“Thank you for another great season and we will see you in the Spring” How many times this winter have you heard this message when you call a restaurant ? In other words we are enjoying Florida or the Carribean while your sorry asses are freezing on the Vineyard and have no where to eat. I’m really getting sick of hearing that message. When deciding on a place to go to breakfast this morning that was the message I heard from 1. Black Dog 2. State Road and I couldn’t believe it 3. Cafe Moxie. Cafe Moxie just re-opened this year but the message I got this morning said they were closed for renovations. Come on give me a break. Seems like more and more island restaurants are closing more during the winter or just closing period (RIP – Seasons). Oh yea, Linda Jeans – closed. Art Cliff – forget about it. That leaves me with Lucky Hanks and the airport. We were on our way to the airport when a thought about maybe the Harbor view Hotel Brunch popped into our heads. I checked their website and to my delight the brunch was opening at 10 AM.

Nestled in the “look how much money I have” section of Edgartown is one of the nicest hotel’s on the Island, the Harbor View Hotel. With a great view of Edgartown Lighthouse this hotel is always my number one recommendation if someone asks where to stay when the price of a room doesn’t matter. I even met Geraldo on the porch one day and he seemed happy to chat it up about current events.

This places serves a legit buffet style brunch on Sundays. I usually avoid buffet’s because I find the food most of the time sub-par and I always eat more than I should. This buffet, however is anything but sub-par. We walked in and were greeted by the very friendly hostess who seated both of us facing Edgartown Harbor and the posh Chappy Beach Club. I love the beach club because it reminds me of the little tent things on the beach in Jaws. It was a rainy, cloudy New England Sunday Morning. Hey, at least it’s not snowing !

We sat down and Roma was a cute and attentive little waitress. She made me iced coffee and for making from hot coffee it was actually very good. She checked on us through the whole meal and neither of our cups went dry once. Her smile made us smile.

The buffet was pretty incredible. It was a perfect mix of breakfast and lunch. I guess that’s what brunch is supposed to be. I almost didn’t know where to start. We were the first ones there so no ones mitts had been in the food yet. There was everything from breakfast yukon potatoes to some nice turkey with wild rice. All in perfectly polished silver heated platters and all labeled. They had a waffle station and omelet station with a guy there to make them for you. Being on Martha’s Vineyard you have to have an Oyster Station and a little bit of Lobster Bisque for the soup of the day. To top it off there was an eye popping display of desserts on the middle table that I knew I wouldn’t have enough room for but that’s ok.

My first plate I loaded up with potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, waffles, smoked salmon, and of course three oysters with a little cocktail sauce and horseradish. The waffle station is amazing, loaded with blueberries, strawberries, some magical butter/cream thing, other mixed fruit and syrup. I’m a waffle guy. I love trying different recipies for waffles at home and these were right up there with the best I’ve had. Crispy but not over cooked, tasty but not too heavy. I’m not sure if it’s a guy thing but there’s something about walking back that first time from a buffet with your plate to your table. You are like a gladiator going into war with your gear in hand. You walk slow with your chest out as if your in slow motion in the opening sequence of a James Bond movie. That was my walk with this plate. So proud, so ready to crush this plate in front of me like no one else could. Another waitress even walked by me and said “Now that’s how you do it.” Mvfoodguy lives for compliments like that.

After a little break in between I have to be honest, my second plate looked pretty much the same as the first. Waffles, three Oysters and I grabbed a small eclair to finish it off with. Roma got me another Iced Coffee and I was on to round two. Round two was as fun as round one. All in all we both were very happy with the spread the Harbor View put on for Brunch. It was $28.00 per person. Well worth it. I forgot how much it was before we went in and I said to myself it’s worth 30 bucks a person, but it’s going to be 40. We were pleasantly surprised by the bill for what you got. Sure, thirty bucks and a tip isn’t exactly slumming it but when you’re eating all the Oyster’s you want looking at the Chappy Beach Club it’s not bad at all. All and all awesome brunch at the Harborview Hotel Water Street Restaurant.

Water Street Restaurant

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