Dining Review: Ciro and Sal’s – Provincetown, MA Cape Cod

June 2024

Dining Review: Ciro and Sal’s Provincetown, MA – Cape Cod

For dinner in Provincetown, Ciro and Sal’s was recommended to us several times and I snagged a reservation for this popular spot. Opening in 1954 as a coffee and sandwich shop, Ciro and Sal’s has been a staple and permanent fixture in Provincetown. The current owner started working in the kitchen in 1967 so this is certainly a restaurant of tradition. 

While I made reservations for an indoor table, it was so gorgeous outside that we were able to have our dinner in the outdoor area. The indoor space also looks very nice and this restaurant is able to accommodate quite a number of guests at a time.

We started with drinks and an order of six Wellfleet oysters which we have seen on menus all day. They arrived on a giant serving dish so the six oysters looked a little pathetic – guess we should have ordered a dozen. But these are super expensive – six were $16 and a dozen were $30 and for that price, I was hoping for some juicy, meaty oysters. So when we took a look and some appeared to barely even have an oyster inside, it was pretty disappointing. I was almost going to say something to our server to replace some with oysters that actually have an oyster in them. Of the ones we had, they were really tasty but I think for the value, I would not get again here. 

For entrees, Kevin and I both ordered pastas – I the Vongole Bianco and Kevin the Calamari Piccanti. 

• Vongole Bianco: little neck clams sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic white wine and herbs served over pasta
• Calamari Piccanti: local calamari sautéed in a lemon cream sauce with anchovies and fresh garlic served over pasta

The Vongole Bianco I had was ok, not the best version I have had as it was lacking flavor in the sauce. But I will say the clams were very large and plentiful so I was definitely happy to see that. Kevin’s was fantastic, hands down one of the best dishes of the trip. I am not sure what made it so delicious. The sauce was creamy and flavorful, maybe the addition of the anchovies was the secret, and the calamari was well portioned and big in size. It really just worked so well so I found myself reaching my fork over to his plate throughout the meal. 

Kevin selected a dessert for us to share and went with the Chocolate Mousse, described as a rich traditional chocolate mousse smothered in whipped cream. It was a great version of chocolate mousse – light, fluffy, chocolatey, and had pieces of chocolate throughout which was a nice addition. 

Overall, I would recommend visiting Ciro and Sal’s during your Provincetown trip – even if just for the Calamari Piccanti. Just be mindful of what you order and know this is going to be a more expensive option. And I know it is Cape Cod premier seafood and an even more premier location being in Provincetown, but pasta dishes in the thirty dollar range is a bit uncalled for- there is even their #1 Best Dish by Cape Cod Magazine called the Abruzzese at $46! The raw oysters are simply a terrible value for the oysters we were served but based on reviews, perhaps we got a bad batch. But that being said, Kevin’s pasta and the dessert were really great and we also enjoyed the diversity of the wine menu. 

Continue reading about our day in Provincetown here!

Continue reading about our trip to the Cape Cod here!

Read all blog posts for Cape Cod here!

See our complete itinerary here!

Planning your own trip? Read the Perfect Itinerary for Cape Cod here!