Where to Eat Now in Rhode Island

By Jamie Coelho

with assistance by Lauren Clem and Dana Laverty

There’s some good news and some bad news: Rhode Island’s time is up.

The Ocean State can no longer claim to be a hidden-gem dining destination. Our restaurant scene is getting more national press than ever, which is the good news. The bad news? Reservations might be tougher to come by due to popularity. 

We’re celebrating the fact that our incredible eateries are being recognized on a broader international scale by the James Beard Foundation, Eater, StarChefs, Food & Wine, Esquire, USA Today and other media outlets. After Sherry Pocknett, owner of Sly Fox Den Too, won the title for the James Beard Foundation’s 2023 Best Chef: Northeast, ten different Rhode Island-based chefs and restaurants have earned top spots on the 2024 semifinalists list. Chef Sky Haneul Kim (pictured left) of Gift Horse was named a semifinalist in JBF’s “Emerging Chef” category, and Gift Horse was also recognized by Esquire as one of the “50 Best New Restaurants in America.” Eater has also been noticing our charm by naming There, There to its list of the “Best New Restaurants in America 2023.”

The widespread media attention has a positive impact on all local businesses and boosts our economy. While we are highlighting all the recent restaurants to earn national accolades, we also want to shine a light on other stellar standouts. Here are some of our personal favorites as well as other under-the-radar spots we want to share with readers, based on where to eat for different dining occasions and varieties of cuisine.

So the next time someone asks “Where should we eat?,” don’t consult an app. There’s a mag for that. 

___________________

 

Date Night: 

Gift Horse

When Benjamin Sukle closed his beloved birch restaurant in 2020, the city lost a culinary icon of creativity. The team shifted full focus to Oberlin, but we were still missing the exploratory cuisine that we relished in boundary-pushing birch. Enter Gift Horse, Sukle and Bethany Caliaro’s new restaurant that highlights the talent of Korean chef Sky Haneul Kim in a more casual rendition that merges Asian cuisine with New England-sourced ingredients. The menu amplifies Rhode Island seafood with Sukle’s own specialties and Kim’s family heritage cooking, from housemade banchun served with a whole fish, peanut sauce, sticky rice and lettuce wraps to raw scallops with shio kombu and sesame, plus Rhode Island oysters shucked on the half shell at a sexy counter-service-style raw bar that’s perfect for conversation with the shucker on staff. The monkfish toast eats like a fancy tuna melt with piri piri dipping sauce. For a potent cocktail, try the Reef Keeper with Blue Acres Aquaculture kelp-infused Industrious Spirit Company gin, seaweed syrup, lime cordial and a crisped nori chip topper. Its flavor is like a spiked sip of the ocean that pairs perfectly with shellfish. 272 Westminster St., Providence, 383-3813, gifthorsepvd.com

Dumplings Done Right: 

Sun and Moon

People ask me where to get the best dumplings and my answer is always Sun and Moon Korean
restaurant, where they are filled with either pork or vegetables and served in a traditional bamboo steamer basket. Delicate, steamed dumplings give way to juicy meat and veggies enveloped in a warm and comforting package that feels like eating while being wrapped in a warm, fuzzy blanket. Each meal at Sun and Moon is served with sides of kimchi and pickles that improve the flavor of every bite. The other must-get dish here is the bibimbap made with beef bulgogi. The rice is cooked in the bottom of a hot stone pot which gives it a crispy consistency that can’t be recreated without the stone pot. I load mine up with spinach, carrots, zucchini, radish, bean sprouts, spicy chili gochujang, kimchi and a fried egg, and mix it with chopsticks. Finish the meal with mochi for the grand finale. 95 Warren Ave., East Providence, 435-0214, sunandmoonkorean.com

 

Birthday Meal:

Giusto

Try the $55-per-person, seven-course freestyle menu (with an optional $40 wine pairing) and let the chef feed you whatever is in season. While Giusto’s open-air porch with harbor views is the perfect spot for a late spring or summer evening, the food is good for all four seasons. Chef-owner Kevin O’Donnell, executive chef William Rietzel and team recently earned a national James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination for Outstanding Hospitality, and the accolade is warranted as every guest that slips through the doors might as well be royalty. The restaurant is classified as “freestyle Italian,” which means the chefs tap into local sourcing and seafood sustainability when plating housemade pastas and dishes while also putting their own creative spin on Italian-based items. One highlight is their riff on an Olneyville New York System hot wiener, for which they’ve crafted housemade mortadella, wrapped it in pastry dough and topped it with ‘Nduja sauce accented with celery root puree and onions. If it’s on the menu, you can bet I’m ordering it, all the way. 4 Commercial Wharf, Newport, 324-7400, giustonewport.com  

 

Sense of Summer: 

