My wife and I will be married for 10 years on May 25th. We’ve got a nice day planned in Honolulu. Staying at the Ritz and eating at a new French restaurant called “La Vie”. I’ve been really racking my mind and doing some searching for a wine or two to bring along. The first one I decided on is a 2018 Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin, which is already in my collection. Special bottle for a special event. But what else? What could I go with from 2014 to match our 10 year?
I decided I’d look into getting a very specific Beaux Freres from that year, Cuvee ‘59. I’ve had it on 2 occasions and have been blown away by it both times. Was a fantastic vintage in Willamette, and I believe Beaux Freres to be to top producer of American PN. I looked online, to no avail. My brother in law suggested I call. I figured I’d get nowhere, but hey, worth a shot!
They were FANTASTIC! I spoke to a woman named Candace who was beyond helpful! They offered me 2 bottles of the Cuvee ‘59 which is precisely what I wanted!
I’m very excited and, frankly, floored by how good the customer service experience was/is! Matches the quality of their wine!

Asking for suggestions seems to be a common theme on this sub-reddit, so I’ve updated my list of the best dining restaurants on the Cape for 2024.
This is absolutely one subjective opinion, but I like to think it's at least a qualified opinion. Having lived on the Cape for 20+ years, worked in the industry in the past, and dined out around the world for business/pleasure, I have a decent sense of what a stellar restaurant experience should be like.
I've been lucky enough to dine at a number of Michelin Star ranked establishments over the years while traveling. While none on the Cape is going to be earning that honor (especially since it’s only given in a few major cities) I’ve experienced what great can be like enough times to recognize the glimmer of it here at home. With each of these I'm still dreaming about the meal days later and want to go back as soon as possible.

The Best Dining On Cape:

1. Ceraldi (Wellfleet) $$$$
2. Water Street Kitchen (Woods Hole) $$$
3. Twenty Eight Atlantic (Harwich) $$$$ - Kid Friendly
4. The Pheasant (Dennis) $$$ - Kid Friendly
5. La Tacodilla (Dennis) $ - Kid Friendly
6. Ten Yen (Orleans) $$$

These are the only places that make the cut here, as nowhere else I’ve been to quite rises to this amazing level these provide. Yes, the Cape is a big place, but each of these is well worth the drive from Falmouth or P-town.
Changes for 2024:

• Ten Yen moved down a little. Michael still serves the best sushi on the Cape, but they reduced variety by dropping their ala carte nigiri offerings. (-1 consistency/variety - EDIT: Comments mentioned they will likely have more variety once the summer starts, will update!)
• La Tacodilla moved down a little. Still amazing street food, but their open days/hours keep changing (-1 to consistency/variety). Don't let that stop you though, the food is still amazing and an extraordinary value in todays food inflation climate.
• Ocean House moved off to Runners Up. Still one of the better cocktails and dinner views on the Cape, but total meal prices are up, variety is down, and quality is down. They removed the lower priced burgers and flatbreads, limited vegetarian options and no longer have a viable vegan option on the menu; grilled cauliflower is not a meal and egregious for $33! We also had a few quality problems last season. They dropped below my cut off of 45 points to remain on the best list. (-1 to food, -1 to consistency/variety, -1 to value)

Coincidentally, there is something for every budget. Ceraldi deserves the top spot but is a tough reservation to get and expensive with their fixed menu. They also added a delightfully inventive no reservations taken first come communal table menu that was fabulous, and they’re amazing about allergies and accommodating most food restrictions. The others don't have to break the special occasion bank if you pick the right options.
At Ten Yen you can stay under $50 and get a couple of world class sushi rolls and a glass of sake or spend over $200 eating an amazing sushi meal with drinks.
La Tacodilla is the real deal and has 2 for $6 street tacos on Taco Tuesday, as long as you don’t mind waiting an hour+ when they are busy.

Runners Up:

If you can’t get a reservation at the above, there are other very good restaurants around the Cape that are well worth the visit if they have availability. These are all pricey though, so certainly shoot for the ones above first when possible. Note, these are just in alphabetical order.

• Bleu – Mashpee $$$
• Cape Sea Grill – Harwich $$$
• Chillingsworth – Brewster $$$$
• Cuvee - Chatham $$$$$
• Fin – Dennis - $$$
• Inaho – Yarmouth $$$
• Misaki – Hyannis $$$
• Outer Bar and Grille – Harwich $$ - Kid Friendly
• Pain d’Avingnon – Hyannis $$
• The Mews - Provincetown $$$
• The Nor'East Beer Garden - Provincetown $$$
• The Ocean House – Dennis $$$$

Honorable Mentions:

I didn't want to leave these next ones out, as they are consistent standards when friends drop in for a visit and want to eat out. Most of these don’t take reservations and you have a good chance of getting a table eventually, especially for lunch or if you are willing to arrive early for dinner:

• Anejo - Falmouth (Hyannis location is fine, not as good as Falmouth though)
• Crisp – Osterville
• Drifters – Chatham
• Terra Luna - Truro CLOSED
• The Block and Tackle – Eastham
• The Canteen – Provincetown
• Bread + Roses Bookstore and Café – Hyannis - 100% vegan!

My Rating Scale:

1. Food: starts with food that is over the top great and changes variety for repeat visits.
2. Service: has to be consistently excellent.
3. Location/Scene: Does it set the terroir for the food, is it nice to be there, do they have a good view, do they maximize the space they have, things like parking, bathroom vibe, etc. For example, La Tacodilla is just a little window in a little house with a fake turf seating area right on 28, but it’s hands down the best street food on the Cape and the location/scene is super appropriate for the food. Cuvee is the opposite, with super high end food but served in a cramped under ventilated room with no outside view, dirt parking lot, and no valet parking.
4. Consistency & Variety: must hold up to greatness over multiple visits. Do they have vegetarian and vegan options? Does the menu or specials change regularly?
5. Cocktails/Wine/Drinks: extra points for being creative and delicious. The head bartenders at Water Street Kitchen take things to another level. Ceraldi’s wine pairings are great, and their homemade soft drink pairing is always inspired for those who don’t drink alcohol. Having an expansive & pricy wine list is less appealing to me than a creative cocktail menu with the bar skill to elevate the craft.
6. Value: how much of the above 5 items do you get per dollar spent.

I keep a spreadsheet with 1-10 rankings for each of these categories for all the top restaurants (and some of the bottom ones as calibration). Here are examples of my rating scale:
Water Street Kitchen:

• Food: 9
• Service: 8
• Scene: 8
• Consistency: 9
• Drinks: 9
• Value: 9
• Total: 50

La Tacodilla:

• Food: 8
• Service: 7
• Scene: 7
• Consistency: 8
• Drinks: 5
• Value: 10
• Total: 45

Cuvee:

• Food: 9
• Service: 9
• Scene: 5
• Consistency: 8
• Drinks: 8
• Value: 4
• Total: 43

List To Try Based On Recommendations:

Here are some others I’ve heard good things about but have not had the chance to eat at yet, I’m sure some of them belong on the lists above. I managed to try ~10 places in the offseason and shrink the previous recommendations list. Falmouth is overrepresented here as I live mid-cape and gravitate to Water Street Kitchen repeatedly when headed to Falmouth, it’s that good!
I’ve starred* the ones we're trying to hit next.

• Abroad - Orleans
• Belfry Inne and Bistro - Sandwich
• Blackfish* - Truro
• Branches - Chatham
• Brewster Fish House* - Brewster
• Bubalas By The Bay - Provincetown
• Bucatino - North Falmouth
• Carolines - Eastham
• Casa Del Cabo* - Eastham
• Clean Slate Eatery - Dennis
• Del Mar* - Chatham
• Dan’l Webster Inn
• Devour* - Falmouth (Lunch only)
• Epic Oyster - North Falmouth
• Estia - Mashpee
• Flying Bridge - Falmouth
• Freemans - Provincetown
• Front Street - Provincetown
• Geraldi's - South Yarmouth
• Hanger B - Chatham
• Impudent Oyster - Chatham
• Island Cafe & Grill - Hyannis
• La Cucina Sul Mare - Falmouth
• Le Bon Jour* - Falmouth
• Leonesa** - Yarmouth Port
• Liz's Cafe - Provincetown
• Lobster Trap - Bourne
• Local 186 - Provincetown
• Lune*
• Mac's - Provincetown, Wellfleet, Chatham
• Mahoney’s Atlantic - Orleans
• Navillus - Orleans
• Osteria La Civita - Falmouth
• Pates - Chatham
• Pilot House - Sandwich
• Pisces* - Chatham
• Sesuit Harbor Café - Dennis
• Spinnakers - Brewster
• The Beacon Room - Orleans
• The Bookstore - Wellfleet
• The Buffalo Jump - Falmouth
• The Chatham Cut - Chatham
• The Glass Onion* - Falmouth
• The Lobster Pot - Provincetown
• The Red Inn - Provincetown
• Victors - Provincetown

All The Rest

Below are all the other (non major chain) Cape restaurants I’ve eaten at in the past ~10 years in no particular order, although I’m sure I’ve missed a couple.
Most of these are fine spots, just not close to the caliber of top spots above. For example, Kream n Kone in Dennis is our go to fried food spot, but I wouldn’t go out of the way vs whatever fried seafood spot is closest to you. Some of these I haven’t gone back to in years with good reason. I would love to hear opinions on any that have improved and are worth returning to!

