350 State Rd. Vineyard Haven 508-693-3255

"Slow food fast." A Focus on Healthy and Interesting Foods.
Louis' unassuming red-shingled exterior belies a resource for everything from gourmet party options to healthy family meals -- all available by phone orders.

Lunch and Dinner
Leslie and Douglas Hewson took over Louis' in May of 2003, and with enthusiasm and talent have created a new and improved version of the established Island eatery. Much more than pizza and sandwiches are prepared in the kitchen, but excellent, economical versions of both are available. "The first thing we did was fix the pizza," says Douglas. They lined the existing oven with baking stones that cook the pizzas from the bottom up, assuring evenly baked crust. This technique earned Louis' recognition from Cape Cod Life's "Best of" Guide. Pizzas are available at lunchtime by the slice, or at all times in 12" or 16" versions with "more toppings than you can think of," according to Douglas. Choose from one of 26 toppings or create your own pizza with picks from the salad bar or deli case.

Dining
Louis' small dining area is always bustling. Greetings are exchanged between people at the tables and those grabbing a meal on the go from the super efficient staff behind the counter. Six picnic tables offer outdoor seating year round. An extensive salad bar is available to supplement any lunch or dinner choice, but you can easily make a meal from the 40 plus ingredients on hand. Start with a bed of fresh baby spinach or mix of romaine and mesclun greens, then build from there. Highlights are the homemade salads (tuna, three bean, coleslaw, etc.) and dressings are also in-house creations.

Louis' Gourmet To Go Choices
The variety of options in the prepared food case is sure to tempt, if not utterly overwhelm you; Make sure to further explore the other choices. Fabulous soups and stews, including an exceptional chowder are always available. Lunch specials range from homestyle comfort foods like meatloaf, tuna casserole and the ever popular chili-mac (a combo of, chili con carne and mac and cheese) to more exotic offerings such as curried lambstew, burritos with chipotle sauce and Cordon Bleu sandwiches. Dinner choices combine a protein such as herb roasted pork loin w/pan gravy with a starch, vegetable and a roll, for a balanced meal. The average dinner is around $11, while lunch runs about $8. Louis' is also part of the Island Breakfast Club, offering discounts to members.

Healthy and Original Food
Leslie Hewsom spent ten years working for Bread & Circus and has adapted their emphasis on providing a variety of healthy food to Louis'. "The fact that school teachers and hospital workers are some of our regular customers makes me realize that we're going in the right direction," One customer lost 25 to 30 pounds choosing meals from Louis' options. Everything in the prepared food case is sold by weight and ala carte options allow you to create a meal. "I let customers try something if they're insure," says Leslie. "Food is subjective so I prefer to offer a risk-free experience." Some specialties you might want to sample are Caribbean jerk shrimp, Cajun salmon, grilled asparagus and roasted cauliflower. Rotisserie chicken is always available, as well as at least one grilled chicken option. The lemon chicken has earned such a good reputation that a bowl was carted away by thieves during a break-in a few years back. It would be hard to narrow down the suspect field in this case since customer demand carried this favorite over from the original Louis'. "We kept what worked," says Douglas. Favorites like the TIC rolls (whole wheat dough rolled in kosher salt and poppy seeds) and Australian carrot soup where not subject to change. However, Douglas gets a chance to express his creativity with specials like roasted pumpkin seed pesto over butternut squash ravioli and crunchy pecan chicken with lemon ginger sauce. Louis' "speed case" enables you to pick up fully cooked options in a hurry for heating up at home. Italian casseroles, stuffed pizzas, soups and desserts are some of the items you can always find in this self-serve case along with appetizer options for last-minute entertaining.

World Class Cakes & Desserts
Leslie is also the pastry chef at Meditteranean and if you've ever sampled any of the desserts there, you know what delights she's capable of. She is recognized as one of the top bakers on the island for her cakes of all sizes, serving guests at weddings, birthdays and other occasions. Everything is prepared fresh--never with previously frozen fillings or bases, and all varieties, from simple chocolate w/vanilla buttercream icing to more gourmet cakes, are fresh, moist and not overwhelmingly sweet. The triple chocolate mousse cake is exceptional. Three layers of an especially dense chocolate cake are alternated with white and chocolate mousse, then glazed with a dark chocolate ganache for an extra tall, scrumptious finished product. "Some of my best customers are also my worst customers," notes Leslie in describing how many of her regulars have come to expect last-minute delivery. This expediency is something that she prides herself on, as well as her ability to provide specialty cakes. She recently crafted an electric guitar cake for a four-year-old's birthday party. Pies are all made from homemade crust, Cheesecake options vary from plain to lemon raspberry, and delectable homemade cookies and brownies are available in the café, or by special order in smaller sizes on trays. If sweets are your weakness, try a slice of something from the speed case and you're sure to remember Leslie when planning your next party.

The Customer First
"We like to vary up the lunch and dinner menu because a lot of people come here all the time," says Douglas. This emphasis on variety applies to the couple's philosophy on take out and catering options as well. A lot of people mistakenly think of Louis' as just a place for a quick lunch or dinner. But, as Leslie notes, "What sets us apart from Martha's Vineyards pizza/sandwich options is a focus on healthy and interesting foods." "And we can please everyone in a group, from vegetarians to kids craving chicken fingers," adds Douglas. "We want to accommodate people, hopefully they'll think of us again." Certainly the versatility of the owner/chefs and their enthusiastic willingness to please should bring them an ever-expanding customer base.

^{Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner}

Mon. thru Thurs. 8am to 7.30pm
Friday 8-8.30 and Saturday 11-7.30
Closed Sundays
Call 508-693-3255 for specials or ordering
ahead, or for catering or cakes.