5 Great Family Restaurants on Cape Cod

For 30 years, my family has been visiting the same part of Cape Cod, around Eastham and Orleans, annually. In recent years, our extended family includes my sisters' young children.

All of the restaurants listed here are places we've been going to every year for several summers, and all of them are places where each member of the family, including the kids, finds something to love. All but the Hot Chocolate Sparrow can also accommodate fairly large parties, such as our extended family of ten.

I am mostly a vegetarian, but I do eat dairy, eggs, and occasionally seafood. The rest of my family is omnivorous. The restaurants are listed here in order of my preference, but I'm sure other members of my family would rank them differently.

Fairway Restaurant & Pizzeria
4295 State Highway, Route 6, North Eastham, MA
Phone: 508-255-3893

This local family business features delicious pizza, giant calzones, pasta, sandwiches, and more. Some of the best food in the area at reasonable prices translates to immense popularity, and there can sometimes be long wait times for a table. The place is always busy, but the staff still finds time to be friendly.

There's a kids menu, and crayons are provided. Kids can draw on the paper tablecloths while they wait.

For adults, the menu includes a wide range of choices. I like to build my own vegetarian pizza. This year, it included artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. Yum! I ranked the Fairway at the top of my list, because I like the food here the best.

Beer, wine, and liquor are available.

The Orleans Inn
3 Old County Road, Orleans MA 02653
Phone: 508-255-2222

The Orleans Inn is the fanciest of the five restaurants listed here. It's located in a beautiful old building that overlooks the water. The dining room has a gorgeous view.

Although they do provide a children's menu, which includes activities and things to color, it would also be a great place to go for a date, leaving the kids at home. The prices are reasonable, but depending on what you order, it can be a bit of a splurge.

The menu tends heavily toward seafood and meat, but even vegetarians can find something here. This year, I opted for a delicious Summer Berry salad that was one of the specials. It consisted of field greens, fresh berries, chevre, and nuts, with a raspberry vinaigrette. I also had lobster bisque, which was quite good, although I would have preferred it to have some fresh herbs in it. Other members of our party ordered stuffed salmon and bacon-wrapped scallops. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal.

Beer, wine, and liquor are available.

Hot Chocolate Sparrow
Old Colony Way, Orleans, MA
Phone: 800-922-6399

This is not really a full restaurant, so much as a place to go for a sweet treat. The Hot Chocolate Sparrow features hand-dipped chocolates, espresso, and baked goods. They also have panini sandwiches and soups.

Free wireless available throughout the center of Orleans makes this a popular place to access the Internet. During our summer vacation, one of the most popularly uttered sentences is "I'm going to the Chocolate Sparrow to check my e-mail." That, and have some of the lava cake.

This is a small place, which is usually crowded, so it's best to go in small groups.

The Red Barn
4180 State Highway, Route 6, North Eastham, MA 02651
Phone: 508-255-4500

The Red Barn bills its establishment as "Pizza & More," so be forewarned that more is exactly what it has. Depending on your point of view, it can be a family fun paradise, or a tacky tourist trap, but my sisters' kids are always begging to go there. They would go there every day, if it were up to them.

The restaurant features pizza, salads, and subs. It's decent food, and I have no objections to it as an affordable family restaurant. You can sit inside or outside, then follow up your meal with ice cream. Beer and wine are also available.

But that's not all. Here's where the "more" part comes in. The place also features miniature golf, a gift barn, and a game barn, where playing the games earns you tickets that can be redeemed for prizes of dubious value. Last year, the whoopee cushion proved very popular. The Game Barn is the true destination, according to my sisters' kids.

At $3 a person, the Red Barn's mini-golf course is quite a bargain compared to some other mini-golf courses in the area.

Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar
3580 State Highway, Route 6, Eastham, MA 02642
Phone: 508-255-2575

It's all about the onion rings. I'm not the biggest onion ring fan, but the onion rings here are awesome, and some members of the family can't do without them. If you like fried food and fresh seafood, this is the place.

Arnold's is hugely popular. The line can sometimes stretch far out the door, but at least it moves quickly. It's an informal place, with indoor and outdoor seating, often at picnic tables.

The menu is heavy on the seafood, although burgers and other types of sandwiches are available. True vegetarians will have a tough time here, but there is at least a veggie burger. I do occasionally eat seafood, but I don't always feel like it. I wish this place had more vegetarian choices.

The main menu is mostly fried food, but there is also a raw bar. Beer, wine, and liquor are available.

Dishes are a la carte, and some of the seafood can be a bit pricey, for such an informal place. For a large party like our family, the bill can add up fast. Be aware that Arnold's takes cash only. No credit cards.

Arnold's also has a relatively new mini-golf course, which is impressively landscaped with waterfalls. Though very nice, the admission price is a bit steep, compared to the one at the Red Barn.