• 3 Monkeys
• 908 Bistro
• Bangkok Thai
• Barbyann’s
• Baxter’s
• Bluefins
• Bobby Byrnes
• Buca's - Harwich
• Brax Landing
• Brazilian Grill
• British Beer Works
• Brothers Pizza
• Captain Parker’s
• Chapins
• Chatham Bars Inn
• Chatham Squire
• Chatham Wayside Inn
• Ciro and Sals
• Clancy’s
• Colombo’s
• Common Ground Cafe
• Cooke’s
• Craigvile Pizza and Mexican
• Crown and Anchor
• Dennisport House of Pizza
• Double Dragon
• Embargo
• Encore
• Ember
• Firestarter Pizza
• Fisherman’s View
• Five Bays Bistro
• George’s House of Pizza
• Governor Bradford
• Golden Fountain
• Guapos
• Hearth n Kettle
• Knockout Pizza
• Kream n Kone
• L’Alouette
• Landfall
• Liam McGuire's
• Mattakeese Wharf
• Mike’s Pizza
• Mom & Pops Burgers
• Mooncussers Tavern
• Naked Oyster
• Noble House
• Nor’East Beer Garden
• Not Your Average Joe’s
• O’Shea's
• Old Yarmouth Inn
• Pepe’s Wharf
• Pizza Barbone
• Portside Tavern
• Quarterdeck
• Quicks Hole Tavern
• RCs Pizza
• Royal Family
• Saga Sushi
• Sam Diegos
• Scargo Cafe
• Sea Dog Brew Pub
• Sea Street Cafe
• Seafood Sam’s
• Spanky’s Clam Shack
• Spinners
• STARS at Chatham Bars Inn
• Starbucks (gone)
• Sundancers
• Sweet Tomato’s
• Tap City Grille
• Taste of Siam
• Thai Ocha
• The Black Cat
• The Chart Room
• The Kettle Ho
• The Knack
• The Marshside
• The Original Seafood Restaurant
• The Oyster Company
• The Pelham House
• The Port
• The Red Nun
• The Roadhouse (gone)
• The Squealing Pig
• The West End
• Thuan Loi
• Tiki Port
• Trader Ed’s
• Tumi
• Viera on Main
• Wee Packet
• West End
• Wicked
• Wimpy's
• Wooden Shoe
• Zoe’s Pizza

Hope this list helps some locals and tourists alike have an amazing meal!
Edit #1: Removed Gina's By the Sea, Brine, C-Salt, and Terra Luna as closed, added Spinnaker's and Flying Bridge to the list to try next.
Edit #2: Starred Leonessa and Lune to try next based on a recommendation. Fixed Drifters location. Added Bubalas By The Bay, The Lobster Pot, Dan’l Webster Inn, La Cucina Sul Mare, Navillus, The Island Blue Crab, and Hanger B to try.
Edit #3: Moved La Tacodilla up, removed dig about how they stopped serving alcohol based on comments. I hope they reopen Friday's though, that's my go to end of week lunch spot.

Emporium, est le nom qu’on avait donné à un ancien port de Rome, rappelant un lieu d’échange, en plus d’être proche du mot italien, Emporio, qui signifie un endroit où on peut acheter des marchandises de qualité, un genre de supermarché de luxe. Le corbeau, quant à lui, fut choisi parce qu’on souhaitait avoir une image représentative qui évoque la microbrasserie, en plus que c’est un oiseau intelligent, qui vit en groupe et entraide ses semblables.
Emporium, c'est aussi une brasserie située aux limites de la Ville de Québec et de Charlesbourg, la microbrasserie Emporium est bien établie depuis 2018 dans la scène brassicole de Québec. Notre collègue Geneviève Healey est allée en apprendre plus pour le temps d’une bière.
Comme toute bonne amatrice de bière de Québec, j’ai visité plusieurs fois l’Emporium. Je me rappelle même de ma toute première visite, à peine quelques semaines après l’ouverture, où on devinait encore les vestiges des anciens lieux. J’étais toute excitée de découvrir un nouvel endroit pour déguster le breuvage houblonné et, exactement comme aujourd’hui encore, j’avais eu l’impression d’entrer dans un repaire un peu secret.
L’Emporium est dissimulé entre la banlieue et la ville, dans un modeste centre commercial, où chaque fois qu’on passe la porte, on oublie un peu quelle heure il est. Pour réaliser cette entrevue, j’ai eu le privilège qu’on m’ouvre spécialement les portes lors d’une journée de congé, amplifiant encore plus mon sentiment de clandestinité.

À qui ai-je l’honneur?

C’est par Paolo Galizio et Mathieu Ferland que j’ai été reçue aujourd’hui. Ayant une grande expérienceen restauration, Mathieu s’occupe du volet marketing principalement, mais aussi des ventes et des communications. Afin de mieux répondre à la demande et de miser sur la polyvalence, la grande majorité des opérations de la microbrasserie sont réalisées en équipe.
Paolo en tant que brasseur, quant à lui, a comme rôle de gérer tout ce qui touche à la bière, de l’approvisionnement à la production, en passant par le contrôle-qualité. Bien évidemment, Mathieu, Paolo et les deux autres associés ont des tâches très complémentaires et indispensables au bon déroulement de l’entièreté des activités du pub.

Les débuts de l’Emporium

Dès qu’on franchit la porte de la microbrasserie, ce qui saute tout de suite aux yeux, après le corbeau géant, c’est… le four à pizza. Alors, qu’est-ce qui est arrivé en premier? Le four à pizza ou la bière? Telle est la question.
La microbrasserie est née d’une envie viscérale de brasser de la bière, bien sûr. Au début, toutefois, Paolo n’avait pas l’idée d’aller au-delà de la production, mais il s’est laissé convaincre par les autres associés qui souhaitaient aller vers la formule pub. Les recherches ont donc mené vers le local qu’on connaît; assez grand pour contenir un restaurant et des cuves de brassage, permettant un volume considérable de production.
Lire l'article complet sur leTemps d'une Bière

Située aux limites de la Ville de Québec et de Charlesbourg, la microbrasserie Emporium est bien établie depuis 2018 dans la scène brassicole de Québec. Notre collègue Geneviève Healey est allée en apprendre plus pour le temps d’une bière.
Comme toute bonne amatrice de bière de Québec, j’ai visité plusieurs fois l’Emporium. Je me rappelle même de ma toute première visite, à peine quelques semaines après l’ouverture, où on devinait encore les vestiges des anciens lieux. J’étais toute excitée de découvrir un nouvel endroit pour déguster le breuvage houblonné et, exactement comme aujourd’hui encore, j’avais eu l’impression d’entrer dans un repaire un peu secret.
L’Emporium est dissimulé entre la banlieue et la ville, dans un modeste centre commercial, où chaque fois qu’on passe la porte, on oublie un peu quelle heure il est. Pour réaliser cette entrevue, j’ai eu le privilège qu’on m’ouvre spécialement les portes lors d’une journée de congé, amplifiant encore plus mon sentiment de clandestinité.

À qui ai-je l’honneur?

C’est par Paolo Galizio et Mathieu Ferland que j’ai été reçue aujourd’hui. Ayant une grande expérience en restauration, Mathieu s’occupe du volet marketing principalement, mais aussi des ventes et des communications. Afin de mieux répondre à la demande et de miser sur la polyvalence, la grande majorité des opérations de la microbrasserie sont réalisées en équipe.
Paolo en tant que brasseur, quant à lui, a comme rôle de gérer tout ce qui touche à la bière, de l’approvisionnement à la production, en passant par le contrôle-qualité. Bien évidemment, Mathieu, Paolo et les deux autres associés ont des tâches très complémentaires et indispensables au bon déroulement de l’entièreté des activités du pub.

Les débuts de l’Emporium

Dès qu’on franchit la porte de la microbrasserie, ce qui saute tout de suite aux yeux, après le corbeau géant, c’est… le four à pizza. Alors, qu’est-ce qui est arrivé en premier? Le four à pizza ou la bière? Telle est la question.
La microbrasserie est née d’une envie viscérale de brasser de la bière, bien sûr. Au début, toutefois, Paolo n’avait pas l’idée d’aller au-delà de la production, mais il s’est laissé convaincre par les autres associés qui souhaitaient aller vers la formule pub. Les recherches ont donc mené vers le local qu’on connaît; assez grand pour contenir un restaurant et des cuves de brassage, permettant un volume considérable de production.
Pour ce qui est de la localisation, même si le centre-ville avait aussi été considéré, malgré le fait qu’il était déjà bien garni en établissements brassicoles en 2018, c’est la banlieue qui a été retenue, pour sa proximité avec la piste cyclable, les lignes d’autobus, le grand stationnement, etc. “On croyait fortement en l’identité de quartier… que le futur des petites microbrasseries, c’est de s’ancrer dans le milieu, pour fidéliser le quartier.” L’idée de la pizzacomme aspect central du volet restauration est venue par la suite, aussi influencée par les origines du brasseur.
Emporium, est le nom qu’on avait donné à un ancien port de Rome, rappelant un lieu d’échange, en plus d’être proche du mot italien, Emporio, qui signifie un endroit où on peut acheter des marchandises de qualité, un genre de supermarché de luxe. Le corbeau, quant à lui, fut choisi parce qu’on souhaitait avoir une image représentative qui évoque la microbrasserie, en plus que c’est un oiseau intelligent, qui vit en groupe et entraide ses semblables.

