Could have done for a more blue sky, but nonetheless were I to show you one picture that sums up "the good life in summertime", I'd be hard pressed to find something more compelling than the site of a sangria on your table and the harbor view from the Ross' Grill balcony beyond.
Wine:Thirty Flight launched with a list of our favorites in the world of wine and travel. Over time we've we've talked about some of those favorites in particular, be they Virginia's Delaplane Cellars or the importance of always trying a glass of something you've never heard of. Today we're going to our favorite place for lunch in our favorite town: Ross' Grill in Provincetown, MA, the last town on the end of Cape Cod. Though still great in the winter, were I to show you one picture that sums up "the good life in summertime", I'd be hard pressed to find something more compelling than the site of a sangria on your table and the harbor view from the Ross' Grill balcony beyond.
Located in Whalers Wharf in the heart of downtown -- itself a rebuild of the original Whalers Wharf that burned down in 1998, which in turn was the of the old Provincetown Theatre repurposed -- Ross' Grill serves up a relaxing blend of splendid lunch (and dinner), great beverage list, and one of the best views of the harbor that you can take in while dining. It's really tough for a restaurant to get the "relaxed sophistication" thing right, but Ross' Grill nails it. You'll always get the sense that you've wandered into a quality place without pretension.
Getting Started
The attractive wine list is quite tempting, a happy indicator of the spirited dinnertime scene here. Our Best of February 2016 wine lineup included the 2007 Chateau Musar (a Bordeaux-style blend from Lebanon). But for lunch in the summer, we think you can't beat the sangria: I've rather come to regard as a holiday the first day the bar starts mixing it after a long winter's layoff. You'll also be hard pressed to to turn down your choice of clam chowder or your favorites from the raw bar.
Light pours in. There isn't a bad seat in the house, but the tables by the window win big (unless it's winter, in which I'd say the tables by the fire win bigger).
The Sandwiches
We're not quibbling with run-of-the-mill sandwiches here. The Blackened Scallop Caesar Wrap is our unqualified recommendation, of which any further thought will make every other meal I eat for the next two days seem disappointing. There's also much ado about the French Dip, which we recommend, and we recently discovered the Imported Ibérico de Bellota Ham... perfect for those times when you had the scallop wrap for lunch just yesterday (because going two days in a row isn't something we'd ever do).
...with Fries?
I always try to order something green with my meal. Don't give in to nutrition here. We stand by this claim: The French Fries at Ross' Grill are unequivocally the best you will have in Provincetown, and they may very well be the best that I've found anywhere. Do not trifle with the (quite tasty) side salad unless you're doing so in conjunction with a basket of fries you've ordered to share around the table.
My Personal Travel Tradition
Though we've enjoyed Ross' Grill on days when we're staying put, my tradition over the years has been to make this the very last lunch before leaving Provincetown for any length of time. Sometimes I'll be back in a few weeks, sometimes in a few months, but I've found that I leave the table by the window so consistently happy that I've made Ross' Grill my routine last stop before heading out on the midday ferry or plane. You'll not regret making my tradition your own.