There’s a unique charm to visiting Cape Cod during the off-season, with fewer crowds around town, chilly but still beautiful weather, and plenty of Provincetown restaurants that stay open year-round. From our centrally-located Provincetown bed and breakfast, you’ll have your choice of enticing eateries during the winter months, so take advantage of our lower winter rates and indulge your taste buds on the outer Cape.

Provincetown Hotel breakfast kitchen

Breakfast, a Gourmet Market, and a Cup of Joe at Provincetown Restaurants

Liz’s Cafe, Anybody’s Bar is an institution among Provincetown restaurants, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner year-round in a historic building that once housed Anybody’s Market as far back as the 1940s and, more recently, the beloved Tip for Tops. When she took ownership in 2017, longtime local Liz Lovati preserved the character of those previous iterations, including a few Tip for Tops menu items still on today’s menu. She also renovated the interior to include a bar shaped like a boat, reflecting P-Town’s maritime heritage, with Cape Cod art covering the walls. When you visit, it’s like stepping into a warm and welcoming time capsule of Provincetown’s past, and the food is delicious from morning through evening. 

For breakfast or brunch, try Liz’s Portuguese omelet, made with traditional smoked garlic sausage from Portugal – a nod to the Portuguese fishing families who formed the bedrock of the local community for generations. The fried chicken with waffles or the lobster benedict is a step up from standard brunch fare, while the pancakes served with Vermont syrup are fluffy and sweet. Order one of their raspberry mimosas or peach bellinis from the bar to add a little buzz to the occasion. In the wintertime, their patio (always packed in the warmer months) features enclosed, private igloos with heaters, allowing you to eat outside in the sunshine, even in the winter months.

Liz’s Cafe owner, Liz Lovati, also has another beloved establishment in town, Angel Foods, a tastefully curated market open throughout the winter. It’s a great option if you want to grab a specialty sandwich (they have 12 on the menu, and you can create your own), fresh fruit, or some cheese olives, and a bottle of wine to take for a winter picnic while birdwatching at the nearby Cape Cod Seashore. Angel Foods is also next to the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, a must-visit for art lovers while strolling along Commercial Street on the east end. 

You can’t beat the patio at Joe’s Coffee and Cafe for a latte with bay views, just a 5-minute walk from your Gabriel’s room on the corner of Commercial and Winthrop St. They take their coffee seriously, using premium beans roasted in Northhampton, MA, and the menu includes all the faves from lattes and cappuccinos to cold brew, chai latte, and five different types of hot chocolates (try the pistachio or coconut for a unique twist). Food items include overnight oats, lemon poppyseed scones baked in-house, and bacon and cheddar quiche. They are also proudly dog-friendly, perfect if you are bringing your pup to Provincetown, and their location is conveniently on the way to the town dog beach.

Cape Cod Classics – Comfort Eats and Fresh-off-the-Boat Seafood 

The Canteen is the quintessential seaside bar and restaurant, located just two blocks away and right by the marina with a patio extending onto the sand. During the winter, they serve lunch from 11 am – 4 pm Sunday through Thursday, while Fridays and Saturdays feature both lunch and dinner, serving from 11 am – 8 pm. Start with their always-popular crispy Brussels sprouts served with chili fish sauce or the french fries with Old Bay salt, a tried-and-true Cape Cod accompaniment. Then dive into the seafood, whether it be a steaming bowl of clam chowder, excellent on a chilly winter day, or their massive serving of fish and chips, made with fresh-caught Atlantic cod and served with fries, delicious vinegary slaw, and lemon to round out the flavors just right. If you’re not in the mood for seafood, order a house burger, BLT, mac & cheese, or a hearty and healthy grain bowl. 

In addition to its indoor dining room, the Canteen has an intimate, heated outdoor space modeled after the clapboard dune shacks of old on the Cape National Seashore, with maritime decorations, surfboards hanging from the ceiling, and a cozy vibe. Not only are they open year-round, but the Canteen also turns into a hub of activity in the winter, when they host a holiday market on the beach and invite local artisans to sell their work. If you visit Provincetown over the holidays, there’s no better place to shop, sip, and eat all in one place.

Among the many Provincetown restaurants, both new and old, Mac’s Seafood has developed a reputation for sourcing the best and freshest fish, oysters, and clams on the Cape. Beginning as a summertime seafood shack on the Wellfleet pier over 25 years ago and expanding to include several locations, Mac’s location in Provincetown recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and was their first year-round location. Located on Shark Painter Road and a few blocks removed from the bustle of Commercial St, it’s a relaxing change of pace to visit for lunch or dinner (they start serving earlier on Sat and Sun, at noon, while they open at 3 pm Mon through Fri) and enjoy a wintertime seafood feast followed by a beer or cocktail around their outdoor fire pit. 

Mac’s calamari is a great starter, served with chili peppers and lemon aioli, while happy hour features half-price oysters and clams from 3-5 pm every day. It’d be foolish to visit Cape Cod without trying a lobster roll, served either cold with chilled mayo or warm with melted butter (our vote during the winter). Their sushi is also extensive, including various handrolls, delicate nigiri, and seven maki rolls such as tuna, eel, crab, and salmon. Non-seafood diners will enjoy grilled ribeye steak, braised pork, or chicken wings; vegetarian-friendly plates include a kale Caesar salad and chickpea gyro; and an entire gluten-free menu includes fried oysters or scallops, fish and chips, and Mac’s Fish tacos. Order one of their signature cocktails to accompany your meal or sip on one of their nine beers on tap, including Massachusetts brews like a Kolsch from Devil’s Purse Brewery or a New England-style IPA from Naukabout Brewing Co.

fresh oysters served with lemon wedge

A Meal Overlooking the Water Followed by Live Entertainment

The dining room at Fanizzi’s – one of the Provincetown restaurants open year-round since the beginning, when owner Paul Fanizzi took over the eatery in 2001 – is undoubtedly one of the best places anywhere on the Cape to share a meal with a spectacular view. The bar and dining space sit on the water’s edge, almost like you’re on a ship in the harbor (minus the motion sickness). Lunch service starts at 11:30 am, continuing with dinner from 4:15 pm until close, with an all-you-can-eat brunch every Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm. 

Settle in by savoring the famous Fanizzi’s ocean views and sharing appetizers like crab cakes, stuffed artichokes, or curried chicken salad. Lunch options include Mom’s Best Meatloaf, the Au Poivre Burger (topped flavorfully with bacon, blue cheese, and fried shallots), and a grilled honey mustard chicken sandwich, and dinner steps it up a notch with mustard nut crusted cod, cajun lobster alfredo, chicken parmigiana, and marinated steak tips. If you’re a wine lover, you’ll appreciate their wide selection of bottles from Italy, France, Spain, and California, perfect for toasting a tasty meal and a gorgeous winter sunset over Provincetown Bay.

Just around the block from Fanizzi’s, the Provincetown Theater hosts shows throughout the year at its venerable space on Bradford St, their home stage for six decades. Upcoming events include a Story Slam on March 23rd, 2024, where storytellers put their names in a hat, and ten are selected to share their 5-minute true-life tale related to the night’s theme. For some live music, look no further than Tin Pan Alley – their bar and piano lounge is the classiest spot around for a nightcap after your meal, with bartenders mixing up creative martinis like the “Cape Cod Drop” and “Tin Pan Tini.” The bar serves until after midnight, even throughout the winter, and their rotating cast of musicians sets a lovely ambiance.

Stay with us this winter and explore the best of the outer Cape’s food scene at these Provincetown restaurants!