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The Best Cape Cod Restaurants on the Water
From fresh seafood and harbor views to spectacular sunsets over the coast, Cape Cod restaurants on the water offer one of the most memorable dining experiences in the region. The lower Cape, particularly around Harwich and Chatham, has some of the best waterfront dining you’ll find anywhere in New England. The combination of fresh-caught seafood, charming harbor settings, and that unmistakable Cape Cod atmosphere creates a dining culture that’s hard to replicate anywhere else. Whether you’re after a casual lobster roll at a harborside dock bar or an elegant dinner overlooking the Atlantic, this stretch of the Cape covers the full range of great waterfront dining.
Dining on this corner of the Cape allows you to experience the best things to do on Cape Cod. Spend a morning cycling the Cape Cod Rail Trail, escape to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, stroll through the best towns on the Cape, or take a whale watching tour. The Lower Cape offers an appealing mix of beaches, bike trails, wildlife refuges, art galleries, historic harbor towns, and exciting experiences, making it easy to fill an itinerary. After a day of exploring, a waterfront meal at one of the area’s Cape Cod restaurants on the water is the perfect way to round out your nautical experience.
Our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast sits close to the coast in West Harwich, with the best waterfront dining the lower Cape has to offer, just minutes from your door. Our adults-only boutique inn offers a more elevated way to experience Cape Cod, combining an upscale atmosphere with thoughtful amenities and the comforts of home. With coastal contemporary rooms, private outdoor spaces, soaking tubs, and gas fireplaces, plus a gourmet breakfast to start each morning, it’s the perfect destination for your getaway. Book your stay today!
Your Guide to Cape Cod Restaurants on the Water
When it comes to waterfront dining, the lower Cape offers a range and quality that’s hard to match anywhere in New England. These Cape Cod restaurants on the water offer more than waterfront views. Many have built loyal followings over decades, earning their reputation through exceptional food, attentive service, and memorable settings. Within a short drive of Harwich, you can go from a casual harborside lunch to one of the only Forbes Five-Star restaurants in all of New England, all without leaving the lower Cape. Here are some of the best Cape Cod restaurants on the water worth adding to your itinerary:
- Situated on Saquatucket Harbor, Brax Landing has been a fixture on the Cape for decades. The menu leans into classic New England seafood, with signature lobster rolls, rich clam chowder, and baked stuffed shrimp, alongside burgers and seasonal specials. Sit on the outdoor deck, pull up to the fire pit on a cooler evening, or grab a seat inside with harbor views. Reservations are not accepted, so arrive early in the summer.
- At Sesuit Harbor Café in Dennis, located harborside at Northside Marina, you’ll find seating at picnic tables on the deck under colorful umbrellas, with boats at the docks and a view that makes this one of the best Cape Cod restaurants on the water. The lobster roll is the crowd favorite, and the menu leans into well-executed fried seafood.
- A multi-year “Best of Cape Cod” Gold winner by Cape Cod Life, The Ocean House in Dennis, less than five minutes from our Bed and Breakfast, sits right on Nantucket Sound and is one of the best restaurants on Cape Cod. The kitchen blends upscale New England coastal cuisine with Pan-Asian influences for a dining experience that’s creative, polished, and romantic. An extensive wine list, specialty martinis, and live jazz round out the experience. This restaurant is dinner only, Wednesday through Sunday, and reservations are strongly recommended.
- Located in East Dennis overlooking scenic Sesuit Creek, The Marshside offers a casual dining experience with some of the most striking interior views on the Cape. Large glass corner windows and a lower level with panoramic views over the salt marsh make the setting one of the best among Cape Cod restaurants on the water. The menu covers fresh clam-stuffed quahogs, haddock, and swordfish tacos.
- Named the No. 1 best waterfront restaurant in the country in the USA TODAY 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, the Beach House Grill sits right on the sands of Chatham Harbor. The menu covers clambake classics, clam chowder, lobster rolls, and freshly harvested salads from their own farm. The private beach clambake experience, available throughout summer, includes a dedicated bonfire, tiki torches, and a chef-led multi-course dinner. Lunch is first-come, first-served, and since it’s one of the most popular Cape Cod restaurants, dinner reservations are strongly recommended.
- The only Forbes Five-Star restaurant on Cape Cod, Twenty-Eight Atlantic in East Harwich, is the place to go for a truly special evening. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic views of Pleasant Bay, while the dining room combines Shaker-style furnishings, hand-blown glass chandeliers, and Limoges china in an atmosphere of luxury. Chef James Hackney’s menu celebrates native and seasonal ingredients with creative, award-winning flair. Be sure to make a reservation, as this is one of the best Cape Cod restaurants on the water.
No matter what you’re craving, the best waterfront restaurants near Harwich and Chatham offer an impressive variety of dining experiences, all within a short drive of one another. Whether you’re planning a casual lunch on the harbor or a memorable dinner under the stars, you can experience the best places to eat in Cape Cod.
Stay at a Luxury Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast
All of the Cape Cod restaurants on the water featured here are within easy reach of our boutique inn, an adults-only luxury Bed and Breakfast in West Harwich, and the perfect home base for exploring the best of the lower Cape. Set inside a beautifully restored 1850s sea captain’s home, our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast boasts eight individually designed guest rooms with plush furnishings, luxury linens, and en-suite bathrooms. Luxury King rooms add gas fireplaces, deep soaking tubs, and private outdoor spaces. Every morning begins with a gourmet breakfast, which you can enjoy in our Pool Lounge, the Platinum Cafe, the garden shade, or by the pool.
Beyond the rooms and breakfast, the upscale amenities are what keep guests returning to our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast. Spend the afternoon by the seasonally heated pool, wander the gardens, or settle in by the outdoor fireplace as the evening winds down. The inn’s personal concierge service takes the guesswork out of planning, from booking dinner reservations at the best Cape Cod restaurants on the water to arranging kayak adventures, afternoon sails, and seal cruises. Every detail has been considered, so all you have to do is show up and relax. Book your stay with us today!