Créneau de brassage et clientèle visée

Bien qu’elle se qualifiait à la base comme un pub qui servait de la pizza, la microbrasserie se qualifie maintenant aussi de restaurant et agrémente constamment son offre alimentaire. Côté installations brassicoles, l’Emporium a acquis petit à petit son équipement au fil du temps, mais ce n’est que depuis peu qu’on juge qu’on est équipé pour y brasser à la hauteur de ses ambitions. “Faire de la bière, c’est pas nécessairement difficile, mais faire de la bonne bière, c’est très difficile et ça coûte très cher!”
Ce sont environ 4 ou 5 brassins qui sont produits hebdomadairement, dans les cuves installées au sous-sol du pub. Bien que l’offre des bières en canettes et celle en fût soient très différentes l’une de l’autre; en canette on tendra davantage vers les valeurs sûres, alors que pour le pub, on osera un peu plus. En même temps, les origines européennes du brasseur font qu’il tente le plus possible de rester fidèle aux styles qu’il brasse, pour offrir une expérience gustative authentique à chaque style de bière. La clientèle visée par l’Emporium a entre 20 et 40 ans et est constituée, entre autres, des beer geeks qui viennent religieusement goûter les nouveautés, mais aussi des sportifs, après une sortie de vélo ou un match de soccer, par exemple. Ce créneau a imposé un certain virage dans la manière de communiquer avec les clients; les collaborations sont axées en ce sens aussi.
Article complet sur le Temps d'une Bière

Welcome to RoyalCaribbean! This is the second version of the FAQ with recent updates and changes applied. It is up to date as of January 2024 and will be edited continuously.
Looking for the old FAQ? It is archived here
This FAQ page was created based on feedback from the community with hopes to reduce commonly-asked questions in the subreddit as well as provide a helpful and ever-expanding resource for all things Royal Caribbean.
Kindly check this page before asking your question to see if it has already been answered and/or write your question in the comments on this thread (a moderator or community member will hopefully be able to answer it for you).
Don't see your question listed? Ask it in the comments and it may be added to the post to help others! Caught a mistake/error below? Put it in the comments so I can make the correction!
Last updated: January 25, 2024
​

Topics in Order:
Topic 1: Booking a cruise
Topic 2: Inclusions in your cruise fare
Topic 3: Packages/extras - New for 2024!
Topic 4: Excursions
Topic 5: Prohibited items
Topic 6: Things to bring with
Topic 7: Smoking on board
Topic 8: Crown and Anchor Society
Topic 9: Coco Cay/Labadee - New for 2024!
Topic 10: Royal Up Program
Topic 11: Club Royale - New for 2024!
Topic 12: Community Pro Tips - New for 2024!

​
Odyssey of the Seas, view of North Star and the Lime & Coconut Bar at sunrise

Topic 1: Booking a cruise

- How do I book? A. You can book on Royal Caribbean's website or through a travel agent/3rd party travel service. You can also call Royal Caribbean directly to book (US number: 866-562-7625).
- How do I get to my cruise? A. Most people do not live within driving distance of their cruise, meaning a flight is sometimes required. General advice is to fly into your cruise port at least one full day before your sailing to account for flight delays. The ship will not wait for you if you are late. You alternatively can book your flights through Royal Caribbean through the Air2Sea program, though it is still advised to fly in a day early.
- What if the price of my cruise changes? A. Before final payment date (generally 75-90 days before sailing) you can re-price your cruise as many times as you would like to the current rate if you booked in the US. The difference will be refunded to your credit card or taken off your remaining balance owed. After final payment, you typically can't reprice your sailing and if anything may be offered on board credit to account for a fare drop.
- How do I check in? A. Through the Royal Caribbean app (log in, add your sailing with your booking number, swipe to the left and look for a blue "check in" button) or on the website (sign in, find your cruise or add it at the bottom of the page if you do not see it listed, then click "check in").
- When can I check in? A. 45 days before your cruise you will see the option in the app. To find your exact check in day, open the app and swipe to the left and then scroll down to the 'check in' area.
- Do I need a passport? A. US citizens can cruise with a US passport book that MUST be valid for at least 6 months from the last day of your cruise. Alternatively you can use an original birth certificate (with a raised seal) and government-issued photo ID on closed-loop sailings (that start and end from the same US port).
- Do I need to be vaccinated against COVID-19? Do I need to test? A. COVID vaccinations or testing is no longer required unless specifically noted for your booking (very rare).

Topic 2: Inclusions in your cruise fare

- Food: Your cruise ticket includes all food needed for the duration of your cruise. You do not need to spend any extra money on food if you do not wish to do so. Food is complimentary in the main dining room (breakfast (B), lunch (L) on sea days, dinner (D)), the Windjammer marketplace buffet (B/L/D), Johnny Rockets only for breakfast and only on Oasis class ships, Promenade Cafe, Park Cafe, Cafe 270, Sorrentos pizza, and Solarium Bistro (B/L/D on select ships). Coastal Kitchen is the complementary suites-only restaurant available on select ships, open B/L/D for grand suites and above, D only for junior suites. Room service is free for continental breakfast, incurs a $7.95 fee plus gratuity for full B/L/D however all food is included after that fee is paid.
- I've heard about the main dining room (MDR)! Do I need reservations? A. The main dining room is the main complementary dining venue on board where you can expect multi-course, full service meals with varying nightly menus. At the time of booking you will have two options: My Time dining or traditional dining. My Time dining is a reservation system that lets you select the time you'd like to eat each evening, usually from 6:45-8:30 PM. Times vary by ship. You can also just show up to the stand by line during My Time dining hours and wait for the next available table. This option is great if you want to change your dining time each night to better fit the activities you want to do. Traditional dining will be a set dining time each night (5:30 PM for early seating, 8 PM for late seating). You will have the same table and wait staff each evening. If you do traditional dining, no reservations are required, you just show up at your selected time and your table numbedeck number for dinner will be printed on your SeaPass card.
- Is there a dress code? A. There will typically be two formal nights on a 7 night sailing (fewer on shorter sailings). You are free to dress your best! Formal night only applies in the MDR so if you go to a different venue, you follow their typical dress code (though people typically still dress up for other specialty restaurants that night). Otherwise minimum acceptable dress for dinner is typically long pants/jeans for men. Women definitely have more flexibility. On a non-formal-night, dress up as much as you'd like. Most people will dress as if they are going out to a regular dinner.
- Do you have any pro tips for the MDR? A. Absolutely! A vegan menu is always available and sometimes I select those options just to try something new. On the app, scroll to the bottom of a given night's menu to see the vegan options.
- Beverages: Tap water, iced tea, lemonade, hot coffee, hot tea, non-fresh squeezed juices at breakfast, and milk are included in your cruise fare. Alcohol is not included.
- Entertainment: Shows, including broadway shows on select ships, comedy, live music, and most activities are included in your cruise fare. See your cruise compass for exact offerings. Events that cost extra are marked with a "$" symbol. Shows can be reserved in advance on select sailings. Check the cruise planner website and app prior to your cruise to see if this is an option and reserve your shows as early as possible. On some sailings, advanced reservations may only be made once on board and connected to the ship's WiFi. On many smaller ships, reservations are not required.
- Accommodations: Your stateroom selected during your booking serves as your accomodations for the sailing. You will have a once daily cleaning service for your room, including restocking towels and having your bed made/turned down. Rooms include a TV, private bathroom, and a bed that can be separated into twin beds. Some rooms accommodate extra guests with pullman beds/pullout sofa beds. This will be designated on the deck plan for your stateroom at the time of booking. Please note that some higher-level suites will include things such as WiFi, unlimited specialty dining, a deluxe drink package and more. Check here to see what the suite you are looking at includes.
- Tips: Gratuities are not included in your cruise fare, but are essentially required. These tips can be paid before your sailing or will be automatically added to your SeaPass on-board account once on board. Current gratuity rates are $18/day for non-suites and $20.50/day for suites, per person. Gratuities are critical for supporting crew members who make your vacation special and should not be removed for any reason. Some sailings include tips in their fare, such as those booked in Australia.
- WiFi: WiFi of any kind is not included in your fare. You can purchase a "Voom" internet package on the cruise planner in advance of your cruise or once on board. Both full sailing passes and 24 hour passes are offered on board. The 24 hour passes can't be paused, it runs continuously until it expires. It is generally a better deal to purchase these packages in advance. You can use the ship WiFi for free to use the Royal app.
- Gym: The fitness center is included in your cruise fare and is unfortunately not open 24 hours on all ships. Some ships have hours such as 5 AM - 9 PM, so that the gym can be deep cleaned overnight. Amenities vary by ship, but expect everything you'd typically find in a land-based gym. Fitness classes cost extra with the exception of the morning stretch classes.

