Ceraldi

I almost didn’t want to review this absolute most wonderful dining experience of my life! It’s a little place maybe most don’t know about and I want to be sure I can get in next season! There are only 2 seatings for a 7 course prifixe menu. The chef is phenomenal, creative, and charming. We went in July and I chose to add the upgraded reserve wine pairing. Every plate was a beautiful surprise and de-​li-​cious!!! We will be planning a Cape vacation surrounding a Ceraldi dinner in 2016. If you are a true foodie and willing to spend for not only great food but a whole experience unlike any other, indulge in Ceraldi.

Really incredible meal! Servers were all very knowledgable about the food and the wine, but not in a pretentious way. The food was all prepared to perfection with a perfect wine pairing for each. A really good tasting menu in a lovely setting. Will come back every time I’m on the cape!

Wonderful dinner service. Highly recommended that you get a reservation early and eat at the bar. The fresh organic, grown in the garden outside produce is phenomenal. Great variety of dishes. Evolving menu. You’ll leave feeling very satisfied. Excellent service and description of each plate. A memorable, romantic atmosphere.

A truly special foodie experience on Cape Cod. This was the best 7 course dinner I’ve ever had! Of course, this is the first 7 course dinner I’ve had but that’s beside the point :) Everything on the menu is farm to table and each seating is only 30 people so it’s a very intimate dining experience. The chef explains every course on the menu and where the ingredients come from and they plate several of the courses in the center of the restaurant so you can see.
Before the first course comes, they give you a glass of prosecco. Every night the menu is different. First course was a Wellfleet oyster. Since some of us don’t eat raw foods, they fried the oyster which was still delicious. Second course was pumpkin soup with speck on top. The soup was really hot and the sweet flavor of the pumpkin with the salty flavor of the speck was perfect. Third course was a salad with bib lettuce, apple and spiced walnut with a blue cheese dressing that was served on a cutting board. Fourth course was a fried squash blossom which was interesting. Fifth course was probably my favorite — the lobster ravioli with sweet corn. Mmmmm! Sixth course was the main dish and it was a chicken cacciatore. Since one person in our party didn’t eat mushrooms which was part of the main dish, she got a fish dish instead. Lastly was dessert which was an espresso panna cotta topped with cocoa powder and cinnamon. I was stuffed by the last course but it was quite the experience! Kudos to the chef for a memorable 7 course dinner.

How can I eat this way every day?! What a treat to enjoy seven exquisite courses at a leisurely pace. Everything, from the prosecco greeting to watching the plates being assembled by Chef Ceraldi, was first class.
I love how the story unfolded, first with Ceraldi’s introduction to the evening’s menu, then being able to dwell on the composition, smells and flavor of each dish. After learning about the local ingredients and suppliers he used, we sought many of them out during the rest of our time on the Cape.
We left feeling satiated, not stuffed, having sampled all the best this week’s farmers’ markets had to offer: oysters with tomatillo salsa, pumpkin soup, lobster ravioli, etc.
Congratulations Chef, what a labor of love!

Last night was one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life… and I’m a geezer with lots of great meals under my expanding belt. I’ve maintained lifelong food prejudices but last night was a watershed moment for two of them:
I ate a raw oyster and actually liked it. For most of my life I’ve lived on the Wrong Coast (SF Bay Area — Moron* County, to be specific) where Hog Island oysters are a big deal. Ever been to Lynn, MA at low tide on a hot summer day and inhaled the stench? That’s what I thought an oyster was supposed to taste like. * some people say «Marin»
Wrong.
The late Wellfleet bivalve resident that I devoured (with a touch of tomatillo) was wonderfully sweet and briny.
Until last night I thought that blue cheese tasted like something you weren’t supposed to put in your mouth. Hated the stuff. Now I need to re-​think that.
Ceraldi is nothing short of amazing. It’s not intimidating. The staff delivers a succinct and totally relevant statement about each course and paired wine– and don’t be afraid of the well-​priced house wine pairing option. It’s been very well chosen and will not disappoint.
Okay, former Bay Area neighbors and friends, once again Massholes prevail. Not only do we excel in professional sports (let’s leave the Red Sox out of the discussion for now. We’ll be back), We also have a restaurant that bests anything you have. Yountville may have the French Laundry. Wellfleet once had the Ye Olde Helpee Selfee Laundry. Now we have Ceraldi’s. Game over. We win.

