Dining in Providence, Rhode Island

[JimHow]

Despite being a lifelong New Englander, I had never been to Providence, Rhode Ialand, before last night. The place has always had a reputation as a gritty kind of town, but my anecdotal impressions seem consistent with the reputation for fine cuisine that the city has been cultivating in recent decades. There are some highly rated restaurants there, and our seafood dishes at New Rivers Restaurant on Steeple Street were excellent. The other thing noteworthy about Providence resaurants seems to be their focus on wine lists with a wide range of selections and relatively reasonable costs. My first foray into the City of Providence was very positive, and will certainly not be my last. Two thumbs up!

DINING
American
CAV Restaurant, Antiques, & Gifts 14 Imperial Place, Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-9164, Unique venue that mixes creative American cuisine with antique shopping and entertainment. Open Monday through Saturday. Open for dinner only on Sunday.

Mill's Tavern 101 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-272-3331, Mill's Tavern offers an exquisite dining experience selected by the readers of Rhode Island Monthly as the Best Restaurant in Rhode Island. They offer contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on wood-fired cooking.

Stuffies Bar & Grille 1874 Mineral Spring Avenue, Providence, RI 02904, 401-353-7110, A great place to catch the hottest sports events. This sports bar has good food at affordable prices and a very lively atmosphere.


Asian
Asian Paradise Restaurant 165 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-454-0222, If you are looking for a variety of delicious foods, try Asian Paradise. Their menu includes a mixture of Cambodian, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese foods. This restaurant also has a vegetarian's corner, special salads, noodles and pasta. more...


Bar-B-Que
Ribs & Company 1383 Atwood Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919, 401-944-5432, Ribs & Company is a family restaurant with a full bar in the lounge area. They specialize in BBQ baby back ribs but also feature a full menu chicken, fish, pasta, sandwiches, daily specials and more. Catering, party, business and funeral menus are available. more...

Wes' Rib House 38 Dike St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-421-9090, If you are looking for a place with a relaxed atmosphere and great barbeque, this is your place. Come in and enjoy a cold drink from the bar while you sink your teeth into some juicy ribs. Wes' is open late.


Bistro
New Rivers Restaurant 7 Steeple St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-0350, New Rivers is an upscale, exclusive dining experience. Visitors will dine on specialties by innovative chef Tillinghast. Menu includes dishes with influences from the Middle East, Thailand, Portugal, and the Caribbean.

Parkside Rotisserie & Bar 76 South Main St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-331-0003, Parkside is a Manhattan-style bistro serving a variety of foods, including innovative pasta dishes and signature rotisserie meats. Come enjoy a delightful dining experience with an open kitchen where guests can watch their food being prepared. more...


Brew Pubs
Trinity Brewhouse 186 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02903, Across from the Civic Center, 401-453-2337, Stop by here to grab anything from a fresh brewed glass of beer to a grilled eggplant sandwich. There are always six to eight beers on tap at Rhode Island's largest brewery. Join the mug club or buy brewery merchandise at this friendly and fun locale. more...

Union Station Brewery 36 Exchange Terrace, Providence, RI 02903, 401-274-2739, Come enjoy live music and award-winning beer at the Union Station Brewery. Lunch and dinner are served daily. more...


Cafes
Cafe Nuovo One Citizens Plaza, Providence, RI 02903, 401-421-2525, This cafe has a great view and your choice of indoor or outdoor seating. Visitors come here for the contemporary cuisine and casual atmosphere.

Cafe Paragon 234 Thayer St., Providence, RI 02906, 401-331-6200, This cafe is most frequented by the twenty-something crowd. Located withing walking distance of Brown University, this cafe creates an atmosphere geared more toward a younger crowd. However, the Euro-American menu and prices appeal to those of all ages.

Caffe Dolce Vita 59 De Pasquale Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-331-8240, This is the best place to go for desserts and coffee on Federal Hill.

Classic Cafe, The 865 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-273-0707, This restaurant serves breakfast all day, along with a great lunch menu. The friendly staff and comfortable environment will make you want to come and stay awhile!

