  good vibe even though it was still under construction when I got to see it.

It really blew my mind how different it is, as soon as you walk in. I was not prepared for any entire redo of the space, but I’m glad, because I think this is going to work out well.

Head up stairs and I guarantee your jaw is going to drop! Take a look at the ceiling. Gorgeous wood. Check out the simple yet casual chic lighting fixtures. But wait until you see what’s in the corner.

The pizza oven from Lattanzi’s is now on the second floor. I had no idea how the heck this was going to work in this space but it does and well.

Not only is it awesome to look at, think of the glow from the fire and watching your wood fired food being made. There are even bar seats around so you can relax there and take it all in.

The second floor bar is going to look totally different with the more causal, warm feel. There will be a wall there as well to keep the dining room a bit more cozy.

There will be table seating around the windows, gotta take in the view, and there will be banquettes in the back, so there’s the flexibility to accommodate larger parties.

There is so much natural light in Rockfish. All around the second floor are those big windows, and the first floor, with its new windows will be lighter. It’s welcoming day and night.

There is a clear vision with Rockfish. It’s a bit more fancy than The Wharf but not as much as the Atlantic. It’s almost a happy medium, a gastro pub, that’s going to be focused on good food and drinks, with a cool yet comfortable feel.

A place you can take your family for dinner, but also a place you can have a drink after the movies with the girls or meet the guys to catch a bit of the game.

Dining at Rockfish

Wow, is the brick oven going to help Rockfish produce some stellar food. It’s such a presence and you can just tell that it’s going to making delicious food, it’s too pretty hard not to.

The menu was still a work in progress when I met with Nell, Will, and the manager of Rockfish, Adam Rebello, at the restaurant. However, as I had mentioned, there will be flatbread pizzas, there will be other things cooked in the brick oven as well, since the flavor it produces really lends itself well to a lot of different food.

There will also be refined pub food, dinners and more. The plan is to have a menu with items that really compliment each other.

One of the adventures for the family with this restaurant is the fact that it’s two floors, and there are two different areas where your food is coming from.

The kitchen is downstairs, which will be providing a lot of the food, but then there’s upstairs, which will have the pizzas and wood fired foods.

With that, the food service style at Rockfish might be more small plates or family style where sharing and having different courses might be an option, since the food might be completed at different times.

I think this can add to a more interesting dining experience. I like the idea of enjoying different things rather than just eating a mega meal all at once. We’ll have to see what they come up with, and whatever it is, it will be awesome.

Let’s not forget to mention drinks. There will be a good wine list, great signature cocktails, and more, making it a great place to get dinner or just drinks. Rumor has it there might even be some signature bar treats.

The goal with Rockfish is to be open year round even for lunch. It might be that the downstairs is only open for lunch and both for dinner, but it’ll depend on the demand. The food will be moderately priced, a bit more that The Wharf.

The great thing about opening the restaurant now, yes they’re opening soon — most likely the weekend of November 20th — the Coogans and their team will be able to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t.

Most likely there will be a lot of customer feedback when the doors open and they want to know how we like it. They want Rockfish to be a place that is part of the thread of Island life.

This is a big endeavor for the Coogan family, but they’re really excited about it. You can see it when they talk about it. It’s awesome. They’re creating Rockfish from scratch, their vision, their hopes, their dreams. Each member plays a certain role and together they’re a good team and love working together.

With their great attitude, a lot of hope, love, and hard work, there’s a pretty good chance that Rockfish is going to rock and become an staple for dining on Martha’s Vineyard.

I for one am counting down the days for opening day. I want a cocktail and something yummy from that brick oven!

Thanks for reading the On Point Blog. You’ll be able to learn more about Rockfish soon on Facebook. And speaking of social media, don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Google+, Pinterest and Youtube.