Provincetown – HappyCapeCod

Best Catch Secret Fish N’ Chips, Provincetown

*Fish n’ chips at The Squealing Pig, Provincetown. Photo credit: Mike Shaw.*

by Mike Shaw (September 1, 2021)

During a recent long weekend in Ptown, I embarked on a culinary adventure seeking out the best fish n’ chips in town. Well, that is, the best ‘catch‘ secret fish n’ chips among the several restaurants which I patronized! It’s quite difficult to imagine dining anywhere in Ptown – or the Cape, for that matter – and having an unsatisfactory meal.

Having visited Ptown many times over the years, I continue to be surprised and delighted by its diverse food scene. In a town most famous for its arts and culture, Ptown has a unique culinary history, too. It’s the town where Anthony Bourdain got his start. He spent a season living and working with other restaurant workers one summer, and it’s that gig that turned him onto the food scene. According to a June 2018 Cape Cod Times article, “Bourdain went from washing dishes at The Flagship to learn-on-the-job cooking positions there and at Ciro & Sal’s, both owned by Ciro Cozzi.”

In Ptown, there are so many restaurants and cafés, it’d take a full season to visit them all! Covering both the East and West End neighborhoods, I selected four restaurants to begin the critical research necessary towards finding an answer in this fish n’ chips quest.

Pepe’s Wharf

My first visit was lunch at Pepe’s Wharf. https://pepeswharf.com/

Pepe’s Wharf is one of the town’s premier waterfront dining venues, just a 5 minute walk from Macmillan Pier overlooking Provincetown Harbor. On a nice day, you can enjoy your meal on one of two decks. During the peak season, you can expect to wait up to an hour for a seat at the popular outdoor bar on the second floor. The fish n’ chips is priced at $24 which includes fries and cole slaw.

Fanizzi’s Restaurant

My second visit was dinner at Fanizzi’s. https://fanizzisrestaurant.com/

About a 15 minute walk from the center of town, Fanizzi’s is a gem located in the East End and redefines waterfront dining as it literally stands above the water! It is open year round and offers a daily “Early Bird Special” from 4:30-6:00 p.m., which includes a starter and several entree options for less than $20. The fish n’ chips is priced at $21 and includes fries and cole slaw.

*Fish n’ chips at Fanizzi’s Restaurant. Photo credit: Mike Shaw.*

The Squealing Pig

My third visit was lunch at The Squealing Pig. https://squealingpigpubs.com/

The Squealing Pig is one of the most centrally located spots in town – a few minutes walk from MacMillan Pier – and provides a casual dining atmosphere. It has a sister property in Boston and is open year round. Channeling a pub-like aura, it has an expansive bar where you can dine and watch your favorite game and chat with the friendly bar staff. The fish n’ chips is priced at $20 and includes fries and cole slaw.

Ross’s Grill

My fourth, and final, visit was dinner at Ross’s Grill. https://rossgrillptown.com/

Tucked away on the second floor of Whaler’s Wharf, Ross’s Grill is a cozy European-style bistro which offers beautiful views of Provincetown Harbor and (limited) outdoor seating. It is open year round and reservations are a must, especially during peak season.

The fish n’ chips is priced at $20 and includes fries and cole slaw.

Now, the verdict (drumroll, please)! While I genuinely enjoyed each of my dining experiences throughout this culinary odyssey, one spot stood out to me in terms of the quality and quantity of fish n’ chips served. As of today, if someone asked me for a fish n’ chips recommendation in Ptown, my answer would be: The Squealing Pig!

If I discover that future fish n’ chip dishes give The Squealing Pig a run for its money, I’ll report back!

Tower Tour Part 2: Pilgrim Monument

America’s tallest granite-only structure resides on a hilly spot near the town center. Photo credit: Mike Shaw.

by Mike Shaw

Few landmarks in Cape Cod – outside of the ubiquitous lighthouses dotting the 70 mile peninsula – are as instantly recognizable as Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. Affectionately known as “Ptown,” Provincetown is best known for its artists, beaches, harbor, tourist industry, and inclusive vibe. The countercultural appeal of Ptown has held steady along with its growth as a tourist destination, becoming more popular as the town hosted festivals and week-long events throughout the year. Over the holidays, I had the good fortune to make several day trips to Ptown and learned more about the town’s rich history and mystique which keeps drawing people back.

But first, a little history of Ptown.

On a clear day, you can faintly see Boston’s skyline from the top of the monument. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Ptown is located at the tip of Cape Cod, encompassing about 18 square miles. Surrounded by water in nearly every direction, the town has approximately 20 miles of coastal shoreline. Ptown is bordered to the east by its only neighbor, Truro. About 70 percent of the town’s land area is owned by the National Park Service, which operates the Cape Cod National Seashore. To the north lie the Province Lands, the area of dunes and small ponds from Mount Ararat in the east to Race Point in the west. The Cape Cod Bay shoreline extends from Race Point to Wood End to Long Point, which in turn points inward towards the town, and provides a natural barrier for Provincetown Harbor. All three points are marked by lighthouses.

