Inn at Cape Cod

It is a high priority for most innkeepers to ensure that their guests have great dining experiences during their stay. Disappointing meals can, after all, cast a shadow on that hard earned vacation or weekend break. Of course, after one of our delicious 4-course breakfasts, it’s hard to think of lunch or dinner, but it’s amazing how the taste buds start to revive after a few hours of Cape Cod exploring!

Here on Cape Cod, our task as innkeepers in this respect, is made a lot easier, as the quality of restaurants is generally good by most standards. Nevertheless, we recommend a carefully chosen handful of restaurants that we feel reflect a wide range of tastes, from fine dining to bar snacks.

There can be few locations on the Cape that have three first class restaurants within walking distance. The award-winning  Old Yarmouth Inn is just a stroll across the lawn for our lucky guests. The service is friendly, the food is consistently good, and the wine cellar carefully chosen. The Inaho, 200 yards from our inn, is a very highly rated authentic Japanese experience, complete with sushi bar. Five minutes further walk along Yarmouth Port’s historic main street brings you to the Lyric, with its fine contemporary cuisine, accompanied some evenings with live piano.

Just 5 minutes drive brings you to two more of our favourite eating places: The Blue Moon Bistro, where you will find a charming intimate setting combined with personal service and innovative cuisine;  and the Black Sheep Bah & Grill, who recently won a Cape Cod award for their tasty burgers. We love the relaxed, friendly atmosphere of this sports bar, and of course the great food!

A further advantage of staying, or indeed living year round, on this mid-Cape stretch of Route 6A, is that the many restaurants in Hyannis are only 8 minutes away by car. The Naked Oyster is highly recommended, as indeed are Alberto’s for great Italian cuisine and the Brazilian Grill  for a fun night out with friends at an authentic Brazilian rodizio.

A real personal favourite is the Ocean House, which, although in Dennisport, is only 20 minutes drive from the Inn. And boy, is it worth the drive! This beautifully appointed stylish restaurant makes the most if its fabulous ocean front setting with large windows looking out on to the beach and the crashing surf beyond. Together with the creative cuisine, this makes for a dining experience not to be missed.

Quite often guests will ask us for a dinner recommendation to suit their itinerary for the day, which might place them in Chatham or Orleans for the evening. In Chatham we have enjoyed The Impudent Oyster and Chatham Bars Inn, and another favourite is 28 Atlantic, overlooking Pleasant bay between Orleans and Chatham. The last two require smarter dress, so gentlemen be sure to bring blazer and slacks, it will be worth it for the ocean views alone at both these restaurants.

During the warmer months, no trip to Cape Cod is complete without a visit to the Mattakeese Wharf restaurant, with its great seafood and harbour sunsets. And if you’re looking for that casual experience with a difference, try the outdoor Sesuit Harbor Cafe, where diners enjoy views of tiny Sesuit Harbor, with the comings and goings of fishing and private boats. The Wellfleet Bookstore Restaurant will serve you up the finest, freshest Wellfleet oysters, just 100 yards from the oyster beds, while you sit on the upper deck overlooking the magnificent Cape Cod Bay.

Even if you haven’t managed to digest all this foodie information, we would love the opportunity to prove to you what other fun things you can do while staying at the inn. Hope to see you soon!