Mermaid Farm milk ricotta. [Photographs: Elizabeth Bomze]

My friend Charles Kelsey, proud owner of the terrific Cutty's sandwich cafe in Brookline Village, once joked to me that Martha's Vineyard could secede from the state of Massachusetts and make it on its own just fine, thanks to the island's remarkable bounty pulled from the land and the surrounding water. The more I think about it, the more I have to believe he's right. The local support of and enthusiasm for Vineyard food seems stronger than ever, with roughly 40 farms populating the 87-square-mile landmass, and more and more restaurants crafting dishes around Island-grown ingredients.

State Road is a good example. West Tisbury's only fine-dining establishment is also the Island's best—if you want one splurge meal on the Vineyard, this is the place to go—with chef Austin Racine turning out some truly spectacular dishes from whatever's freshest that day.

Creamy, pillowy curds.

This past weekend, two of the standouts were the housemade ricotta ($14) and the rough-cut fresh pasta with lamb sausage ragu ($27). The cheese, made from Mermaid Farm's raw milk, might have been the best I've ever tasted: sweet and grassy, with a creamy, cushiony consistency that's less pebbly than most versions. Generously sauced with bracing Stephen Singer extra-virgin olive oil and flecked with crunchy nibs of sea salt, cracked black pepper, and fresh chopped rosemary, it's really best enjoyed by the spoonful.

Rough-cut fresh pasta with Allen Farm lamb ragu.

Chilmark-based Allen Farm is well known for its superb lamb, not to mention its lush, Ireland-like landscape with stunning panoramic views of the Atlantic. (As accommodations go, these sheep have the life.) State Road isn't the only restaurant to make good on the product, but this presentation was among the best I've had. The tender chunks of housemade lamb sausage boasted a rich, almost sweet flavor that was freshened by the chile-laced tomato sauce and folds of barely wilted fresh spinach.

Grey Barn Farm eggs give these noodles rich flavor and deep yellow color.

The ragu might have been curiously hearty for the mid-Spring menu, but the noodles—specifically the eggs used to make the noodles—kept the season at the forefront of the dish. The obliging chickens are being reared at The Grey Barn Farm, an in-transition operation, also in Chilmark, that's newly owned by a young couple who are basically learning farm life on the job. (Wife Molly Glasgow keeps a humorous blog account of the daily goings on. Were you aware that a cow eats her placenta after giving birth? Now you know.) It's the first I've seen any of their products on offer, and I'm happy to report that these eggs made some fine noodle sheets: rich and nutty, with firm yet tender chew and a deep ocher hue. Here's hoping the farm's future offerings—milk, butter, and cheese—meet the same standard.

The best part of all this farm talk? We're just in the early weeks of the growing season. That means a good four to five more months of farming out there, and plenty more Vineyard chatter comin' your way.

State Road

688 State Road, West Tisbury MA 02575 (map)
508-693-8582; stateroadmv.com