16 Best Restaurants in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

This casual spot specializes in classics like grilled cheese sandwiches, hand-cut fries, and local seafood in a lively spot. Order at the counter, then grab a seat inside or at one of the several outdoor seating options; there's also a large beer menu with New England offerings, a good selection of wines, and fun cocktails. Weekend brunch features dishes like sticky buns and egg tacos. Dinner is served on Friday and Saturday.

The perfect find along the Cape Cod Rail Trail: a cute café that serves everything from mozzarella-artichoke sandwiches to chocolate-covered Oreos and nitro iced coffee. This family-run spot is a go-to for breakfast and lunch sandwiches, but they also make chocolate, so it's worth grabbing a treat to go (almond-, cashew-, and pecan turtles are a specialty). 

Offering breakfast and lunch, Café Chew serves everything from to-go espressos to breakfast favorites like pancakes and omelets. At lunch, a variety of soups, salads, panini, and sandwiches should please every palate—The Pilgrim (roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry mayo) is the best of Thanksgiving in a sandwich any time of year.

You know your host loves you when they take you to this local favorite (with multiple locations). The Creamery incorporates only the best ingredients in its ice cream, including Madagascar vanilla and French cocoa; this year-round location also serves sandwiches and chowder. The mini-scoop sampler is a popular choice for newbies, featuring six flavors served in a banana boat dish. There are seasonal locations in South Yarmouth, Dennis, and at the Hy-Line ferry terminal on Ocean Street in Hyannis.

Owner/baker Antoine Vera has brought the French and Belgian boulangerie experience to Hyannis with this charming cafe, located just steps from the Village Green. Order fair-trade coffee, tea, and a wonderful pastry—or perhaps a prosciutto and cheese sandwich—and enjoy conversation with a friend at one of the indoor or outdoor bistro tables. Before you leave, pick up a tin of Belgian cookies or a jar of French mustard to bring home, along with a few extra melt-in-your-mouth macarons.

Lining up for an ice cream cone or frappe at Four Seas, a former blacksmith shop near Craigville Beach, has been a rite of summer on the Cape since 1934; it made the ice cream for Caroline Kennedy's wedding (the flavor: fresh peach) and has won a bazillion 'best' awards. They also sell lobster salad rolls, hot dogs, and other sandwiches. 

Open year-round, this friendly family-owned and operated restaurant serves up homey food for breakfast and lunch. Favorites from the extensive menu include traditional breakfast items like pancakes and eggs for breakfast, and fish-and-chips and a variety of sandwiches at lunch.

Fuel up for a beach day at this bustling family-owned breakfast and lunch spot, where options range from a kombucha and a cruller to a balsamic-drizzled veggie wrap and an iced chai latte. Guests order food at the downstairs level, confronted by an array of decadent baked goods (hand-cut doughnuts are a specialty), and take it to go or eat in the upstairs solarium or at a picnic table next to the parking lot.

Feel the ice cream love at this café, where the creamy frozen joy is available in vegan, non-dairy, and sugar-free forms, in addition to their usual premium homemade ice cream. The flavors are dreamy—think brownie batter swirl, chocolate-chili pepper, and Red Velvet cake—and the made-to-order ice cream sandwiches have ice cream stuffed between decadent thick cookies from nearby Cottage Street Bakery. Swoon.

The recipe of the swoon-worthy hot fudge served at Ice Cream Smuggler is one of the best-kept secrets on Cape Cod. Their hot fudge sundae was featured on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," and it is legendary in these parts, but you won't go wrong with a cone filled with, say, Raspberry Truffle, Salty Oreo, Apple Pie, or Peanut Butter Cookie Dough. 

Making small batch ice cream and pastries in-house daily, Katie's has a huge following for its delicious flavors, like the popular Cape Cod Mud, a concoction of coffee ice cream, chocolate, house-made fudge, roasted almonds, and chopped chocolate sandwich cookies. Try to figure out the secret recipe of the Cape Cod Sand ice cream, a hit since 2002, when it was developed by Katie’s younger brother Gene, but don't expect anyone to give it away. Cookies and other sweet treats are also available.

Refined, adult-friendly ice cream flavors—think crystallized ginger, beach plum, and lavender sea salt—make this P'town shop a must-stop for discerning palates. Everything is made on-site, including boozy options like mudslide chip, White Russian, and Belle de Brillet. Look for their ice cream truck at Truro Beach. 

Crowds line up for tasty treats at this beloved year-round bakery, in business since 1982, which serves up a lot more than pie, though that is not to be missed. Sticky buns and scones fly out of the kitchen at breakfast, while daily soup specials, wraps, and salads are popular at lunch.

Head to the "cave" (a jolly colorful ice cream shop) to treat yourself to an array of traditional and unique flavors including "Death by Chocolate," an in-your-face punch of chocolate-y deliciousness that features super-creamy chocolate ice cream with a swirl of fudge and dark-chocolate chips. There are also options for a variety of dietary restrictions, sundaes, and made-to-order ice cream cakes and pies. 

Churning out ice cream in small batches since 1976, this award-winning shop usually has lines out the door. The shop uses only the freshest ingredients, so flavors like banana or blueberry are made with the real deal, with fresh fruit toppings, while classics like vanilla and chocolate never disappoint. They also sell frozen yogurt and frappes (milk shakes). There's another location in Dennis Port.

Pop into this popular spot for an ice cream cone, sausage roll, or a sundae and enjoy it on the 2 acres of landscaped grounds dotted with gardens.