Featured Stories & Articles from Cape Cod Travel Magazine: New & Noteworthy 2010

RESTAURANTS

Jeff Zartarian, owner of The Paddock in Hyannis and Aqua Grille in Sandwich, has opened Delmar Bar and Bistro (907 Main St., Chatham; 508-945-9988). The menu is a combination of international pastas—penne, ravioli, Japanese soba noodles—wood-fired thin-crust pizzas and an ever-changing array of creative blackboard specials.

 

To accompany its two other popular locations in Wellfleet and Truro, the locally adored Mac’s Seafood has expanded to include a third full-service retail fish market (4380 Route 6, North Eastham; 508-255-6900), which will be open year round. And new this year, they are offering catering services, from grab-and-go party platters and clambakes to raw bar setups and party-planning services; not only are they able to supply the event menu and a skilled serving staff, but also invaluable assistance in selecting entertainment providers, venues and vendors—including flowers, liquor and cakes.

 

A burger joint named Woodies Famous Burgers and Fries (56 Main St., Orleans; 508-255-4242) has just opened at Post Office Square in Orleans. With an emphasis on quality ingredients, the menu includes handmade char-grilled Black Angus beef burgers (available with 8 different varieties of cheese), hand-cut French fries, homemade coleslaw and crab cakes, seafood baskets and hot dogs. For something different, try a “Hula Dog” made with chili and pineapple.

 

Harwich Port House of Pizza has migrated a mile from its former site to a new built-toorder location in West Harwich (330 Route 28, West Harwich; 508-430-1047).

 

Hannah’s Fusion Bar and Bistro, which served a blended menu of Asian and American dishes, has been repositioned by the owners. Now the Seaside Pub on Main (615 Main St., Hyannis; 508-815-4517), the restaurant serves an extra helping of entertainment to go with the new menu of “traditional pub fare with a modern flair.” Play darts, board games, Wii videogames or trivia; watch sports on TV; or listen to the jukebox.

 

For those craving red meat, head towards North Street, just off of Main Street, to The Steak House Sports Bar (72 North St., Hyannis; 508-775-7100), where dinner is served until 11 p.m. Sports enthusiasts will love the 32 inch high-definition TVs for game watching—there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Here, you’ll also find regularly scheduled live musical entertainment and great budget-friendly specials.

 

Replacing Anytime Café on Main Street is Celestino’s Café (513 Main St., Chatham; 508-945-9700), a full bakery and French eatery open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and for dinner Thursday through Saturday.

 

The small building that was once the site of Italian restaurant Gerardi’s is now home to a new Italian dining establishment, Norabella (702 Route 28, West Dennis; 508-398-6672).

 

Locavores will no doubt flock to Chilmark Tavern at Beetlebung Corner (9 Chilmark Rd., Martha’s Vineyard; 508-645-9400). The menu will spotlight flavorful American-style food where the greens are procured from local farms, and seafood fresh from the sea. From 4 p.m. to

6 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day, this tavern will be doing the unimaginable, hosting happy hour in a dry town. Diners are encouraged to bring their own bottle and let Chilmark Tavern’s talented bartenders do the rest.

 

Award-winning celebrity chef Todd English has opened Figs at 29 Fair on Nantucket. Figs restaurant (29 Fair St., Nantucket; 508-228-7800) serves a menu of tried-and-true Mediterranean dishes that Todd English has become nationally known for, within a well-preserved 300-year-old building.

 

Already the owners of two successful Nantucket restaurants—The Boarding House and Pearl—Seth and Angela Raynor have opened a third. Described as a “Latin kitchen,” Corazon del Mar (21 South Water St., Nantucket; 508-228-0815) makes use of fresh coastal ingredients, which are an essential part of the 10-seat ceviche and raw bar. Other treats include freshly fried chips and salsa for two, tacos, Mexican-style grilled street corn, French fries made from yucca and house plates such as “pollo rostizado”—a dish made of roasted chicken, beans and rice with salsa verde.

 

The southern seafood and soul food at Lola’s family-style restaurant in Oak Bluffs has been replaced by Mediterranean flavors from Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and France. The Mediterranean (15 Island Inn Rd., Oak Bluffs; 508-693-1617), a fine dining favorite, continues to serve its traditional menu at its new location but with a couple additions of a unique wine list and tapas menu.

 

From the owners of Waterside Market comes the Blue Canoe Waterfront Grill (52 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven; 508-693-3332), which has taken over The Mediterranean’s former digs in Vineyard Haven. The menu offers fresh salads, sandwiches, seafood and American dishes.

