People ask us all the time, “What are YOUR favorite restaurants?” And disappointingly, our answer is, we really can’t say. There are so many great restaurants on the Cape that, for us, it’s not about ranking them. It’s about identifying the good ones and appreciating them for their unique character. Who’s to say an elegant restaurant is better than a local pub? It all depends on what you are in the mood for.
So instead of calling this our list of favorite restaurants, we are calling it our list of restaurants you simply HAVE to try! Why? Because it’s an eclectic list with no particular theme aside from the fact that we’ve found them all to be memorably unique, and we think others would enjoy them as we have. Each provides a nice night out.
It’s fair to say that the restaurants on this list are less well-known than such iconic Cape restaurants as The Lobster Pot, Captain Parker’s Pub, The Yarmouth House, The Chatham Squire, The Chatham Bars Inn, The Flying Bridge, Black Cat Tavern, Alberto’s, TomatoesItalian Grille…to name a few. In addition, we did not take “scenic views” into account as a selection criteria, because we’ve already done a “Cape Restaurants with Great Scenic Views” list. Those restaurants could easily be included in this list as well, based just on their scenic locations. But by ruling those out, we get to share this list of gems that you may have overlooked until now and that we think you simply HAVE to try.
Click on the links below to read these other helpful blog posts:
Best Places To Go Dancing On The Cape
Cape Restaurants With The Best Scenic Views
Abroad (Orleans)
This cozy restaurant, nestled next to Hog Island Beer Co. in Orleans, is unassuming when you pass it on the road, but step inside and you’re instantly transported to another world. The decor, drawn from all corners of the world—hence, the name—provides a visual feast for the eyes that perfectly complements the cuisine, which is drawn from around the world as well. The tapas-sized dishes include Mexican tacos, Chinese fried rice, Jamaican jerk chicken, Algerian fish cakes, and so much more. It’s all delicious, and you’re encouraged to order one or two dishes at a time, allowing you to roam, unhurried, from one world cuisine to the next. Abroad has only been open since 2021, but we expect it will enjoy a long run on the Cape as more and more people discover this unique hidden gem.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Abroad
Anejo Mexican Bistro (Hyannis)
Both the Falmouth and Hyannis locations of this upscale Mexican restaurant offer a fun yet sophisticated atmosphere for enjoying cocktails and dinner, and both take advantage of the Cape’s fresh seafood and locally grown produce to offer authentic, creatively crafted cuisine. We first tried Añejo’s food at Long Table 2023 in Hyannis, where we enjoyed their duck canasta taco for starters, followed by their crab and avocado salad, lobster taco with consommé for dipping, chili braised beef short rib, and banana empanada. Each course was paired with a mezcal- or tequila-based drink. Todo estuvo delicioso! But aside from the food, what really makes the Hyannis location special is that if you get your reservation in early, you can enjoy your dinner under the arms of the sprawling weeping beech tree. Planted in 1776, the tree’s branches spread out over the entire outdoor dining area.. It’s a fun place to spend a warm summer evening!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Anejo
Website: https://www.anejo.cc/hyannis
Aplaya (Chatham)
When fabulous weather gives you a yearning to dine alfresco, we recommend taking a trip over to Aplaya Kitchen and Tiki Bar, a newish (2023), outdoor-only eatery in downtown Chatham. You won’t be disappointed. Aplaya provides a unique experience as it transports diners to the tropics, through both its food and its tropical decor. Aplaya serves authentic Filipino fare—and some of the tastiest tiki cocktails around. We tried the hand-rolled lumpia (pork eggrolls) and mai tais—delicious! We can’t wait to go back for more! When trying to find the restaurant, you’ll have to keep a sharp eye out. It’s not quite on the main drag. You get to it by slipping down a small ally. When you see the tiki huts, you’ll know you are in the right place. (Seasonal)
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Aplaya
Website: https://www.aplayacapecod.com/
Bleu (Mashpee)
If a trip to Paris isn’t in your immediate future, the next best thing is a dinner at Bleu in Mashpee Commons. The decor of this lovely, upscale French restaurant will evoke nostalgia for those who’ve been to Paris and provide a taste of what it’s like for those who haven’t. The food will do the same. Their entrees and appetizers—among them the braised pork and duck confit pâté with toast and grain mustard, roasted mallard duck breast with raspberry honey glaze, escargots de Bourgogne farcis—will remind you why the French are considered culinary masters. It’s all so délicieux. And while the white linen tablecloths provide an air of elegance, the handsome bar adds a nice casual vibe. We were there for dinner, but we’re told the bar is a great place to go on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Just sit and imagine you’re enjoying un verre de vin in a café on le Boulevard Saint-Germain on la Rive Gauche. We’re definitely going to do that!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Bleu
Website: https://www.bleurestaurant.com/
Bluefins Sushi & Saki Bar (Chatham)