Surf Shack

This six-room bed and breakfast has a new restaurant with a great mind behind the kitchen. The Kitchen at the Shack offers chef Momo Camara’s French-Polynesian-influenced food, and it’s open for dinner Monday through Saturday and brunch on Sundays. Located just a quick jaunt from Narragansett Town Beach, water views abound at this hidden gem that’s like a beach day even if Rhode Island is in the middle of a cold snap. Specialties include island steamed buns with crispy pork belly, miso eggplant, ahi tuna poke, or drunken mussels with sake, miso, shoyu, coconut milk, cilantro, garlic, shallots, ginger, togarashi and scallions with seasoned fries for dipping. Camara’s signature dish is the dan dan clams, a creative take on linguine and clams transformed with udon noodles, Chinese Mala sauce, clams and crumbled peanuts. If you can’t get away to Polynesia, then a trip to Narragansett hits the spot. 83 Narragansett Ave., Narragansett, 642-5900, surfshacknarragansett.com

 

Sinus-Clearing Soup: 

Pho Horn’s

The chefs told me to go, so I went. And FYI, pho is pronounced “fuh.” I’ve gotten takeout here, but for the full experience, you really need to sit at a table and breathe in this steaming bowl of carefully simmered beef broth stocked with noodles, sliced steak, brisket, tendon or tripe, meatballs, shredded chicken, or seafood like shrimp or fish, and then add your own fresh basil, bean sprouts, fresh-squeezed lime juice and jalapeno slices from a platter presented on the side. However hot or not you want it is up to you. Pho Horn’s serves nearly a dozen different varieties of the comforting soup that can be enjoyed at any time, including breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a fourth meal. It’s the cure for whatever ails you, whether it’s a head cold or a broken heart. 50 Ann Mary St., Pawtucket, 365-6278, phohornspawtucket.com

 

Dinner With the Girls: 

The Patio on Broadway

The Patio on Broadway in Providence is a great brunch or girls’ night spot with a plethora of colorful cocktails and a menu that spans multiple cultures. Share a few starters with the table, like the crispy duck meatballs with spicy chile jam and whipped ricotta, Buffalo cauliflower, calamari and shaved Brussels sprouts. For entrees, the sesame tuna, seared scallops and grilled tofu bowl are crowd pleasers. For cocktails, try the Bees Bow the Lavender cocktail (Empress gin, lemon juice, lavender honey simple syrup), and the blueberry cheesecake for dessert will leave you with lasting food memories similar to a summer night spent on a breezy porch with good friends. 166 Broadway, Providence, 227-9366, thepatiori.com

 

Fusion: 

Ceviches By Divino

There’s a lot of heart and soul behind Ceviches By Divino. The passionate teams behind the downtown Providence and Cranston locations focus on perfecting Peruvian cuisine with a Japanese influence. Menu items include everything from tapas like pulpo anticuchero (seasoned octopus skewers with potatoes), a ceviche trio with three different tasting-sized portions of several varieties, which is perfect for beginners, and sushi rolls made with tuna, salmon and octopus but spiced up with chilis, lime juice and cilantro, plus crispy rice and choclo (larger dense corn kernels). Pair dishes with a cocktail like the pisco sour or piscorito, or any of the interesting wines by the glass or half bottle. Cranston location owner Alí Alejandro Quero worked his way up from busser and food runner to general manager at Los Andes, and now owns his own Ceviches location and is on his way to earning an Advanced Sommelier certification, so you know he knows his reds and whites. 11 Point St., Providence, 281-8130; 1000 Chapel View Blvd., Cranston, 281-8128, cevichesbydivino.com

 

Authentic Mexican: 

Dolores

Dolores represents Mexican cuisine as it would be presented in the Mixteca region of Puebla and Oaxaca. Sit at the bar and you’ll have a great time learning about mezcal and tequila (they’re for sipping, not for shots) from co-owners and brothers Joaquin and Marco Meza. The making of mezcal and tequila is an intricate process, and each sip is a story in a glass. The house specialty of mole poblano is painstakingly cooked by Dolores matriarch chef Maria Meza, who is also a 2024 James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist nominee for Best Chef: Northeast. The stew-like sauce is made from up to eighteen different spices, such as dried chiles, nuts, cacao, spices and fruit, and served with braised Baffoni’s Poultry Farm chicken thighs and housemade blue corn tortillas, which are created from ground corn pressed in a Mexican molino in the restaurant’s kitchen. Tacos are also served family style with a basket of tortillas; the hard part is choosing the protein type for the table, or you can go for a variety of beef brisket, fried shrimp, beer-battered haddock, pork carnitas or lengua, and get a lesson in Mexican culture while you are there. 100 Hope St., Providence, 409-2075, dolorespvd.com

 

Inventive Ramen: 