Meeting Street Cafe 220 Meeting St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-273-1066, This cafe serves up big portions, but good food. Prices are a little high for sandwiches, but the portions make up for that. Be sure to try the pastas and desserts.

Pastiche Fine Dessert Bakery and Café 92 Spruce Street, Providence, RI 02903, Located on Historic Federal Hill, 401-861-5190, An intimate European style café, Pastiche provides quality homemade desserts including cakes, cookies, pastries, and brownies. more...

Providence Bookstore Cafe 500 Angell St., Providence, RI 02906, Beneath Wayland Manor in Wayland Square, 401-521-5536, This underground cafe has been serving eclectic meals for ten years. During the week the restaurant gives diners a warm, romantic atmosphere, but on Saturdays at 9:00 p.m. make way for live music and fun! The cafe offers a full bar and no books. more...

XO Cafe 125 North Main St., Providence, RI 02903, Near Waterplace Park, 401-273-9090, XO Cafe is the newest and trendiest restaurant and bar in Providence. Combining good food with a funky atmosphere, this is a great place to meet with friends. The food served is a mixture of Asian and Mediterranean. more...


Chinese
China Buffet II 9 Smithfield Road, Providence, RI 02903, 401-353-8880, A very clean buffet style restaurant. Buffet has dishes other than Chinese for children.

China Garden Restaurant 1601 Mineral Spring Avenue #B, Providence, RI 02903, 401-353-2120, China Garden has fast, courteous service and simple delicious dishes. Plenty of parking is available.


Contemporary
Atomic Grill 99 Chestnut St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-621-8888, Come and eat eclectic entrees such as pastas, steaks, and quesadillas. This is a hip and off-beat restaurant and bar that has a lively late-night crowds. There is live jazz on Monday nights.


Cuban & Latino
Delecels Dominican 302 Cranston St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-861-2921, Delecels specializes in spanish cuisine.


Delis & Sandwich Shops
Murphy's Delicatessen 55 Union St., Providence, RI 02904, 401-621-8467, Try one of their mile-high deli sandwiches. This is the place for great service, atmosphere, and enjoying the evening with friends over a cold beer. Murphy's is a great place for lunch.

Ricotti Sandwich Shops 1360 Mineral Springs Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-724-8859, This is one of the original Ricotti's. It still possesses the old style look and has the best steak sandwich around.


Diners
Joe's Diner 1059 Broad St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-941-2591, Go here for classic american cooking in a hometown atmosphere.


French
Chez Pascal Restaurant 960 Hope St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-421-4422, Chez Pascal possesses all of the charm of a country french bistro. The mixed greens salad and hanger steak with shallots are recommended. more...

Pot Au Feu French Restaurant 44 Custom House St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-273-8953, Pot Au Feu serves traditional french dishes. This multi-level restaurant has an upstairs salon with a classier setting and higher pricing. The downstairs is a bistro setting with simpler dishes.

Rue de L'Espoir Restaurant 99 Hope St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-8890, "The Rue" is recommended for anyone who is serious about fine dining. The dishes are inventive and satisfying and the atmosphere is nice. All of the plates are well presented and the decor is very soothing.


Italian
Al Forno 577 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-273-9760, Chef/owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon's menu reflects all provinces of Italy, Provence, and Providence. They use local and seasonal ingredients to prepare fine selections using wood-burning ovens and open-flame grills. more...

Bacaro Restaurant 262 South Water Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-3700, Bacaro Restaurant consists of a Venetian style wine bar, salumeria, and cicchettria. more...

Blue Grotto 210 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, Historic Federal Hill, 401-272-9030, Blue Grotto has been serving it's customers wonderful food for over twenty years. The executive chef brought his award winning recipes straight from Italy. There are function rooms to accommodate meetings and private parties. more...

Capriccio 2 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-421-1320, This basement location restaurant gives customers attentive service in a unique environment. The bustling, busy space ends up being a wonderful dining experience. Accomodating service and wonderful food make for a great meal.

