Grossy’s Guide to Provincetown
Welcome to Grossy’s Guide to Provincetown, MA, one of the gayest places in all of the land. Provincetown is located at the very TIP of Cape Cod, which is a peninsula off of Massachusetts. I have been vacationing on Cape Cod all of my life, visiting Provincetown for day trips with my family for the famous Portuguese Bakery! It wasn’t until my adult years that I started to visit Provincetown as THE destination with groups of friends for a trip filled with cooking, eating out, bike riding, beaches, and all the beauty that this quaint coastal beach paradise has to offer. I am so excited to show you around! Let’s go…
Getting Situated:
Ptown (as we call it starting now) has one main road that runs through it, with all of the shopping, restaurants and more located on or near it. This road is called Commercial Street. It’s the main artery of your time in Ptown! Commercial is a long road, but walkable or bike-rideable from end-to-end, making Ptown extremely easy to get around without feeling small.
Where to Eat:
Hours: Open 7 days a week 8am to 6pm
Location: 299 Commercial Street Provincetown, Massachusetts
First stop in Ptown: The Portuguese bakery for still-warm malasadas for the house. I grew up coming here as my mom’s side of the family is Portuguese and the malasadas are my absolute favorite - though pasteis de nata are a close second. For breakfast, get the linguica, egg and cheese on a pap seco roll. The Bakery changed owners in 2021, but thankfully it has remained the same as ever.
Hours: 8am - 7pm every day
Location: 467 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657
Angel Foods is the most charming little grocery store with the most charming owner, Liz, who will take good care of you and possibly talk to you for 90 minutes minimum while you shop. Okay maybe that’s just me, I am famously a Chatty Cathy myself. Beyond groceries, Angel Foods is where I head in the morning for some down and dirty coffee and fluffy, cheesy breakfast sandwiches, or for a sandwich at lunch, both of which I take and eat right on the water outside the shop. It’s nothing fancy and I would never want it to be.
Hours:
Vary daily and are weather dependent. Check website for latest! Dog Friendly - No Reservations
Location: 225 Commercial Street, Provincetown, Massachusetts
If I am not making myself lunch while in Ptown, you will find me at the Canteen for the best lunch (also dinner) in town. The lobster rolls are a dream! The fish and chips, perfect. The crispy brussels sprouts, legendary. I am a creature of habit, and for me, eating in the backyard of the Canteen, which sits right on the beach, is something I do almost daily while in town.
Hours: Happy Hour 2 - 4:30, Dinner 5:30 - close
Location: 15 Commercial St, Provincetown, MA 02657
The Red Inn is famous for its Raw Bar Happy Hour on its waterfront dining room. If you are like me and sometimes don’t know what to do with yourself on vacation from 2-4:30pm (Nap? Shower? Second lunch? First dinner?) this happy hour is for you. Grab a friends and dive into some seafood and some drinks. You won’t regret it. Bonus points if you do a photoshoot in their stunning front yard!
Hours: Monday thru Saturday 5pm-10pm, Closed Sundays
Location: 99 Commercial Street, Provincetown, Massachusetts
Do I sometimes eat at Sal’s dinner every single night I am in Ptown? Yes. It’s that good. Sal’s is a legendary beach-front Italian restaurant that has won the heart of every person who has ever eaten there. As for the menu, you cannot go wrong with anything, but do start with the Linguine Vongole (clams), it's heavenly. Sal's also has accommodations above it, which you can book here. Every night of your stay comes with a complimentary dinner at the restaurant, which is clutch as reservations can be hard to come by! In the Winter, Sal's packs things up and moves to Los Angeles, in case you so the same!
Where to stay:
Over the years I have rented various places to stay when I am in town, because I need to have a kitchen! Per usual, I pack up my essentials and bring them with me in my car so I can cook all vacation long. If you need help with what to pack, check out Grossy’s Guide To Being A Vacation House Mom!
As for the rentals themselves, Airbnb and Vrbo have amazing options, you will not be disappointed! Most recently, I have been staying at Sleep at Sal's, which is conveniently located on top of my favorite restaurant, Sal's (see above). Every apartment has space to sleep several people, a kitchen, and beachfront access! Plus, every reservation comes with complimentary dinner at Sal's every night of your stay! If you book, tell them Grossy sent you!
If you are looking to stay in a hotel while you are in Ptown, there are bed and breakfasts all over the place. The charm is oozing out of all of them.
What to do:
- Go to the Beach: Ride your bike to Herring Cove Beach, drive to Race Point Beach. The gays famously trek to "Boy Beach", which is a private little alcove that I personally find a bit taxing to get to, but if that sounds fun, just ask any gay you see in town how to get there! Whatever you do, don't forget a beach sandwich. I recommend Angel Foods or Pop and Dutch!
- Rent a bike: I love Arnold’s Bike Rentals on Commercial Street.
- Ride a bike trail: There is a great bike trail that runs from Herring Cove beach to Race Point Beach, highly recommend.
- Walk down a very long jetty: At the very end of Commercial Street there is a very long jetty (The Provincetown Causeway) that connects you to Light Point Beach.
- Go Grocery Shopping: The local Stop & Shop is where I get almost everything I need. Angel Foods has an incredible selection packed into their tiny store, if you want to shop local! For fresh seafood, head to Mac's Market!
- Go Antique Shopping: There are some great places on Commercial to get lost in, including the adorably named like Yesterday’s Treasures and Dominick Joseph Antiques.
- Go Clothing and Home Shopping: The also adorably named The Old Baby has the best clothing in Ptown, prepare to empty your wallet! Clove and Creek has delicious home goods, clothing and antiques, and if you look hard enough, you may find a copy of my book! The brilliantly named Heavy Petal is a florist with really lovely and giftable items, including my favorites Flamingo Estate.
- Get lost in a hardware store: If you are like me and LOVE a hardware, Land’s End Marine Supply will make you VERY HAPPY.
- Get lost in a used book store: Tim’s Used Books is tucked away off of Commercial Street and I could not love it more.
- Get sweet: For ice cream, you have lots of options, but I prefer the old school Lewis Brothers for their marshmallow topping and freshly whipped cream. For chocolate, you cannot beat a peanut butter cup at Provincetown Fudge Factory. I always leave town with several boxes of them!
- Laugh harder than you ever thought possible: Two words: Dina Martina. She is a Ptown staple, going on 18 years of performing all summer long at the Crown and Anchor.
Where to stop along the way:
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Atlantic Spice Company in Truro for my favorite little spice shop and kitchen store that gently welcomes you to Ptown.
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The Christmas Tree Shops all over the Cape for the craziest shopping experience of your life, possibly.
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Portugalia Marketplace in Fall River for the Portuguese Culinary Supermarket of your dreams.
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Barcelos Bakery & Cafe in Fall River for the best Pasteis de Nata
The Rest...
There is so much more for you to explore on your trip to Provincetown, so wander, get lost, have fun, fall in love, whatever makes you happy! May this guide be just the beginning...