Pickerel

Co-owners Scott LaChapelle and Spencer Smith and team traveled to Japan to learn the craft of making shoyu and dashi from the world’s best broth-makers. They put their own funky spin on the complex, comfort-inducing soup made from simmering chicken or pork bones, fish stock or sea vegetables for hours to achieve an incredible depth of flavor along with housemade noodles. The menu is posted each day it’s open to @pickerel_ri Instagram stories, and while there may only be three choices, there will always be the cabbage Caesar salad and menma rice. Order one of the ramen bowls, and don’t skip the egg. The cocktail and wine list, curated by Smith, is small but mighty with very special wines by the glass from around the world chosen to pair perfectly with ramen. There’s always a quirky cocktail like the Allston Handshake, which is a Miller Lite pony with Mountain Dew Code Red, red zinger tea reduction and lime. They even have a rice lager named after them, made in collaboration with Moniker Brewery. Pastry chef Millie Joslyn crafts both sweet and savory ice cream flavors like cocoa shiitake, barley brownie and an “everything” bagel flavor with buttered toast and cream cheese ice creams with poppy seeds, toasted white and black sesame seeds, Maldon salt, fried shallots and black garlic caramel. Pickerel is mind-blowingly delicious from cocktails and appetizers all the way through to dessert. 3 Luongo Square, Providence, pckrl.com

 

 

Sandwiches the Size of Your Face:

There, There

It’s perfectly acceptable to eat a burger or fried chicken sandwich the size of your face. The plates at There, There are barely big enough to hold the goods, including the Dream Burger, stacked with two grass-fed beef patties, cheese, special sauce, “shredduce” and onion jam, or the T.T. Bird with buttermilk fried chicken, mayo, honey gold sauce, “shredduce” and pickled onion, both served on griddled sesame seed buns. Named for that comforting feeling you often get accompanied by a good hug and a tap on the back, There, There’s strengths lie in stacked sandwiches and burgers, as well as its CNY salt potatoes, which involve brined baby Yukons doused in pepperoncini butter. The counter-service-style restaurant recently earned press from Eater’s “Best New Restaurants in America 2023,” which named it one of the top twelve new spots in the country to dine. The secret’s out and we’re happy to help spread the word like aioli. 471 W. Fountain St., Providence, theretherepvd.com

 

Straight-Up Italian: 

Bacaro

Believe it or not, the best Italian food in the state can be found off Federal Hill. Bacaro is like the older, wiser brother who’s been around a long time, yet has no ego, and offers an Italian experience you would find off the beaten path in Venice or Tuscany. Start with Italian tapas or a charcuterie spread by marking down which cured meats, cheeses and other small dishes you like on the detailed checklist menu. Or, if you’re overwhelmed by choices, suggest your server guide you on a well-rounded experience determined by your preferences. Our small group ordered a mushroom pizza and two salads, cioppino, Bolognese and crostini with prosciutto and mushrooms and shared each dish around the table (salads change frequently but we like the one with apples, arugula and fennel salumi, and the other salad with squid, octopus and fire-roasted peppers). But servers won’t steer you wrong if you’re still undecided. 262 S. Water St., Providence, 751-3700, bacarorestaurant.net

 

Neapolitan Pizzas: 

Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana

If you’re craving real Neapolitan pizza, crafted by a Naples native, using quality Neapolitan ingredients, there’s a special spot in Little Rhody that will scratch your tomato-fueled itch: Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana. Chef and certified pizzaiolo (more on that later) Pasquale Illiano opened the South Kingstown eatery in 2015, and has since acquired a fervent fanbase for the wood-fired pies that feature toppings like piennolo tomatoes that grow on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, creamy fior di latte and pork belly lardo. The restaurant earned a prestigious VPN certification for making pizza that meets the strict requirements of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and last year was named twelfth best pizza in the United States by 50 Top Pizza USA. If you’re not too stuffed after your visit, head across the way to sister shop Neapolis to pick up some fresh pasta, olive oil, cheese or a cone of handmade gelato. Molto delizioso! 59 South County Commons Way, South Kingstown, 783-2900, pasqualespizzeriari.com —Dana Laverty

 

Big City Atmosphere: 

Oberlin

“Welcome to Newberlin” is the catchphrase at this spacious, sophisticated restaurant that replaces the original Oberlin that was located across Grant’s Block. Check out the glow up, which includes intricate mosaic tile floors, terrazzo marble countertops on a sprawling bar, a swirling, topography-like ceiling mural by Oberlin’s first manager, Victoria Canel, and exquisite lighting. This restaurant is getting better with age, just like a fine wine. The contemporary space is truly fitting of its ambitious menu from owner Benjamin Sukle and chef Chris Pfail that highlights fresh pasta and all the best Rhode Island foraged, farmed and fished ingredients. Oberlin has many familiar menu items, like the brandade made with trimmings from salted white fish, its wood-roasted sourdough focaccia and housemade pastas and crudos we’ve come to know and love, with the added perk of more seasonal vegetable dishes and salads that showcase freshly sprung spring and summer herbs and greens. The open kitchen shows off the centerpiece of the restaurant, a new wood-fired oven where the breads, pastas, whole fish and larger entrees slide in for a few minutes in hot heaven. “The wood oven is the starting point for most of our R and D as we want to cook as much as we can in it because it’s just so fun and new for us. And delicious,” says Sukle. They now have the space and ability to break down whole sheep and lamb from Hopkins Southdowns farm in North Scituate, and they also repurpose “retired” dairy cows from Gnarly Vines Farm in Tiverton for when a dish calls for beef. Don’t miss the psychedelic restrooms with neon graphic printed wallpaper created by artist Aaron Demuth, set aglow with a blacklight and accented by a soundtrack curated by local composer Austin Clay Rhoads Fisher. For finding a moment of peace when nature calls, of course. 266 Westminster St., Providence, 588-8755, oberlinrestaurant.com

