The Top Restaurants in Provincetown Right Now

Café Heaven

Come early before the night owls wake up and swoop into this New American spot, 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 craveable 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 year-round 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 house-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. And as if you needed more reasons to visit, Canteen launched fried chicken Fridays and weekend brunch, too.

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 dance floor 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.

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.

312 Commercial St., Provincetown, thegovbradford.com.

Ladyslipper

A new cocktail bar in Provincetown? Groundbreaking. Yet any Miranda Priestly levels of snark dissipate once you step foot inside this rich jewel box of a space, where drinks bloom with flavor and humor. Because while there are lots of lovely other options for a quick prelude to a night out, Ladyslipper is, in this case, the main event itself. Hail the herby Queen of Mayhem, where gin, cucumber, celery, and cilantro find balance with a kick of lime. Order up a Disco Nap with vodka, cold brew, vanilla, and espresso before a night twirling on the dance floor, and savor the culinary-ish Mr. Kenneth, which features Mexican rum and molé. The building next to Canteen has been a lot of things over the years—from quirky markets to an ice cream shop—but this current incarnation feels like it’s always been there, thanks largely to the warm environment crafted by owners Rebecca Orchant and Sean Gardner (the couple who also owns Pop + Dutch, see below) and Ben Weihbrecht. Orchant also crafted the snack menu, where potato chips cooked in beef tallow take a dip in house-made onion dip and cheese slaw crowns buttery Ritz crackers. Meanwhile, on the sweeter side, local James Beard Award-winning chef Kelly Fields (of the now-closed pop-up Butch’s) offers rotating desserts like corn panna cotta and chocolate cheesecake. Slip on in and stay a while.

227 Commercial St., Provincetown, ladyslipperptown.com.

Local 186. / Courtesy photo

Local 186

Unpretentious, welcoming, and with seating options that range from a sunny patio (perfect for people-watching) to dim interiors to sip your way down the whiskey list, Local 186 proves that sometimes you just need a burger. Standouts include the Favorite Burger, with blue cheese by Blue Hill Dairy in Marion and sweet-savory bacon jam (pro tip, ask for a side of the stuff to slather on your fries), and the Frenchie, where umami-rich caramelized onions cut through smoked gruyère. For non-burger bites, check out the banging bánh mì and the southern BLT. No burger joint would be complete without fries, and Local treats the tubers with love, churning out crispy fries with soft insides. We are all for unfussy classics, but do try the Frank’s Fries—gussied up with blue cheese and a side of fiery Frank’s RedHot sauce for that lip-burning bliss.

186 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-7555, local186.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

After a long reconstruction, the Mews is finally back, baby, and better than ever. Bigger, too, with a notably roomier bar to luxuriate over solo dinners of pub burgers, plus the two-floor dining room with enormous windows to soak up ocean views as you graze over a “seacuterie” board. The menu sails from New England to distant shores, with everything from fish and chips, asparagus carbonara, and French-Vietnamese shaking beef. Luckily, crowdpleasers like the spice-forward vindaloo served with rice and chutney from the classic, pre-renovation menu are still here.

429 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1500, mewsptown.com.

Provincetown Brewing Co.

Since opening in 2019, Provincetown Brewing Co. has morphed from a scrappy upstart to a central town hub, with year-round events and community-boosting activism (alongside brews and bites, naturally). So it makes absolute sense that the brewery’s new digs are the Crown & Anchor hotel and entertainment complex, smack in the middle of Commercial Street. This was once the home of pop-up Butch’s, which closed at the end of 2024 (oh, how we miss the roasted cabbage with chili crunch and fried garlic), but the brewery boys swooped in and transformed the space into a pleasantly weathered gay boathouse. New to this location is a full cocktail menu (including frozen drinks like the Varla gin, which shouts out legendary drag queen and town fixture Varla Jean Merman), plus a full menu by chef Christina Scifo. Bites range from pub-grub favorites like house-made mozzarella sticks and fried pickles to lighter salads and “big boys,” or hearty sandwiches. Check out the Arty Sandwich, which sees an artichoke patty topped with vegan tartar and dressed greens. Better yet, go absolutely decadent with the Home Wrecker, a beer-battered corndog with mustard and seasoned fries. You can order a single dog or a bucket of four (save the hemming and hawing—you’re getting the bucket). Thanks to the brewery’s draft-ivism program, where 15 percent of all profits benefit nonprofit partners like Center for Coastal Studies and the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, hitting up the brewery basically counts as philanthropy. In other words, go ahead and order several more rounds—toast your blessings over the refreshing and crushable Golden Hook Ale.

247 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-1430, onlyatthecrown.com/provincetown-brewing-co.

Rosie’s Cantina

With surprisingly robust breakfast offerings, larger entrees, and quick street eats, Rosie’s menu is more than suitable for every meal. 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). Here’s hoping 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 house-made 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 P-town 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 full 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 the 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 hunkers down with unbelievable grace and dishes 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 Planter’s 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 P-town is more than a little extra, here’s a quick-hit list of where else to eat.

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.

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.

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.

Treats from Provincetown Portuguese Bakery. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal

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.

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 dance floor.

353 Commercial St., Provincetown, 508-487-7465, scottcakes.com.

Additional reporting by Jacqueline Cain.