The fog rolls in during dusk. Photo credit: Mike Shaw.

On September 6, 1620, the ship Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England to a new land, carrying her crew and 102 passengers. About 60 days later, land was spotted off the coast of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. Disheartened by their difficult journey across the Atlantic, they sought shelter in Provincetown Harbor.

Though the Pilgrims settled across the bay in Plymouth, the area enjoyed an early reputation for its valuable fishing grounds. In 1727, the Precinct of Cape Cod was incorporated as a township. Ptown grew rapidly as a fishing and whaling center. The population was bolstered by numerous Portuguese sailors, many of whom settled in Ptown after being hired to work on U.S. ships.

Now onto the Monument!

A sign (and future reminder) of the times. Photo credit: Mike Shaw.

The Pilgrim Monument was built (1907-10) to commemorate the landfall of the Pilgrims at Provincetown on November 11, 1620 and the signing of the Mayflower Compact, the Plymouth Colony’s first governing document, in Provincetown Harbor. Standing at 252 feet tall, the Monument dominates the town’s skyline and commands reverence and awe from all who gaze at her. By pure coincidence, I actually visited Ptown on the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival – November 11, 2020. Without a fault, pilgrim displays adorned all corners of the town as it commemorated this most auspicious occasion. And, being COVID-mindful, all pilgrims wore facial coverings (can’t be too careful!).

According to the Provincetown Museum (link below): Work on the (monument’s) foundation began on June 20, 1907 and was completed on August 8, 1907. The cornerstone of the Pilgrim Monument was laid in an imposing Masonic ceremony on August 20, 1907. President Teddy Roosevelt attended the ceremony and gave the main speech. Roosevelt sailed into Provincetown harbor on the morning of the ceremony from his home in Oyster Bay, Long Island, on the presidential yacht (coincidentally named the Mayflower). Construction was begun on the Pilgrim Monument on June 18, 1908. The first piece of granite, weighing 4,000 pounds, was swung into place upon the foundation without any formal ceremony.

The 252-foot tall monument can be seen prominently from many Ptown neighborhoods. Photo credit: Mike Shaw,

Work continued until November 26, 1908, when it had to be stopped because of bad weather. It was resumed again on April 9, 1909, and continued throughout the rest of the year and into 1910. Ptown marked the official dedication of the Pilgrim Monument on August 5, 1910 with myriad special guests, including President William Howard Taft who arrived that morning on the government yacht Mayflower. The U.S. Government retained the right to use the Monument during wartime. During World War I it was used as a lookout tower and later during World War II it was rumored the tower was used as a testing area for secret communications experiments. The government did not relinquish control over the tower until 1959.

Provincetown Museum link: https://www.pilgrim-monument.org/building-the-monument/

The Ragnar Relay Cape Cod finish line and post-race party was held on the grounds of the monument. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

Simply put, no trip to Ptown is complete without a visit to the Pilgrim Monument. Fuel up, pace yourself, and ascend the 116 steps to the top where you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of the town, Cape Cod Bay, and if you’re really lucky, Boston’s skyline. No matter what you can see, take a moment to soak up the significance of America’s tallest granite-only structure and its indelible place in our nation’s history. As locals like to say, when you’ve arrived in Ptown, you’re at the end of the world.

A tired but proud bunch finished in 3rd Place in the mixed submasters division! Photo credit: A kind stranger.

Leaving Cape Cod in a Better Place Than You Found It

Leaving Cape Cod in a Better Place Than You Found It

Picking up on one reason I started writing – “I remain inspired by people who not only care deeply about their communities, but take action and give back, so that everyone benefits,” – to highlight people giving back with the hope others will follow. In the spirit of Sydney Sheldon, these people are “trying to leave the Earth in a better place than when they arrived.”

First off, thank you to the Cape Cod Chronicle and Cape Cod Times for choosing to cover this kind of work. The missions of nonprofit organizations – their work enhancing our shared quality of life – brings people together for a common purpose that benefits everyone in the long run. Whether donations of time, money, in-kind gifts, or connections, regular people’s actions have the ability to make a difference. Remember that. It’s hard not to feel good knowing many businesses, residents and visitors are working to improve our community.

CARE for the Cape and Islands – Volunteering on Vacation

Rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty is a great way to give back. Recently, a team of 50 volunteers from CARE for the Cape and Islands spent the day ‘sprucing-up’ the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center (CMMC). Volunteers cleared trails, weeded gardens, removed debris along the grounds as well as painted and cleaned the interior, the half-day of service helping ready the CMMC for another season. For similar clean-up days, CARE choses locations that both visitors and residents can experience, cultivating awareness of natural resources and local history that creates a connection and deeper appreciation of the land and environment.

