In the early 1950’s, young artists Salvatore Del Deo and friend, Ciro Cozzi, started a small after-hours sandwich shop in Ciro’s cellar in Provincetown’s East End. It began as a financial concern to fund their art, but Ciro & Sal’s became quite a success and quickly developed into a full-service restaurant.
in 1963, a few years after the partnership dissolved. Sal supplanted his savory savvy in the west end of town. Sal’s Place was started near the end of Commercial Street on Union Wharf as a seaside trattoriä offering authentic, Italian cuisine in the tradition of "Quisiana” (good health through fine food).
Jack and Lora Papetsas credit their families for inspiring them to pursue professions in the culinary arts. For Jack it was his Italian and Greek heritage and his family’s love for food. For Lora it was her French lineage and grandfather who was “an extraordinary chef.” Both Jack and Lora worked for original owner Sal Del Deo since the early 1980’s. They also patronized the restaurant and loved the superb location. When Sal made his exit in 1989, they jumped at the chance to take the reigns. Since then, as owners managers and chefs, the two have continued to make Sal’s a mainstay, Using only the finest ingredients they have been able to keep quality at an unsurpassed level. Jack’s 60’ party boat in Wellfleet keeps him acquainted with the local fishermen and thus, the freshest fish. Herbs are grown in the restaurant’s garden.
The menu and the decor have little changed — huge portions served in a slice of southern Italy.   Alexander, Jack and Lora's son has grown up in the business and is now the chef in training.  His love for fine cuisine and engaging personality make him a perfect match for the restaurant business.  When the school years ends, you'll find Alexander preparing salads and desserts or hosting at the front desk. 
Enter the restaurant on the side into the open kitchen where Jack and his crew diligently prepare pastas to Order in the midst of serenading operatic arias. . To the right, the front room features street-side dining in the usual Italian interior of Chianti basket-bottles along with photos and posters of previous periods. The back room boasts a harbor view but it’s the outdoor dining on the old wooden deck under a vine-covered arbor that gets the glory.
The restaurant serves dinner nightly from April to October, weekends only in the shoulder season.

Reservations are recommended.

Cooking with Lora
by Roger Chauvette
Provincetown Magazine

Last Thursday morning, the school bus bearing the young­sters from the Wellfleet Elementary School headed out for Provincetown, not to watch whales nor to climb the Monument, but to prepare Funghi Ferrini Imbottiti at Sal’s Place under the guidance of Jack and Lora Papetsas and their son, Alexander. This event came about as one of the activities presented by C.A.S.T.—Community And Schools Together, active in the Wellfleet Elementary School where Alexander is a student and Lora plays an active role.

For many of these youngsters, preparing stuffed mush­rooms for eating was a stretch. Yes, the knew what mushrooms were and the ingredients smelled familiar, but translating those raw materials into something edible was a challenge. Each table of youngsters, directed by a teacher, proceeded step by step beginning with the white fungus itself.

To describe the steps is like.. well, reading a recipe. Remove the stems and chop them up in that white dish. Add the mixture of green herbs and mix well. Add the little container of bread crumbs and grated cheese which will serve as a binder. Dean and David then went around pouring just a bit of olive oil into each mixture One last mix to spread the oil evenly and voila—stuffing. With a spoon, the mushroom caps were refilled and ready for cooking.

Actually, the stuffed mushrooms were sealed on plates and sent home with the students to be used as appetizers. The tables were cleared and a lunch was served. The waiters took each student’s order: Pasta with red sauce or pasta with but­ter and cheese. While the entrees were prepared the students got the opportunity to taste samples of the recipe they had just created. A family-style serving of fresh Garden Greens Salad followed with the obligatory Italian dressing West Lynn Creamery donated the milk. Once all had their fill, dessert was served.

Throughout this process, young Alexander professionally served the role of host. His parents have trained him well and he had obviously prepared for this event. “This water is ‘Pellegrino’,” I overheard him tell youngsters at his table, “As you can see they have been making this water for one hun­dred years. That’s why they have this special label.”

by    Erica Bollerud

"Not as relentlessly hip as some of the other Commercial Street locales, this Provincetown fixture tucked away in the quiet West End is a find nonetheless.   If you have your druthers, you'll dine on the deck overlooking the water.  If a chill has set in, choose a table in one of the two indoor dining rooms under  a bower of chianti bottles.  Chef-owner Jack Papetsas has been in charge of the food since 1964.  You'll love the generous servings of classic Southern Italian specilaities.  Reservations are recommended."