The Best Restaurants in Provincetown Right Now
The seaside haven at the end of the world lures with raw bars, perfect pizzas, and all the frosé you can handle.
Photo of the Canteen by Brian Samuels
Let’s get one thing queer, er, clear: Among the (many) draws to Provincetown—the “everyone’s welcome” atmosphere, the natural beauty, the nightlife that draws queer people from around the world—you can also add stellar cuisine to the list. Here are some top spots to hit up during your next visit to the tip of the Cape.
Last updated July 18, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Crown & Anchor
The Crown & Anchor
When news broke a few years ago that this restaurant, hotel, and entertainment complex in the center of town was for sale, the community held its breath. Like a million other queer spaces around the country, this spot was sure to be closed and reborn as, like, “Boutique Sub-Brand by Hospitality Giant Presents the Crown & Anchor.” Luckily, town residents Jonathan Hawkins and Paolo Martini swooped in and bought the space in late 2021, raised the sails, and set a course for a renaissance. Between the restaurant, the recently renovated inn and social spaces (including six bars), and a robust entertainment program, you can pretty much spend an entire weekend anchored at the Crown. Come for lunch and dinner at Butch’s, the Southern-influenced and veggie-forward new all-day restaurant by James Beard-winning chef Kelly Fields, where the big queer energy is outpaced only by the flavors. Savor high-low delights like caviar and tater tots, plus the elote and Brussels sprout salad (a street corn and salad lovechild), and a fried chicken sandwich with zinging serrano slaw. Dig into the chef’s famous biscuits during weekend brunch service, too, when local drag artists slay with live singing during two high-octane shows a day.
247 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1430, onlyatthecrown.com.
Cafe Heaven
Come early before the night owls wake up and swoop into this New American eatery, which boasts some of the best brunch in town. “Heaven” is right there in the name, but the delights feel downright devilish—from the tall stacks of raspberry-pecan pancakes slathered with butter, real maple syrup, and powdered sugar, to the cravable cornbread French toast. Go all in, or pair half-orders with savory brunch favorites like lobster cake benedict. Plus, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Commercial Street, you can sip mimosas and savor some of the best people-watching in town.
199 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1991, cafeheavenptown.com.
The Canteen
This town institution warps reality. How else to explain the odd magnetic pull of the frosé machine that merrily churns behind the front counter where you order food? You were (innocently!) on your way to grab an iced coffee pick-me-up from Kohi, next thing you know, you’re perched on Canteen’s expansive living-roomy back deck that overlooks the water, and asking people if you can pet their dogs. Chase frosé with dishes from the New-England-with-a-spin menu—say, crab-rangoon grilled cheese, clam chowder, and fish and chips. Plus, you’re not leaving without a serving of the legendary crispy brussels sprouts tossed in fish sauce. Hours slip by and suddenly it’s sunset. Might as well order a few home-made whoopie pies, fluffernutter cookies, and (why the heck not) another round of frosé. She just wants you to have a good time, after all.
225 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-3800, thecanteenptown.com.
Ciro and Sal’s
Sick of the seashore? Hoof it to Ciro and Sal’s for a first-class ticket to Northern Italy. Dig into mammoth plates of pastas while dining in the wine-cellar chic indoor dining room with its handsome brick walls and exposed beams, or al fresco on the garden gazebo. Highlights include the chicken piccata—the fresh garlic is so worth the extra stick of gum you’ll have to pop before hitting the dancefloor later—and the silky carbonara. And the scratch-made traditional marinara? So perfect it’ll make you weep as you remember the rolling hills of Piedmont, even if the closest you’ve ever been to Italy is watching 2003 heist flick The Italian Job (again).
4 Kiley Court, Provincetown, 508-487-6444, ciroandsals.com.
Irie Eats
The meat of the beef oxtail falls off the bone at this petite eatery located a quick walk from the bustle of Commercial Street over on Shank Painter Road. The restaurant’s bright interiors match the bold flavors of the cuisine, with the goat curry (served with rice and pea to soak up all those kicking spices) as a special highlight, along with the jerk pork with a generous helping of greens. The shelves are stocked with Jamaican groceries and canned goodies like banana chips and canned mackerel in tomato sauce to bring some Caribbean flavors home with you, too. Well, along with those leftovers you’re more than likely to have, since the meal portions here are absolutely huge.