Topic 3: Packages/extras

- How do I pay for things on board? A. Your SeaPass card functions as your room key and payment method on the ship. I'd advise linking it to a credit or debit card to skip lines at the end of the sailing for those settling their statements in cash. It is preferred to link a credit card over a debit card as it is common for holds to be placed during your sailing, which may hold up your funds if using debit.
- Alcohol: Alcoholic drinks are not included in your fare. Prices vary, but typically expect to spend $7-9/beer, $8-15/glass of wine, $9-12/shot, $14-15/cocktail plus 18% automatic gratuity. Drinks can be purchased a la carte with your SeaPass card or with a package, see below. See Topic 8 below for an important exception to this: Diamond/Diamond Plus/Pinnacle drink vouchers.
- Drink packages: Multiple types of packages are offered, with pricing changing dynamically before your cruise. The deluxe beverage package (DBP) offers the classic "unlimited" experience, covering pretty much any drink including alcohol up to $14/drink. Many people ask for the "breakeven" point to determine if it is worth getting a DBP. The best way to figure this out for yourself is to look at the current rate of the DBP on your cruise planner and see if you feel you can drink enough drinks per day to exceed that cost if you were to pay a la carte. Don't forget non-alcoholic premium drinks are included (espresso-based coffee drinks, bottled still/sparkling water, Powerades, soda, milkshakes) - so factor this in your equation. The DBP pricing is dynamic, but expect $65-$105 per person, per day. This package requires everyone older than the legal drinking age of that sailing that are sharing a cabin to purchase a package. If you have an exception, for example your partner is pregnant or doesn't drink alcohol, you can call in and request that the requirement be waived. They will be required to purchase a non-alcoholic refreshment package instead.
***Can I share a drink package? A. NO. Drink packages (with the exception of the Cafe Select Card mentioned below) can't be shared. You risk being charged for a full additional package if you are caught or even being disembarked. If you ask about sharing drinks/cheating the drink package in this sub, you will immediately be banned from making new posts no questions asked.**\*
Another option is the refreshment package. This package is considerably cheaper than the DBP, however does not include alcohol. Think of this as the "soda plus premium non-alcoholic drinks package", like espresso-based coffees, mocktails, etc. It typically is approx $25-33/day per person.
Finally is the soda package. This option is typically around $10-15/day per person and grants package holders unlimited fountain and canned sodas, including from the Coke Freestyle machines.
*All drink packages listed above include a souvenir Coca Cola refillable cup.
**Gratuities are paid at time of purchasing the package, so no additional tipping is required, however if a bartender is providing excellent service, adding an additional dollar or two makes their day!
One last thing to note: you can buy a Cafe Select card, usually $30-38. This card entitles you to 15 small-size espresso-based drinks and is the only type of package that can be used across multiple sailings. You are given a small paper card that has the numbers 1-15 for the barista to cross off when you redeem a drink. This is a great option for those with Diamond/Pinnacle drink vouchers who want to reduce the price of espresso drinks without using a voucher towards it! This package is shareable and does NOT require everyone in the cabin to buy it.
- Is a drink package worth it? A. The best way to figure this out for yourself is to look at the current rate of the package you want on your cruise planner and see if you feel you can drink enough drinks per day to exceed that cost if you were to pay a la carte. Don't forget non-alcoholic premium drinks are included in the DBP (espresso-based coffee drinks, bottled still/sparkling water, Powerades, soda, milkshakes) - so factor this in your equation. The DBP pricing is dynamic, but expect $65-$105 per person, per day.
- Dining packages/specialty dining: Specialty dining varies by ship, but includes options like Chops Grille (steakhouse), Jamie's Italian/Giovannis Italian, Izumi (sushi/teppanyaki), Wonderland, Playmakers sports bar, etc. Pricing is typically a set cover per restaurant, check your cruise planner for exact pricing. You can also consider a dining package. There are three main varieties: Chops + 1 (includes dining at Chops Grille and one other restaurant of your choice), 3 Night Package (includes 3 specialty dining restaurants of your choice), and the unlimited dining package (includes any and all restaurants, including a set amount at restaurants that are a la carte, like Playmakers). Gratuities are included automatically for any specialty dining reservations or packages at 18%, however adding a few extra dollars is appreciated for excellent service. These restaurants are optional, and as mentioned in the earlier section, there are plenty of great complimentary options to dine at. Think of specialty dining as a premium experience.
- A dining package sounds great! What's the catch? A. Unlike booking a single restaurant in advance and paying the full cover charge, a dining package restricts your ability to make reservations until you are on the ship. Your preferred dining time may sell out. Go to any restaurant or a "dining reservation" stand in the promenade on boarding day to make all of your dining reservations if you got a dining package. NOTE: As of early 2024, some ships are experimenting with allowing those who purchased a dining package to make reservations in advance. This is still in the process of being rolled out.
- WiFi: WiFi of any kind is not included in your fare. You can purchase a "Voom" internet package on the cruise planner in advance of your cruise or once on board. Both full sailing passes and 24 hour passes are offered on board. The 24 hour passes can't be paused, it runs continuously until it expires. It is generally a better deal to purchase these packages in advance. You can use the ship WiFi for free to use the Royal app. Since 2023, the fleet is using Starlink as their internet service provider which has resulted in considerably faster speeds.
- The Key: This program includes some additional benefits to add to your cruise vacation. Perks are changing, so check this link for included benefits at this time: The Key program benefits. The Key must be booked for everyone in a given stateroom and includes Voom Surf and Stream WiFi for each person.
- The Spa: Spa services are not included in your cruise fare. Check the cruise planner website for current pricing. 18% gratuity is automatically added. Note that once on board, there will occasionally be spa specials, for example on port days/slower days. Sea days are the most popular times for spa services and rarely see discounts.
- Fitness classes: Aside from morning stretch classes, fitness classes vary by ship and cost extra. Check the app to book fitness classes as they do occasionally fill up.
- Bingo/gambling: Bingo/casino gambling is, of course, not included in your cruise fare. If you plan to gamble in the casino, you must be 18 years of age or older. The casino operates in USD. Plan on bringing cash, otherwise ATMs are available for a $6.95 surcharge. Additionally, if you don't have casino status, you can charge your room for a surcharge for table games. You can charge your room for slot machines at no additional charge. Ask the casino host for instructions. Bingo can be purchased with your SeaPass card and charged to your on board account, cash is not accepted. Scratch off cards are available from the Cashier's Desk in the casino and must be purchased with cash. NOTE: If you have certain tiers of casino status, the table game surcharge for charging your room will be waived.
- Laundry: With the exception of those with high enough Crown and Anchor status, laundry is not included. You can pay per item or ask your stateroom attendant for a "wash and fold" bag. You can fill the bag with as many clothing items as you can (it holds a lot) for a set price, usually $34.99. If you have your bag picked up for your morning room cleaning, it is usually returned by the evening of the following day unless you pay for the express option. Note that clothes are all washed together in hot water and dried on high heat. Do not use this service for sensitive items.

Topic 4: Excursions

- How do I book excursions? A. Excursions are a great way to explore new destinations. You can book excursions through Royal Caribbean on the cruise planner or app. Excursions can sell out, so book as early as possible. If you book through Royal Caribbean, the ship will wait for you in the event of delays. You can additionally go off on your own in ports of call, including booking 3rd party excursions. Keep in mind the ship will NOT wait for you if you go this route so keep an eye on the "all aboard" time and plan on being back early to account for possible delays.

Topic 5: Prohibited items

- The list is extensive! Check here for the current list of prohibited items. Highlights include firearms, marijuana/THC/CBD products of ANY form, clothing irons, any other illegal drugs or weapons, and extension cords. Check the link above for the full list.
*Drones can be brought on board but are not permitted to be used on Royal Caribbean ships or at any Royal Caribbean private destination (Coco Cay, Labadee).
*Please do not ask how to sneak marijuana on board on the subreddit, you will immediately be banned from making new posts as this has been covered extensively.

Topic 6: Things to bring with

- One 750 mL bottle of wine is permitted PER PERSON. Keep these bottles in your carry on luggage, do NOT give luggage containing wine to the porters when you arrive at the port, you must hand carry wine on board. You may be charged a corkage fee if drinking your wine in a restaurant on board, though in practice, this is rarely assessed. You can ask for wine glasses at any bar. Wine can be consumed anywhere on the ship if you put it in a glass first, but may only be provided to those over 21 years of age on North American sailings.
- I'll list some items from my personal cruise packing list here: passport, COVID vaccine card (or picture of it), ear plugs, toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo (though a 2-in-1 shampoo/body wash is provided in your cabin), sunscreen, sun hat, reusable water bottle, flip flops, long pants/clothing for formal nights, pen, gum, books, beach bag, sunglasses, masks if you choose, rechargeable battery packs.
*You do NOT need to bring towels. Towels can be checked out for free with your SeaPass card. Be sure to return them by the end of the cruise, otherwise it is $25/towel.
**This list will be expanded over time. Add suggestions to the comments below!

Topic 7: Smoking on board

- Ships are non-smoking with the exception of designated smoking areas (typically in the casino and on one side of the top deck, usually port side. Some larger ships have additional smoking areas on lower outdoor decks, such as deck 5 starboard side on Quantum class ships). Look for signage indicating designated smoking areas.
- No, you can't smoke on your balcony. It is a major fire hazard. Don't do it. If caught, it is a $250 USD fine and you risk getting kicked off the ship.
- You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or use tobacco on sailings beginning in U.S. ports. For sailings beginning in all other ports, the minimum age is 18 years old.

Topic 8: Crown and Anchor Society

- What is the Crown and Anchor (CA) society? A. This is Royal's loyalty program. It operates on a point system, where every night you spend on board a ship counts as one point. If you sail in a double occupancy room solo or in a suite, you get two points per night. If you sail solo AND in a suite, you get three points per night.
- Points never expire and accrue over your lifetime. Additionally, you can "status match" your spouse and dependent children under 18. At the time your children turn 18, their status falls back to the true number of points they have earned at that time. To status match family, call the C&A Society at (800) 526-9723 to make the request. For example, I am Diamond Plus and could status match my spouse after their first cruise to automatically be Diamond Plus, as well.
- Benefits improve as you move up through the various tiers of the program. Tiers start with Gold status at 3 points, Platinum at 30 points, Emerald at 55 points, Diamond at 80 points, Diamond Plus at 175 points and Pinnacle Club at 700 points.
- A notable benefit includes 4, 5, and 6 free drinks per day, per person for those that are Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle, respectively. A full list of benefits can be found on this website. Pinnacle Club members also receive a free cruise for reaching Pinnacle, plus additional free cruises at pre-determined point levels thereafter! These drinks also work at Royal Caribbean's private destinations (Coco Cay/Labadee)!
- I'm missing points! A. No worries - give them a call at (800) 526-9723 and they can look up your cruise and give you credit. Points may take 10 business days to post after coming off a sailing so make sure to allow a few weeks first if it was a recent cruise.

Topic 9: Coco Cay/Labadee

- What is Coco Cay and Labadee? A. These are two fantastic private destinations offered by Royal Caribbean on many Caribbean sailings. Coco Cay is a private island that is part of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. It was just fully renovated in 2019 (now called "Perfect Day at Coco Cay") with new attractions such as the elevated Coco Beach Club and Thrill Waterpark (both at an extra cost) along with many new free dining options. Labadee is on a peninsula in northern Haiti and is a private destination for Royal Caribbean, as well. Both locations are free to explore, with many complimentary beaches including chairs and umbrellas as well as ample complimentary dining options and activities. I would absolutely recommend both locations and would also suggest checking out some of the video tours on YouTube to get a sense of both places.
- 2023 Update: Announced in June 2023, Royal's sister brand Celebrity will begin calling on Perfect Day at Coco Cay in mid-2024! These bookings are live on the Celebrity site now. (I'm booked on Celebrity Beyond in June, 2024 with a stop at Coco Cay!)
- I purchased a beverage/WiFi package. Can I use them at the private destinations? A. Yes! Both packages seamlessly transition to Coco Cay and Labadee. Additionally, the Bahamas typically charges an additional tax on purchases including drinks. So for example your $14 cocktail would be more like $14 plus 15% Bahamas sales tax plus 18% automatic gratuity. That can add up quickly. If you have a DBP or use Diamond/D+/Pinnacle drink vouchers, you do not need to pay any additional tax and your drinks are fully included.
- What costs extra? A. While you can have a fantastic complimentary day at both destinations, there are some extra purchases you can make. You will see excursions like snorkeling on offer on the cruise planner. Additionally both locations offer various types of cabanas for rent for the day. Coco Cay offers the Coco Beach Club, an exclusive beach area with a (fantastic) restaurant for lunch. You do have to pay extra to access this area, though lunch is included in the cost (I recommend the fried lobster sandwich with a *side* of filet and a Coco Cuvee for a beverage, thank me later). One thing to note: drinks are not included with admission to Coco Beach Club - you can pay a la carte or with a beverage package/voucher. You can also choose to spend a half or full day at Thrill Waterpark, which also costs extra. There is also a dining location called Captain Jack's right at the entrance to the island that is a la carte pricing.
NEW FOR 2024! Hideaway Beach is a new adults-only beach area including a heated pool and ample beach seating along with new dining venues, including a sports bar and the first pizza option at Coco Cay. This area is now open and typically costs $35-65 per guest, must be 18 years or older.
- How do I pay for things at these destinations? A. Coco Cay and Labadee accept SeaPass card for all transactions with the exception of the straw markets which now take both SeaPass or USD. I recommend bringing some extra cash with you in case you wish to tip bartenders or servers, especially those that are running drinks to your beach chair.
Pro tip: Some itineraries (like my December 2022 Odyssey of the Seas sailing) hit both of these destinations in the same sailing! This provides great value as your drink package will work all day and most food is free.

