Plymouth, MA has no shortage of good places to eat, whether you’re in the mood for seafood, steak, Thai, Italian or casual American fare. These best restaurants in Plymouth truly offer up something for everyone.
Plymouth, Massachusetts may be known for its historical attractions, like Plymouth rock and the Mayflower, but there’s one thing the lists of best things to do in Plymouth often miss – the food!
For a historical tourist town, Plymouth has a surprising amount of incredible restaurants, from casual taverns to high-end grills and steakhouses. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch between sight-seeing or a nice seafood dinner to finish the day, you’ll find it at these best restaurants in Plymouth!
East Bay Grille
173 Water St., Plymouth, MA // (508) 746-9751
The pilgrims likely wouldn’t have envisioned their new home would have such luxurious places to eat and enjoy as the East Bay Grille. This lowkey casual restaurant is known as a perfect place to enjoy some sweeping seaside views over some delectable New England Seafood Platters and steaks. The vibe here is always welcoming, with great service and friendly staff.
Located on Water Street and just before the Plymouth Jetty, grab an outdoor seating spot if you can in the summer and enjoy a special night of good food and chatting with some friendly locals who’ve likely just come off the links at the nearby Pinehills Golf Club.
What to get at East Bay Grille: Steak and seafood are the name of the game here and starting off your meal with an East Bay Seafood Boat is ideal. It is a great sampler of local fresh seafood! The Swordfish Picatta is definitely worth your time and taste buds, as the perfectly charbroiled swordfish is accompanied by a delicate lemon butter sauce drizzled over the fish and the wild mushroom risotto. For something vegetarian, try the Quinoa Bowl and enjoy its Mediterranean twist.
Rye Tavern
517 Old Sandwich Rd., Plymouth, MA // (508) 591-7515
While it may be tempting to simply pass off Rye Tavern as just another New England tavern, you would in fact be very wrong. This is easily one of the best restaurants in these parts. This quaint tavern is inside an original watering hole that dates back to 1770. Today, it is known for having a steady rotation of fantastic local beers, craft cocktails, an impressive whiskey selection and a farm-to-table menu filled with great food for a great time.
The Plymouth and Cape Cod area have some delightful small farms that produce fruit and vegetables, and Rye Tavern likes to showcase these farms in their seasonal menus. They proudly promote local farms and the tavern itself has its own small farm on the premises where they like to get food also.
What to get at Rye Tavern: While the South Shore area isn’t exactly light on clam chowder offerings, the chowder at Rye Tavern is excellent, because they add lightly fried crispy clams to the soup. Now that is something you won’t always get! The pepperoni flatbread is popular here, largely because diners cannot get enough of the moist, chewy pieces of meat drizzled in hot honey. For the brunch crowd, don’t overlook the simple side of toast and seasonal jam, as locally grown fruits turn seemingly bland toast into a taste bonanza!
Rio Brazilian Steakhouse
318 Court St., Plymouth, MA // (508) 830-6802
If all that delicious, fresh New England seafood is getting to be boring, then fortunately there is a perfect place to get your meat fix in at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse on Court St., located just before the local ponds of Spooner and Sawmill. With ample indoor seating, the steakhouse (like most steakhouses) does a great job of walking that fine line between a fancy restaurant and a cozy interior.
The customer service is excellent here and combined with the upscale décor, this steakhouse can make any dinner one of the best things to do when in town. You’ll love a thick juicy steak next to the giant stone fire place in the cold winter months, especially when it is paired with a delightful wine from Rio’s extensive wine list.
What to get at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse: You’re in a meat lover’s dream with a visit to Rio’s, but there are a few items on the menu that are definitely worth trying. Start with some skewered Garlic Bread. The fire toasting method makes the bread flaky and amazing. Traditionalists will love the ribeye, but for something a little more unique, try the chicken and bacon skewers. For dessert, it’s got to be the churros all day!
Bangkok Thai Cuisine
10 Court St., Plymouth, MA // (508) 746-3299
You could be forgiven for thinking that this historic New England town would be unlikely to also have a great Thai restaurant. But you’d be wrong, because of Bangkok Thai Cuisine. Located just a block south from Plymouth Rock itself, this local staple is a reliable dining spot and quick service for a takeout order too.
It is a classic menu with large portions when dining here. Inside Bangkok Thai you can expect a well-appointed, yet traditional layout. While eating here wont make for a unique culinary experience, you can expect some of the best food in the area, especially if you are looking to switch things up a bit!
What to get at Bangkok Thai Cuisine: Fresh local ingredients are used in all dishes, so expect vibrant Thai dishes filled with basil, ginger, coconut and other curry spices. Dumpling enthusiasts won’t be disappointed here, and if you are with friends, a dumpling and shu mai combined feast may be just what you need. For dessert, try the Sticky Rice with Sweet Mango when mangos are in season. They literally burst with flavor and will put that pep back in your step. Vegetarians rave about the Tofu Ginger Mix here.
Tavern On the Wharf
6 Town Wharf, Plymouth, MA // (508) 927-4961
For classic American fare at the town wharf, there is Tavern on the Wharf. While the area has other great seafood spots to enjoy like The Cabbyshack, Lobster Hut and Wood’s Seafood, the Tavern is a more all-round spot for people to dine in and enjoy. Inside, you’ll find rows of booths and high tops in a long, light filled dining room that is also ideal for special events and live music.
