While the number of open restaurants dwindles during the Outer Cape's off-season, those that remain open are experimenting, to offer variety to customers and stay engaged with the community.



“It’s really about bringing energy into the restaurant," said Mac Hay, co-founder and owner of Mac's Seafood — and about doing something a little bit different than your average night out.

There are specials nearly every night of the week at the restaurant at 85 Shank Painter Road, Hay said. The latest addition is a Tuesday Noodle Night, which has become quite popular, he said.

Keeping engaged with the community, and responding to local requests is a big part of it, restaurateurs who stay open in the winter said.

Pizza, for example.

The Fox and Crow in Wellfleet is experimenting with pizza nights on the weekends. They put on a few oyster boils with plans to do more. A paint and sip event, coffee tastings and guest chef classes are planned too, owner Trudy Vermehren said.

“I hate just as much as everybody when there’s ‘nothing to do,’” Vermehren said.

Also, Vermehren has heard from colleagues that in the winter, they need to make an effort to get out of the house or they won’t, which isn’t healthy. So, she wanted to offer her space at 6 Commercial St. to allow people to socialize without putting a major dent in their income.

“I feel like people tend to stay home because they can't afford to go out and those events where you can go out, you might blow half your budget for the week just going out and having a nice dinner somewhere,” she said.

The ideas being experiemented with at The Fox and Crow can give people a place and an opportunity to get out of the house and socialize, Vermehren said.

The Canteen, too, in Provincetown is listening to customers and locals.

While customers are grateful when restaurants are open in the off-season, co-owner Rob Anderson is hearing from residents that they wish there were more options this time of year. He decided to create theme weeks to provide affordable food that’s exciting and authentic, and something people would find at restaurants in major cities.

Every Monday through Wednesday, the restaurant at 225 Commercial St. offers a tasting menu inspired by different cuisines and cultures, now in its third winter.

Indian, Italian and Jamaican theme weeks have already passed this year, but upcoming themes include Vietnamese, Hawaiian, Greek, Chinese, Puerto Rican and more. While some of the weeks are staples each year, there are a few concepts the restaurant abandoned because it was difficult to source ingredients and making authentic recipes was a bigger challenge than first thought, Anderson said.



“It’s a balance of trying to predict what people will be really excited about but also it needs to be manageable here for folks cooking the food", Anderson said.

Also, it has to be something that we’re excited about presenting, he said.

The Canteen is especially trying to make a dent in what can be the weekly doldrums of Mondays through Wednesdays in the winter, Anderson said.

“There’s no denying that Provincetown in the winter can get quiet and it can get lonely and it can get repetitive and these weeks are both an opportunity to get out of the house and share a meal with the folks in the restaurant,” Anderson said.