Topic 10: Royal Up Program

- What is the Royal Up program? A. The Royal Up program is offered by Royal Caribbean and presents the opportunity to participate in a blind bidding process for a room upgrade. You can find out if your booking is eligible by following this link (note: you may not see your booking as eligible until <30-60 days prior to your sail date and bookings made through Costco Travel are typically not eligible at all). Once on the site, you'll be presented with prices on various room upgrades. These prices are at double occupancy meaning the real rate you'll pay is 2x the listed price. This includes those traveling solo.
- Example: You booked an interior room. On logging into the Royal Up site, you see the minimum bid for an ocean view balcony is listed at "$200". Regardless if there are one or two people in the room, if you win the bid you will be charged $400 for the upgrade.
- How do I know if I won? A. You will typically be notified via email. It can happen any time up until you are already on the ship, but typically you will get a denial email prior to sailing if your bid did not qualify. If you win, you will automatically be assigned a cabin in the category that you won (NOTE: YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK YOUR STATEROOM. You run the risk of being assigned an upgraded room in a worse location.)
- Is there a cost to the program? A. No. The only money you pay is the upgrade price you bid should your reservation bid win. If you do not get an upgrade, you will not be charged.

Topic 11: Club Royale

- What is Club Royale? A. Club Royale is the casino loyalty program for Royal Caribbean.
- Are drinks free at the casino? A. No - only for those who reach prime level or higher (see below).
- How do I earn points? A. Points are earned by inserting your SeaPass card into a slot machine prior to play or placing it on the table games to be scanned. Earning rates vary, typically slots earn the fastest with 1 point per $5 coin-in. Tables are based on theoretical loss compared to your time played.
- What can I earn? A. Perks can be lucrative including free drinks while in the casino and free cruises! Check out the earning tiers here. Reaching "Prime" status is typically the first step towards rewards as it comes with free casino drinks and a free cruise. This typically involves earning 2,500 points, or approx $12,500 coin-in on the slot machine.
*Obligatory please gamble responsibly! The perks may be good, but the casino is better. I promise. You will likely not come out ahead, but if you are able to have fun and earn some points, enjoy! If you have a gambling problem or wish to self-exclude, please talk to guest services at the beginning of your cruise.

Topic 12: Community Pro Tips

Have a pro tip? These pointers are awesome and come from comments from the previous FAQ! Have a pro tip you want included? Write it in the comments with "Pro Tip" at the beginning of the post so I don't miss it!

1. Each stateroom has a small safe
2. If you want to play bingo, bring your own dauber or pen to mark cards to avoid having to buy a dauber
3. Bring a multiple-USB chargebattery pack!
4. Consider bringing a lanyard for your SeaPass card
5. You can order extra portions of food in the MDR
6. Put your phone on airplane mode - WiFi only!
7. Check in early to get a favorable arrival time!
8. You can use your phone off WiFi in Coco Cay/Labadee if your phone plan provides service in the Bahamas or Haiti, respectively (thanks, u/blitzreigbop)

Post your pro tips below to be added to the list! Any new tips (starting with #8) will include credit to you :)
Exterior shot of Wonder of the Seas, taken from Odyssey of the Seas
Please write suggestions for new topics/additions in the comments below! I truly hope this FAQ was helpful.
-MedicalButterscotch

I'm interested in your perceived value of the pairings listed below. What would you pay (2oz for each pairing except the Blankiet is a 4oz pour)? Once we get some responses I'll post the price of the pairings.
If you want to list your perceived value of the dinner menu as well, go for it.
The pairing explanation won't be listed on the menu, it's just for my FOH staff (and you) to understand my idea behind the pairings and will be along the lines of how I spiel table side.
If you have other comments about the pairing choice, list what alternatives you think would play well along with reasoning.
FTR, the Sesame Caesar was the biggest challenge for me to pair.
And yes, I know Port and chocolate is a natural pairing and I'm sure it would do well, but the peppermint element is important here and I wanted to go outside of the box.
Finally, there is a crowd pleasing element here finishing with a Napa Cabernet. I'd love to do many other styles of wine here here but the proximity of the restaurant to Napa/Sonoma along with a deep selection of back vintage Napa means that most guests dining here are looking for something along these lines with their steak.
1.Hamachi Shot
Avocado / Yuzu Soy / Serrano / Massago Arare / Radish
~Krug, Grand Cuvee, 170eme, NV Champagne
Crisp acidity embraces the hamachi and cleanses the palate from the richness of the yuzu soy, while tempering the heat of the serrano. Toasty quality from barrel aging complements the massago arare.

1. A5 Wagyu Tartare

Black Sesame/ Ramps / Roasted Garlic / Beef Tendon (texture of a chicharron)
~Antica Terra, Angelicall, Rosé (Pinot Noir), Willamette Valley, 2012
A firm and structured Rosé, Maggie Harrison is a master at balancing purity of fruit with balanced acidity. The Angelicall may be as close to a light red as it is a Rosé. Elevated acidity cleanses the palate from the richness of the tartare while savory mushroom/tea element in the wine complements the sesame & roasted garlic vinaigrette.

1. Sesame Caesar Salad *Black Truffle Supplement 3g $30

Romaine Hearts / Parmigiano / Crisp Lotus Root / Cured Egg Yolk / Bagna Cauda
~Ronchi di Cialla, Cialla Bianco, Friuli Colli Orientali, 2000
Robust flavors from the anchovy, parmesan and cured egg call for a full & complex white. The Ronchi di Cialla is a blend of 3 indigenous varietals from Friuli: Ribolla Gialla, Picolit & Verduzzo. An orange (skin contact) wine made in a traditional, oxidative style, the wine's toasty, roasted almond notes complement the sesame while its earthy and white balsamic character complement the umami of the Lotus, Parmegan and Anchovy (and truffle if added)

1. White Truffle Pasta

Alba White Truffle / Parmigiano / Tagliatelle
~Arpepe, Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo), Valtellina Superiore, Grumello, Riserva, 2007
From the most famous producer in Valtellina, this Nebbiolo is full of mushroom/truffle character with a twist of alpine and red fruit. The savory character in the wine complements the earthiness of the truffle and Parmesan while elevated acidity cleanses the palate from the richness of the pasta.

1. Creekstone 8oz Filet *White Truffle Supplement 3g $75

Bordelaise / Chive
Accompanied with Mashed Potato *Black Truffle 3g Supplement $30
~Blankiet Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paradise Hills Vineyard, Napa Valley, 2001
The 3rd vintage from Blankiet Estate, David Abreu and Helen Turley crafted this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon back in 2001. Time has softened this rich & extracted Napa red, ensuring it doesn't overwhelm the delicate nature of the filet. Rich black fruited character in the wine contrasts the salinity in the steak while cedar and leather character complement the white truffle (if added).

1. Chocolate Molten Cake

Black Cherry Coulis / Peppermint Ice Cream
~Peter Jakob Kühn, Riesling, Rheingau, Beerenauslese, 1999
This is a rich, lusciously sweet and oxidative Riesling from the Rheingau. Candied walnut/hazelnut character complements the chocolate while honeyed/ginger character in the wine complements the peppermint. Elevated acidity cleanses the palate.

Hi there,
I‘ve been enjoying natural wine for a few years now, at home as well as restaurants, and have collected quite a few rare bottles that I‘m looking forward to open.
I‘m looking for some advice on decanting bottles. When is it appropriate or advised to decant natural wine? Is it just personal preference or are there specific grapes/cuvees or vintages that benefit more from the aeration of decanting?
While we’re at it, what about aging? Is it more recommended for specific wine types?
Thanks!

📷Événement
Le Temps d’une Bière s’est entretenu avec Hopera, le Prospecteur et Isle de Garde étaient finalistes dans la catégorie croissance et développement au gala reconnaissance 2023 de l’Association des microbrasseries du Québec.
À l’heure de la conjoncture économique, plus de 330 brasseries jouent des coudées doubles pour parvenir à un consommateur moins enthousiaste est plus conservateur. Comment, alors, tirer son épingle du jeu et assurer une belle croissance? C’est la question que le Temps d’une Bière a posé aux trois finalistes reconnus lors du gala de l’AMBQ.
Le Prospecteur
À la tête de la dynamique microbrasserie de Valdor, on trouve deux entrepreneurs de coeur : Jonathan Deschamps, maître-brasseur et copropriétaire; et Philippe Laure, président-propriétaire. Jonathan et Philippe se sont connus à Sherbrooke dans le groupe brassicole Sherbroue. Pour les initiés, Sherbroue n’est pas qu’un groupeur de brasseur de broue. C’est là que se sont initiés bien des brasseurs du Québec. Jonathan Gaudreau, membre-clé de la microbrasserie Ciboire, faisait aussi partie du groupe de beergeeks. C’est justement un bon ami de Jonathan et Philippe.
Isle de Garde
Grande perle de la Petite Patrie à Montréal, Isle de Garde incarne la stratégie de la patience. Depuis l’ouverture de leur restaurant-bar en 2014, l’entreprise a patiamment optimisé chaque étape de son expansion. De l’agrandissement du restaurant à la modernisation des cuisines, en passant par la création d’un café-boutique et l’intégration d’équipement automatisée et l’ajout de cuve, chacun de ces investissements reflète un projet passionnant qui marie succès, croissance locale et création d’emplois.
Hopera
Aller à l’Hopera, c’est chanter les vertus du houblon en mangeant de la sacrée bonne de pizza. C’est aussi assister à l’essor d’une symphonie de belles idées bien implantées.
Le projet a commencé sans trop d’ambition : faire de la bonne pizza et faire de la bonne bière. La petite brasserie un peu perdue dans le Saguenay finit par connaître un succès fou : après neuf ans, l’entreprise a ouvert une usine à deux pas du brewpub pour passer un niveau supérieur. La production du restaurant quitte donc la rue Dominique.