The Plymouth Waterfront area is best paired with great cocktails and other tasty, little things to drink. Fortunately, you can get all these at Tavern On the Wharf. The bar is spacious and filled with TV’s, but also looks out onto the harbor. It will be hard to not feel the vacation vibes when you pull up a chair here.
What to get at Tavern On the Wharf: While there are plenty of everyone’s bar food favorites adorned by French fries here, the Tavern does a few things that are simply outstanding. The Mexican Rice Bowl is a treasure trove of Mexican delights, but the sauteed steak combo is the best! A Baked and Stuffed Quahog is a must here (and incredibly well priced too). The fish tacos are delicious too and made with fresh cod!
Rock Bottom Seafood
2234 State Rd., Plymouth, MA // (508) 888-6678
What’s better than eating juicy seafood that is bursting with flavor? Why catching it and cooking it yourself, of course! But if you can’t go out into the water and catch your own, then why not select it from the safety of giant tanks! Rock Bottom Seafood is both a fresh seafood market and restaurant where the whole family can enjoy great Cape Cod seafood offerings in the one place.
As it’s a market too, you definitely don’t need to be in your finest attire when visiting. In fact, wearing your dungarees will give you some street cred here as you’ll look like a real fisherman! Plus, you don’t want to get any lobster or oyster juice on your nice clothes!
It’s worth keeping in mind that Rock Bottom Seafood is located some distance south of Plymouth, and is just outside of Sagamore, the last town before you hit Cape Cod proper.
What to get at Rock Bottom Seafood: Pretty much anything freshly caught here is worth eating. There’s so much to select from and enjoy. For something different, try some Chowder Fries, which are fries covered in mozzarella, bacon and chives – not clams! It would be hard to pass on a Lobster Roll here as places like this are where you get real value for money! Rock Bottom also does a Scallop Roll, for a twist on this new England favorite.
Lobster Hut
25 Town Wharf, Plymouth, MA // (508) 746-2270
Back on Town Wharf in downtown Plymouth you’ll find the Lobster Hut. As the name suggests, this is a one-stop shop for your lobster fix when in town. Located right on the Plymouth waterfront, this casual spot has all you need for a messy and succulent lobster lunch. Grab a picnic table outside and enjoy!
The Lobster Hut has been in operation for over 50 years and is popular with locals and tourists alike. There is also ample indoor seating in the form of classic red diner booths, which will likely transport you back to those summer seaside vacations you took as a kid. It truly is seaside Americana, and at great prices!
What to get at The Lobster Hut: Lobster of course! The combo plates are the way to go here, especially the Lobster Tail & Scallops. The Crab Cakes here are massive and cheap. For non-seafood eaters, you can indulge in burgers and hot dogs, while the more health-conscious diner will like the salads combos, especially the Crab Salad Plate.
The Artisan Pig
66 Court St., Plymouth, MA // (774) 404-7012
Located on Court St., opposite the Pilgrim Hall Museum is The Artisan Pig. Now while this name may sound like an art gallery devoted to lovable swine, it is in fact a one of the best Plymouth restaurants and likely has the best pizza in town.
The pizzas here are woodfired, full of local ingredients and handcrafted. The menu often rotates its flavors according to the season, with many locals anticipating when their favorite style will once again be on then menu for them to enjoy.
The interior of the restaurant is full of upscale décor. There are plenty of seats available and a bar that is filled with great beer and wine options that pair amazingly with the pizzas. There is often live entertainment at night, and the restaurant makes for a swanky change of pace in downtown Plymouth.
What to get at the Artisan Pig: A starter that is worth trying is the Grilled Asparagus. It comes with a mint pesto drizzle, prosciutto, and a soft poached egg. From the pizza menu, try the Golden Swine. It has a BBQ base and is topped with grilled chicken, bacon, pickled jalapenos and a blue cheese dressing. There are plenty of more traditional pizzas on offer too. Vegetarians will love the Caprese Sandwich on a telera roll. For dessert, try the strawberry rhubarb, with vanilla ice cream and mint.
Tuscany Tavern
294 Court St., Plymouth, MA // (508) 747-9291
In North Plymouth, still on Court St., you might stumble across Tuscany Tavern. This Italian restaurant is small and intimate and has a menu that is more focused on Northern Italian dishes, infused with a New England style. This isn’t a typical peperoni pizza and meatball sub type of place. It’s delicious food with great service.
This higher-end dining spot provides more of a unique culinary experience with menu features that are authentic and traditional to the Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna regions. As the name suggests, it is in a ‘taverna’ style, where you can expect low lighting, white tablecloths, smaller tables and a bustling cucina (kitchen).
What to get at Tuscany Tavern: Check for the days Zuppa del Giorno, as some of the soups they create here will blow your mind. One standout antipasto is the Calamari Imbottiti, which are calamari stuffed with baby shrimp, red onions and wild mushrooms, then finished in a light red sauce. The Pasta alle Vongole comes with little neck clams and is utterly delicious. Try the Braciolettine Di Vitello (if you aren’t already stuffed) which is veal stuffed with prosciutto and fontina cheese in a wild mushroom wine finish. Buon appetito!