This place was fun, and I am glad we went, but I wouldn’t go again. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I don’t think that was the fatal flaw of the evening. Rather, it was some combination of pretense, sitting for 3 hours in a very hot room in a very uncomfortable chair, and a price point simply too high for what was delivered.
As for the unmet expectations — there were 2 main problems. One, we reserved a seat at the bar because, we were told, that was where the Chef would be plating the dinner and that it was an exciting «show» to watch. I had seen some cool photos that people had posted here (and also the gallery of photos from Ceraldi’s website) and I definitely looked forward to seeing the chef’s plating artistry in action. Sadly, there was none to be seen, as only two courses were plated in front of us, and there was not much «show» involved in putting a pre-​shucked oyster on a mound of salt and then topping it off with sea beans, or, watching an arancini ball get put on a plop of cheese sauce.
The second problem was that while some food was great, most of it was ordinary. The evening was more reminiscent of a rustic farm dinner than a chef’s tasting menu — and maybe that’s what they want — but again, it was not my expectation. They’re highlighting the use of local («local») foods as though this is something new, and as though this in and of itself makes the food better — but, that’s just not the case. I’ve eaten at many farm-​to-​table restaurants (and some true ones, as in, they owned their farms as well as their restaurants), and they still have to create their own culinary magic with the fresh ingredients provided. Two courses were especially boring — the arancini ball, and their chocolate mousse dessert. I wanted the meal to be more special — like their dark rye ravioli, or their flan course. If we had gotten 7 courses that were that interesting and delicious, I would have been happier to endure the 3 hours of sitting in the horrible chair. Also, FYI, our first food was served at 9pm for the 8pm seating. It was a long night. If they’re going to start this late and go this long, they really need to start offering coffee with dessert.
Some highlights were a welcome glass of Prosecco that we enjoyed while waiting, a very knowledgeable and efficient service staff, a perfectly cooked piece of halibut, and a nice wine pairing. I might give this place another year to mature before I try it again though. If they pull off what they’re trying to do, the price would be completely fine (and maybe even a bargain). And who knows — look at all these great reviews! Unilocal does not steer me wrong very often, so maybe we caught them on an off night.

My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate his birthday, visiting from Las Vegas, we wanted a restaurant that would equal in quality and ambiance what we would expect from service on The Strip. We got it! The food was excellent! The ambiance, although very nice on the inside, the view is of the ocean and of a parking lot (although this didn’t take away from the experience).
We called a few days ahead, when we arrived on the cape, not knowing what days we would be able to plan some parent alone time. The restaurant was booked for the week and we opted to be put on a wait list, so glad we did (even though it was for the bar). The bar actually was a great place to sit, I almost cancelled the reservation because we originally wanted a private table. It’s in the center of the action — you get to see the chef prepare some of the dishes if you sit at the bar. Next visit, I will be requesting a bar seat!
It’s a 7 course pre-​fixe menu for $ 79. $ 30 wine pairing. And there is another option of a diff wine pairing for $ 80? (Don’t quote me on that price). I’m not a wine enthusiast, so I figured the $ 30 would suffice. It equaled to 2.5 glasses. More than I could even drink!
All the food was really great. Best meal on the cape, for sure. Wish the location was out on a deck, outside to enjoy the weather and view. We will be visiting again, and I will be booking well in advance for next year’s trip!

Attention all vegetarians and vegans alike…
Thank you to chef Ceraldi at Ceraldi in Welfleet, MA for accommodating me and presenting me with a beautiful, fresh, seasonal Italian 7 course vegan meal last night. I had the best time and will be back for sure another summer.

We only get to the Cape once a year and never miss the opportunity to visit Ceraldi. Once again, the food was exquisite. The service was even better than last summer and wine pairing is always a delight.
Ceraldi has managed to maintain very high standards and create a top notch dining experience.

Excellent creative food in a friendly relaxed atmosphere. The staff is wonderful and accommodating. They explain each course in detail and the wines, if you choose the wine pairing, which is reasonable at $ 30. The highlights for me: beet flan, cheese ravioli with pistachio’s and lavender from the restaurant’s garden, smoked eggplant soup and a chocolate and sea salt caramel dessert. Don’t get me wrong, the entire meal was wonderful. The portion sizes range from a bite (one oyster) to a small entrée (halibut with Truro potato and vegetable). This place is competitive with top NYC restaurants.

