The Bonnie Doone Restaurant. Courtesy of Salvador Vasques.
THE BONNIE DOONE RESTAURANT
A wee bit of Scotland in Old Provincetown.
Address: 35 Bradford Street, Provincetown
Years Active: 1938–1986
When it comes to the rich and storied history of the Portuguese people in Provincetown, once cannot even begin the conversation without mentioning the Cabral family and the landmark that was the Bonnie Doone Restaurant.
Originally opened in 1937 by Manuel, the patriarch of the Cabral family, and his wife, Mary, this was a seafood restaurant at heart that would go on to specialize in many things. Located on Bradford Street, the Bonnie Doone Grille, as it was first known, delivered native lobsters served many ways, including stuffed, Newburg and Thermidor. Its baked and stuffed extra-large shrimp was a hit, partially because of the secret wine-based stuffing. Swordfish, flounder, crab, scallops—all of the necessary seafood items were present. The Bonnie Doone could have stopped there and likely have been a success, but the Cabrals wanted to go one better.
First off, the Cabrals brought in Joe Pettite to be their head baker. Under his watchful eye and talented mind, Bonnie Doone would become known for its homemade breads, pies and pastries. Next, they brought in renowned Chef Artur from the Publick House Restaurant in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in 1950 to help them to also specialize in things that didn’t come from the sea like steaks, chicken dishes and Portuguese-style pork chops. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the food prepared by the staff at Bonnie Doone was the fact that the Cabrals had an open invitation for anybody to take a walk into the kitchen and see for themselves how everything was done. Pulling back the curtain gave the restaurant and its customers a more intimate relationship. The Cabrals’ dedication to transparency would be rewarded handsomely.
As its popularity skyrocketed, Bonnie Doone began expanding. The Thistle Room arrived in June 1952. This was a new cocktail lounge where one could have a “king-sized” drink and a meal on the second floor of the restaurant. It was complete with sweeping views and a relaxing décor. It would become a perfect spot for private parties, birthdays and even wedding receptions. The man behind the king-sized cocktails, Lenny Backof, was known as one of the best mixologists on the Cape, courting the favor of none other than Elizabeth Taylor during a visit to Provincetown in 1957. His specialty drink was known as the Golden Glow.
In 1958, the Cabrals bought and razed the neighboring Conant Street School. It had been used for the headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for about twenty-five years. This added much-needed parking for the restaurant, which could then fit up to fifty cars. The little spot that could originally seat 50 in 1937 would eventually be able to serve 350 patrons at a time. There would be more expansion: the Bonnie Doone Patio for outdoor dining; the long-established Bonnie Doone Terrace, which was another dining room perfect for private parties and intimate dining; and the Bonnie Doone Snack Bar, which allowed the overflow of customers to still get their fill of delicious food even if a table was not available. When all was said and done, the establishment had five dining rooms and two bars.
As the 1960s dawned, the Bonnie Doone was flying high. Open seasonally from mid-June through late October, the restaurant was routinely serving nine hundred to one thousand meals per night, getting close to two thousand at its peak. Accolades—which had been free flowing from loyal local patrons for decades—poured in from national outlets. Duncan Hines recommended the Bonnie Doone, as did AAA. The restaurant was even mentioned as a destination spot on Cape Cod by Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 1966.
The Bonnie Doone did not miss a beat when Manuel and Mary retired, and the iconic locale was taken over by their daughter Barbara and her husband, Richard Oppen. The couple, who had married in 1948, successfully carried on the legacy well into the 1980s. In 1986, they retired, effectively putting an end to the nearly five decades of service that the Bonnie Doone had given to the town of Provincetown.
The building lay dormant for several years before being purchased by Crown & Anchor owners William Dougal and Rick Murray and redeveloped into the Mussel Beach Health Club. As of 2016, it is still open and going strong.