Original Article by Greta Cross, Springfield News Leader
For the first time in its 40-year-old history, Martha’s Vineyard is offering a full food menu with the unveiling of a restaurant expansion this weekend, The Galley Grill.
Food is served inside, but the physical kitchen of The Galley Grill is housed within a food truck-style trailer on Martha’s exterior. Customers order from inside the club via their phone. QR codes are stationed on each of the club’s tables, linked to The Galley Grill menu. Following the link, customers may complete their order and purchase. Then, a runner delivers the food to the appropriate table based on a QR code’s location.
This weekend, the restaurant’s menu will be limited for a soft opening. Menu items include a smash burger, hand-breaded chicken tenders, loaded fries, mozzarella sticks, nachos, and fried pickles and mushrooms, Martha’s Talent Event Coordinator Robert Hazlette said.
The Galley Grill’s soft launch began on Thursday and will continue through Sunday. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. Hazlette said future business hours will be determined by this weekend’s business demand.
Located in downtown Springfield, Martha’s is a 40-plus-year-old night club at 219 W. Olive St. It is also the state’s longest running LGBTQIA+ nightclub.
The opening of The Galley Grill (named after a ship kitchen) is just one of several new changes happening at Martha’s this year, all staying within the club’s nautical theme. Martha’s new theater production company, High Tide Theatrics, hosted the club’s first theater production earlier this month, “Sordid Lives.”
Due to the production’s success — four of the six shows sold out — two more are being hosted this year, “The Sweet Delilah Swim Club” in August and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in November.
“This entire year is going to be the year of change, massive changes,” Hazlette said, expressing the club management’s intent to elevate its experience and community outreach in the new year.
When it comes to new types of shows, Martha’s is also hosting its first drag brunch next month. The inaugural “The Real Drag Brunch of Martha’s” is Sunday, April 9 at 11 a.m., with special guest Mr. Gay America KC Sunshine, also known as The Midwest Michael Jackson. Tickets will be available on Martha’s website at marthasvineyardmo.com/events-list/
