Martha’s Vineyard eateries revamp menus to protect diners from rising tick-borne meat allergy

Alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne allergy to meat and related products, has prompted a wave of menu changes across Martha’s Vineyard’s dining scene. Official counts show 416 positive tests as of June 2026, up from 742 the year before and just two in 2020. Restaurants like Slough Farm’s chef Charlie Granquist now rigorously clean cookware and substitute ingredients to avoid cross-contamination, treating the allergy with the same seriousness as peanut allergies.

The Attic in Vineyard Haven marks items such as its crab cakes as “alpha-gal friendly,” while Red Cat Kitchen provides a dedicated menu for affected guests. Local resident Alex Wright, who works at Mo’s Lunch, describes how even the smell of cooking meat can trigger symptoms. Health officials warn that the condition can cause anything from digestive upset to anaphylaxis and may also affect reactions to certain medications.