Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket: seafood shacks and seasonal food

Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are built around summer, seafood and the water. The classic meal is a paper tray of fried clams or a lobster roll eaten at a picnic table, but there is more: Wellfleet oysters, bay scallops in the cold months, cranberries in the fall and Portuguese cooking in Provincetown. Timing matters more than almost anywhere in Massachusetts, because many places open only for the season.

How does a clam shack work?

A clam shack is a casual seafood restaurant, often seasonal, where you order at a counter, pay, and wait for your number to be called. Food comes in trays or paper boats, with fried clams, fish and chips, onion rings, lobster rolls, steamers (soft-shell clams steamed in broth) and chowder. Seating is usually at outdoor picnic tables. Lines get long on summer weekends, and many shacks accept only cash or have minimums, so check before you line.

A few tips:

1. Go at off-peak times, such as 11 a.m. or mid-afternoon.
2. Bring a jacket, since it is often windy near the water.
3. Check whether a place is open on weekdays in May and September, when seasonal shops keep shorter hours.
4. If you want alcohol, check whether the shack serves it or lets you bring your own. Rules vary by town.

What makes Wellfleet oysters special?

Wellfleet, on the outer Cape, is known for its oysters grown in the tidal flats of Wellfleet Harbor. They are served raw on the half shell at oyster bars and are also sold at fish markets. The town holds Wellfleet OysterFest, a two-day festival in the third weekend of October with an oyster shucking competition and local shellfish. Expect big crowds and traffic on the Cape that weekend.

When is the cranberry harvest?

Cranberries are a major Massachusetts crop, and Cape Cod's bogs are a signature fall sight. The harvest runs from about late September into October and early November, when bogs are flooded and the berries float to the surface. Some growers offer bog tours. Cranberries appear in Cape Cod baked goods, sauces and cocktails in the fall.

What do you eat in Provincetown?

Provincetown, at the tip of the Cape, has a strong Portuguese fishing heritage, and Portuguese bread and soups appear on some menus, along with excellent seafood and a lively summer dining scene. The town fills up in July and August, and reservations for dinner can be hard to get, so book ahead if you plan a special meal.

How do Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket compare?

Both islands are reached by ferry, from Woods Hole (for Martha's Vineyard) and Hyannis (for Nantucket), and both are busy in summer. Menemsha, on Martha's Vineyard, is a working fishing village where you buy seafood from shacks and eat it on the dock or the beach. Nantucket has a historic downtown with cobblestones and a long tradition of bay scallops, harvested in the cold months from late fall into winter. Dining on the islands is more expensive than on the mainland, and tables can be difficult to find on summer weekends, so book dinners weeks ahead.

When do places close for the season?

Many seasonal restaurants open in late spring and close in the fall, some earlier. Some stay open on weekends in the shoulder season, and a smaller number run year-round. If you visit in spring or fall, check each place's hours, because a lot of the shacks will be shut. Winter on the Cape is quiet, with many restaurants closed for months; the compensation is empty beaches and a short wait where places remain open.

What should you pack and plan for?

Weather shapes every meal on the Cape. A sunny afternoon can turn cold and windy at the water in minutes, so bring a sweatshirt even in July. Sunscreen and bug spray help at outdoor tables. Traffic on the Cape bridges is heavy on summer Fridays and Sundays, and a meal can be a good reason to wait out the worst of it. If you are heading to an island, leave your car on the mainland unless you have a reservation for it on the ferry, because spaces are limited and expensive; most visitors walk, bike or use island buses and taxis.

What about the check, tax and tipping?

Massachusetts charges a meals tax on restaurant food, and Cape towns that have adopted the local option add to the state rate. Tipping at table-service restaurants is typically 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax total. At counter-service shacks, a tip is optional but appreciated, and a tip jar is common. Always read your check for any service charge, particularly for larger groups. For more on what is added at the end of a meal in Massachusetts, see our guide to tax and tipping across the five states. On Mosey you can keep lists of places you want to try, which helps when a trip takes you through half a dozen towns.

More guides to read next:

• Massachusetts food day trips: Worcester diners, Springfield and Salem
• Manchester, Concord and Nashua: New Hampshire city food guide
• Portsmouth, NH food guide: Market Square, seafood and the farmers market

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.