Cassarino's Restaurant 177 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-3333, Cassarino's features northern italian cooking. This multi-level restaurant has a formal lower level and more casual upper levels. Authentic dishes from classic to modern.

Costantino's Ristorante & Caffe 265 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, Located on DePasquale Plaza in Federal Hill, 401-528-1100, Chef Alberto's menu offers hot and cold appetizers, salads, pasta, steak, veal, chicken, and seafood dishes. Reservations are recommended.

Florentine Grill 1195 Douglas Avenue, Providence, RI 02904, 401-354-8411, This restaurant specializes in beef, veal, and poultry dishes. Visitors can dine in an elegant setting; the antipasto and garlic mashed potatoes are highly recommended.

Joe Marzilli's Old Canteen 120 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-5544, The Old Canteen offers all of the flavors of Italy. Open since 1956, this restaurant features classic italian dinners, steaks, lobster, and chops. A full bar and businessmen's luncheons are available.

L' Epicureo Ristorante 311 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903, Located Inside the Hotel Providence, 401-521-3333, Good service and creative Italian cuisine are abundant at L' Epicureo. Voted one of the "Best New Restaurants" of the year in 1994 by Esquire Magazine. Reservations are suggested.

L'Epicureo 311 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903, Located in The Hotel Providence, 401-521-3333, Accolades for this fine dining establishment have been given in Gourmet and Bon Appetit Magazines.

Raphael Bar Risto 1 Cookson Place, Providence, RI 02903, 401-421-4646, This restaurant serves modern Italian infusion cuisine in a high energy atmosphere. The decor is hip and the food is cutting-edge.

Siena 238 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-521-3311, Located in the heart of historic Federal Hill, Siena features authentic Tuscan cuisine in a warm and lively atmosphere. The extensive menu includes a wide variety of wood-grilled veal, steak & seafood entrees along with numerous signature pasta and sauté dishes. Voted “Best Italian Restaurant in Providence” 2007 RI Monthly Readers Poll. more...

Walter's Ristorante d'Italia 286 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, 401-273-2652, Located in historic Federal Hill, Walter's Ristorante d'Italia has been showcasing creative dining elegance since 1985. more...


Japanese
Ebisu Japanese Restaurant 38 Pontiac Avenue, Providence, RI 02907, 401-270-5737, The new style Japanese restaurant in Rhode Island. Ebisu serves you 'Yakitori' and 'Shabu-Shabu' style cuisine with a relaxing atomophere and great service plus a full bar featuring Asian alcohol. more...

Oki Japanese Steak House 1270 Mineral Spring Avenue, Providence, RI 02904, 401-728-7970, Japanese food including Hibachi style and Sushi bar.


Mexican & Southwestern
Tortilla Flat 355 Hope St., Providence, RI 02906, 401-751-6777, This is a pleasant mexican restaurant serving authentic dishes in a great atmosphere.


Pizza
Caserta Pizzeria 121 Spruce St., Providence, RI 02903, 401-272-3618, This is a quaint, newly remodeled pizzeria that offers a great variety of pizzas and calzones. It is a great family restaurant that is open late for those night cravings. Try one of the special spinach pies.


Seafood
Big Fish 370 Richmond Street, Providence, RI 02903, 401-751-3474, A hip downtown seafood establishment.

Hemenway's Seafood Grille & Oyster Bar 121South Main St., Providence, RI 02903, One Providence Washington Plaza, 401-351-8570, Hemenway's specializes in grilled seafood platters that are sure to make your mouth water. Visitors can get a wonderful plate of fresh shucked oysters or choose the catch of the day.

Providence Oyster Bar 283 Atwells Avenue, Providence, RI 02903, Located on Federal Hill, 401-272-8866, Providence Oyster Bar has a nice selection of grilled and baked entrees, appetizers, soups, seafood, and chowders.


Steaks & Chops
Capital Grille One Union Station, Providence, RI 02903, 401-521-5600, The Capital Grille is the perfect location for a great steak and seafood. The Grille specializes in dry aged steaks and has an award winning wine selection. If you want to dine in a private, elegant setting with great service, make The Capital Grille your next stop. more...



