21 Best Restaurants in Newport County and East Bay, Rhode Island

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We've compiled the best of the best in Newport County and East Bay - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

22 Bowen's Wine Bar & Grille

$$$$ Fodor's choice

Excellent service, perfectly cooked steaks, and an extensive, award-winning wine list make dinner here a memorable experience. Although the restaurant is known for its steaks—and it's impossible to go wrong ordering one—you'll find plenty of choices if you're in the mood for something from the sea.

Beech

$$ Fodor's choice

With five indoor and outdoor dining areas, this casually elegant restaurant is the center of Jamestown nightlife in the summer, especially at its expansive open-air bar. A 150-year-old beech tree in the courtyard lends its name to the locally owned restaurant, which has retained key staff from the former Trattoria Simpatico at the same location and menu highlights include local calimari, a hot lobster roll, house-made pasta, and grilled seafood dishes.

Castle Hill Inn

$$$$ Fodor's choice

No other restaurant in Newport can compete with the spectacular water views from the Sunset Room, one of four dining rooms inside the historic main inn. A perfect spot for a romantic dinner, Castle Hill Inn also serves lunch and dinner on The Lawn, allowing you to savor regional cuisine while watching sunlit clouds drift by. Weekend drinks on the inn's lawn is a Newport summer tradition.

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Clarke Cooke House

$$$ Fodor's choice

Drinks at a bar favored by the sailing crowd, intimate dinners by the fire, and relaxing lunches overlooking Newport Harbor are a few of the experiences possible at this multilevel complex. The first-floor Candy Store serves casual fare and has a sushi bar; the second-floor offers casual dining in the Bistro and cocktails in the Midway Bar; and the Summer Porch and 12 Metre Yacht Club Room on the third floor have elegant fine dining requiring proper dress. For summer partying with the yachties, nothing beats the Boom Boom Room in the basement.

26 Bannister's Wharf, Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-849–2900
Known For
  • Clam chowder—"best in the city"
  • "Snowball in Hell" ice-cream dessert
  • Partying in the Boom Boom Room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential

Gray's Ice Cream

$ Fodor's choice

A summertime pilgrimage for people from every corner of the state, Gray's has been around since 1923 and sells more than 30 flavors of ice cream, all made on the premises. Coffee is the go-to flavor for many Rhode Islanders, but specialties such as Indian pudding and apple caramel spice have their adherents.

16 East Rd., Tiverton, RI, 02878, USA
401-624–4500
Known For
  • Cones, cups, cabinets (milk shakes without ice cream), and frappes (milk shakes with ice cream), frozen yogurt, sherbet, and sugar-free flavors, too
  • Open 365 days year-round

Beehive Café

$

This aptly named two-story café is abuzz with college students and foodies who appreciate the freshly baked bread, especially when it's used to make inventive sandwiches like roasted butternut squash with caramelized onions, Vermont cheddar, and tangy-sweet pesto. The extensive breakfast menu (served 12 hours a day) includes thick-cut French toast, cornbread hash, and granola made on-site.

Bouchard Inn & Restaurant

$$$

Regional variations on French cuisine are the focus at this upscale yet laid-back establishment inside a gambrel-roof 1785 Colonial. Nightly specials are based on the fresh catch from Rhode Island waters, which may include scallops, swordfish, and cod. If you're too full to move after dinner, the affiliated inn has 16 rooms located upstairs and in two nearby buildings.

505 Thames St., Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-846–0123
Known For
  • Excellent dining, excellent service
  • Extensive wine list
  • No children under age seven
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch

Coffee Grinder

$

Now located in Perry Mill, this tiny espresso bar has views of Newport's vibrant harbor and downtown. Pair a flavored latte and a pastry on a fog-bound early morning, and you'll feel the essence of the city as it awakens around you. Stop back for in-between-meal snacks or a pick-me-up after a night out.

337 Thames St., Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-935--7676
Known For
  • Coffee drinks made-to-order with real Italian espresso
  • Savory scones and turnovers
  • Outdoor patio is a perfect place to people watch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner

CRU Cafe

$

From Russell Morin, one of Newport's most exclusive caterers, comes this chalkboard-menu café where beautifully crafted light fare is served at surprisingly down-to-earth prices. Breakfast—try the egg- and tomato-topped avocado toast—is served all day, and creative salads and sandwiches are the makings of a perfect picnic to tote down the street and enjoy on an oceanview mansion lawn.

DeWolf Tavern

$$$

An 1818 rum distillery houses this distinctive waterfront restaurant—look for the timber ceilings, African granite from slave ship ballast in the walls, and framed sections of early-19th-century graffiti-covered plaster. Chef Sai Viswanath reinvents traditional New England fare by combining it with Indian preparations to create dishes like lobster roasted in a 900ºF tandoor oven and chicken empanadas served with a tamarind and mint chutney.

259 Thames St., Bristol, RI, 02809, USA
401-254–2005
Known For
  • Buck-a-shuck oysters on Monday
  • Alfresco dining on the back deck in summer
  • Cozy dining upstairs by the fireplace in winter
  • Breakfast on weekends

Diego's

$

Tacos, sharable Mexican snacks, and spicy margaritas are among the go-tos at this casual and—by local standards—affordable restaurant right in the corazon of Newport's lively Bowen's Wharf. Indoor and outdoor dining, including on a roof deck, make Diego's a magnet for visitors on a summer afternoon or evening, and it's worth getting up early on the weekend for a brunch spread that includes a menu of $8 specials like tortas, huevos rancheros, and hash when you buy a tequila-twisted Bloody Mary or other breakfast eye-opening cocktail.