Martha Stewart in Portlandia. 7 tiny courses of fresh, farm to table local food and fish. That means one oyster, one scallop. Herbs from garden. Reasonably priced food. The chef is to be commended for what he is trying to do but of the 7 courses only a tomato and basil soup was notable. Expensive, eclectic wine list. A little precious and silly but definitely the best and only high end restaurant in Wellfleet. Had to wait an hour to be seated.

Our 3 couples arrived at Ceraldi, for the first time, at 5:25p just ahead of the first of 2 settings at this fixed price restaurant on the Wellfleet harbor. Amazing location!
We sat down and the server explained the 7 course meal to after after which the owner/​chef, Michael C., explained the locally sourced menu which included portions from his garden just outside the restaurant.
By the way, when we made the reservations my spouse was asked a series of questions regarding any food allergies.
Since each nights serving is based on what is available that day, you never really know what expect.
This night we started with Wellfleet oysters with truffled garden chili. One of our party didn’t want raw so they quickly baked her portion. This was followed by cucumber soup with a locally farmed tiger shrimp.
Then we ate 2 primarily salad courses although the 2^nd included the chefs own cured finocchiona. We then (okay it was me) almost licked the plates of the ravioli followed by osso buco with saffron polenta.
Lastly we had black pepper panna cotta which was both unique, in my experience, and delicious.
You can also order wine parings although we chose drinks and bottles of red and white wine.
All this was followed by a walk through the garden with chef, commenting on a strong sense of being very pleasantly full. Then the beautiful sunset over the harbor to cap a perfect evening.
Among the best restaurants on the outer Cape. We’ll be back.

Great meal and loved the ambiance. Loved that the chef explained what we were having and that it is all locally sourced. Every course was delightful and surprising.

Why did we love this place? Fresh, locally sourced food. A menu that changes daily based on what’s available from the farmers. A chef and staff that takes pride in their work. A reasonably priced meal (especially the cost of the wine pairing). Add it up and it was our favorite meal in Cape Cod!

I was treated to a 7 course meal in Wellfleet’s Ceraldi. All locally sourced, I was excited about the food, seeing that the chef was literally picking stuff from the garden across the restaurant before service. Ceraldi offers a 7-​course meal with 2 seatings each night at 530 and 8pm for $ 70. It’s more for wine pairing. Expected about 2 – 2.5 hrs of your life. I would recommend the 530 seating if you want to photograph your food.
Food review: great tasting food! You can really tell how fresh everything was. All are locally sourced from within the Cape. As a visitor, I appreciated knowing about the local farms and also knowing where some of the ingredients came from. For example, the scallop was caught by a day boat called the Donna Marie in Provincetown. I actually took a photo of that boat, so it was nice to know. The downside: the food is so good, you wished they provided more, and it wasn’t a faux pas to lick your plate. Out of the 7 courses, most were on point. Some were a miss, but that’s just because of my preference for some of the ingredients. Overall, the flavor profiles were great.
Service: it was decent. I was expecting it to be more on point. They changed the utensils after every course and on more than one occasion, my place settings were forgotten, and I had to ask for utensils. I also had to ask for a water refill a few times. Not that big of a deal, but with this caliber of a restaurant, that’s something that I expect. Too bad the attention to detail was off since it was enough to lessen the experience just a little bit. Also, there was a bit of a lag between courses. I’ve had multi-​course meals at Bryan Volataggio’s Volt, L’Espalier in Boston and also the Inn at Little Washington, and they were quicker with the service in between courses. On the plus side, if you seat at the bar, you’ll see the chef prepare the majority of the courses in front of your eyes, so the wait time was forgivable.
Overall, Ceraldi was worth a trip. I appreciate that everything was local. Too bad they couldn’t give you more food because it was so amazing. The service could use some improvement, but given the relaxed atmosphere of the Cape, you shouldn’t expect to get the same level as if you were in NY or DC.