 

Brunch:

Stoneacre Garden

If brunch were a sport, Stoneacre Garden would take it to the Final Four. This Newport garden-within-a-restaurant scores high on lobster Benedict, braised pork chili verde with a fried egg on top and smoked salmon toast with pretty in pink, frothy cocktails to wash it all down. There are many dining options, including the indoor dining room, cobblestone patio and the upstairs roof deck that overlooks the distant harbor. Snap post-worthy pics for Instagram at the selfie wall, in the hanging basket chair inside the dining room and out front in the daffodil-lined courtyard. My favorite cocktail is the Pink Nimbus with Roku gin, Italicus, lemon, raspberry and Bergamotto foam served in a dainty coupe glass with a hibiscus flower on the rim. The restaurant group also owns Stoneacre Brasserie with a French comfort food focus and Stoneacre Experiences, which offers catered picnics at picturesque spots throughout the city and afternoon tea at the Chinese Tea House at Marble House. 151 Swinburne Row, Newport, 619-8400, stoneacregarden.com

 

Homestyle Mediterranean: 

Christopher’s Kitchen and Bar

Woonsocket might be a hub for French-Canadian culture, but this newcomer proves you don’t need a beachside view to channel the Aegean. Opened in 2019 on scenic Market Square, Christopher’s Kitchen and Bar serves homestyle Greek fare alongside casual American and Italian favorites like penne alla vodka and shepherd’s pie. Brothers Angelos and Stavros Petropulos run the restaurant alongside their mother, Maria, and have been embraced in a city that knows a good meal when it sees one. The mixed grill arrives loaded with lamb chops, sirloin tips, chicken skewers, sausage, whipped feta and tzatziki, and the brunch spread includes Mediterranean takes like the breakfast gyro and the tsoureki French toast. Two bars offer ample seating to grab a cocktail before a show at the neighboring Stadium Theatre, and the rooftop patio has a bird’s eye view of the city’s free music series in the warmer months. Get the baklava for dessert — with walnuts and honey syrup, it’s the final piece to make the culinary getaway complete. 2 S. Main St., Woonsocket, 766-3615, christopherswri.com —Lauren Clem

 

Blind Tasting Menu: 

Cara at the Chanler at Cliff Walk

When there’s a real reason to celebrate, only a sensational meal will do, and the Newport waterfront restaurant Cara at the Chanler is the place to do it. The Forbes Five-Star restaurant is perched on the Cliff Walk, overlooking beautiful Easton’s Beach and the surfers who brave those waves at any temperature all year long. At Cara, executive chef Jacob Jasinski and team curate special six-course blind tasting menus with optional wine pairings that are served in a private dining room overlooking the ocean. Chef Jasinski presents each course to guests, explaining where every ingredient comes from, including vegetables just plucked from the inn’s gardens and seafood reeled in from Block Island Sound, visible right on the horizon. It’s called “avant-garde cuisine,” and it is in fact high-fashion food, made using the most spectacular ingredients available. 117 Memorial Blvd., Newport, 847-2244, thechanler.com/cara-restaurant

 

Late-Night Bite: 

The Slow Rhode

When most restaurants shut their doors by 10 p.m., the kitchen is still cranking at the Slow Rhode. Many industry chefs and servers, fresh off their shifts, will settle in at the bar or a table for a late-night meal at this spot that is first-come, first-served with no reservations. The food, served Tuesday through Saturday until after midnight on most nights, involves a multitude of small plates that are best shared in a small group, such as crispy
polenta fries, duck drumettes and beet salad. The Hot Chicken platter has been on the menu since it opened and that dish always hits. Owned by James Dean, Patrick Lowney and Patsy Wilson, this crew also has ties to the beloved Broadway Bistro. When in doubt if a place serves food after 10 p.m., rest assured Slow Rhode is a safe bet. 425 W. Fountain St., Providence, instagram.com/theslowrhode

 

Hangover Cure: 

Olneyville New York System

If you don’t know what all-the-way means, you must be new here. Let us explain: A hot wiener is lifted off the grill, nestled in a steamed split roll baked by East Providence’s Homestead Baking Company, slathered with bran mustard, smothered with proprietary meat sauce, sprinkled with onion and dusted with celery salt. Open wide: You can have all this and more for $3.99 each (prices of wieners almost always correspond with gas prices). Add on a coffee milk from Munroe Dairy and cheese fries and you have yourself a meal with all four food groups. When it’s really busy, the guy on the grill lines up ten wieners snug in buns along his arm, from the knuckles to the bend in his elbow, which is where the name New York System comes from. The “Mouse Trap” grilled cheese is great, too. Take two hot wieners before bed and you’ll feel better in the morning. 18 Plainfield St., Providence, 621-9500; 1012 Reservoir Ave., Cranston, 437-8248, olneyvillenewyorksystem.com

