Vacationing in Yarmouth, Massachussets will provide you with plenty of activities throughout your stay, and you’ll quickly find yourself submerged in local life and all that it has to offer. The next step, of course, is to find out where locals are stopping for a cup of coffee and a quick breakfast, as these shops usually provide not only the best food and java but also the best value on Cape Cod. Here is a list of Yarmouth’s top five coffee shops, with each of them providing a unique quality that could make it easy for you to find your favorite Cape Cod hangout for this year’s trip.
1) The Optimist Cafe
At The Optimist Cafe, you’ll not only discover perhaps Yarmouth’s best coffee shop but will also have the chance to experience some Cape Cod history. You see, the cafe sits along The Old King’s Highway in Yarmouth Port, in a historic Gothic Revival home built by Captain Frederick Howes in 1849. The building is on the National Historic Register, and still contains many original elements, including its spiral staircase, French doors, pine flooring, and massive window. If for no other reason, the antiquity makes this shop worth a visit.
As for the business itself, this is the only restaurant on the Mid-Cape to offer all-day breakfast year round. The breakfast menu is extensive, featuring everything you’d expect at a diner, including homemade waffles, pancakes, and crepes. There are also bakery items available if you’re in the mood for something a little simpler. The Optimist Cafe is only open until 3:00 PM, but there is a lunch menu, or you can come for afternoon tea.
2) Bagels & Beyond
We’d forgive you if you drove right past Bagels & Beyond on Main Street in West Yarmouth without even noticing it. The cafe sits in an open area just west of the Antiques Center of Yarmouth and tends to blend in with its surroundings, and the coffee shop’s small sign doesn’t help matters. Once you’re inside, however, you’ll be happy that you took the time to find it.
Bagels & Beyond proudly serves New England Coffee, which you can order by the cup or the box if you need a few cups of joe to bring back to your vacation rental. The staff also makes bagels, pastries, and muffins from scratch each morning, and the cream cheese is made in-house, too. If you’re in the mood for a more substantial meal, the breakfast sandwiches and burritos are sure to fill the gap.
3) Caffè Gelato Bertini
You’ll find something a little different at Caffè Gelato Bertini, as this is an Italian-style shop with 24 flavors of gelato, six types of sorbetto, and a variety of coffee drinks. The business recently moved from Pearl Street in Hyannis to South Street in South Yarmouth, and now shares a building with Great Island Bakery, another outstanding local business.
The staff at Caffè Gelato Bertini make everything the Italian way. The owners have brought ingredients, recipes, and equipment from across the ocean to provide an authentic European experience on Cape Cod. Although they aren’t open early in the morning, which might be a disappointment for some coffee lovers, you’ll want to give one of their brews a try, particularly the espresso. Keep in mind that Caffè Gelato Bertini is only open from May through October.
4) Scapicchio’s Bakery
While we’re discussing European-inspired coffee shops on Cape Cod, let’s look at Scapicchio’s Bakery, an authentic Italian-style cafe offering house-made bread and pasties, and some of the Cape’s best coffee. The bakery opens at 7:00 AM every morning, except for Mondays when it’s closed, making it an ideal place for the early riser to head for a quick breakfast and a cup of java.
Scapicchio’s Bakery hasn’t been open for very long, but it has already built a tremendous following among locals and visitors alike, indicating that this family-run business will be around for years to come. The building is also incredibly easy to find, since it sits on Route 28 in South Yarmouth, right across the street from Skull Island at Bass River Sports World. It’s a busy area, and you’ll see that the bakery fills up early in the morning, but everything about this place makes it worth the wait.
5) Dunkin’ Donuts
Yes, it’s a chain that doesn’t provide the same Cape Cod experience as other venues on this list. But, there are three Dunkin’ Donuts in South Yarmouth and two more in West Yarmouth, so pretty much everyone in town has visited a time or two, and people seem to love their coffee.
The attraction of Dunkin’ Donuts is the convenience, as they have three shops on Route 28, another on East Main Street, just off Route 28, and one on Station Avenue near Yarmouth Shopping Center. All of these stores feature on-the-go mobile ordering so that you can have your coffee waiting for you upon arrival, and most have a drive-thru, as well. When you’re in a hurry, Dunkin’ Donuts in your best bet.
Try One or Try Them All
Since all of these coffee shops are relatively close to one another, you’d easily have time to sample each of them on your Cape Cod vacation.
Whether you’re looking for a quick cup of coffee, some baked goods, a full meal, or some ice cream, these cafes have you covered during your time in Yarmouth.