BEST. MEAL. EVER.
It must have been about halfway through the meal when I realized that this wasn’t just a great meal, it was the best meal I’d ever had. It was like being in the 6^th inning of a baseball game and realizing the pitcher was throwing a perfect game, and would he be able to pull it off. YES! All the way through 7 courses, including the amazing dessert.
We were the first to arrive for the 8:00 seating (about 10 minutes early, and the man who turned out to be the chef/​owner was hanging out in the kitchen garden in front of the restaurant. The garden was an indication of what was to follow — the raised beds were immaculate without a weed in sight, and vegetables arranged in perfect lines. When I asked if this was his place, he said, «yes, I’ll be making your dinner tonight».
The food was all precisely prepared, but wasn’t fussy in the way that many high end restaurants tend. It was all good solid food that looked great but wasn’t overwhelmed with too many extra flourishes.
First course — a single Wellfleet oyster topped by a rose prosecco granita. A little salty, a little sweet, a little tang, a little cold. Yum. Perfect way to get us warmed up for what was to come.
Second course — a stinging nettles soup, from locally foraged nettles. With mussels, fennel, and little heat. Creamy, but with no cream. Another perfect blend of flavor and texture.
Each course better than the next. Meat and cheese plate; a perfectly prepared scallop with pancetta and agro dolce; fazzoletti (pasta sheet, with a ragu Bolognese and more; halibut with the best kale I’ve ever tasted (how can there be a best kale? But it was here!), and a perfect chocolate mousse with caramel and rum.
Each course had enough in it so that it wasn’t gone in a moment, but not so much as to be uncomfortably stuffed. The meal was well paced, with gaps between each course to let us chat, and anticipate the next. The chef easily accommodated the pescatarian in our party, with no degradation of the wow factor. Service was attentive but not overwhelming. The staff was clearly excited and proud to be part of this special place. The dining room itself was as precisely put together as the garden and the food. Tasteful, simple, clean, and a pleasant place to hang out for a meal.
I’m looking forward to our next visit to Wellfleet so we can go again!

Columbus Day weekend seemed like an opportune time to visit the Cape, more specifically Provincetown, as I have never been there despite living in Boston for 5 (nonconsecutive years), fall is right around the corner, and the tourist season has once again closed for the year.
Ceraldi had originally been listed in Provincetown, and during my search cross-​referencing Tripadvisor and Unilocal,I came across this restaurant. The pictures of the food looked very exciting, and had incredibly glowing reviews across the board on both websites. After dining in Provincetown for several days, I was deeply disappointed in the quality of food there. I feared that this experience would be the same. It couldn’t have been further from my fears.
The food was delicious, and aside from the mixed green salad that was a little bland, perhaps it was meant to be more of a palate cleanser, we had an excellent meal for an incredibly reasonable price. I appreciate the farm to table approach of these restaurants, as it not only supports the local community, but showcases the delicious produce from the region.
I am so sad that Ceraldi seems to be in the barren culinary wasteland of the Cape. However, if I am ever back in the area (unlikely by personal choice), I will be sure to return. It truly was a wonderful meal, and I left curious and eager to taste different menus from the other seasons.

Easily, the best meal of my life on Cape Cod. From start to finish, the meal was flawless. There are two seatings; 5:30 and 8. We opted for the early which worked out well. It’s 70.00 for the 7 course prix fixe menu and 30.00 for the wine pairing. The food was sublime. Chef Michael uses all local purveyors for chocolate, wine (other wines served but Truro Vineyard’s products are used in some courses), cheese, produce and fish. The servers were fantastic. Seating was comfy…
The chef welcomes all and explains the menu. Each guest enjoys a glass of Prosseco while purusing the menu. Courses are served efficiently and the wine never stopped flowing. The plating and color and design of each meal was art. The tastes, an explosion of flavors.
Two of the courses included Longnook Meadow Farm Cinderella Pumpkin with Chequessett Chocolate Cacao Nibs and Smoked Paprika Oil paired with a 2013 Château D’Escalns Domaines Sacha Lichine Cotes de Provence and Nestwood Farm Bok Choi Bagna Cauda, pink peppercorns white anchovi and fresh Wellfleet Garden Herbs paired with 2012 Pio Cesare Chardonnay L’Altro DOC Piemonte. Pure dining bliss.
Such a fabulous dining experience… we cannot wait to return in the spring.

Really great ambiance, intimate and lively. We went with a big group (8 people) for the 7 course tasting menu. Everything on the menu pulls from locally sourced ingredients to create a taste both homey and fresh. Think Wellfleet oysters, local veggies and house smoked/​made cheeses. There were a couple dishes I would have tweaked (eggplant in tomato sauce underneath the arancini was way over salted), but over all great flavor all around. Absolutely loved the smoked parmesan mushroom lasaganetta. Seriously out of this world flavor leaving the whole table in tears of joy. Would have asked for leftovers to take home if it was socially acceptable.
We shared a wine pairing and ordered a bottle of wine. I’ll be honest, while the wines complimented the dishes nicely I would just go for a bottle that pairs with everything (in our case a pescatarian meal). If you really want the wine pairing I would do the share deal.
Not cheap (70 a person without pairing) but worth a visit if you’re a food person looking for a nice, local meal!