 

Classic Steak Sandwich: 

Kay’s Restaurant

The menu might be written on a cocktail napkin, but don’t mistake this old-school Woonsocket eatery for a deli joint. Kay’s famous sandwiches are from a bygone era, when the only way to eat a steak sandwich was on a grilled and buttered roll served with a trio of chips, pickles and pepperoncini on the side to spice things up. Add a friend and a drink and you’ve got a complete dining experience. While the eatery is known for its steak sandwich, don’t sleep on the lobster roll — a full grinder’s worth of succulent claw and tail meat that makes you wonder how you ever settled for a hot dog bun. In recent years, appetizers and daily specials like baked sea scallops and prime rib have been added to the menu in case you tire of the usual fare — but with sandwiches this good, why would you? 1013 Cass Ave., Woonsocket, 762-9675, kaysrestaurant.com —L.C.

 

Indigenous Cuisine: 

Sly Fox Den Too

If food delivers a sense of place, then Sly Fox Den Too is truly a taste of Rhode Island. James Beard Foundation Award winner for Best Chef: Northeast 2023 Sherry Pocknett represents the Mashpee Wampanoag people through her Native American fusion cuisine. The restaurant is named after Sherry’s father, chief Sly Fox Vernon Pocknett, who taught her all about foraging, hunting, fishing and harvesting shellfish, practices she observes for most of the food served at her restaurant, which she runs alongside her two daughters, Jade and Cheyenne Pocknett-Galvin. Specialties include chef Sherry’s corn cakes made from both yellow and white flint cornmeal (also known as johnnycakes) that nestle everything from eggs to stew; quahog chowder, a Mashpee Wampanoag recipe made with quahogs, potatoes, onions and ground black peppercorn in a broth; Indian fry bread, which is served with nearly everything; and specials like skate wing, smoked salmon, housemade sausage and more. Poached eggs come with a choice of home fries or nausamp, which are yellow corn grits. The next time you taste a cup of Rhode Island clear chowder, think about the Native people who deserve the credit for making it such a huge part of the Ocean State’s food history. 4349 S. County Trail, Charlestown, 642-7350, slyfoxdenrestaurant.com

 

Dinner or Brunch With a Side of Comedy: 

Black Duck Tavern

Located right next door to the Comedy Connection in East Providence, Black Duck Tavern makes it super simple to enjoy dinner and a show. Slide into a table in the dining room or sit at the cozy bar for wings, smash burgers, sandwiches and more, plus some potent cocktails and craft beers, then walk next door to lol — laugh out loud — in real life for a change. The tavern also stands on its own, even if you don’t go to a show. There are live music nights and trivia Wednesdays and an amazing brunch menu on weekends, too. Brunch involves breakfast tacos and Benedicts, plus Portuguese sweet bread French toast and cannoli pancakes (buttermilk pancakes stuffed with cannoli cream). If you’re debating between breakfast and lunch, go for the brunch burger topped with cheddar cheese, bacon and a sunny side egg on an English muffin or chicken and waffles with hot honey. Add on bottomless mimosas for two hours only between noon and 4 p.m. — then the real comedy act begins. 31 Warren Ave., East Providence, 434-8703, blackducktavern.com

 

Comfort Food Fix: 

The East End

Chef Joshua Davis brings his culinary prowess from Portland, Maine, to Providence at the new rendition of the East End. This cozy, dark whiskey and wine bistro features dishes with Asian and Southern influences, as well as American comfort food and a surefire French-Canadian hit. Davis previously helmed the kitchen at the famous Duckfat in Portland and he’s brought along some swoon-worthy poutine with him. Crispy, slightly thicker than shoestring fries are topped with cheese curds, mushroom gravy and a choice of short rib or duck confit, plus a fried egg as a bonus on top. There’s no defined genre of cuisine; instead, there’s a meshing of comfort foods from all cultures that match the melting pot that is Providence. Start with a few fingers of liquor from the legendary wall of whiskey and make a meal out of the small and medium plates. The crispy hakka eggplant is one of the best dishes I’ve ever had; the umami flavor and crisp, meaty texture is unmatched. Follow that must-get dish with Thai pork belly buns and/or a birria grilled cheese sandwich made with short rib, melty cheese, kimchi and a side of consome for dipping. And if you’re still hungry after all that, gorge on the Nashville Seoul fried chicken to justifiably do yourself in. 244 Wickenden St., Providence, 433-9770, theeastendpvd.com

 

Barbecue Bingefest: 

Great Northern BBQ

Great Southern-style barbecue isn’t hard to find in the Ocean State; in fact, you can head to the far depths of the West End and find it in the little nook that’s called Great Northern BBQ. While it’s wise to go with more than just one other person, we still didn’t hesitate in ordering the epic “huge” platter for two, stacked with ribs, sausage, beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked wings, cornbread, coleslaw and pickles. It’s enough to feed four for $65 (trust us, you’ll want to take half home for tomorrow). You can also add on the usual sides like the namesake Great Northern beans, mac and cheese and seasonal veggies like asparagus or collard greens for some roughage, and don’t skip the banana pudding for dessert. 9 Parade St., Providence, 421-1513, gnbbqco.com