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[JimHow]

Top restaurants make Providence, R.I., worth visit
BY MIKE QUANE

Sunday, July 13th 2008, 4:00 AM


Federal Hill in Providence's 'Little Italy'
Some cities are worth visiting just for their outstanding restaurants, and Providence, R.I., certainly fits into that category.

For years I used to pass through Providence on Interstate 95, on the way to Boston or Maine, admiring the magnificent dome of the State House building and making a mental note to stop sometime. I realized that Providence had other attractions only when the son of a neighbor told me he was studying to be a chef at Johnson & Wales University's famed culinary program.

Hmm. Culinary school = great chefs. Great chefs = great restaurants. Eureka! I was on my way.

Providence's fame as a town with delectable restaurants comes mainly from three categories: Italian restaurants, steakhouses and seafood emporiums.

The best Italian restaurants are in the Federal Hill area, which despite its name is the city's Little Italy.

One of the most venerable and popular in the district is Cassarino's, which provides a memorable dining experience from the standpoints of ambience, cuisine and service. I'm partial to fettuccine Alfredo, which is my measuring stick for a good Italian eatery, and theirs was among the best I've ever tasted.

The city's proximity to New England's famed fishing banks would explain Providence's preponderance of seafood restaurants. Among seafood specialists, one of the most recognized is the large and brassy Hemenway's, in the middle of the downtown business district. This seafood grill and oyster bar is crowded and noisy, but its clam chowder just has to be tasted.

Chef John Elkhay, a Johnson & Wales graduate, holds sway at the XO Steakhouse, where the savory Black Angus beef can come with Asian touches. Elkay also owns Rick's Roadhouse, in the city's former jewelry district, which re-creates the barbecue restaurants of the West's famed Route 66.

Restaurants aren't the only attraction in Providence, where art, history and design buffs also have plenty to digest. Other sites a visitor will want to see, if only to walk off the calories, are the John Brown House, historic home of the pioneer sea trader who founded Brown University; the RISD Museum, operated by the Rhode Island School of Interior Design and one of the country's premier institutions for the decorative arts, and the First Baptist Church, which really was the first Baptist church in America, founded by Roger Williams, the father of the city. And the Rhode Island State House offers where you can see that dome from the inside as well as the outside.

Just a short drive from downtown is the Roger Williams Park Zoo, one of the country's finest, and the Johnson & Wales Culinary Archives and Museum, which has a special exhibit on the history of diners in American culture. Even more well-known are the Ivy League's Brown University, and the Jesuit Providence College, the latter justly famous for its Big East basketball tradition.

Those visiting Providence in the summer will want to see the city's spectacular Waterfire event, in which more than 100 bonfires light the city's three downtown rivers, complete with New Age music, gondolas and Thai boat rides. There will be Waterfire lightings on July 19 and Aug. 2, 16 and 30 - all Saturdays.

Also on tap up until July 19 are the city's Restaurant Weeks, in which dozens of restaurants offer a fixed price menu costing $12.95 per person at lunch and $29.95 at dinner.

For information on visiting this city, less than three hours from New York City, contact the Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-233-1636 or visit www.goprovidence.com.

[Houndsong]

Jim, they don't call Providence the armpit of New England for nothing. That being said Joe Mazilli's has a nice veal chop. I'd recommend a BAROLO with that. I wanted to add if you mention the words "arraignment" or "indictment" there you will get a complimentary Tiramisu.

[JimHow]

Who was that crazy mayor they had a few years back?

[Houndsong]

I forget. But he took a walk just when I got there.

[JimHow]

I remember he was having his wife's boyfriend tortured... among other things.... He made Blogo look like a choir boy.

[DavidG]

I spent an overnight or two in Providence doing some consulting back then. I remember the cabbies always had a colorful story about the mayor's latest exploits. The Brown campus is nice, though. Reminded me of my days at RPI - nice campus overlooking a toilet bowl of a city.