70 Shank Painter Rd., Provincetown, 508-863-3584.
Photo by Collin Kolisko/Governor Bradford
Governor Bradford
Foodies in Provincetown have likely walked right past this salty-looking tavern while on an Anthony Bourdain–inspired pilgrimage to the Lobster Pot, maybe stopping in later for some drag karaoke. But after changing hands in 2022, the restaurant has become a destination in its own right thanks to new owners Collin Kolisko, a former Mac’s Seafood sushi chef, and David Ciccolo, co-owner of the Publick House in Brookline. Drag karaoke continues, but otherwise, the Gov has been completely reimagined, with fresh oysters, a venerable beer list, and izakaya-influenced fare like “corn ribs” with miso butter, katsu-style fried fish, and a Wagyu beef smashburger on the menu. — Jacqueline Cain
312 Commercial St., Provincetown, thegovbradford.com.
Mac’s Fish House
It’s almost tempting to leave this one off the list lest this restaurant/market combo gets any buzzier. There’s a lot to celebrate at this spot off the beaten path on Shank Painter Road. Like, a lot as in a behemoth menu—a raw bar of oysters, littlenecks and shrimp cocktail, appetizers of steamers with drawn butter and charred octopus, entrees of honey-harissa salmon and Thai green curry with swordfish and mussels. Plus a generous sushi and sashimi section. The offerings are seafood-heavy (after all, it’s right there in the name) with a few meat options like prime rib for the landlubbers. Heads up celiacs: you too can savor fried goodness as fried fish and chips, oysters, whole-belly clams, and more can all be prepared gluten-free.
85 Shank Painter Rd., Provincetown, 508-487-6227, macsseafood.com.
The Mews Restaurant & Cafe
Everything takes just a little longer in Ptown—you’re on beach time, after all—so it’s no surprise that structural renovations to the Mews’s home at 429 Commercial Street are taking a little longer than planned. Luckily, you can still find the restaurant’s punchy and spice-forward vindaloo, served with rice and chutney down the road at the Mews Popup at the Waterford Inn. At the site of the former Spindler’s, the slimmed-down version of the Mews dishes out favorites like heavenly lobster dumplings in a ginger-lemongrass broth, rosemary-marinated Colorado lamb chops, plus a healthy helping of vegan options, which you can enjoy in the indoor restaurant and out on the lovely deck. The six-seat bar is a ton smaller, though you can make reservations at 5 and 5:15 p.m. to snag a stool for martinis. Keep your eyes peeled on the Mews Facebook page for when its refreshed permanent restaurant reopens later in 2024 after the summer season.
Currently popping up at 386 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-6400; permanent address at 429 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1500, mewsptown.com.
Photo of Provincetown Brewing Co.
Provincetown Brewing Co.
Thanks to their draft-ivism program—where 15 percent of all profits benefit non-profit partners like Center for Coastal Studies and the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod—hitting up the town’s only onsite brewery basically counts as philanthropy. In other words, go ahead and order several more rounds, toasting with a juicy Double Rainbow IPA and the refreshing and crushable Golden Hook Ale. The menu leans into the homey pub-grub that everyone loves, such as the kicking jerk-chicken sandwich with house-made slaw, a few lighter salads, and a tasty homemade black-bean burger. Order up a bunch of appetizers (lemongrass chicken wings, anyone?) and perch on the dog-friendly patio for a while, where a sign above the resident pooch mascot Brewski’s doghouse proclaims, “I bite racists.” and the new PBCo burger, which sees an 8-ounce patty of ground sirloin and tenderloin topped with Cobalt cheddar and chipotle aioli. And since the brewery is one of the town’s most hopping social spots—between trivia nights, movie nights, and the “hey, here’s where all the lesbians are in town!” Sunday Dyke Dock parties—bring your best buds and pour over the shareable plates. Ginormous fried mozzarella sticks tempt with gooey goodness and the artichoke cakes might have you ditching their crab cousins for good.
141 Bradford St., Provincetown, 508-413-9076, provincetownbrewingco.com.
Rosie’s Cantina
With surprisingly robust breakfast offerings, larger entrees, and quick street eats, you can rollick through Rosie’s menu for every meal and never run into a miss. Start your day with scrambled egg dishes like the huevos con chorizo, which pairs eggs and smoky chorizo with rice, refried beans, and three corn tortillas. Other offerings hit all the basic food groups: cheese (the melty and beautiful quesadillas, awaiting a guac dunk); meat (the enchiladas stuffed with shredded chicken and slathered with your choice of sauce); and rice (the burrito bowl with the so-good-you-could-skip-the-toppings Mexican rice). With a little luck, the house-made mole enchilada will be the special of the day.
