Island Merchant
302 Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
508-771-1337
Settling in Hyannis where they once spent summer vacations, chef and restaurateur team Joe & Beverly Dunn bring the flavors of the Caribbean to Cape Cod at The Island Merchant. With nightly live music and a menu full of creative regional cuisine (with a hint of island flair), the Dunn's have garnered a loyal following among locals and visitors looking for a delicious alternative to the standard steamers and chowder fare.
In-the-know patrons will enjoy the music and sip specialty cocktails until 10:00pm when the menu takes a turn for the all-American with $2 foil-wrapped burgers served until last call.
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Joe Dunn
Chef at Island Merchant
After making pizza dough in the cellar of his uncle's restaurant at the age of 12, Chef-Owner Joe Dunn realized just how at home he felt working in the kitchen. By the time he was getting his degree in political science at Assumption College in Worcester, Dunn was cooking up a storm for his roommates and friends all over campus.
After graduation, Dunn went directly to work at the Boston-based Matt Garrett's Restaurant Group, which owned and operated several restaurants throughout metro Boston. After four years with the company, he heeded the call of the Caribbean, heading to Jamaica to be Director of Operations for a small management group that included two restaurants and two villas.
While he was there, Dunn had the good of fortune meeting and working with Chef Norma Shirley. Referred to as the Julia Child of the Caribbean by Bon Appetite, Shirley was generous with her time, training and advice educating Dunn in the use of Jamaican spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables. His three years on the island, which opened his eyes to the subtle flavors of the Caribbean, influenced his cooking more than any other experience.
Upon returning to the states, Dunn had the jolt that would change his life forever - a chance meeting with his future wife, Beverly. Married within 15 months, the couple was hired to help with the third generation transition of Jimmy's Harborside in Boston.
After success in Boston, they moved to Washington, DC to open Ortanique, DC a Caribbean influenced four-star dining establishment owned by BET founder Robert Johnson, Norma Shirley's son Delius and Corporate Chef Cindy Hutson. Restaurants followed in Las Vegas, Baltimore and Destin, Florida under the management group CinDel.
During their globetrotting days, working alongside some of the country's top culinary talent, the Dunn's continued to develop their own restaurant concept. Shaking off the corporate environs, the duo headed for Cape Cod where they had spent many a summer vacation. They opened the Island Merchant in Hyannis with a simple concept: creative regional cuisine with island flair made with local ingredients and plenty of fresh local seafood.
- Aïoli
- 1. noun A blend of ail (garlic) and oli (oil) in the parlance of the Provence region of southern France. Around here, we'd call it a garlic mayonnaise.
- Brioche
- 1. noun A soft, yeasty French bread enriched with butter and eggs.
- Chanterelle
- 1. noun A wild and nutty mushroom with a trumpet-shaped head.
- Choucroute
- 1. noun French-style sauerkraut, cooked with goose fat, onions, white wine, and juniper berries or caraway seeds.
- Chutney
- 1. noun A spicy, fruity, sometimes marmalade-like Indian condiment.
- Compote
- 1. noun Slow-cooked fruit in syrup.
- Coulis
- 1. noun A thick puree or sauce.
- Crostini
- 1. noun The Italian word for "little toasts" (referring to bread, not grappa).
- Emulsion
- 1. noun The mixture of two liquids that cannot normally combine smoothly (e.g., oil and water). Mayonnaise and hollandaise are two familiar emulsions.
- Jus
- 1. noun French for juice, jus also refers to the unthickened juices from a piece of roasted meat.
- Kielbasa
- 1. noun Polish sausage.
- Pâté
- 1. noun Ground meat, fish or vegetables blended with fat and seasonings; can be smooth or chunky, served cold or hot.
- Pâte
- 1. noun French for dough, paste or batter.
- Polenta
- 1. noun A slow-cooked cornmeal porridge popular in northern Italy; can be served soupy or firm, sometimes fried.
- Prix fixe
- 1. noun French for fixed price, a complete meal that features a limited number of selections at a preset price.
- Risotto
- 1. noun Italian dish made from rice cooked by intermittently adding small amounts of stock or broth. Other ingredients are added as required.
- Salsify
- 1. noun A root vegetable with oyster-flavored flesh.
- Tempura
- 1. noun Batter-dipped, deep-fried fish, poultry or vegetables.
- Velouté
- 1. noun A creamy white, stock-based sauce.
- Yuzu
- 1. noun A tangy citrus fruit with flavorful rind.