We’re told by people who love sushi that this is a must-visit restaurant. We don’t eat sushi, but we love this place just the same. For people like us, Bluefins offers many non-sushi menu items as well as fully cooked sushi rolls. On our visit to the Main Street Chatham location (they also have a spot in Falmouth), we started with the Korean ribs, as we were told it’s a favorite among Bluefins patrons. We can see why. The meat, marinated in a delicious hoisin sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds, fell right off the bone. We also had buffalo cauliflower, fried rice, and the sweet Thai shrimp. All were fantastic. The martini bar vibe here is energetic but not too loud, and the craft cocktails– we had their Japanese old fashioned and the mai tai–offer just the right amount of flavor and “boozyiness.” The staff is pleasant, attentive, and accommodating. We definitely give four sticky thumbs-up for this place! Be sure to make a reservation if you plan to go. It’s always busy!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Bluefins-Sushi-Saki-Bar
Website: https://bluefinschatham.com/
Buca’s Tuscan Roadhouse (Harwich)
Any conversation we’ve had about the best fine-dining restaurants on the Cape has always included Buca’s Tuscan Roadhouse, located on Route 28 in Harwich. We have to acknowledge right off the bat that it’s expensive, but it’s a beautiful restaurant boasting an intimate European flair that makes it perfect for a romantic dinner or just an elegant night out. You definitely want to eat in the main dining room if you can, which is both luxurious and cozy, thanks in large part to the stone fireplace in the center of the room. Unfortunately, we ate in the small bar area after our party of four shrank to a party of two due to a last-minute cancellation. While that’s a far more casual setting, you still get the same impeccable service you expect at a restaurant that’s on the pricier side. As for the food—we tried the shrimp scampi and grilled romaine salad—it’s unique and delicious. There are a number of great Italian restaurants on the Cape, and Buca’s is among them. Be sure to call for a reservation well in advance. It’s a popular place.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Bucas-Tuscan-Roadhouse
Caroline’s Bar & Grill (Eastham)
We’re no experts on the clam shacks of Cape Cod, but we did enjoy our first mid-afternoon visit to Caroline’s Bar and Grill in Eastham, thanks to an invitation from our good friends Patrick and Susan. They insisted we needed to take advantage of the daily “buck-a-shuck” special Caroline’s offers from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Shrimp and Wellfleet oysters, just a dollar apiece. It’s an amazing deal. And extremely tasty. We also had great cocktails and a few delicious pulled pork tacos. Caroline’s has indoor and outdoor seating, an incredibly relaxed atmosphere, and an extensive menu that includes lobster and clams, of course. Some afternoon and evenings you’ll even find live music being offered. It’s a great way to spend a couple hours, rain or shine, and a perfect pit stop location if you are making the trek from Mid Cape to the Outer Cape.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Carolines
Ciro & Sal’s (Provincetown)
To walk through the doors at Ciro & Sal’s is to be transported back in time, as its hewn beams, low ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, and rustic decor give it the feel of a colonial Boston tavern circa 1775; one could easily imagine George Washington stepping through the door. The fact that it’s tucked down a narrow alleyway off Commercial Street in Provincetown adds to its allure, making it feel like a true “hidden gem.” But Ciro & Sal’s is no secret. This popular restaurant is always busy, so be sure to make a reservation. As for its menu, the restaurant offers traditional Italian dishes featuring locally caught seafood, handmade pasta, and homemade sauces as well as craft cocktails and an extensive wine and beer menu. In the summer, an outdoor seating area provides a light, bright alternative to the cozy, dark interior spaces of this charming establishment.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Ciro-Sals
Website: https://www.ciroandsals.com/
Crisp (Osterville)
The specialty at Osterville-based Crisp is delicious, innovative flatbread pizza. We have never had one here that we didn’t like. One of our favorites is the Maui Wowee with mango BBQ sauce, goat cheese, and smoked pork, but there are a number of other great options, like the scallop and bacon pizza. The menu changes from time to time, so there are often new things to try. In addition to pizza, Crisp also offers a few pasta dishes and creative appetizers, such as crispy Brussels sprouts, honey garlic teriyaki wings, and giant meatballs. We also love the casual vibe of the place, which encourages you to linger over your meal. That, and Crisp’s relatively small size, means you often have to wait a bit for a table to open up, especially if you want to sit indoors. But there is outdoor seating as well that turns over a bit more quickly and fortunately stays open late into the season, thanks to fire pits and fire towers that provide some warmth and create an enticing ambience. As for the bar options, Crisp serves wine and beer only, but they make innovative use of additional ingredients to create yummy wine-based craft cocktails.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Crisp-Flatbread
Website: https://www.crispflatbread.com/
Four Seasons Trattoria (South Yarmouth)
