Our Favorite Places to Start the Day
Handlebar Cafe (in town with a secret patio) Espresso To Go (close to the airport) Corner Table (in town with a patio) Island Coffee (near Steamship ferry) Roastd (out of town, focus on health and alternative milks) Meat & Fish (for those who can't give up Starbucks, they brew it here)
Grab a Cone at One of These Spots
Juice Bar (a Nantucket staple - the line can be neverending - great homemade waffles cones) Island Kitchen (out of town but amazing icream) The Counter on Main Street (Island Kitchen ice cream but downtown in Nantucket Pharmacy - also have breakfast / lunch sandwiches)
See the Island by Bike
Nantucket Bike Shop Young's Bike Shop Easy Riders There are bike paths all over the island - for some of our favorites, head to Sconset or Madaket... or to Cisco for a stop at the brewery.
Some of The Island's Best Spots
In Town: Brant Point Jetties Children's Beach South Shore: Fishermans Nobadeer Fat Ladies Cisco Madaket Harbor: Steps Beach Pocomo Polpis Dionis Eel Point
Markets, Brewery, Lighthouses, Fishing, Golf & More
Bartlett's Farm (specialty market, garden center, and some great sandwiches!) Meat & Fish (another great specialty market) 167 (fish shop with a food truck and garden) Cisco Brewers (great place to spend an afternoon - beer, wine, spirits, food trucks, and live music - tip: there's a free shuttle from town) Sconset Bluff Walk (beautiful walk out in sconset) Brant Point Lighthouse (in town) Sankaty Head Lighthouse (near sconset) Great Point Lighthouse (you'll need lots of time, 4WD, & a special oversand permit) Nantucket Whaling Museum (learn about Nantucket's history!) Just Do It Too (took us fishing every summer as kids) Endeavor Sailing Excursions (see the harbor by sailboat) Shearwater Excursions (harbor cruises and more) Miacomet Golf Course Sconset Golf Course (aka Skinner's)
Bakeries, Breakfast, & Casual Dinner Spots
Breakfast/Bakeries: Island Kitchen (a favorite spot, try a Portuguese muffin) Black Eyed Susans (another favorite!) Downyflake (get a donut) Or, The Whale (bfast, lunch & dinner - huge patio out back) Wicked Island Bakery (morning buns!) Born & Bred (nutella cruffin!) Sandwich Shops: Something Natural (an Alter sandwich favorite, homemade bread and the best cookies) Provisions (in town - try a Turkey Terrific) Fresh (good spot in town) 45 Surfside (great & on the way to Surfside) Claudettes (Sconset, Danny's a big fan) Casual: Sandbar @ Jetties (eat & drink with your toes in the sand) Cisco Brewers (come for the beer, stay for the food trucks) Lola Burger (out of town spot with amazing burgers) Millie's (madaket - tacos & a great view of the sunset) Stubby's (latenight mozz sticks!)
Reservations at Many of these are a Must - Check Websites
Nautilus (a favorite, eclectic Asian-inspired small plates - too many favorite dishes to list) The Pearl (another upscale favorite - also too many favorite dishes to list) Cru (on the harbor - good for fancy lunch or dinner - pocomo oysters, lobster rolls, CRUcumber, and a bottle of rose) Afterhouse (for dinner or drinks before or after - grab some oysters and a bottle of il fric) Straight Wharf (seafood - great clambake - tip: for a more casual meal, eat on the bar side) Ventuno (Italian with a huge piazza - the strozzapreti is a mainstay) Via Mare (upscale Italian gem) Toppers (fancy food and beautiful views) Dune (seafood spot - great halibut) Sea Grille (out of town - great seafood without the crazy crowds) Bar Yoshi (in town sushi with a cute patio) Lola 41 (sushi and burgers)
After all that biking...
Cisco Brewers (out of town, but worth the trip) Tree Bar (tiny outdoor bar around a large tree - tell Shawn we sent you!) The Gazebo (open air bar - get a mudslide) The Box (music and dancing venue out of town - not for the faint of heart!) Club Car (an old railroad car turned piano bar) Sandbar @ Jetties (perfect daytime and sunset spot on the beach) Ventuno Back Bar (large outdoor spot in the back of Ventuno) Cru (civilized drinks by day... less so by night)
Good Spots to Check Out
We recommend just walking around town and stopping in at any shops that pique your interest. Some favorites: Milly & Grace (women) Skinny Dip (men and women) Wheat (mean and women) Murrays (Nantucket's answer to a dept. store - where Nantucket Reds started) Nantucket Looms (home goods) Bodega (home goods) Nomade (home goods) 28 Centre Point (home goods) Aunt Leah's (candy and fudge)