Le Temps d’une Bière s’est entretenu avec Hopera, le Prospecteur et Isle de Garde étaient finalistes dans la catégorie croissance et développement au gala reconnaissance 2023 de l’Association des microbrasseries du Québec.
À l’heure de la conjoncture économique, plus de 330 brasseries jouent des coudées doubles pour parvenir à un consommateur moins enthousiaste est plus conservateur. Comment, alors, tirer son épingle du jeu et assurer une belle croissance? C’est la question que le Temps d’une Bière a posé aux trois finalistes reconnus lors du gala de l’AMBQ.

Le Prospecteur

À la tête de la dynamique microbrasserie de Valdor, on trouve deux entrepreneurs de coeur : Jonathan Deschamps, maître-brasseur et copropriétaire; et Philippe Laure, président-propriétaire. Jonathan et Philippe se sont connus à Sherbrooke dans le groupe brassicole Sherbroue. Pour les initiés, Sherbroue n’est pas qu’un groupeur de brasseur de broue. C’est là que se sont initiés bien des brasseurs du Québec. Jonathan Gaudreau, membre-clé de la microbrasserie Ciboire, faisait aussi partie du groupe de beergeeks. C’est justement un bon ami de Jonathan et Philippe.

Isle de Garde

Grande perle de la Petite Patrie à Montréal, Isle de Garde incarne la stratégie de la patience. Depuis l’ouverture de leur restaurant-bar en 2014, l’entreprise a patiamment optimisé chaque étape de son expansion. De l’agrandissement du restaurant à la modernisation des cuisines, en passant par la création d’un café-boutique et l’intégration d’équipement automatisée et l’ajout de cuve, chacun de ces investissements reflète un projet passionnant qui marie succès, croissance locale et création d’emplois.

Hopera

Aller à l’Hopera, c’est chanter les vertus du houblon en mangeant de la sacrée bonne de pizza. C’est aussi assister à l’essor d’une symphonie de belles idées bien implantées.
Le projet a commencé sans trop d’ambition : faire de la bonne pizza et faire de la bonne bière. La petite brasserie un peu perdue dans le Saguenay finit par connaître un succès fou : après neuf ans, l’entreprise a ouvert une usine à deux pas du brewpub pour passer un niveau supérieur. La production du restaurant quitte donc la rue Dominique.
Article complet sur le Temps d'une Bière

Bonjour! My husband and I are considering a December trip to Paris of about one week, to see it all decked out for Christmas and to escape life for a bit. We were last in Paris in 2019 and have seen most of the main sights/most popular museums at least once, so this trip will be focused primarily on eating good food, hitting a few new sights, seeing the city decorated for the holidays, visiting a few Christmas markets, and revisiting some of our favorite places. It will be a very loose itinerary!
Here's the problem: since our last trip four years ago, we've been jotting down "things for next time," and it's become a pretty exhaustive list. I would love some insight into the following lists: anything you would highly recommend we do OR strongly encourage us to skip. We obviously cannot go to all these places in the span of a week. Merci beaucoup in advance!
Restaurants (we are not looking for Michelin experiences; we just enjoy delicious food in a nice atmosphere): La Jacobine (a favorite of ours, so will be a return visit), Poulette, Bouillon Pigalle and/or Bouillon Republique, Bistrot Paul Bert (steak au poivre), Le Cafe du Commerce, Brutus creperie, Le Cafe des Musees, Le Bon Georges, Valma, Le Paris Seize, Le Grand Colbert, Brasserie Belanger, Perraudin, Brasserie Alesti, Sapori di Parma, Le Tambour, Holybelly.
Patisseries/Boulangeries/Coffee Shops/Bars: Stohrer, La Glace Alain Ducasse, Berthillon, La Maison d'Isabelle, Poilane, Carton, Cafe Kitsune, Mamiche, Cuvee Noire, Mikkeller, Le Tout-Paris, ROOF Paris, Sherry Butt, Little Red Door.
Museums: Cluny (very excited for this one, as we have not been), BNF Richelieu, Musee de l'Orangerie (my favorite - will be a return visit), Grand Palais & Petit Palais, Musee Marmottan Monet, Musee Carnavalet, Fondation Luis Vuitton, Dali Paris, Hotel de la Marine, Archives Nationales, Natural History.
Markets: La Magie De Noel Aux Tuilleries, Paris Enchantee (outside Hotel de Ville), Notre Dame Christmas Market, Galerie Vivienne, Marche des Enfants Rouges.
Other: View from Montparnasse Tower, Galeries Lafayette rooftop (my favorite), Sacre-Coeur (climb the tower; was closed when we last visited), Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (I love the macabre and there is an 'icorruptible body' there, LOL), Chapelle Expiatoire, Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Arenes de Lutece, Basilica Saint Denis, Eglise Saint-Augustin, Jardin des Plantes, Buttes-Chaumont, Parc Monceau, Anne Frank Garden, Deportation Martyrs Memorial.

Hey everyone!
I did see some similar posts looking through history here, hopefully I can get some good recommendations on what to use for pairing.
I'm preparing for my wife's birthday, we absolutely love food and wine, I'm no expert but have had the chance to have some excellent pairings at restaurants that just made my love for wine bigger. I decided to do something different this year and make a good 5 course meal from similar dishes we have had before.
How list is looking after recommendations from comments:
​

1. Lobster Bisque, garlic bread on the side — Krug Grande Cuvee
2. Caprese Salad — Fleur de Mer Provence Rosé (still open to recommendations, recently changed course)
3. Pan roasted Halibut (w/lemon herb beurre blanc) & Broccolini — A white Burgundy (still looking which one)
4. Grilled New York Wagyu A5 with baked potatos (side) — Barbaresco / Saint-Joseph or Cornas (Syrah)
5. Chocolate Lava Cakes — Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port

​
I don't know much about wines, you can say I'm getting started about it, I just seem to really enjoy good wines and food :)
Edits: forgot to mention, I'm from TX, south-most area, so options might be limited. I'm looking to purchase from Spec's. Been working on format now on PC to have better view, was using cellphone before, format and even some words were just wrong, should be easier to read now.
Original list before recommendations:

1. Lobster Bisque — White or sparkling wine
2. Course undecided, was between a pasta or salad — White or sparkling wine
3. Pan roaster Halibut (w/lemon herb beurre blanc) & Brococolinni — White or sparking too
4. Grilled New York Wagyu A5 with baked potatos (side) — Young Bordeaux (or new, not aged)
5. Chocolate Lava Cakes — Fonseca 20 Year Tawny Port

In a post know one hopefully sees I Used Google Earth to search and find the closest craft brewery to each current P5 stadium and rated them based on their Untappd score. I only used breweries that were in their original location, so satellite taprooms and secondary brewing locations would not be selected. I understand that this ranking may not accurately represent some schools that may have better breweries nearby, but this is simply based on the closest brewery to the stadium.

