Restaurant in Cape Cod, United States
Ocean views, farm sourcing, dinner worth the price.
STARS at Chatham Bars Inn is the most complete fine dining option in Chatham, with panoramic Atlantic views, a hotel-owned farm supplying the kitchen, and a 520-selection wine list. Breakfast here — lobster Benedict, Jonah crab toast — is a stronger case for the venue than most resort mornings. Dinner runs $$$ before wine. Book two to three weeks ahead in summer.
If you are planning a special occasion breakfast or dinner on Cape Cod and want a setting that earns its price, STARS at Chatham Bars Inn is the right call. The combination of ocean views, a hotel farm supplying the kitchen year-round, and a wine list with 520 selections makes this the most complete fine dining option in Chatham. First-timers should book dinner or breakfast at least a week or two ahead in peak summer season — this is not a walk-in restaurant.
The dining room is the first thing that will orient you as a first-timer: stately columns, custom chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows facing the Atlantic. The leading seats are along those windows. During the day, you get an unobstructed ocean view. In the evening, the resort's white lighting turns the outlook into something considerably more atmospheric. The room is formal enough that beachwear and flip-flops are not permitted, but the dress code stops short of requiring jackets — nice jeans and sandals are acceptable, which keeps the mood accessible without feeling casual. The scale of the space signals a resort restaurant that takes itself seriously, and the service reputation backs that up: much of the front-of-house team has accumulated decades of experience, a significant portion of it at STARS itself.
Breakfast at STARS deserves particular attention for first-timers, because it is a stronger argument for the venue than many resort morning meals. The kitchen turns out a lobster Benedict and Jonah crab on honey wheat toast with avocado, cucumber, jalapeño, farm greens and poached eggs , dishes that justify a table here even if dinner is not on your agenda. A breakfast buffet is also available for those who prefer range over a focused plate. The hotel purchased its own farm in 2012, and the culinary team oversees what comes from it, so the produce on your breakfast plate has a direct supply line rather than a generic distributor relationship. For anyone staying at Chatham Bars Inn or passing through Chatham in the morning, this is the most distinctive breakfast option in the area.
Dinner covers a wider spread. The kitchen runs New England seafood alongside more ambitious protein options: a 30-day dry-aged striploin, wild boar, and Rohan duck sit alongside seared scallops and a fish of the day. Standout starters listed by the inspector include yellowfin tuna, dry-aged beef tartare, and a wild mushroom salad. The dessert menu includes housemade Cape Cod ice cream and a chocolate-banana rocher with dark chocolate mousse, hazelnuts, and espresso Chantilly. The wine program, overseen by Wine Director Paul Fox, runs to 520 selections and 5,700 bottles in inventory, weighted toward California and France, with pricing at the $$$ tier , expect many bottles above $100, though the list offers range across price points.
Reservations are recommended year-round, not just in summer. Walk-ins are possible but the dining room's profile means availability tightens quickly, particularly on weekends. Booking a week ahead is a safe minimum outside peak season; two to three weeks ahead is more prudent from late June through August. In winter, the restaurant operates its own Cocktail Lounge; in warmer months, pre-dinner drinks are better handled at the Beach House Grill, Bayview Terrace, or Veranda on the property. The Sacred Cod Tavern is the indoor alternative in cooler weather. Cuisine pricing sits at the $$$ tier for a two-course dinner, so budget $66 or more per head before beverages and tip.
For the full Cape Cod dining picture, see our Cape Cod restaurants guide, our Cape Cod hotels guide, our Cape Cod bars guide, our Cape Cod wineries guide, and our Cape Cod experiences guide. Within Chatham specifically, Cuvée at Chatham Inn offers a comparable coastal American approach in a more intimate setting, while The Pheasant is worth considering if you want something less resort-formal. For a New England resort fine dining comparison further afield, TOPPER's at The Wauwinet on Nantucket is the closest peer in format and price tier.
Book ahead , at least one to two weeks out in shoulder season, two to three weeks in summer. The dress code rules out beachwear but does not require formal attire: nice jeans and sandals work. The window tables are the ones to request. If you are arriving for the first time, breakfast is a lower-commitment way to experience the kitchen and the ocean view before committing to a full dinner spend at the $$$ price tier.
At breakfast, the lobster Benedict and Jonah crab on honey wheat toast are the two dishes that justify the setting. At dinner, the yellowfin tuna and dry-aged beef tartare are the recommended starters. For mains, the 30-day dry-aged striploin and seared scallops are the clearest expressions of what the kitchen does well. The dessert menu is taken seriously here , the chocolate-banana rocher is the most composed option on the list. Chef Andrew Chadwick oversees the kitchen with direct access to the hotel's own farm, which opened in 2012.