CARE is designed to empower residents and visitors to take joint ownership in preserving the beauty, ecology and culture of the Cape and Islands. Now in it’s fifth year, the focus on sustainable travel connects the Cape’s fragile ecosystem with its significant place in American history. Both are reasons people visit and chose to stay on Cape Cod, and connecting the two provides a more enriching, if not rewarding, experience.

Here are a few more cool projects you can support with CARE (pun intended!):

Beach Trash to Treasure on Nantucket. Do to growth in amounts of trash
Beach and ocean trash ‘up-cycled’ into artwork for sale.

finding its way onto beaches and into the ocean, a Nantucket-based artist is turning trash into art while raising awareness on up-cycling (reuse in such a way that produces a higher quality of original material) and conservation. Why this is a problem? Plastic is finding its way into the human food chain through micro plastics found in the fish we eat. Everyone should think about that for more than a moment, and appreciate the implications of this reality. Because we can’t see this happening, it’s hard to know what to do about it, let alone think about it. To reduce our use of plastics, we just need to make small behavior changes. For example, choose stainless steel water bottles, use glassware for food storage, pressure your barista to use paper cups (many already do), bring reusable bags shopping (grocery, retail, etc), tell your waiter not to put a straw in your drink, find wood-handled toothbrushes (they exist!), or remember to pack silverware on picnics. We must remove plastic litter from the environment.
Provincetown Sidewalk Buttlers. Worthy goal, keeping cigarette butts off the street and out of the waste stream. Why this is a problem? During International Coastal Clean-Up Day, over 1.8 million cigarette butts were removed from beaches. So-called sidewalk “buttlers” have been installed in high traffic areas in downtown Provicetown to not just collect the butts, but to recycle and compost the materials.
Coloring Book for Kids from the Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman’s Alliance. Learning through coloring is a great way for children (and adults) to become stewards of the ocean. Get yours today!
For visitors, another way to make a difference on your next vacation is to choose your lodging based on their environmental commitment. Some B&Bs, hotels and motels donates a portion of room fees of guests who choose environmentally friendly options (classically, choosing not to have towels or sheets changed), sharing the commitment to conservation. It may take a little longer to book your next stay, but can make a difference.

Indeed, the Cape and Islands provide a character we must preserve. “And it takes change to stay the same.”

Cape Sea Grille Raises Money for Harwich Conservation Trust

The business community is an essential partner in keeping our community healthy, vibrant and welcoming to everyone. A few weeks ago, the Cape Sea Grille hosted the Annual Spring Wintetasting Dinner to benefit the land-saving work of the Harwich Conservation Trust. Land trusts seek to preserve land and open space that protects water resources, scenic views, wildlife habitat, and other natural features that define the environment. It’s hard to imagine the landscape of Cape Cod without the work of land trusts and other environmentally focused organizations. Like many nonprofit organizations, they need support.

While I did not attend the Winetasting Dinner, I learned that it sold out weeks prior to the event and may just quality for an evening not to be missed. While $125 per person may seem steep, the money raised supports a cause that is priceless – our natural resources. Not only are Cape Sea Grille owners Jen and Doug Ramler to be thanked, other local businesses supported the event with donations of food and wine. Extended thanks to Ed and Susan Ring or Ring Brothers Produce, Dave Carnes of Chatham Fish and Lobster, Matt O’Brien of William & CO., Matt Schultz of Classic Wines (Martignetti), Lynne Barnard of Horizon Beverage, Don Mitchell or Ideal Wines, Carol Bosch of MS Walker and Robert Roettig of Ruby Wines. I hope to see you next year.

Nauset Disposal Partnership with The Center for Coastal Studies to Support the Right Whale Emergency Initiative (the Center)

If you want to actually see whales on your next whale watch, please join the 1,000 Friends of Right Whales – right now (pun always intended). The Nauset Disposal and Center for Coastal Studies to Support the Right Whale Emergency Initiative intends to raise $100,000 to help support the Right Whale Emergency Initiative. The North Atlantic right whales are among the rarest of all marine animals, and the birth rate (5 in 2017) is falling well short of combatting the death rate (50 since 2010). With an estimated population of (only) 430 individual right whales, with less than 100 being breeding females, the population is indeed endangered. We have an obligation to take action and the ability to protect the species.

The initiative seeks to address the two drivers of right whale deaths, boat strikes and entanglement. Money collected will be used to locate and monitor right whales in Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, expand slow-down warnings for boaters in areas in which they are located and, knowing where they are, increase the probability of finding and freeing entangled whales. Last year, a marine debris removal project sent divers down into three local harbors to remove old lobster traps, fishing line, trash and other items harmful to marine life. Nauset Disposal provided the dumpsters to collect and remove the debris.

Even small donations make a difference. The is especially true in the case of the 1,000 Friends of Right Whales since Nauset Disposal will match the first 75 donations! Our collective action can help save the North Atlantic Right Whale.