331 Commercial St., Provincetown, 713-440-9996.
The Red Inn
Hours are infinitely happier at this historical inn’s raw bar happy hour, hosted daily from 2-4 p.m. Breeze in for stunning ocean views and often rotating ceviche specials, plus Wellfleet oysters and clams at $1.50 a pop, best washed down with an Earl-Grey-infused gin tea-tini. Or, if you like your cuisine kissed by some heat, check out the chicken liver pâté with all the trimmings, and the mix- and- match sliders with Kobe beef, lobster, and crab among the mini mouthfuls.
15 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-7334, theredinn.com.
Sal’s Place
With the little luck, the fickle dining gods will smile on you during busy summer weeks and you can land a reservation at this snug spot for some divine cuisine. Taste the homemade pasta and it’s no wonder that the Italian-leaning restaurant summons fans from all over, including bicoastal California culinary aficionados who follow Sal’s to Ptown after the restaurant’s winter and spring residency in LA during the Cape’s off-season. Like the sea that’s right nearby, the menu ebbs and flows according to what’s in season, but do snag the clam-happy seafood pasta if it’s on offer. Or, you can basically point to anything on the menu and plan on leaving fully and happy. (Don’t expect to snag those sweet dining credit card points, though, since the restaurant is cash-only). Feeling especially baller? Sal’s operates three rental units right to the restaurant, which makes popping in for their pastas and bright salads just a matter of walking a few feet.
99 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1279, salsplace.co.
Spiritus Pizza
Please consider this my petition for Spiritus to win a James Beard Award in the category of “Outstanding Restaurant that Caters to Nightly Hoards of Drunk Gays: Northeast.” When the bars close at 1 a.m., the staff at Spiritus hunker down with unbelievable grace and dish out perfectly thin and crispy pizza to the masses. Slices at the cash-only spot are cheap: $3 for cheese, $4 for pepperoni and the killer Greek with black olives, feta, onions, and spinach. But what they lack in the town’s absurd price inflation, they make up for with million-dollar flavor. And do hit up the quiet and casual back garden for dinner on the cheap (a wallet breather after dropping $100 for two rounds of planters punch at tea dance). Call in a pie—say, the Spiritus special with veggies, linguiça, sausage, garlic, and (trust us) anchovies—and wash it down with a buzz-bringing espresso shake.
190 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-2808, spirituspizza.com.
Bonus
Since everything about Ptown is more than a little extra, here’s a quick-hit list of where else to eat.
Provincetown Portuguese Bakery
On Sundays, order a malasada, or fried dough tossed in sugar. Eat your malasada in the street. Dust the sugar off your hands. Turn around, immediately order three more malasadas.
299 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1803, provincetownportuguesebakery.com.
Provincetown Inn
I don’t care how much of a foodie you are: The chicken tenders and French fries plate served at the hotel’s poolside grill is culinary euphoria—best enjoyed with your feet in the water as you sip a frozen mudslide.
One Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-9500, provincetowninn.com.
Provincetown Fudge Factory
“I’m just going to pop in for a peanut butter cup,” you say, then get ice cream and leave with $30 worth of truffles, caramel turtles, and slabs of English toffee.
210 Commercial St., Provincetown, ptownfudge.com.
Pop + Dutch
Before making that long trek out to Herring Cove Beach, stop in for fancy sandwiches and salads, with the Agent Dale Cooper sandwich (turkey breast, cheddar, avocado, pickled shallots, and more) proffering peaks of flavor.
147 Commercial St., Provincetown, 774-538-6472, popanddutch.square.site.
ScottCakes
How dare you, ScottCakes, have the gall, the absolute gumption to serve basically one thing? On offer at this petite bakery are bites of bliss in cupcake form. No bells, no whistles, just classic vanilla cupcakes topped with fluffy clouds of pink buttercream icing. The bakery is often open late for some sweets after sweating on the dancefloor. New for the 2024 summer season, Dustin Ross serves brioche toast topped with sweet and savory goodies like green pea hummus and berries and cream on the weekends.
353 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-7465, scottcakes.com.