 

 

ARTS AND CULTURE

A cozy 950-square-foot space aptly named The Little Beach Gallery (539 South St., Hyannis; 508-775-5522) opened last May. The gallery showcases the works of more than 15 artists—all of whom take inspiration from and share a love for the sea. Original artworks, in various mediums, include glass, wood, silk, raku tiles, ceramics, hand-made jewelry, shell creations, paintings and photography. The gallery also plays host to a variety of art-centric events, which, in the past, has included poetry readings, an eco-fashion show and art openings.

 

SHOPPING

Speaking of eco-friendly fashion, a unique boutique has just opened next to The Little Beach Gallery. Do something nice for the earth…shop! Shift (535 South Street, Hyannis; 508-775-2652) is a new clothing boutique geared towards women of all ages who enjoy quality wardrobe staples as much as couture clothing and a connection to what they wear. Shift offers designer clothes, jewelry and accessories that are not only fashionable, but environmentally friendly as well. “The moment you enter Shift and witness their delectable cache of organic and sustainably designed clothing, body care and perfumes, you’re addicted. Thankfully, shopping with a conscience provides the yin to your shopping yang.”

 

TRAVEL INFO

The Sagamore and Bourne bridges have been a welcoming portal to Cape Cod since 1935 and the girls have understandably aged over the years, so this spring the Sagamore Bridge is getting a facelift. And like all good roadwork, this project may cause some delays in travel time. When planning your trip to Cape Cod between mid-March and April, we recommend using the Bourne Bridge. A great way to plan your approach over either bridge is to dial 5-1-1 on your cell phone. 511 Massachusetts provides real-time traffic and weather info for all of eastern Massachusetts. Once you’ve dialed 511, just listen to the prompts. The service is updated regularly between the hours of 5:30 am - 9 pm Monday thru Friday and 10 am - 7 pm weekends and holidays. If you’re planning to visit without a car, check out SmartGuide.org for car-free alternatives.

AWARDS

The Wauwinet (120 Wauwinet Rd., Nantucket) was ranked one of the best small hotels in the U.S by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Out of just 35 hotels, the Wauwinet finished 7th in the country. And their restaurant, TOPPER’S was given the nod from Wine Spectator magazine for the 14th consecutive year.

 

Well-traveled readers of Travel + Leisure magazine nominated The White Elephant (50 Easton St., Nantucket; 508-228-2500) one of the top 20 hotels in the U.S. in the August 2009 issue’s “World’s Best” awards. The landmark hotel ranked 15, making it the “best” resort in New England.

 

T & L also recognized The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin as one of the “23 Seaside Inns We Love.” “It is truly exciting to be recognized in this category of top seaside inns,” General Manager Jim Storey says about the July 2009 issue. All of the rooms also have been outfitted with flat-screen TVs and individual refrigerators.

 

Wequassett Resort & Golf Club is proud to have received a number of distinguished awards over the past year including a Four-Star Award for both the resort and its signature restaurant, twenty-eight Atlantic, from Forbes Travel Guide, a ranking of 34 in the 2009 Top 50 Resorts in the U.S.

and Canada by Travel & Leisure, and most notably, the number 14 spot on CondeNast Traveler’s 75 Reader’s Choice Awards for mainland U.S. Resorts.

 

Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster, which underwent a major renovation in 2008 and early 2009, was recognized for “Elegance sans snootiness,” by Boston Magazine and chosen one of the “Top 10 Family Beach Resorts,” by Parents Magazine.

 

Chatham Bars Inn has most recently been named Best of New England 2009, Best Resort on Cape Cod in 2009 by NECN's A*List, 2009, dubbed one of Travel & Leisure's “Top 500 World's Best” and “Top 100 Trips.”

 

ACCOMMODATIONS

An addition to area accommodations includes upgrades at the Beach Plum Spa in both the Cape Codder Resort (1225 Iyannough Rd., Hyannis; 508-771-3000) and the John Carver Inn (25 Summer St., Plymouth; 508-746-7100): Beach Plum Spa is now Beach Plum Med-Spa. Each well-established spa has added minimally-invasive medical treatments to their menu of indulgent options. So now instead of surface treatments such as a massage or a facial, guests can opt for something that goes a little deeper like dermal fillers and photo-facials, all done under the supervision of Medical Director Dr. Garry L. Brake.

 

The Winnetu Oceanside Resort (31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown; 508-627-4749) is offering a new way to get to the beach in 2010. The “fire truck beach service” takes guests from the resort to South Beach in style in an antique fire engine. The hourly service picks up and drops off beach-goers at all three entrances. And, possibly the best part, guests ring the fire bell to signal their stop.

