This past winter I asked the MFCC community where they like to go in the summer to dock the boat and have a bite to eat.
Now the votes are in, and here are the top spots, complete with mooring information, so you can enjoy the Cape, whether by boat, car, bike or hike!
This list begins with the Upper Cape and works it's way down to Provincetown. At the end we even mention a couple of MFCC's favorite spots on Martha's Vineyard.
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Upper Cape
The Chart Room, Bourne
Located right in Red Brook Harbor and the Kingman Yacht Center in Cautamet, The Chart Room is known for it's mudslides, delicious clam chowder and lobster salad.
Reservations are accepted, and they offer indoor/outdoor dining as well as take out.
You can use VHF channel 79 to contact Kingman Yacht Center to reserve a slip. If spots are taken, marina staff can set you up on a mooring and help get you to shore.
The Chart Room, 1 Shipyard Lane, Cautamet, MA. 508-563-5350
Fishermen's View, Sandwich
Located right at the Sandwich Marina, just steps away from the canal, Fishermen's View boasts incredible views and even more incredible food. They were voted one of the top spots on Cape Cod for the freshest sushi.
FV offers reservations, as well as indoor/outdoor seating, and take out. They also have a full fish market!
The restaurant and fish market own their own fleet of boats, and also work with local fishermen, so you are always getting the absolute freshest seafood available.
To reserve a slip, you can make a reservation at the Sanwich Marina by clicking here.
Fishermen's View, 20 Freezer Road, Sandwich, MA. 508-591-0088
Off The Grid BBQ, Sandwich
Off The Grid BBQ is within walking distance of the Sandwich Marina and is best known for their wings, and of course their BBQ.
They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Afterwards you can go around the corner for ice cream at Shipwrecked!
Off The Grid, 91 MA Route 6A, Sandwich, MA
The Flying Bridge, Falmouth
With fresh seafood, amazing views of Falmouth Harbor, and the ability to pull your boat up to the restaurant, helps to make The Flying Bridge a great option for a dockside meal. Sit right beside the harbor and choose from a menu of locally caught fresh seafood and signature cocktails.
You can call ahead to inquire about a slip by hailing the Falmouth Harbormaster at 508-457-2550.
The Flying Bridge, 220 Scranton Ave, Falmouth, MA
Mid-Cape
Mattakeese Wharf Seafood Restaurant, Barnstable
Located right in Barnstable Harbor, the Mattakeese Wharf has perhaps the best chowder on Cape Cod, along with a huge menu of fresh seafood and beautiful views of the harbor.
You can sail right into Millway Marina and pull up to the restaurant. Call ahead for takeout/delivery to your boat.
Quick tip: Right off Barnstable Harbor at low tide are some amazing sandbars, so grabbing takeout and having a picnic on the sandbar with the boat could be the perfect day!
Mattakeese Wharf, 273 Millway Road, Barnstable, MA 508-362-4511
Spanky's Clam Shack, Hyannis
Pretty much everything Spanky's serves is raved about, including their cocktails. Pull your boat right into Hyannis Harbor and sit at a table on the pier for a scenic meal.
You can click here to visit the harbor master website and book a mooring in Lewis Bay.
Spanky's Clam Shack, 138 Ocean St, Hyannis. 508-771-2770
Baxter's Boathouse Restaurant, Hyannis
Located right on Hyannis Harbor, Baxter's offers family-friendly dining as well as a 21+ area, with beautiful views, live music and fresh seafood.
Use marine channel #71 to dock your boat at Baxter's and enjoy a meal out on their deck or lawn.
Baxter's Boathouse Restaurant, 177 Pleasant St, Hyannis. 508-775-4490
The Summer Shanty, West Dennis
Located at Bass River Marina, the Summer Shanty offers littlenecks, chowder and of course lobster rolls. The Summer Shanty is a great place to sit and have a drink as you watch the boats come in and out of the marina.
To learn more about the marina and renting a slip for the day, you can click here.
The Summer Shanty, 140 Rt 28, West Dennis, MA. 508-394-0400
Outer Cape
Mac's Shack, Wellfleet
Mac's is without a doubt one of the top places MFCC members and others love and rave about...and it's reachable by boat!
Find anything and everything from shrimp and scallop dumplings, to a complete sushi menu, lobster rolls and clam chower, to fish tacos, whole belly clams and a bunch of lobster entrees.
Head into Wellfleet Harbor and it's a short walk from there.
