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The hard part about dining in Providence is choosing among its many superb restaurants. If you're in the mood for Italian, take a stroll through Federal Hill on Atwells Avenue; Downtown is home to excellent fine-dining establishments; and the East Side has great neighborhood and upscale-casual restaurants, as well as an assortment of spots with a hip ambience and an international menu.
For two decades Derek Wagner has earned a seat at the table among Rhode Island's top chefs by helming this amped-up diner on Providence's West Side (the namesake "Nick" was the owner of the original diner at the site). Breakfast features classic comfort food like pancakes and egg dishes composed with all-local ingredients, like eggs from Baffoni Farms and potatoes from Schartner Farms, and pasture-fed Blackbird Farm Black Angus beef shows up in the Bolognese sauce and slow-cooked BBQ, while all of the plated fish entrees at dinner were swimming in local waters a short time before. Grab a seat at the counter to watch the culinary magic happen.
One of the area's most popular gathering spots, the Coffee Exchange is the place to come for pastries, a coffee (hot or cold), and a chat. Family-run, the coffee shop has been an East Side landmark for nearly 40 years, adopting socially conscious sourcing long before that was common or trendy. If you don't have time to sit a spell, stop by the to-go window on the deck.
Even omnivores can get behind this chic vegan food hall, positioned near the waterfront and the city's new Providence River Pedestrian Bridge. On two floors and cascading outdoors, you'll find three restaurants, a bakery, a coffee bar, and a market offering familiar fare like tacos, pizza, lasagna---even burgers---all made exclusively from plants. Arrive early to snag one of the limited seats in the 345 speakeasy, tucked away next door.
Just as sneakerheads line up for hot releases, doughnutheads stake their places on the sidewalk outside this one-of-a-kind shop to try limited-edition flavors like S’mores or Chocolate Churro. There are filled and old-fashioned-style donuts to sample, but the stars of the monthly changing line-up are the light and fluffy, oversized brioche dough orbs. Go early because sellouts are a regularity.
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