Go Off the Grid With This Unique Cape Cod Dining Experience in Sandwich

SANDWICH (WBSM) — Off the Grid is more than just a clever name. It’s a way of life when visiting this one-of-a-kind dining experience off the beaten path of Route 6A in Sandwich, Massachusetts.

At Off the Grid, it’s about thinking outside the box.

Set back from the main road is a small, unassuming parking lot; enter it, and you'll find an oasis and food and fun just down the hill.

There’s a bus that serves as the backdrop for the bar, where inside, the cooks serve up breakfast each morning.

The Caribbean barbeque operations that used to take place in the bus have been moved to a more permanent structure right behind it, where brisket and pulled pork and other delicious meats are smoked daily and drenched in OTG’s sweet and tangy sauce.

Next to that is a food truck serving up lobster and seafood, and across from the bus is Lil’ Phatty’s, a street-style taco and burrito bar.

There’s something for everyone on the campus they like to call “the campground,” and it’s all designed to be a family-friendly destination spot to come and eat, relax and go off the grid for a little while.

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A Tropical Beginning for Off the Grid

Owner Joel Finley started Off the Grid as a small food truck on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2015. In 2017, when Hurricanes Irma and Maria battered the region, Finley had to relocate his food truck, eventually making it to Sandwich to be near family.

He ran the food truck near the Sandwich Marina for two summers before finding a more permanent home on 6A, right near the Stop & Shop plaza. From there, Finley continued to expand operations, adding ice cream, coffee, seafood, Mexican and more.

He also acquired the building that has become the Hillport Gallery, which was built in 1911 for William Barclay Parsons, the Chief Engineer for the Cape Cod Canal.

It was later established as an art gallery by Doug Amidon, a professional woodcarver, and Finley and Off the Grid are keeping that tradition going by showcasing locally-curated art in a variety of mediums amongst the indoor tables.

Off the Grid is hoping to get town approval to remain open year-round and have dining inside the gallery building, but for now, they have a special heated tent that will be put up during the winter months.

A Focus on Family and Fun

While Off the Grid does serve up alcoholic beverages and has live entertainment, it’s not a “tiki bar”-type establishment. The staff stresses that the focus is on families, not on the drinking or partying crowd.

The big back lawn behind the Hillport Gallery building is available for children and adults alike, with OTG providing cornhole, wiffle ball, badminton and other outdoor games and activities so you can make a day out of your visit and spend some quality time together as a family.

See more photos of the Off the Grid experience: