Café Heaven

By John S. Kelemen

Café Heaven occupies one of those prime Commercial Street restaurant spots that has survived over the decades through several name transformations. I first remember it as Alice’s Restaurant when it still evoked the laid back 60’s era of free loving and living and Arlo Guthrie’s quasi-folk song lyrics. This was my first trip to Café Heaven in several seasons. Our Tfor3 group of four included Michael the Blogger (MtheB) with nephew Mark and friend Luis.

Our preconceived notion of Café Heaven as a tourist only eatery was quickly belied as we entered and found representatives of the all-year community already enjoying dinner. The op-pop free spirited wall paintings and no nonsense spare décor recalls a less polished but more happy-go-lucky era in Provincetown. Café Heaven does not accept reservations but we were early enough to be seated immediately and quickly served our drinks. For those who may choose to forgo alcohol, for a change, try the Italian style sodas which are different and quite good.

Our lovely young waitress from Moldova was attentive and charming. She definitely enhanced Mark’s appreciation of the meal. The experience was the exact opposite of Enzo’s where special requests were treated unfavorably. At Café Heaven the creative opportunity is presented of combining ingredients for burgers and pasta dishes, which are featured prominently on the menu, there are additional choices for appetizers, soups, entrees and desserts featured daily on the blackboard.

After an excellent house salad I chose the cod fish special which was served with steamed spinach and a Tuscan bean stew with Italian sausage. It was excellent and affordable (but definitely not cheap). MtheB couldn’t get enough pasta; first enjoying a gnocchi appetizer and then creating his own pasta dish with feta cheese, spinach and caramelized onions. Mark started off with the cream of broccoli soup and then had a pasta dish with salmon and spinach. Luis kept to his diet with only a salad but was well pleased. No one was disappointed with their choice and we all expect to make return visits.

As usual dinner was topped off with an excellent cup of coffee. We chose two of the blackboard featured desserts, a chocolate cake and a lemon cheesecake, both were okay. Café Heaven is fine for a good unpretentious meal at affordable prices. In summation, food was very good, service was very good, atmosphere is good and enjoyable and a little loud and a little funky, don’t look for a fancy nouvelle presentation. Good quick summertime food is what this place is about and for that it deserves four out of a five big Ptown (IIII) monuments.

Café Heaven
199 Commercial Street
508 487-9639