The Best Restaurants in Provincetown

Ciro & Sal's

Tucked in a little courtyard, this northern Italian eatery might as well be a million miles away from the thudding bass of the bars down Commercial Street. And what a breather it offers, with a cozy and low-ceilinged dining room that’s rich with the alluring scent of garlic and butter. The old-school menu offerings are classics for a reason. Start with cured beef carpaccio topped with grated Pecorino Romano before voyaging through fresh salads, pasta (even linguine sautéed with just extra-virgin olive oil and garlic is a play of pristine flavor), and crowd-pleasing entrees. Must-tries include the chicken Parmigiana and the traditional tiramisu.

Mac’s Fish House Provincetown

The extra effort to get to Mac’s, off the main drag of downtown, is more than worth it for the bounty of fresh seafood and creative bites among its sprawling menu. Start with blue mussels with grilled bread to dip into the garlic butter sauce, and then go for the brown butter lobster bao buns. The menu celebrates everything seafood, from sushi, to whole lobster and broiled fish, though the spice-crusted ahi tuna is a standout. Of note, too, is that the whole menu of gluten-free fried seafood, like classic fish and chips.

The Lobster Pot

A town institution since 1979, the Lobster Pot is marked by the glow of the iconic sign leading to a bounty of beautiful, fresh seafood (including lobster, of course). Start with scallion crudo and the winning clams casino, which sees six littleneck clams broiled with bacon, breadcrumbs, and lots of butter. Then, chart a course through four different bouillabaisses — incarnations of French fish soups brought to life by chef Tim McNulty. Lobsters are offered based on weight, starting at a pound and a quarter. They include baked and stuffed (and overflowing with buttery Ritz crackers), as well as pan-roasted preparations with herb butter sauce.

Provincetown Portuguese Bakery

With a centuries-spanning connection to Portugal thanks to generations of immigrants, Provincetown Portuguese Bakery displays ingredients from the Atlantic nation, from kale soup to hearty sausages. This casual bakery remains the only spot in Ptown where Portuguese cuisine takes top-billing. Drop in for breakfast sandwiches on fresh Portuguese rolls and quick bites of croissants stuffed with chourico and cheese. But ask those in the line that trails out the door during busy season what the real draw is, and they’re likely to rave about the pastries, notably the malasadas, sublimely soft fried dough delights that are tossed in sugar. Be sure to try a pastel de nata, or egg custard in a crispy pastry shell, too.

The Canteen

“Let’s meet at the Canteen” might as well be shorthand for “Let’s see where the day takes us.” Stop in for a quick bite and you might end up staying on the back patio overlooking the water. The casual New England eatery serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, with spins on favorites like grilled cheeses (a combo of cheddar, smoked gouda, gruyere and Parm), plus clam chowder with leeks, smoky bacon, and a touch of lemon. Other winners: the crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in fish sauce, and of course, the legendary frosé.

Cafe Heaven

Heaven is about right. Head to this Commercial Street mainstay for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or ideally, all three. For breakfast, croissant and cornbread French toast join stacks of pancakes and eggs Benedict (get the lobster cake version). Lunch leans lighter, with giant salads — including a standout baby kale Caesar — and hot and cold sandwiches. Come dinnertime, dig into gorgonzola-topped bruschetta, Angus-beef burgers, and heaping plates of pasta.

Spiritus Pizza

This cash-only spot is a frequent haunt for night owls looking for a little nosh after the bars close at 1 a.m. But don’t sleep on laid-back lunches and dinners here. A classic, crispy slice of cheese will set you back just $3, with pepperoni and Greek slices — love the addition of earthy feta with olives — $4 a pop. Plus, with ice cream and shakes on offer, try a multi-course meal on the cheap, and save some cash for more splurgy meals (or, more likely, several cocktails). Order up a whole pie and take it to go, or better yet, unwind in on the cozy back garden.

Local 186

Those who get a hankering for a burger can hoof it to this relaxed pub-grub restaurant in the middle of all the action. The “favorite” burger is named just that for a reason. With blue cheese from Great Hill in Buzzards Bay and a savory-sweet bacon jam, best of luck to any burger you bite into after it. Also on the medal podium: the Frenchie gussied up by gruyere and onions, plus the lamb burger with feta tzatziki. Check out the singular hot dog, plus buckets of fries, including an option tossed with hot sauce and blue cheese.

Jimmy's HideAway

There’s a little sleuthing involved in spotting this subterranean New American nook with its lovely patio. The extra effort is worth it just to savor dinners that start with grilled oysters with zinging jalapeno-lemon butter. Vegetarians, check out the tofu “wings” with hot sauce and blue cheese, plus the gluten-free tofu Napoleon — layers of tofu and vegetables topped with roasted tomato and basil pesto —that might win over the carnivores. Depending on your mood, pick plates off the comfort menu, offering spins on fish and chips and southern fried chicken with whipped potatoes. Or lean more luxe with the entrees, including the spicy Portuguese fisherman’s stew with piri piri sauce, and the scallop piccata, which is served with a potato pancake to soak up that white wine sauce.

Liz's Cafe Anybody's Bar

Lest lunch and dinner get all the love on this list, venture off Commercial Street and hit up Liz’s for bountiful breakfasts, which are served until 2 p.m. — an act of downright charity considering Ptown’s legendary late nights. You can’t go wrong with its breakfast sandwich — a fried egg with cheese on a Portuguese roll — and should absolutely opt for spicy linguica or chourico Portuguese sausage. Other dishes globetrot, too. Take the Norwegian three-egg omelet with smoked salmon and scallion cream cheese, and the Florentine, a standout on the six-plate strong Benedict menu, which sees fresh spinach and roasted tomato atop two poached eggs on an English muffin, with the whole shebang lovingly covered in hollandaise sauce. Find handmade pastas, generous salads, and more on the lunch and dinner menus, too.

Johnny Thai Monkey Bar

Come for Thai specialties like chicken sautéed in a spicy-sweet peanut sauce, plus creative sushi named after celebrities — especially the Katy Perry roll, which might having you singing “baby, you’re a firework” thanks to that spicy mayo. Stay for the rollicking atmosphere and exceptional drinks at adjoining Monkey Bar, which slings just about every martini under the sun. Particularly, a delicious (if sneaky) espresso martini for that post-tea dance perk-me-up.

Sal's Place

The menu at this homey, upscale spot changes often but you can expect a handcrafted focus on seasonality and beautiful pastas, alongside some of the best service in town. Typically on each menu iteration are certain staples, like the lobster pasta with its decadent creamy sauce, and the chicken Parm that’s big enough for two meals. The meatballs with roasted plum tomato sauce are things of beauty, too. Just remember to hit up the ATM beforehand, as Sal’s is cash only. Keep an eye on Instagram for when they reopen for the summer season soon.

Victor’s

This petite cottage-like restaurant beckons for post-beach bites of coconut-crusted shrimp, calamari, and a tuna Napoleon during happy hour, from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. For dinner, meanwhile, swim through offerings of sliders, mussels steamed in sake, and mac and cheese topped with pancetta — all small plates to share with pals. A few larger seafood-leaning fare rounds out the dinner menu, with beignets served alongside seasonal fruit as a standout dessert.

The Red Inn

Come for splurge-y dinners of filet mignon with Jack Daniel’s whisky sauce and dijon-crusted lamb shanks, all surrounded by sea views. Or drop anchor in the afternoon during the spot’s legendary raw bar happy hour — a perfectly luxe way to cool off after a day at the Provincetown Inn’s pool. Toss back Manhattans and Earl Grey martinis as you dive into Wellfleet oysters and clams, plus lobster tails, and ceviche specials of the day.