Going for a week and staying in Orleans. Will have a car. Where should I eat and drink?
Biased towards killer seafood oysters etc.
And ice cream.
bumpy?
No soup for you. I have Boston roots but I’m more of a Jersey shore guy than a Cape Codder. The search engine is your friend. The Boston crew has reviewed Cape hot spots in the past.
link?
searched and saw a short thread from 2012. what am i missing?
It’s been a few years since we were on the Cape, but Moby Dick’s in Wellfleet was pretty great for shellfish.
thanks, Ken. Seems Wellfleet has a few good places. We’ll get there for sure.
Here are a few ideas:
BYO isn’t an option in restaurants
Wellfleet
Mac’s on the pier (very casual picnic table, feet in the sand kind of place, good for lunch, may be able to pop some corks here, though). I love their swordfish sandwich.
Mac’s Shack (higher end, decent wine list, great sushi) - one of my favorites in Wellfleet
Moby Dick’s (your typical fried food Cape place, don’t recall there being wine here)
PB Boulgangerie (it pains me to say this, but I haven’t been here yet. line out the door starting early for breakfast and baked goods. French bistro with very good food I’ve heard. not sure about wine options)
Eastham
Arnolds (typical fried food place but I think it’s the best – fried clams, shrimp, and onion rings are great. they have a good raw bar and wine/beer). grab a picnic table out back under the trees.
Finely JP’s (nice restaurant with decent wine list. good food, I think their seafood paella is one of their specialties)
Orleans
Land Ho! (indoor restaurant, good food and beers, the kind of place to go to when it’s raining)
The Beacon (good food, mediocre wine list but you’d find something to drink, relatively small)
Abba (haven’t been here, but hear it’s very good)
Academy Ocean Grill (went here a few years ago, very good menu, higher end, decent wine list)
Nauset Beach Club (higher end, very good food, wine pairings and a good list)
http://www.nausetbeachclub.com/
Brewster
Coby’s (typical fried food shack, decent enough food but I’d rather go to Arnolds every time)
Brewster Fish House (indoor place with nice menu, good food, and some interesting wine selections)
Ice Cream
Mac’s on the Pier in Wellfleet
Nauset Ice Cream in Eastham (in small shopping area on right side of 6 heading north, next to the Thai restaurant)
Arnolds (great place for both hard and soft serve)
Ben & Jerry’s store in Eastham (just south of Nauset Ice Cream, on the right of 6, next to the Dunkin Donuts)
Sundae School (multiple locations, maybe even a couple in Orleans)
If I think of others, I’ll post later
Blair - you rock!!! Thanks.Super helpful.
Goonie, take note!!
You wouldn’t think to look for serious BBQ on Cape Cod, but Marconi Beach in Wellfleet is actually quite good.
The Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans is good for coffee and such. Certainly much better than Starbucks.
I’ll second Arnold’s, be aware that they can have long lines at peak times.
Great additions, Corey. I had that BBQ a couple years ago and thought it was good (I think you’re referring to the place right on the left side of 6 heading north with the smoker outside).
Chocolate Sparrow is great.
Arnolds will have a line out the door pretty much all day through Labor Day, but it has moved fairly quickly the last few times I went there (including a couple of weeks ago). Even if the line is out the door to the ice cream section, you can expect to get into the cashiers within 15 minutes.
Yup, that’s the one.
Also, on the off chance that you’re looking for a very high end place (for the Cape, anyway) during your stay, you may consider:
Chillingsworth (Brewster)
http://www.chillingsworth.com/
Wequasset Inn (Harwich)
Chatham Bars Inn (Chatham)
I haven’t been to any of these places yet, but know many who have and they have all had positive experiences.
Great stuff guys…!!
Get a Cayuse or a SQN b20, prices are not insane.
The Pearl on Wellfleet Harbor is a fun place.
The Outer Bar & Grille at the Wequasset Inn is a great spot to eat on Pleasant Bay as the sun goes down.
The Port Restaurant in Harwichport offers a solid raw bar and menu.
Just around the corner from The Port is the Cape Sea Grille
Down the road is a great place to grab a lobster roll for lunch: Brax Landing , especially on the outdoor deck overlooking Saquatucket Harbor.
Sesuit Harbor Cafe is a fun place in Dennis. Outdoor picnic table eating and BYOB.
I have spent a ton of time in Orleans and on the cape and would recommend:
ABBA is the best restaurant in Orleans
Blackfish is my favorite restaurant on the cape in Truro, about 30 mins from Orleans
Impudent Oyster in Chatham, 15-20 mins from Orleans is great
Mahoneys in Orleans is good, but not on the same level as the places mentioned above.
Slight update:
Mac’s shack great - dozen fat oysters and great beer afternoon snack. Would live there. Will go back tomorrow.
Arnold’s - did a ride from Orleans to wellfleet and was starving on the way back. Lobster roll here is epic.
PJ’s - another great roadside place. Excellent lob roll but clam bellies were great.
Impudent Oyster huge disappointment. Sloppy shucked small oysters. Famous devils on horseback were limp and flavorless. Shrimp in oil and garlic great. Shitty beer selection. Big meh.
Sundae school is across the street from our house. Amazingly accomplished ice cream. Some of the best I’ve had. Dangerous.
Been grilling a bit which is a treat for me with great tuna.
Weather has been amazing. Might go fishing tomorrow.
Best beer discovery so far: pretty things meadowlark IPA. stunning and balanced.
Pretty Things rocks, bring a bunch home it’s fresher up there.
Bummer about impudent oyster, ive eaten there many times and always had great food, service is not the best though.
Just got back from the Cape and went to Blackfish twice, definitely my favorite restaurant on the Cape.
And its one of the few BYOs