 

Chef’s Counter: 

Persimmon

Persimmon is the type of restaurant that’s in it for the long game, devoting the team’s love, care and attention toward hospitality and delivering a memorable guest experience every time. The dining room is a terrific touchdown spot, but if you really want to make a food memory then book a spot at the chefs’ counter. There, you can watch co-owner and executive chef Champe Speidel lead the kitchen team in creating plated works of art. There are always the consistent menu crowd pleasers like the deviled eggs swirled with smoked trout mousse dotted with roe, rich and crispy black truffle and Taleggio cheese beignets and black spaghetti made with squid ink that you can indulge in during any season, but the best times to dine are spring and summer, when the first fiddleheads and ramps sprout, up until the last kernel of summer corn pops. The menu changes on a nightly basis using the freshest ingredients sourced as locally as possible, including seafood, produce and farm-raised meat. 99 Hope St., Providence, 432-7422, persimmonri.com

 

Business Lunch: 

Hemenway’s

Hemenway’s still serves a “Power Lunch Special,” for which business executives, lovers and buds alike can get in and out and have a three-course lunch within their lunch hour. It’s available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and involves an appetizer and entree for only $30, which includes a takeout cup of locally roasted coffee or cold brew and a freshly baked cookie to power you through the rest of your day. Start out with a bowl of clam chowder or a Caesar or mixed greens salad, followed by one of six entree options, including fish tacos, smoked salmon salad, a grilled chicken sandwich, lemon flounder, grilled shrimp or a brie and apple grilled cheese. Dinner also is also a consistent hit, with my favorite menu items including the tuna tartare on crispy nori crackers and any seafood (salmon, swordfish, cod, scallops and yellowfin tuna), served any way you like it from baked and grilled to pan-seared or blackened. 121 S. Main St., Providence, 351-8570, hemenwaysrestaurant.com

 

See-and-Be-Seen Scene: 

Bellini

The interior dining room, bar and rooftop are the places to see and be seen at the Beatrice Hotel. Wear your most eye-catching outfit and step out like you’re the talk of the town (in a good way). Bellini’s home was named after Joseph Paolino’s mother, Beatrice Temkin, who was once the society editor for Rhode Island Monthly back in the day, so you know this is a glam spot to dine out. The menu is full of fresh pastas and pressed paninis. Highlights for me include the endive, pear, avocado and Pecorino salad, followed by a main course choice of pappardelle “alla Bellini,”or the tagliardi with black truffle cream sauce, paired  with the restaurant’s signature drink, a frothy Bellini of peach puree and prosecco, of course. 50 Westminster St., Providence, 331-4050, bellinirestaurant.com/providence

 

Cocktails As an Art Form: 

Courtland Club

Laura Ganci took up bartending to support her talents in music and art, but she ended up falling in love with it. She’s now the Beverage Director at Courtland Club, which was just acknowledged by the James Beard Foundation as a Semifinalist in the national “Outstanding Bar” category. It’s a place where food and drink, art and music intermingle with diverse programming from jazz night to deejays and a team of amazing bartenders known for spirit-making and cocktail menu ingenuity. Courtland Club presents a seven-cocktail list each month, curated by Ganci, with one drink matching that month’s zodiac sign with flavors based on personality traits. She also handcrafts her own spirits, including a coffee liqueur and amaro. It’s a place where good food (now with a nightly menu from Nikhil Naiker of Nimki [see sidebar on page 51]) and drink, music and art intermingle, and each cocktail is represented like a work of art. 51 Courtland St., Providence, 227-9300, courtlandclub.com

 

Comfort Food, Mediterranean-Style: 

La Familia

When you’re craving cheesy, spicy classics, La Familia always comes through. Every meal starts with a crusty, warm basket of bread and a small dish of olive oil, Parmesan and red pepper flakes for guilty dunking pleasure. The family restaurant specializes in Italian comfort food — think eggplant Parm, shrimp fra diavolo and spinach roasted garlic ravioli — with a flavorful Portuguese twist. The Portuguese kale soup is a favorite, as is the calamari with chorizo, Portuguese stuffies, mussels sauteed with chorizo, and shrimp, fish or chicken Mozambique tossed with Rhode Island-based Gonsalves hot sauce and red pepper flakes. You can try to save room for the creme brulee or churros with honey and caramel sauce, but trust me: Once all the soul-satisfying carbs and cheesy goodness are put away, you’re going to want to take dessert in a to-go container. 1666 Diamond Hill Rd., Cumberland, 305-3916, lafamiliarestaurants.com —D.L.