Rank	Conference	School	Closet Brewery to Stadium	Distance to Stadium (in miles)	Beer AVG	Highest Rated Beer	Score
69	Big XII	BYU	Rosehill Dairy	5.7	3.8	Whole Milk	$2.59
68	SEC	Tennessee	Woodruff Brewing Co (aka Downtown Grill and Brewery)	1.2	3.42	Bourbon Barrel Aged State Street Stout	4.54
67	Pac12	Utah	Desert Edge Brewery	1.3	3.52	RASPBERRY-MEYER LEMON SOUR	4.08
66	Big10	Michigan	Grizzly Peak Brewing Co	1.2	3.53	Arbeiter Bier German Porter	3.95
65	ACC	North Carolina	Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery	0.6	3.55	Two Hour Delay Winter Warmer	3.98
64	Big10	Wisconsin	The Borough Beer Co.	1.1	3.61	Apricot Haze	3.96
63	Pac12	USC	Tirebiter Brewery	1.3	3.61	Hana Honey	3.96
62	SEC	LSU	Tin Roof Brewing Co	1.6	3.61	Mango Limeade	4.25
61	ACC – Ish	Notre Dame	Danny Boy Beer Works	0.5	3.62	Boston Asphalt	4.14
60	Big10	Ohio St	Endeavor Brewing & Spirits	1.4	3.62	Campfire Brown	3.98
59	Pac12	Stanford	FreeWheel Brewing Co	4.5	3.62	Omnibus	4.35
58	SEC	South Carolina	River Rat Brewery	0.7	3.62	Washington Irving's 1820 Night Terror	4.46
57	Big XII	Iowa St	Torrent Brewing Company	1.8	3.63	Ponos Peanut Butter Mocha Latte	4.16
56	Big XII	TCU	Rahr & Sons Brewing Co	3.8	3.63	Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer	4.01
55	Big XII	WVU	Morgantown Brewing Company	1.6	3.63	CO-LAB	4.22
54	SEC	Mizzou	Flat Branch Pub & Brewing	1.1	3.63	Zee Beaned Coffee Stout	4.08
53	Big XII	Houston	Under the Radar Brewery	1.9	3.64	OWW YEAH TEQUILA	4.1
52	Big XII	KU	Free State Brewing Company	1	3.65	Old Backus Barleywine	4.26
51	SEC	Arkansas	Columbus House Brewery	1.1	3.65	9	4.43
50	ACC	Louisville	Monnik Beer Company	1.9	3.66	Birthday Basic Bourbon Barrel Black Forest Baltic Porter (BBBBBFBP)	4.39
49	Big10	Rutgers	Harvest MoonBrewery & Café	2.1	3.66	Coffee Imperial Stout With Cinnamon And Vanilla	4.44
48	Pac12	UW	Big Time Brewery & AleHouse	0.8	3.66	Ascension IPA	4.16
47	SEC	Vanderbilt	Blackstone Brewing Co	1.2	3.67	Snake Charmer (Weller)	4.34
46	ACC	Virgina	Random Row Brewing Co.	1.7	3.68	Cal Vanilla Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout	4.18
45	SEC	Auburn	Resting Pulse Brewing Company	8.4	3.68	Barrel Aged Coffee Break Stout	4.26
44	Pac12	Cal	Triple Rock Brewing	1	3.69	Friar's Heel	4.35
43	SEC	Florida	First Magnitude Brewing Co	1.9	3.69	Bourbon Barrel Aged Minnow Imperial Stout With Coffee And Vanilla	4.4
42	Big XII	Baylor	Southern Roots Brewing Co.	0.8	3.7	Churchwarden Barrel Aged (Single Malt)	4.22
41	ACC	VA Tech	Right Mind Brewing	1.5	3.72	The Grapes of Rasp	4.14
40	Big XII	Cinci	Northern Row Brewery & Distillery	1.1	3.72	BBA Conspirator	4.33
39	Big XII	OK St	Iron Monk Brewing Company	1.2	3.72	Give It A Gose	4.43
38	Pac12	Wazzu	Paradise Creek Brewery	0.8	3.72	Apricot Pucker	4.17
37	SEC	Kentucky	Country Boy Brewing	1.6	3.72	French Toast Barreled Wooley Swamp	4.44
36	ACC	Pitt	Allegheny City Brewing	1.1	3.73	Return To Nest Blue	4.3
35	Big XII	UCF	Oviedo Brewing Company	6.3	3.73	Sneaky Pete	4.36
34	Pac12	ASU	Pedal Haus Brewery	1	3.73	Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (Four Roses)	4.31
33	ACC	NC State	Raleigh Brewing Company	2.5	3.74	Creamsicle First Squeeze	4.23
32	Big XII	Oklahoma	Cross Cannon	0.4	3.74	Blackberry Warheads On Foreheads	4.21
31	SEC	Bama	Druid City Brewing Co	0.8	3.74	Downtown North Porter Aged On Cocoa Nibs	4.24
30	ACC	BC	Notch Brewery	2.4	3.75	Dvanáctka	4.34
29	Big XII	Texas	Central District Brewing	1.3	3.75	Bizarre Love Triangle	4.23
28	Big10	Northwestern	Double Clutch Brewing Company	0.8	3.75	Smooth Alternator	3.86
27	Pac12	UCLA	Craftsman Brewing Company	1	3.75	Cuvee De Masumoto	4.17
26	Big XII	K-State	Manhattan Brewing Company	2.9	3.76	Old Manhattan	4.28
25	Big10	Maryland	Streetcar 82 Brewing Co	3.3	3.76	Strawberry Lemonade Sour	4.28
24	ACC	Florida St	Proof Brewing Company	0.5	3.77	Creatures In the Dark - Bourbon Barrel	4.59
23	ACC	Miami	Epoca Brewing	8.3	3. 77	Under the C	4
22	ACC	Syracuse	Talking Cursive Brewing Company	1.8	3.77	And Now the Sun's Coming Up	4.22
21	Pac12	Colorado	Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery	1	3.77	Bourbon Barrel Aged Nihilist Russian Imperial Stout	4.35
20	ACC	Wake Forest	Radar Brewing Company	2.5	3.78	Escape Velocity Cocoa Hazelnut Milk Stout	4.09
19	ACC	Duke	Flying Bull Beer Company	1.8	3.79	Mild Thang	4.23
18	Big10	Iowa	ReUnion Brewing Co	1	3.79	Imperial Banshee 2021	4.35
17	Pac12	Arizona	Crooked Tooth Brewing Co	1.2	3.8	Barrel-Aged Blood Orange Honey Sour	4.4
16	SEC	Texas A&M	Blackwater Draw Brewing Company	4.5	3.8	I Like You A Latte	4.17
15	Big XII	Texas Tech	Good Line Beer Co.	1.5	3.81	Two Headed Boy	4.2
14	Big10	Purdue	Brokerage Brewing Company	1.8	3.81	Banana Stand Remix	4.24
13	Big10	Indiana	Upland Brewing Co	1.1	3.82	Sour Wild Funk Fest 18	4.31
12	SEC	Miss St	Mayhew Junction Brewing Co.	1.8	3.85	Chocolate Hookup	3.89
11	ACC	GA Tech	Torched Hop Brewing Company	1.1	3.87	Hops-de-Leon NE	4.37
10	ACC	Clemson	Kite Hill Brewing Co	4	3.88	High Side of Good	4.25
9	Big10	Michigan St	Ellison Brewing & Spirits	2.1	3.9	Double Barrel Aged Maple Bourbon Stout	4.47
8	Big10	Illinois	The Blind Pig Brewing Co	1.6	3.91	U Of IPA	4.12
7	Big10	Minnesota	Surly Brewing Co	0.8	3.91	Red Oak & Vanilla Darkness	4.51
6	Pac12	Oregon	Coldfire Brewing Co	0.7	3.91	Wild James 2020	4.36
5	SEC	Georgia	Creature Comforts Brewing Co	0.8	3.98	The Curious No. 6	4.56
4	Pac12	OSU	Block15 Brewing Co	1.1	4	Turbulent Consequence, Non Mélangé	4.5
3	SEC	Ole Miss*	1817	54.8	4.06	1817 / MS Ale House Delta Grind	4.02
2	Big10	Penn St	Antifragile Brewing Company	1.3	4.09	Fluffy Little Puppy	4.26
1	Big10	Nebraska	Boiler Brewing Company	0.5	4.2	Graham Cracker Maple Mexi Finger	4.93

 _ 

Bonus: Conference Ranked

Rank	Conference	Brewery Average	Best Be Average
5	Big XII	3.71	4.11
4	SEC	3.72	4.29
3	Pac12	3.73	4.26
2	ACC	3.75	4.24
1	Big 10	3.8	4.26

*For Ole Miss the Circle and Square looks like a brewery that should be opening soon. No other information

Asking for dinner suggestions seems to be a common theme on this sub-reddit, so I’ve updated my list of the best restaurants on the Cape in 2023.
Yes, this is absolutely one subjective opinion, but I like to think it's at least a qualified opinion. Having lived on the Cape for 20+ years, worked in the industry in the past, and dined out around the world for business/pleasure, I have a decent sense of what a stellar restaurant experience should be like.
I've been lucky enough to dine at a number of Michelin Star establishments over the years while traveling. While none on the Cape is going to be earning that honor (especially since it’s only given in a few major cities) I’ve experienced what great can be like enough times to recognize the glimmer of it here at home. With each of these I'm still dreaming about the meal days later and want to go back as soon as possible.

The best the Cape has to offer:

1. Ceraldi (Wellfleet)
2. Water Street Kitchen (Woods Hole)
3. La Tacodilla (Dennis) - Kid Friendly
4. Ocean House (Dennis) - Kid Friendly
5. Twenty Eight Atlantic (Harwich) - Kid Friendly
6. Ten Yen (Orleans)
7. The Pheasant (Dennis) - Kid Friendly

These are the only places that make the cut here, as nowhere else I’ve been to quite rises to this amazing level these provide. Yes, the Cape is a big place, but each of these is well worth the drive from Falmouth or P-town.
Changes for 2023: Water Street Kitchen moved on the list, I’ve been there 5+ times now and it’s been consistently awesome for food, service, and cocktails with a locally sourced hyper fresh menu that changes often. Ocean House moved down a little as they closed their beautiful outdoor fine dining tent last year and didn’t change the menu much over the summer and fall. Twenty-Eight Atlantic moved down as their consistency slid towards the end of the summer last year. Added The Pheasant.
They are listed more or less in order of raw ranking, but there is something for every budget. Ceraldi deserves the top spot but is a tough reservation to get and expensive with their fixed menu being the only option, but they’re amazing about allergies and accommodating most food restrictions. If you pick your options right the others don't have to break the special occasion bank. You can leave The Ocean House full for $50 a person if you're careful. At Ten Yen you can stay under $50 and get a couple of world class sushi rolls and a glass of sake or spend over $200 eating an amazing omakase meal with drinks. La Tacodilla is the real deal and has 2 for $6 street tacos on Taco Tuesday, as long as you don’t mind waiting an hour+ when they are busy (tell them Fiona the dog sent you and you might jump the queue a little…)

Runners Up:

If you can’t get a reservation at the above, there are other very good restaurants around the Cape that are well worth the visit if they have availability. These are all pricey though, so certainly shoot for the ones above first when possible. Note, these are just in alphabetical order.

• Bleu – Mashpee $$$
• Cape Sea Grill – Harwich $$$
• Chillingsworth – Brewster $$$$
• Cuvee - Chatham $$$$
• Fin – Dennis - $$$
• Inaho – Yarmouth $$$
• Misaki – Hyannis $$$
• Outer Bar and Grille – Harwich $$ - Kid Friendly
• Pain d’Avingnon – Hyannis $$
• The Mews - Provincetown $$$
• The Nor'East Beer Garden - Provincetown $$$

Honorable Mentions:

I didn't want to leave these next ones out, as they are consistent standards when friends drop in for a visit and want to eat out. Most of these don’t take reservations and you have a good chance of getting a table eventually, especially for lunch or if you are willing to arrive early for dinner:

• Anejo - Falmouth (Hyannis location is fine, not as good as Falmouth though)
• Crisp – Osterville
• Terra Luna - Truro
• The Block and Tackle – Eastham
• Drifters - Harwich
• The Canteen – Provincetown
• Bread + Roses Bookstore and Café – Hyannis - 100% vegan!