We love to discover hidden gems—that is, amazing restaurants that we’ve never heard of before or that can be easily overlooked, even if you’ve driven by them multiple times. For us, Four Seasons Trattoria on Route 28 in South Yarmouth checked both of those boxes. We’ve probably driven by it dozens of times, but had never given it a second look until some friends took us there, assuring us that it is one of their favorite Italian restaurants on the Cape. That’s high praise, given the number of great Italian restaurants there are here, so we were eager to see if it was warranted. To our delight, it was. Housed in a former Friendly’s next to the Ryan Family Amusement center, Four Seasons Trattoria kind of blends into the Route 28 landscape, despite its colorful facade. It almost looks more like an average pizza place than a fine Italian restaurant. But once you step inside, that preconceived notion is quickly dispelled. The decor is simple but tasteful, and the small interior houses about a dozen tables and a quaint bar with an eye-catching white marble counter. But what makes the place really special is the service and the food. We were instantly made to feel welcome, and the service throughout the meal was friendly, prompt, and imbued with a certain European flair. Our meal started with wine and a small basket of crusty bread accompanied by seasoned olive oil that was first rate. We followed that with a caprese appetizer that featured two thick slices of juicy tomato, two equally thick slices of mozzarella, and delicately flavored red peppers. For entrees, our table ordered two different pasta dishes that were covered in the thickest, tastiest bolognese sauce we’ve ever had; grilled salmon, which was meaty and moist and served with a mild yet tasty mustard sauce; and a generous serving of lasagna, half of which we brought home to enjoy as leftovers. The dessert menu looked amazing, but since we were too full to order any, we followed our server’s suggestion and had shots of limoncello—which turned out to be the perfect ending to the meal and evoked for at least one of us the nostalgic memory of a long-ago trip to the Amalfi Coast. Salute!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Four-Seasons-Trattoria
Gerardi’s Cafe (South Yarmouth)
To say that Gerardi’s Cafe, located on Route 28 in South Yarmouth, is housed in an unassuming building is an understatement. From the road, this one-story brick building looks more like a dentist’s office than a restaurant. But step inside and you’re immediately transported to a traditional trattoria in Italy that is handsomely decorated with pretty chandeliers, antique-looking wooden booths and tables, a cute bar, thoughtfully curated artwork and photos, and a large, central, working fireplace. In addition to providing an attractive atmosphere in which to dine, Gerardi’s boasts a fairly extensive wine selection and serves delicious, Sicilian-inspired cuisine in generous portions and at reasonable prices. Chef Diego, who grew up working in his parents’ restaurant and spent time in Italy mastering Sicilian recipes in his ancestral town of Marsala, clearly has created a very special place here on the Cape, one that you’ll want to add to your “must visit” list if you haven’t already.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Gerardis-Cafe
Website: https://www.gerardiscafe.com/
Leonessa (Yarmouth Port)
Housed in a charming antique Cape in Yarmouth Port on Rte. 6A, this Italian restaurant is worth visiting again and again. The space incorporates a small bar and three quaint, softly lit dining areas laid out in such a way as to allow just enough ambient noise to suggest a lively atmosphere without overwhelming the conversation at your table. What’s more, the chef and their team are well versed in the art of cooking, and the menu is extensive enough to please a variety of palates without overwhelming indecisive diners with too many choices. Everything we’ve tried here has been a delicious work of art: from the bread plate, to the truffled polenta fries and prosciutto di Parma appetizers, to the handmade pasta entrees. The menu also includes a variety of seafood entrees as well as chicken, veal, pork, steak, and duckling. Leonessa also offers a curated wine list and whips up fantastic craft cocktails. As bourbon aficionados, we can attest that they make a good old fashioned. Finally, the service is excellent and the staff exceptionally friendly.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Leonessa-Kitchen-Bar
Website: https://www.leonessacapecod.com/
Ocean 193 (Provincetown)
One of our favorite things to do in Provincetown is wander down the myriad little alleyways that sprout off of Commercial Street in search of the hidden gems–be it shops, restaurants, or spectacular views–that tend to be tucked away there. One such alleyway gem is Ocean 193, a cozy seafood restaurant with a large back deck where diners can enjoy a perfect view of Provincetown Harbor. We had lunch there with a group of 12 people on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, and the experience was as satisfying as the view. Although we showed up there without reservations, they not only accommodated all of us but managed to provide us with corner tables out on the deck right by the harbor side railing. On this day, that was definitely the place to be. The inside of the restaurant features a handsome bar and a dozen or so dining tables, but the spacious outdoor deck is clearly where you want to be when the weather is good. Provincetown Harbor is one of the most picturesque places on the Cape, and the deck gives you a wide angle view of all of it. In addition to the great view, Ocean 193 also serves up delicious food and cocktails, all presented with an artistic flair. A simple garden salad is a work of art, and the specialty drinks not only look fabulous but come with creatively amusing names, such as Pornstar martini and the Let Em Eat Cake martini. On this particular day, most of us ordered only light fare, such as the clam chowder and the Korean Cod Poppers, all of which were delicious. But the menu includes all kinds of seafood options, ranging from red snapper and seared tuna to oysters, lobster rolls, soft shell crab sandwiches, and fish tacos. We look forward to making a return visit to give them all a try.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Ocean-193