 

Celebratory Meal: 

Bayberry Garden

A special place for a special meal, Bayberry Garden is just the sort of spot to ring in an occasion like a birthday or anniversary, or just because you feel like being treated like a real celeb on a nondescript day to raise your spirits. The elevated cocktail menu reads like a garden in a glass with a carrot daiquiri and corazon de melon rounding it out. For food, my favorite dishes include the chitarra pasta, mushroom frito misto, slow roasted carrots, Ora King salmon and the sharable New York Strip steak platter, starring tender beef that’s sliced thin with a bright pink center and served with potatoes mille-feuille, mushroom marmalade and red wine jus. But if you can’t decide, there’s a four-course seasonally curated menu for $85 per person with a curated wine pairing for $65 more. It takes the guesswork out of a foolproof night out. 225 Dyer St., Providence, 642-5013, bayberrygarden.com

 

Easy Group Dining: 

Brick Pizza

I’ll be honest: Group dining stresses me out. From booking a large table for a big party to choosing a restaurant that accommodates all tastes and then dividing up the bill, it can be a harrowing and unenjoyable experience (especially if you’re the one footing the whole bill). However, if you are looking for a place to make a reservation for ten people or more and have it all work out seamlessly, Brick Pizza can easily accommodate a group with a reservation. The restaurant seats upward of 300, including the patio, so there’s plenty of space to not feel cramped in the vast dining room. We have held birthday parties here for my husband and both in-laws with a group size that ranged from ten to twenty, and the Brick Pizza team graciously handled the special events in the main dining room. We also hosted a baby shower in the private back Stone Room (seats sixty guests or seventy-five standing) for my sister-in-law, which also went off without a hitch. The appetizers, pizzas and entrees are pleasing to various palates and the prices are reasonable. It’s nice to be able to relax so you can enjoy the celebration and not worry about what could go wrong. 500 Wood St., Bristol, 396-5200, brickpizzaco.com

 

Anytime Downtown Dining: 

Durk’s Bar-B-Q

Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, you never need to guess if Durk’s is open. It’s the old reliable spot where you can go with a crowd, on a date, or bring the whole family and never doubt if it will have something for everyone. Vegetarian bud? Don’t worry, there are good veggie-based sides made for making up a meal. This barbecue restaurant not only has some of the best slow-smoked ribs, brisket, pork and chicken around, it also prides itself on a terrific whiskey collection. The bar boasts 180-plus bottles of whiskey and bourbon, as well as a cocktail list developed by the same team at the Eddy, including an old fashioned on draft, a mean margarita, boozy house punch and more. You can also grab a quick bite and a High Life to watch the game, and snack on signature pierogies with potato and Swiss cheese, corn dogs and Durk’s nachos with beef brisket. 33 Aborn St., Providence, 563-8622, durksbbq.com

 

Come As You Are Dining: 

Rhody Roots

You want to get out of the house for something comforting to eat, but don’t feel like getting dolled up to do it. Or maybe you’re tired parents who just don’t feel like taking the trouble to book a babysitter. Never fear, choose a restaurant that’s accepting of all people, no matter their age bracket. Rhody Roots also hangs a rainbow flag outside, a sign that all are welcome here. We love this downtown Warren restaurant for its welcoming atmosphere, wonderful staff and consistent food. Sometimes we go for sushi. Other times, it’s a busting-at-the-seams burger or a meatless Buffalo sandwich. And once in a while, it’s for a weekend brunch of a Scotch egg encrusted in crispy housemade sausage or build-your-own-brekkie pancakes, French toast or waffles with your choice of toppings from a liquid cheesecake and blueberry compote to warm Nutella and raspberry drizzle. I love that there’s a graffiti wall where artists draw masterpieces and kids can doodle. And there’s a Poison Ivy-themed bathroom where Rhody Roots shows off its kid-at-heart mentality even behind closed doors. 511 Main St., Warren, 903-9159,
rhodyroots.com

 

Pop-Ups Gone Permanent

Once mobile vendors, food trucks or pop-up chefs, these food businesses have finally found homes of their own.

Ming’s Asian Street Food

The Sando Bar at the Lorraine Mills is now open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Order Ming’s signature Asian-style fried chicken sandwiches and fries five days per week. The mobile kitchen is also available for events, weddings, company parties, birthdays and fundraisers. 560 Mineral Spring Ave. Unit 2114, Pawtucket, 248-4491, mingsri.com

Irregardless Biscuit Company

This beloved pop-up, formerly housed in the Tailor Shop next to Broadway Bistro, is now set up inside the former Kitchen breakfast nook in Providence. They are slinging crisp, buttery biscuits and breakfast and lunch sandwiches from owner James Dean — who also co-owns the Slow Rhode — and partner Joe Hafner of Gracie’s fame. 94 Carpenter St., Providence, instagram.com/irregardlessbiscuit

Nimki

Chef Nikhil Naiker started out doing pop-ups at Courtland Club in 2019, featuring “New England tropical” cuisine inspired by his Fijian Indian heritage. Now serving daily in the kitchen at Courtland Club, his menu highlights local produce, seafood, chicken and lamb, influenced by his family’s home cooking. “Crispy Cream” is a popular recurring event he holds with crispy fried chicken sandwiches paired up with ice cream from Big Feeling. Courtland Club, 51 Courtland St., Providence, 227-9300, instagram.com/nimki.pvd

Frank & Laurie’s

Eric Brown of Thick Neck, located inside the Dean Hotel until March 30, will be opening a daytime spot with his wife, Sarah Watts, sometime this spring. Located in the former Rebelle bagel shop, it aspires to be a neighborhood spot with daytime menu items and an environment where being a regular is encouraged. 110 Doyle Ave., Providence, instagram.com/eatthickneck —J.C.