Things I look for when evaluating:

1. Food: starts with food that is over the top great and changes variety for repeat visits.
2. Service: has to be consistently excellent.
3. Location/Scene: Does it set the terroir for the food, is it nice to be there, do they maximize the space they have, things like parking, bathroom vibe, etc. For example, La Tacodilla is just a little window in a little house with a fake turf seating area right on 28, but it’s hands down the best street food on the Cape and the location/scene is super appropriate for the food.
4. Consistency: must hold up to greatness over multiple visits.
5. Cocktails/Wine/Drinks: extra points for being creative and delicious. The head bartenders at Water Street Kitchen and Ocean House take things to another level. Ceraldi’s wine pairings are stellar, and their homemade soft drink pairing is always inspired for those who don’t drink alcohol. Having an expansive & pricy wine list is less appealing to me than a creative cocktail menu with the bar skill to elevate the craft.
6. Value: how much of the above 5 items do you get per dollar spent.

And yes, I do have a spreadsheet with 1-10 rankings for each of these categories for all the top restaurants (and some of the bottom ones.)

Still on my list to try out based on recommendations:

Here are some others I’ve heard good things about but have not had the chance to eat at yet, I’m sure some of them belong on the lists above. I managed to try ~10 places and shrink the previous recommendations list. Falmouth and Ptown are still tough to get to since I live mid-cape. Plus, I gravitate to Water Street Kitchen repeatedly when headed to Falmouth, it’s that good! I’ve starred* the ones we're going to try and hit next.

• Abroad - Orleans
• Belfry Inne and Bistro - Sandwich
• Blackfish* - Truro
• Branches - Chatham
• Brewster Fish House - Brewster
• Brine - Eastham
• Bucatino - North Falmouth
• C Salt - Falmouth
• Del Mar* - Chatham
• Devour* - Falmouth (Lunch only)
• Epic Oyster - North Falmouth
• Estia - Mashpee
• Freemans - Provincetown
• Front Street - Provincetown
• Geraldi's - South Yarmouth
• Gina's By The Sea - Dennis
• Impudent Oyster - Chatham
• Island Cafe & Grill - Hyannis
• Le Bon Jour* - Falmouth
• Leonesa - Yarmouth Port
• Liz's Cafe - Provincetown
• Lobster Trap - Bourne
• Local 186 - Provincetown
• Mac's - Provincetown, Wellfleet, Chatham
• Mahoney’s Atlantic
• Osteria La Civita
• Pates
• Pilot House - Sandwich
• Pisces
• Sesuit Harbor Cafe
• The Beacon
• The Bookstore
• The Buffalo Jump
• The Chatham Cut
• The Glass Onion* - Falmouth
• The Red Inn
• Victors

All The Rest

Below are all the other (non major chain) Cape restaurants I’ve eaten at in the past ~10 years in no particular order, although I’m sure I’ve missed a couple. Most of these are fine spots, just not close to the caliber of top spots above. For example, Kream n Kone in Dennis is our go to fried food spot, but I wouldn’t go out of the way vs whatever fried seafood spot is closest to you. Some of these I haven’t gone back to in years with good reason. I would love to hear opinions on any that have improved and are worth returning to!

• 3 Monkeys
• Bangkok Thai
• Barbyann’s
• Baxter’s
• Bluefins
• Bobby Byrnes
• Buca's - Harwich
• Brax Landing
• Brazilian Grill
• British Beer Works
• Brothers Pizza
• Captain Parker’s
• Chapins
• Chatham Bars Inn
• Chatham Squire
• Chatham Wayside Inn
• Ciro and Sals
• Clancy’s
• Colombo’s
• Common Ground Cafe
• Cooke’s
• Craigvile Pizza and Mexican
• Crown and Anchor
• Dennisport House of Pizza
• Double Dragon
• Embargo
• Encore
• Ember
• Firestarter Pizza
• Fisherman’s View
• Five Bays Bistro
• George’s House of Pizza
• Governor Bradford
• Golden Fountain
• Guapos
• Hearth n Kettle
• Knockout Pizza
• Kream n Kone
• L’Alouette
• Landfall
• Liam McGuire's
• Mattakeese Wharf
• Mike’s Pizza
• Mom & Pops Burgers
• Mooncussers Tavern
• Naked Oyster
• Noble House
• Nor’East Beer Garden
• Not Your Average Joe’s
• O’Shea's
• Old Yarmouth Inn
• Pepe’s Wharf
• Pizza Barbone
• Portside Tavern
• Quarterdeck
• Quicks Hole Tavern
• RCs Pizza
• Royal Family
• Saga Sushi
• Sam Diegos
• Scargo Cafe
• Sea Dog Brew Pub
• Sea Street Cafe
• Seafood Sam’s
• Spanky’s Clam Shack
• Spinners
• STARS at Chatham Bars Inn
• Starbucks (gone)
• Sundancers
• Sweet Tomato’s
• Tap City Grille
• Taste of Siam
• Thai Ocha
• The Black Cat
• The Chart Room
• The Kettle Ho
• The Knack
• The Marshside
• The Original Seafood Restaurant
• The Oyster Company
• The Pelham House
• The Port
• The Red Nun
• The Roadhouse (gone)
• The Squealing Pig
• The West End
• Thuan Loi
• Tiki Port
• Trader Ed’s
• Tumi
• Viera on Main
• Wee Packet
• West End
• Wicked
• Wimpy's
• Wooden Shoe
• Zoe’s Pizza

Hope this list helps some locals and tourists alike have an amazing meal!
Final Note: For dining critics, if this list helped you with your Cape Cod restaurant list, please source OpportunityBox or PM me. I’ll be happy to help with more depth. If any publications are looking for a freelance Cape dining reviewer, send me a PM!
Edit #1: Added Brewster Fish House & Island Cafe & Grill to the try list.
Edit #2: Added note about runners up not being in rank order, added Liz's Cafe to try.
Edit #3: Added The Chatham Cut, Drifters, and Estia, Osteria La Civita, The Red Inn, and Victors to try.
Edit #4: Added The Mews to Runners Up after eating there on 5/13. Move Buca to the all the rest list, went for the first time on a Friday night, service was good and the food and drinks were fine, the menu is just too large to do any one dish justice. It wasn't bad, but there are much better options IMHO.
Edit #5: Added Kid Friendly notes. Added The Pheasant to the top list. Tried 95% of the menu and the drinks over Memorial Day weekend with a group of demanding foodie friends and was delightfully surprised all around. Drinks were rock solid with great flavor combos and subtle details like clear ice blocks. Every single thing on the menu was great, amazing flavor combinations, I want to order every item again next time. Pickles, Uli's Mushrooms, Crispy Potatoes, Pan Roasted Skate, Green Salad, Charred Asparagus, and like five other things we all shared, honestly I can't pick just 1-2 things, it was all amazing. Scene was lively and fun, service was great as well. Kid friendly too, the owner went out of his way to make a couple seated near us with two children not feel bad about their kids being a little loud when they had a 5pm seating. Will definitely be going back.
Edit #6: Tried Ciro & Sals, it was fine.

Hi all, I just finished a two day overnight to Champagne/Reims. It was awesome, and a two day trip was short but allowed us time to visit three houses (Henri Giraud, Moet & Chandon, and Gaston Chiquet) and multiple Champagne-focused restaurants. I had the opportunity to try a great array of champagnes at local restaurants (both casual and high end), see some historical sites, and get a mini course on Champagne agriculture/terroir. We stayed overnight in Reims and ate at L’Assiette Champanoise (3 star Michelin). Highly recommend the journey to if you’re in the area. It was about a 1 hr 45 min ride and worth every bit of the planning. The main takeaway was that Champagne should be treated like any other white/rose wines, in terms of being able to pair with all sorts of foods/meals/experiences, as opposed to being out in the box of “party drink” only to be popped on special occasions. Happy to answer any questions about the trip or the wines we tried!
Just to share, these are the bottles I tasted on the trip (with some very brief notes I jotted down just to recall):

1. Taittinger - Brut Blanc de Blancs
2. Champagne Comtes de Champagne 2011 (delicious, complex but light, citrus and grapefruit)
3. Henri Giraud - MV2017 (very good, fine bubbles that roll off the tongue, lots of funk, mushrooms, earthiness)
4. Henri Giraud - Esprirt (nice, pleasant, light mouth feel)
5. Henri Giraud - Ratafia (balanced, enjoyable, medium viscocity)
6. Moet & Chandon - Imperial (delicious, apple, fruits, nice color, clean finish, some sweetness)
7. Moet & Chandon - Imperial Rose (nice light red color, berry notes, enjoyable but liked Imperial better)
8. Gaston Chiquet - Blanc de Blanc (medium complexity, freshness, flowers, bright fruits, delicious)
9. Gaston Chiquet - Meunier blend (a bit flat, no complexity, not as good as Denis Salomon for meunier)
10. Gaston Chiquet - Vintage Chardonnay (very good, light complexity, good balance and pleasant finish)
11. Gaston Chiquet - Pinot Noir (not super complex or fragrant for a vintage, not as good as the Chiquet vintage Chardonnay)
12. Remy Massin - Chardonnay (unknown)
13. Remy Massin - Pinot noir (unknown)
14. Denis Salomon (histoire de famille) - Meunier (a bit of complexity, fruitiness, very good)
15. Barons De Rothschild - Concordia Brut (balanced, not overly complex, but good sipper)
16. Krug - Grand Cuvee 168 Edition (nice smell and please after taste; citrus fruits, marzipan, brioche)
17. Champagne A Bergére - fresh, light (nice)
18. Dehours & Fils - Les vignes de la Vallee - Champagne Brut
19. Dom Perignon - Vintage 2012 (well balanced, light straw color and a bit grassy, very tasty)
20. Devaux - Grand Reserve - Air France (some acidity and green apple on the nose; mild bitter after; nice mouthfeel)