Community Says Goodbye to Menemsha Cafe

At 5 pm last night there was a line out the door at the . Inside there was standing room only. Josh and Angela Aronie opened the Menemsha Café in April of 2009 and since then have lived by their slogan, “no garnish, just good food” meaning they served simple, good food, prepared with local ingredients all year long. In addition to serving breakfast and lunch during the week, they had a steady group for dinner on Friday nights. Last night, they closed their doors for good.

Josh Aronie explained that closing was a decision the couple felt forced into. “In the end, it was our decision to leave, but we were presented with a lease that left us little choice. It eliminated our ability to serve dinner, which was about 40% of our business, increased our rent and put so many restrictions on us that it was obvious it was a lease we weren’t supposed to sign,” he said.

At the restaurant last night the mood was sad and celebratory. Guests stood up for impromptu toasts and friends enjoyed the good food as they had done regularly on Friday nights for the past two years.

“I’m going to miss the community that we’ve built,” said Aronie. “I’m going to miss seeing everybody’s faces and hearing their funny and crazy stories. The whole Chilmark Town Hall was here every day, the fire chief, everyone. It’s heartbreaking.”

Heartbreaking was a word used by many patrons to describe the situation. Joe Chapman, who lives in Menemsha was extremely sad about the restaurant’s closing. “I come every week for dinner with my family, I come for lunch, I sell them eggs. Josh is a really nice guy and the community really loved him. It’s really too bad because it just started taking off. It’s something we all need and it won’t be replaced.”

 “I come here to hang out with my little boy all the time,” said Aquinnah resident Noli Taylor. “We’re both really sad that we won’t be able to do that anymore.”

Diners cited atmosphere, community and location as things they will miss, but all said they would also miss the food. Chapman said that the food was, “Always fresh. It’s not gourmet, it’s what everyone wants.” Peter Buchthal said he would miss their fish tacos and Laurel Wilkinson said that, “the food has a lot of love in it.”

Jodi, a former employee, who preferred to just give her first name, said she was going to miss working there. “Josh cooks simple food really well and that’s something that is very hard to do. I hope to follow him wherever he goes.”

Where the Aronie’s will go next is still unknown, though they promise they will be reopening someplace else. “Unfortunately, it probably won’t be Up-Island,” said Aronie, “But we will reopen and hope that as many of our regulars as possible will come.”