 

 

James Beard Bonus Points

These spots were also acknowledged by the james beard foundation for earning semifinalist nominations. 

Bywater — Outstanding Restaurant

This restaurant started out in 2015 as an intimate neighborhood spot with a small menu geared toward what’s available by the season. Focusing on the freshest fish and shellfish, the team curated a menu with love and care for local farmers, fishers and foragers. Owner Katie Dickson is currently relaunching Bywater with a different concept of a neighborhood wine bar, and she also owns a separate Bakeshop in a small storefront in front of the restaurant that sells coffee drinks, fresh bread, croissants and other baked goods. 54 State St., Warren, 694-0727, bywaterrestaurant.com

Tuxpan Taqueria — Best New Restaurant

Excellent $3 tacos are filled with slow-cooked meats at this tiny taco spot with beer and wine coming soon, a dining counter and a few tables and a patio. Owner Diego Alcantar is also opening a second Mexican restaurant called Cielito in the former Oberlin space. 355 Broad St., Central Falls, 722-1620, instagram.com/tuxpantaqueria

Foglia — Best Chef: Northeast

Experience plant-based cuisine plated as a five-course chef’s tasting menu with optional wine pairings, or order from the regular menu that changes with the seasons. Chef Peter Carvelli crafts handmade pastas, tempeh piccata, eggplant katsu and more with absolutely no animal products in sight. 31 State St., Bristol, 253-1195, fogliabristol.com

Newport Vineyards — Best Chef: Northeast

Chef Andy Teixeira has always cared about where food comes from, so much so that he created his own farm at Newport Vineyards, where the kitchen team harvests fruits, vegetables and herbs for the menu. Other ingredients come from a radius of purveyors, most in close proximity to where the vineyard’s grapes are grown for the wines they age and serve on site, alongside an additional onsite brewery. 909 E. Main Rd., Middletown, 848-5161, newportvineyards.com

Yagi Noodles — Best Chef: Northeast

Chef Basil Yu has a history of working in some of the finest kitchens and he’s brought some of that flair to Newport through his complex noodle dishes, ramen and soups. Fluffy Chinese bao buns hug everything from char siu pork belly and Korean fried chicken to decadent lobster meat. 20 Long Wharf Mall, Newport, 324-5098, yaginoodles.com

Jahunger — Best Chef: Northeast

Subat Dilmurat’s hand-pulled noodles are the highlight of this restaurant’s Uyghurian cuisine, which is Chinese food that’s influenced by Middle Eastern culture. Flavors range from mild spiciness to a mind-numbing kick. The signature noodles are seasoned with a secret sauce made with Sichuan peppercorns. 333 Wickenden St., Providence, 454-6866, jahunger.com 

 

 

Neighborhood Classics

Providence’s East Side has hidden gem restaurants that deserve some shine. 

Rasoi

The Thali special is completely underrated. It comes in both vegetarian and mixed meat versions, with a taste of several entrees in separate dishes on one silver tray. The mixed meat version is called Nirvana, and includes chicken tikka masala, saag paneer and chana masala, while the vegetarian (Satvic) comes with saag paneer, chana masala and other veg dishes served with salad, basmati rice and naan. 727 East Ave., Pawtucket, 728-5500, rasoirestaurant.com

Ivy Tavern

This Hope Street stalwart has some of the best burgers, Korean bibimbap and fish and beef bulgogi tacos around in a casual atmosphere. The bibimbap is like an open secret, iykyk; it’s served in a hot stone pot laden with crisped sticky rice, sauteed vegetables, a choice of beef bulgogi, chicken or tofu, and topped with a fried egg and gochujang on the side for added heat. 758 Hope St., Providence, 421-4489, ivytavernri.com  

Lotus Pepper

What started out as a food truck is now a brick-and-mortar Vietnamese kitchen and a great spot to get a banh mi sandwich. Lotus Pepper’s hefty version is made with the crustiest of French baguettes, stuffed with pork or chicken, along with the crunch of raw carrot, cucumber and pickled daikon radish. The finishing touch is a slathering of mayo that offers a sweet flavor contrast to the pork’s salty umami along with fresh cilantro, Sriracha, hot chili oil and extra jalapenos — if you want to bring on even more heat. 752 Hope St., Providence, 744-0996, lotuspepper.square.site 

Wara Wara

Order up a healthy Japanese bento box with salmon sashimi, salad and fruit for lunch or indulge in pork buns and steaming bowls of ramen anytime from lunch to late dinner. For families with kids, there’s a kids’ menu with steamed buns, yakitori and popcorn chicken. 776 Hope St., Providence, 831-9272, warawarari.com