Evelyn's Drive In

$

This family-run roadside seafood shack draws summer visitors like moths to a streetlight. Lobster chow mein is an unusual specialty of the house, but the menu also includes more familiar fried seafood favorites along with burgers and other quick bites. There is a small dining room, but most people just order at the takeout window and eat at one of the picnic tables out back, cooled by breezes off of Nanaquatucket Pond.

Flo's Clam Shack

$$

With Bruce the shark out front and a weathered, kitschy vibe, this local institution across from Easton's Beach in Middletown is as casual as they come. Lobster rolls, fried seafood, baked fish, clam cakes, cold beer, and a great raw bar make for long lines in summer. A smaller second location is at Island Park Beach in Portsmouth.

4 Wave Ave., Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-847–8141
Known For
  • The best fried clams---ever
  • Raw bar and other dishes served at the upstairs bar
  • Outdoor and upper deck seating available
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Nov.–early Mar., Reservations not accepted

Mission

$

This casual eatery within walking distance of Easton Beach in Middletown has a simple "mission"—deliver great burgers, fries, and hot dogs to the hungry and thirsty shore crowds. A thick and juicy cheeseburger can be had for under $10; toppings are extra and include options like jalapenos or a fried egg. For non-carnivores, there are a couple of falafel options, too.

58 Aquidneck Ave., Newport, RI, 02842, USA
401-324--5811
Known For
  • Big burgers
  • No-frills dining room
  • Local beer pairings and Nitro coffee on draft
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.--Tues.

Roberto's

$$$

The East Bay's best Italian restaurant can compete with any establishment on Federal Hill with its house-made meatballs, classic veal and chicken preparations, and a thoughtful wine list. One wall of the elegant dining room is paneled with wine crates; breakfast and lunch are served at the affiliated Roberto's Cafe.

450 Hope St., Bristol, RI, 02809, USA
401-254–9732
Known For
  • Cell-phone-free zone
  • Reservations essential on summer weekends
  • Alfresco dining in summer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential

Stoneacre Garden

$$$

Share green curry mussels, spiced-up Thai lobster, sinful tuna poke tacos with fried wontons for wraps, and other seasonal small and large plates at this restaurant with a rustic garden setting.  With sprawling indoor-outdoor bars and seating, it's a quirky-fun meet-up spot that takes everything from buttermilk brunch biscuits to fruity cocktails and mocktails seriously.

151 Swinburne Row, Newport, RI, 02480, USA
401-619–8400
Known For
  • Hot foodie spot with top notch cocktails
  • Rooftop bar with water views
  • Lush greenery, inspired by Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape design for the Stoneacre Estate

The Black Pearl

$$$

At this mainstay on the Newport waterfront, you can choose your dining experience based on the ambience and vibe you're looking for. The posh, plank-floored Commodore's Room (business casual dress required) features country pâté, escargot, rack of lamb, stuffed lobster tails, and other classic offerings, while the Tavern has a more casual experience, with standard American fare like salads, burgers, and grilled meat or fish, old nautical charts on the walls, and a four-season patio.

30 Bannister's Wharf, Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-846–5264
Known For
  • Popular dining spot for nearly a half century
  • Raw bar and clam chowder at the year-round, heated outdoor patio
  • Chowder to go—by the can or case
Restaurant Details
Business casual dress required in Commodore Room
Rate Includes: Closed Jan. and Feb.

The Boat House

$$$

This Tiverton restaurant masters the art of elegant waterfront dining with views of the Mount Hope Bridge and a menu that covers all of the New England seafood bases, from the raw bar and chowder to calamari and curried mussels. It's the kind of place meant for lingering over a long dinner, but not too pretentious to leave sandwiches off the menu. If you want a burger or a shrimp po'boy, that's no problem, but do wash it down with a dessert cocktail like the Iced Rhody, a mix of espresso, Irish cream, and cinnamon syrup.

227 Schooner Dr., Tiverton, RI, 02878, USA
401-624--6300
Known For
  • Great water views, including bridge lights at night
  • Energetic atmosphere in the dining room
  • Good mix of local favorites and classic dishes

The Commons Lunch

$

Not only are johnnycakes a unique Rhode Island food, but there are also regional variations within this small state on how to make these white corn pancakes. Located right on the Little Compton Commons, of course, the Commons is a leading purveyor of the thin and crispy East Bay variety, along with family-friendly meal-time options, and fried local seafood. 

The Lobster Pot

$$$$

Folks have been coming here since 1929 for lobster: as a salad roll, on pizza, or whole—but wait, there's also grilled swordfish, pan-seared cod, broiled scallops, bouillabaise, and steak or chicken, too. At lunch or dinner, start with a craft brew or cocktail, then build your own plate from the raw bar: jumbo shrimp, oysters, littleneck and cherrystone clams, or cold lobster cocktail.

119 Hope St., Bristol, RI, 02809, USA
401-253–9100
Known For
  • Classic New England seafood
  • Harborside location
  • Patio dining in summer, cozy fireplace in winter
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. in off-season

The White Horse Tavern

$$$

The first tavern opened here in 1673—and ever since, the premises have served, in turn, as a tavern, boardinghouse, restaurant, and even a meetinghouse for Colonial Rhode Island's General Assembly. Today, the tavern provides an intimate fine-dining experience, the mood set by the low dark-beam ceilings, uneven plank floors, and four still-working fireplaces; an outside patio is a recent addition.

26 Marlborough St., Newport, RI, 02840, USA
401-849–3600
Known For
  • Oldest operating restaurant in the country
  • Beef Wellington, fresh seafood, just-picked produce
  • Extensive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential

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