Website: https://www.ocean193.com/
Royal II (Yarmouth Port)
It’s easy to drive by Royal II on Rte. 6A in Yarmouth Port and not quite recognize what kind of restaurant it is. But the consistently full parking lot suggests that it must be pretty decent. After passing by it countless times, we finally decided to stop in and check it out for ourselves, and we are so glad we did. Turns out Royal II is a Mediterranean-style restaurant that offers classic Greek and Italian cuisine along with a smattering of American dishes. There is enough variety on the menu to satisfy almost any palate, and if everything is as good as the dishes we ultimately chose, we can assure you you’ll be in for a treat when you go regardless of what you order. Our meal started with a complimentary slice of cheese pizza, which arrived at our table moments after we sat down. It was absolutely delicious. It had a delicate thin crust with just the right amount of oil and crispness and a sauce that was flavorful but not too salty. Just perfect. It definitely tempted us to order a pizza for our meal, but instead, we opted to try the restaurant’s traditional Greek dishes. After considering a variety of options – the moussaka, the pastitsio, and the spanakopita – we opted for a lamb gyro and grilled lamb and feta burger. The gyro consisted of an enormous grilled pita overflowing with tender, nicely seasoned slices of ground lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, and tzatziki. Definitely the best gyro we’ve ever had. The lamb burger was equally good. Seasoned and grilled to perfection, the burger was served between thin, pita-like rounds of grilled bread and topped with spinach, tomato-stewed onions, kalamata olives, and feta. We chose a side of coleslaw for the gyro and crispy French fries for the burger. In addition to the entrees, we also enjoyed two fantastic cocktails – an Alexander the Greek, which consisted of Metaxa brandy with chocolate liqueur and cream, and a Grapefruit Breeze, which featured ruby red grapefruit vodka with a splash each of grapefruit and cranberry juice. They arrived at the table looking every bit as good as they tasted. While we hadn’t left ourselves any room for dessert, we were pleasantly surprised again when we were given a complimentary mini-serving of warm rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon as well as shots of pistachio liqueur. Both were exquisite. What an incredible and unexpected treat. No wonder the parking lot here is always full. Amazing food, great service, and reasonable prices. We’ll definitely be back!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Royal-II
Website: https://royalpizzagrill.com/
Sesuit Harbor Cafe (Dennis)
If you are looking for an iconic Cape Cod experience along with some great seafood, then you need to make your way down to Sesuit Harbor in Dennis and check out the Sesuit Harbor Cafe. This seasonal venue is the ultimate Cape Cod clam shack that not only is famous for its generously portioned lobster rolls, but for its rustic ambience, its amazing location right on the docks of busy Sesuit Harbor, its picnic table outdoor dining area, and its friendly BYOB policy. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it offers an extensive menu of both seafood, sandwiches, and steak tips. But its lobster rolls are its signature dish. They even offer afternoon and evening lobster roll cruises aboard their boat, the SS Lobster Roll. We’ve taken the cruise several times, and it’s always a treat. Beautiful scenery, delicious cocktails, great company, and those amazing lobster rolls!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Sesuit-Harbor-Cafe
Website: https://sesuit-harbor-cafe.com/
The Marshside (East Dennis)
The Marshside in East Dennis is a beautifully architected restaurant featuring a stunning high-beamed ceiling and two walls of picture windows that give you a sweeping view of the surrounding tidal marsh. It was gorgeous when we were here on a rainy, gray Saturday evening in March, so we can only imagine how beautiful it is on a sunny spring or summer evening! The other couples in our party were well familiar with the place, but for us it was a wonderful discovery. They tell us the sunsets here are amazing. As for the food, it was delicious. Each of us ordered something different, and we all loved what we got. The selections included shrimp scampi, salmon, fish and chips, linguine with little neck clams, chicken Parma, and beet salad. Some of us managed to clean our plates, while others had leftovers to enjoy at home. We also enjoyed the cocktails, which for us included the maple old fashioned. We’re always on the lookout for restaurants that know how to make a good old fashioned, and Marshside makes the cut!
