P-town roundup

Restaurants on the cool end of Cape Cod

by Loren King

For a resort town, Provincetown takes its food pretty seriously. Stroll down Commercial Street and you'll find a whole range of restaurants, from gourmet to greasy spoon. What follows is a selection of places to suit any occasion. Keep in mind that most restaurants vary their hours according to the season, so if you're visiting after Labor Day, be sure to call ahead.

The nook

Tucked away on the second story of a Commercial Street building, Café Edwige is a quiet respite from the bustle below. Edwige's eclectic menu features appetizers like Maine crab cakes and vegetarian maki roll, and entrees like grilled or blackened tuna, filet mignon, New Zealand rack of lamb, and penne primavera. Entrees average about $17. Reservations are recommended for dinner. Cafe Edwige's breakfast is easily the best in town: an array of omelets, frittatas, tortillas, pancakes, fresh fruit, homemade granola, freshly baked pastries, fresh juices, and cappuccino.

The escape

If you have a vehicle and feel like putting a little distance between yourself and Commercial Street, a trip across the border may be in order. Take a short drive up Route 6 or 6A, into North Truro, and head for Adrian's Restaurant, where the sparkling bay and towering Pilgrim Monument are visible from the outside deck. Owner/chef Adrian Cyr specializes in regional pizza and pasta dishes, but nightly specials also include such treats as a spicy shellfish stew; salmon in a mustard, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper glaze; and pork tenderloin. The specials average about $15 and come with a mixed-greens salad. The pizzas, cooked in a wood-fired brick oven, cost $9.95 to $10.95 and are among the menu's biggest hits.

Adrian's also serves a popular breakfast. Omelets and frittatas come with home fries and toast for $7.25 -- or try the cranberry pancakes with orange butter, for $5.50. If cholesterol is no object, indulge in the Swiss eggs: two poached eggs with heavy cream, romano cheese, and cayenne pepper, served on an English muffin ($7.25). A kicking bloody mary or a smooth mimosa completes the morning meal.

The fish house

With boats dotting Provincetown harbor and the smell of cod wafting in the air, you'll likely get a craving for fresh seafood as you saunter around town. If quality is more important than ambiance, head to Clem & Ursie's, the only full-fledged fish market in town, which is also home to a casual, friendly restaurant and raw bar. Try oysters on the half-shell, delicious chowders, lobster bisque, grilled fish, steamers, or lobsters in the rough (starting at $10). There's also flavorful barbecue, rotisserie chicken, and even a "Jamaican night," with treats like jerk pork, curried goat, and oxtail stew. Owned by a native Portuguese family named Silva, Clem & Ursie's also offers a hearty breakfast featuring "flippers," known elsewhere as fried dough. Flippers are a local tradition, a guilty pleasure for native and visitor alike.

The funky lunch

Another casual, inexpensive place to eat is MoJo's, a local institution across from Town Hall, in the heart of Provincetown. The picnic tables on the outdoor patio provide the added bonus of people-watching while you dine: at any given moment, drag queens, leather boys, tattooed girls, and maybe even a celebrity or two might pass by. MoJo's features a menu with more than 130 items, ranging from steak subs to kosher hot dogs to vegetarian pockets, all under $10. It's the perfect way to experience the essence of Provincetown.