 

After being bought in 2008 and renamed after the new owner, Isabelle’s Beach House (83 Seaview Ave., Oak Bluffs; 508-693-3955) has also received a brand-new look for 2009. Every guestroom has been remodeled into a more “beachy” theme, said the owner Isabelle Morley, because of the bed and breakfasts close proximity to Nantucket Sound.

 

The Shipwreck Lounge (67 Bradford St.; 508-487-9005), as part of a multimillion dollar renovation to the Brass Key Guesthouse in Provincetown, has opened. The upscale neighborhood lounge—an enticing space to imbibe an expertly crafted cocktail before dinner or sip a rich and smooth port at the end of the evening—boasts a large fireplace, warm wood tones, comfy barrel chairs and a drink menu full of new and old-school favorites.

 

Over on the Vineyard, the Harbor View Hotel & Resort (131 North Water St., Edgartown; 508-627-7000) has received $2.3 million in renovations and some serious upgrades, with Coastal Living and HGTV’s Linda Woodrum at the design helm. The new, coastally inspired décor of the 81 guestrooms now matches the plush “Captain’s Quarters,” offering flat-screen TVs and DVD players, refrigerators, cozy bathrobes and CD-clock radios.
 
MILESTONES
On Aug. 5, 1910, President Taft dedicated the newly built Pilgrim Monument in honor of the Pilgrim’s first landing in the New World and the signing of the Mayflower Compact—America’s first democratic constitutional agreement. This year the tallest all granite structure in the United States will mark the 100th anniversary of the day it was completed. Join the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum in celebrating this milestone. See www.pilgrim-monument.org for a list of special events commemorating this momentous occasion.

 

 

ACTIVITIES
Kids ages 9 to 15 can test their skills at Martha’s Vineyard Adventure Camp in Vineyard Haven. Through nature hikes, tidal pool explorations, orienteering adventures, beachside activities, and more, the new daycamp program provides kids with the chance to engage in fun, challenging and adventurous activities that not only teach them about the natural world, but also build their self-confidence. For more details, visit www.mvadventurecamp.com.

 

A new playground has been built in West Barnstable, near the Whelden Memorial Library and Lombard Ball Field on Meetinghouse Rd. Named in honor of organization founders Bill and Suzanne Powers’ deceased son, Luke’s Love Playground, a barrier-free place where children of all abilities can play, is equipped with slides, rock walls for climbing, tunnels for crawling and ramps to make the many fun attractions accessible to everyone.

 

Martha’s Vineyard now has its own Restaurant Week. Throughout the Vineyard more than 20 restaurants will put together their tastiest work, offering a three-course fixed dinner option priced between $25 and $45. The event will take place in June. Visit www.MVY.com for more information and a list of participating

restaurants.

 

Children (and adults who are kids at heart) have the opportunity to meet and greet, feed and walk furry and friendly alpacas during a new program by Island Alpaca Co. on Martha’s Vineyard (1 Head of the Pond Rd., Oak Bluffs; 508-693-5554). The Junior Discovery for Kids program takes place on Saturday and Sunday and allows children over 10 to spend a couple of hours with these gentle creatures, participating in chores around the farm and learning from first-hand experience. To learn more about this and other scheduled programs run by Island Alpaca Co. and pricing, visit www.islandalpaca.com.

 

Nationally acclaimed photographer Peter Simon will be offering a photography workshop, the first time since the ‘80s. The fun and informative 4-day course includes basic instruction, field trips, evaluation of student work each evening at The Simon Gallery (54 Main St., Vineyard Haven), and many very accessible tips and techniques for taking portraits, family groups, sports, nature and landscapes. Classes are limited to 12 students. Call 508-645-9575 or visit www.petersimon.com for more information.

 

This spring, Heritage Museums & Gardens (67 Grove St., Sandwich; 508-888-3300) will open with the debut of its newly constructed Flume Fountain. Taking advantage of the natural setting, the fountain features a serene, two-footwide mirror of water that slides down a 208-foot channel, though existing trees and cascades 26-feet down into an oval water garden, where hydrophilic plants abound. Visitors can follow the traveling stream from the entrance all the way to the Daylily Garden where it flows.

 

On the first day of summer last year, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce started a new tradition: Cape Cod Quahog Day. What Punxsutawney Phil does for winter weather conditions, an official Cape Cod quahog does for the summer weather season. On June 21 the all-seeing, all-knowing Cape Cod Quahog will prognosticate how many weeks of beach weather we can expect to enjoy in the following summer months. Visit QuahogDay.com.

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