Side note - they also have a Mac's Fish House in Provincetown, Mac's on the Pier in Wellfleet (another option from Wellfleet Harbor), Mac's Chatham Fish & Lobster and Mac's Market & Kitchen in Eastham.
Mac's Shack, 91 Commercial Street, Wellfleet. 508-349-6333
Restaurants from MacMillien Pier in Provincetown
"Ptown is very easy. When you get to the breakwater, call provincetown marina on ch 9. Tell them you want a mooring for a few hours, they will give you a mooring number and sometimes the launch will guide you to it. After you’re on the mooring, call the launch on ch 9 and they come get you. Go up town and do your thing. Then back to the launch dock and off you go back to your boat. They charge an hourly rate for the mooring." - MFCC member "altamira" R. James
From the pier, you can access anywhere on Commerical Street you want. Some of our favorites are:
The Lobster Pot
This Cape Cod institution has incredibly friendly and lively staff, a great atmosphere, beautiful views of the water, awesome drinks and even more awesome fresh seafood and meals.
The Canteen
Offering outdoor seating and take out, The Canteen serves up lobster rolls, cod Bahn Mi's (if you know, you know), fried chicken, and fish and chips to name but a few. It's quickly becoming a new favorite in P-town.
Martha's Vineyard
Menemsha Fish Market, Chilmark
After a morning of fishing Vineyard Sound, pull into Menemsha Harbor for gas and call ahead for a to-go order from Menemsha Fish Market and enjoy it out on the Sound.
MFCC member Jonathon Gitlin recommends the lobster rolls, stuffed quahog, and the crab cakes (all pictured below).
Menemsha Fish Market, 54 Basin Road, Chilmark, MA, 508-645-2282
Nancy's is located right in Oak Bluffs, where you can order ahead and get take out to enjoy on your boat. Serving sushi, their famous Dirty Banana's, housemade onion strings, lobster rolls and more.
Moorings in Oak Bluffs are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and cost $45/day. You can click here to visit the harbormasters website to make a reservation and get more information.
Quick tip: bring some cash to pay for the ride into shore and back out to your boat, it will vary around $7-$10 pp.
Nancy's, 29 Lake Ave, Oak Bluffs, MA. 508-693-0006
In Conclusion
Thank you to the members who helped create this list of the top places to dock your boat and have a bite to eat!
If you have another one to add, then please let us know in the comment section below.
Can anyone recommend a boat friendly restaurant in Cotuit Bay?
Thanks
Rick
Great post Lauren ! Appreciate the local info. Wholeheartedly endorse Fisherman’s View at Sandwich Marina —- unparalleled access to the canal and everything it offers —– amazing owners and staff —- consistently great experiences !
Tight lines !
Absolutely!! FV is awesome!
Hello.
Not on the water, but if you have bikes on board or don’t mind about a 1.5 mile walk from Mattapoisett Boatyard, you got to check out Turks Seafood, Rte 6, Mattapoisett. Not in full swing yet due to covid, but amazing sushi, great seafood, and lively bar( bar not open yet but drinks are available at outside seating). Plus Seafood Market.
John Baybutt
Thank you John! I’ve heard of Turks, I’ll have to check it out!
Was surprised nothing about Nantucket restaurants or secuit harbor cafe??
I had asked in the forum about places in Nantucket but didn’t get any responses (unless I missed one). Do you know of any good places there? We didn’t add Sesuit to this post but it is in my previous post for places to go for breakfast on Cape 🙂 They were not missed entirely!
We had a fantastic lunch, mid-week, the first week that they were open. The harbormaster lets us dock for lunch (preseason) and explained that they would do their best allowing short term docking for the new owner, Ted Zambelis. We have been back several times and the view, food & service are exceptional.
Also, best of luck catching Albacore. We were given some Albacore recently caught in the canyons by a local fisherman, it was delicious!
Thanks for sharing! Where did you go for this lunch? Please share the name 🙂
2 other restaurants in Wellfleet harbor are the Pearl and Bookstore. The Bookstore used to have a Lobster cheese burger that honestly was one of the best I’ve ever had (their swordfish sandwich is second to none…well maybe Mattakeese).
Oh wow that sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, I’ll have to add these to my list too!
My mouth is watering looking at all that delicious food! Great blog Lauren! Thanks for putting it all together!
Thanks Leslie! Hopefully you can try a few out – I’ve got Mac’s Shack on my list!
Captain Al’s
On buttermilk bay
They have there own dock
It’s a great place
Good to know, thanks for sharing Mike!
Great post and some very helpful information!
Thank you Ben!