Yes, specifically for occasions where setting matters as much as the food. The ocean-facing dining room, the service depth, and the 520-selection wine list create a package that is hard to replicate elsewhere on Cape Cod. The $$$ pricing means a two-course dinner for two with wine will likely land well above $200 before tip. If you want the leading table in the house, request a window seat when you book and specify the occasion , the team has the experience to deliver on it.
STARS works for solo diners who are comfortable in a formal resort dining room. The space is large rather than intimate, so solo dining here feels more like a considered solo meal than a social experience. Breakfast is a more comfortable solo visit than dinner , the format is lighter and the buffet option gives you flexibility without committing to a full dinner spend. The $$$ dinner pricing is worth weighing if you are dining solo without a full wine spend to spread across a table.
No beachwear or flip-flops. Beyond that, the dress code is relatively relaxed for a $$$ restaurant: nice jeans and sandals are acceptable. Smart casual is the right framing for first-timers. If you are arriving from the beach, plan a change of clothes before your reservation.
One to two weeks ahead is the safe minimum outside peak season. In summer (late June through August), book two to three weeks out to secure a window table. Reservations are recommended year-round, not just in high season. Booking difficulty is rated easy relative to comparable fine dining options, but the leading seats fill up fast on weekend evenings.
Cuvée at Chatham Inn is the closest Chatham alternative , American coastal cooking in a smaller, less resort-formal setting. The Pheasant is worth a look if you want to move away from the hotel dining format entirely. For a more direct resort fine dining comparison, TOPPER's at The Wauwinet on Nantucket is the regional peer in format and ambition.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| STARS at Chatham Bars Inn | Easy | — | |
| Le Bernardin | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Atomix | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Lazy Bear | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Alinea | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
| Atelier Crenn | $$$$ | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Solo diners are accommodated, but the dining room is oriented around the ocean-view window tables that seat two or more, so you may not land the best seat in the house. If you're eating alone, breakfast is a more comfortable format than dinner — the lobster Benedict and crab toast are strong single-order choices and the setting is less couple-coded than the dinner service. Reserve ahead regardless; walk-in availability is limited given the venue's profile within Chatham.
At dinner, the 30-day dry-aged striploin and seared scallops are the kitchen's anchor proteins — the scallops in particular reflect the restaurant's direct access to Cape Cod seafood. For breakfast, the lobster Benedict and Jonah crab on honey wheat toast with avocado and poached eggs are the standout plates. Save room for dessert: the pastry program runs from housemade Cape Cod ice cream to a chocolate-banana rocher with dark chocolate mousse and espresso Chantilly.
The floor-to-ceiling window tables are the best seats in the room — request one when booking, especially for lunch or early dinner when the Atlantic view is in full daylight. The kitchen draws produce from the inn's own farm, purchased in 2012, which gives the menu a local sourcing credibility that most Cape Cod resort restaurants don't have. Dinner pricing sits at $$$, meaning most two-course meals run $66 or more before drinks; the wine list carries many $100+ bottles. Beachwear and flip-flops are not permitted, but the dress code stops well short of formal.
Yes — this is one of the more defensible special-occasion choices on Cape Cod. The dining room's chandeliers, columns, and panoramic Atlantic views give it a setting that matches the occasion without requiring Manhattan-level spend. The staff has a documented depth of tenure at STARS specifically, which shows in service consistency. Book a window table and time the reservation for daylight if the view matters to you.
STARS is the clearest choice for resort-anchored fine dining in Chatham with an ocean view, but Cape Cod has a wider dining picture. For a less formal but still serious seafood meal, the Cape's fish shacks and raw bars offer better value at lower price points. If the farm-sourcing angle is the draw, look at other Cape Cod restaurants using local producers — see the Pearl Cape Cod restaurants guide for a broader comparison.
The dress code explicitly bans beachwear and flip-flops, but nice jeans and sandals are acceptable — this is a resort fine-dining room, not a jacket-required formal house. Think polished-casual: a collared shirt or a sundress is appropriate. Given the $$$ price point, dressing slightly above the minimum keeps you in step with the room.
Reservations are recommended year-round, and in summer the window tables fill quickly given the inn's draw as a Cape Cod destination property. Book at least one to two weeks out in shoulder season; in peak summer (July–August), aim for three weeks or more. The restaurant notes that walk-ins are possible but not reliable — at $$$ per head, it's not a gamble worth taking without a reservation.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
