A few places around the Cape that I enjoy:

CLAM SHACK IN FALMOUTH

Faithful to its name, an un-presumptuous little shack right on the water, photos of proud fisherman holding up monstrous sea-creatures hung up on the walls, a bit of wet netting visible in the back. The sizzling of the frier, the counter-slapping of fresh fish and the call of orders back and forth melt into a single buzz.

Fish & Chips

Delicious, tender and flaky, very fresh. The flesh was creamy and snow-white and the fried coating thin, crispy, with not an ounce of excess grease. The “chips” portion of the dish not very impressive but the fish stole the show.

Fried Clam Bellies

Hands-down the best fried clam bellies I have ever had. Delicious, golden-brown, not too salty coating with briny, creamy bellies that gush out with each bite. Delicious, home-made tartar sauce on the side to dip in, but I prefer mine with malt vinegar as this brings out the subtle marine flavors instead of masking them.

Lobster Roll

Hearty fresh, slightly stringy, cool chunks of lobster, very little mayo on soft roll. Wonderful.

BEN & BILL’S CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM IN FALMOUTH

Falmouth’s favorite late-night spot which closes later than most of the bars around the area and has a never-ending line out the door. During the day they make and sell a seemingly infinite variety of treats: fudge, praline, chocolate-covered jelly fruit and nuts, truffles and taffy. At night ice-cream becomes the protagonist; their menu boasts so many flavors that the 20 minute line is almost necessary to be able to confidently blurt out your order by the time you reach the counter.

Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Best ice cream flavor to get at a chocolate-ery? Chocolate chunk. It’s what the know. This one was delicious; hard but with a smooth consistency and very rich, deep chocolate flavor, loaded with hearty chunks no-doubt left over from their famous day-time creations. Worth the wait.

PIE IN THE SKY in Woods Hole
Another local breakfast joint, a place to grab a sandwich or a slice of pie before your ferry to the Vineyard. The popovers are a huge favorite here. I definitely recommend them as an alternative to the other breads they make.

Ham and Cheese Croissant

The croissants here are a little doughey, more like sweet bread then a pastry. This makes them ideal for sandwiches (a an alternative to a French roll) but they are definitely not the light airy pastry I think of when I order a croissant. This one is like a buttery, carb-y, chewy ham and cheese sandwich. Good but not what I was expecting.

Almond Croissant

Same story here. The dough was too starchy and thick for this thing to be called a croissant. The filling was not sweet enough and there was not enough of it. The salty dough overpowered it completely. Pie in the Sky is a great place but I would definitely skip this one for the other awesome stuff they do have,

BLT on Popover

Thick slabs of crunchy, smokey bacon contrasting beautifully with the thick, juicy slices of tomato and crispy fresh lettuce. Creamy mayo running through and adding some moisture. Ideal with the airy, crunchy and light, irregular-in-shape popover that seems to be the big seller here.

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Sandwich

A simple, filling delicious breakfast sandwich. Smokey house-made bacon, fresh egg on a crispy French roll.

Turkey Deluxe

BLT on steroids. Bacon, lettuce and tomato with smoked deli turkey, Swiss cheese and delicious tangy Russian dressing. The croissant held the whole thing up beautifully without becoming soggy (as I said, more of a bread then a pastry…). The crispy bacon went beautifully with the velvety soft turkey and the Russian dressing gave it the perfect amount of rich moisture.

Blueberry Pie

(Besides the popovers,) what the place is known for. Fresh, slightly tart but mostly sweet seasonal blueberries in a sugary filling with perfectly crisp sugar-latticed crust.