[JimHow]

His name was Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr.
He was mayor of Providence from 1975 to 1984, and then again from 1991 to 2002.
From Wikopedia:
Cianci was forced by law to resign from office for the first time in 1984 after pleading no contest to assaulting a man with a lit cigarette, an ashtray and a fireplace log. Cianci claimed that the man had been having an affair with his wife, though both the man and Cianci's then wife said nothing had happened.

Comeback
Cianci spent the next few years as a radio talk show host on Providence AM station 920 WHJJ and as a television commentator. In 1990 he successfully mounted a re-election campaign with the slogan, "He never stopped caring about Providence."

It was during Cianci's second run as mayor, beginning in 1991, that the city of Providence entered its Renaissance phase. The city became cleaner and more tourist-friendly. Cianci brought the Providence Bruins hockey team to Rhode Island from Maine and pushed to further several projects in the city, including a new train station near the State House, new hotels, the Providence Place Mall, and the Fleet Skating Center.[2] He also helped to orchestrate the establishment of Waterfire in downtown Providence, which brings up to 100,000 people to the downtown area alone on the summer nights it takes place.

In 1998 Cianci ran again for re-election as mayor unopposed on the ballot. His popularity and approval rating were so high by this point that no one bothered to run against him. Cianci never lost a mayoral election in Providence.

[edit] Operation Plunder Dome
Cianci was indicted in April 2001 on federal criminal charges of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. Several other Providence city officials were also indicted. Judge Ronald R. Lageux said of the case: "Clearly, there is a feeling in city government in Providence that corruption is tolerated. In this mayor's two administrations, there has been more corruption in the City of Providence than in the history of this state."[3]

Much of the trial was focused around a video tape showing top Cianci aide Frank A. Corrente taking a bribe. Jim Taricani, a reporter who aired the tape on local TV, was sentenced to six months of house arrest for refusing to reveal his sources. Rather than maintaining a low profile after the indictment, Cianci poked fun at the investigation, code-named "Operation Plunder Dome". Nine people (including Cianci) were convicted in the trials, which were presided over by Judge Ernest C. Torres. Cianci was acquitted of 26 of 27 charges, including bribery, extortion, and mail fraud. He was, however, found guilty of a single charge of conspiracy (running a corrupt criminal enterprise). Cianci was sentenced to serve nearly five years in federal prison by Judge Torres, who opted for a higher sentence than the minimum required by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Cianci was forced to step down a second time on September 5, 2002 following the sentencing.

He had been planning on running for a seventh term in 2002, and at the time of his conviction was again unopposed.

Between his conviction and the start of his jail term, Cianci resumed his radio career hosting a midday show with former Providence radio host (and former director of communications to Governor Don Carcieri) Steve Kass on AM talk station NewsTalk 630 WPRO. After some legal wrangling, Cianci's lawyers managed to have Cianci sent to prison closer to Rhode Island, and Cianci served his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix. In August 2005, Cianci was denied a request for early release.


[edit] Present
He was released on May 30, 2007 to a halfway house near Northeastern University[4] in Boston. His sentence formally ended on July 28, 2007 and he was moved to home confinement. Upon his initial release from federal prison, he had already secured a job in marketing and sales for the XV Beacon, a luxury hotel in Boston. However, he chose to return to his home state of Rhode Island and began work at 903 Residences, a condominium development in Providence, where he is currently living.[5]

[alchemeus]

Feh, Cianci has nothing on a certain jailed and re-elected DC mayor who is now elected as a Ward rep, and in trouble again, taxes this time methinks. Must be a thing now-a-days. Politicians and taxes.

[JimHow]

Yeah, Obama is preaching change, ethics in government... unless it applies to his appointees, then we set different rules. Hypocrite.

[alchemeus]

Well, at least Biden hasn't shot anyone. I mean, face, neck and chest wounds? The man was facing Cheney and not that far away from the spread. Cheney didn't see him then Cheney is legally blind with glasses and should have ALL hunting licenses revoked. As well as drivers license.

I've got my personnal conspiracy theory about THAT story...

[JimHow]

I'm pleased to see Obama considering Judd Gregg for his Cabinet, i think that's a good move.