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/The-Marshside
Website: https://themarshside.com/
The Mews Restaurant & Cafe (Provincetown)
Located on the far end of Commercial Street in Provincetown, tucked in among art galleries and picturesque homes, this award-winning restaurant offers tasty, creative gourmet cuisine and superb craft cocktails. Both the bistro (upstairs) and the beach-level dining room boast fantastic views of Provincetown Harbor. Lots of famous people from the worlds of politics, music, film/TV/stage, and radio have apparently enjoyed the food here so much that they gave the owner permission to include their names on a list of “famous diners,” so we consider ourselves to be in pretty good company when we say the food here is very good. We recommend the Vietnamese-inspired shaking beef, lobster risotto, and scallop scampi: perfection on a plate.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/The-Mews-Restaurant-Cafe
Website: https://mewsptown.com/
The Oyster Company (Dennis Port)
This cozy, comfortable restaurant in Dennis Port provides Cape Cod ambience in spades, and also offers what some say are the best oysters on the Cape. The oysters are harvested daily from the owners’ own working oyster beds, located in Crowes Pasture in Cape Cod Bay’s Quivet Neck Creek, so they’re super fresh. We ate our first-ever oysters here in winter 2023 and have since been back for more. A variety of seafood entrees plus a 14 oz. grilled Angus steak are also available for dinner. In addition, the small but attractive bar not only provides a great place to just hang out for a bit, but also happens to serve fantastic craft cocktails.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/The-Oyster-Company
Website: https://theoystercompany.com/
The Pearl (Wellfleet)
Our first visit to The Pearl Restaurant & Bar came on a sunny but cool Saturday afternoon in early May when we decided to stop in on our way back from a day trip to Truro. It was opening weekend, and we thought it’d be fun to see what their Happy Hour is like. Turns out, it was surprisingly busy. We managed to snag a high-top near the bar, but within a few minutes of our arrival, the area was standing room only. The Pearl is located in scenic Wellfleet Harbor, and on our visit, we thoroughly enjoyed the casual, high-energy vibe we found there: It really did feel like a happy hour – a happy place filled with people that were truly happy to be there. Although the restaurant was abuzz with conversation and laughter, it wasn’t too loud to carry on a conversation. Mr. Gotcha was in the enclosed deck area providing live music, and a few couples were up on their feet dancing. But the rest of us seemed content sitting and relaxing with our drinks and food and taking in the views of the harbor on a sunny day. The menu at The Pearl is limited but varied, and the food is good. We had a lobster roll and a crispy chicken sandwich, and both hit the spot. We also enjoyed a half-dozen Wellfleet oysters and a cup of clam chowder, and they were delicious as well. We look forward to making a return visit to enjoy the food, views, and music from the rooftop deck, which was not yet open during our visit. Until its closing in October, The Pearl offers live music every day of the week from 3 to 5 p.m. A complete list of scheduled bands can be found on the restaurant’s website.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/The-Pearl
Website: https://wellfleetpearl.com/
Winslow’s Tavern (Wellfleet)
Winslow’s Tavern, located in the heart of Wellfleet’s picturesque town center, is not a typical tavern, but rather a casually elegant restaurant serving delicious, creatively crafted gourmet cuisine and cocktails. Housed in a former governor’s mansion that sits majestically atop a small hill, Winslow’s features “indoor, outside, and upstairs” dining. It was a beautiful summer evening on the night we went, so we chose outside and were shown to a nice table on a patio under a canopy of trees that shaded us from the setting sun. The food at Winslow’s is more than delicious, it is special: we ordered the sweet Wellfleet oysters on the half shell, broiled scallops in sweet corn risotto, and breaded pork chop, and we loved every bite. We also tried their specialty cocktail Summer in a Glass, a delicious blend of vodka and basil-infused lemonade that truly lived up to its name. Winslow’s is definitely worth the trip, and we look forward to going back again.
Photo Gallery: https://washashores.smugmug.com/Winslows-Tavern
Website: https://www.winslowstavern.com/
By Steve Porter
Washashores
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