We're two couples going to Providence for Waterfire Sept. 10. One person is restricted to essentially salads/veggies for dinner. The other 3 of us like to eat. Can anyone offer a rec for someplace we could get a decent meal, NOT fancy, and where there might be portions of vegetables served separately or interesting salads as an option? I've been in Providence before and eaten on Federal Hill and a couple of other places near the river but can't recall what veggie offerings were like. Because it'll be a Waterfire night, I feel like we need to have some idea of what we're going to do before we get there. I'd appreciate your assistance.
Thanks very much.
gail

There are always interesting things at Julian's on Broadway. Funky and casual, great food, vegan/vegetarian options, and not too far from Waterfire, but not too close either.

Julian's: http://www.juliansprovidence.com/category/dinner

Thanks for the suggestion, it does look interesting and the fact that it isn't right near Waterfire probably makes it less crowded. I'll circulate the link to the others and see what they think.
Any other suggestions?

We have been in Providence on Waterfire night Columbus Day weekend and all restaurants in that vicinity are packed starting quite early like 5pm. A recommendation further away is probably a good idea.

Cav is my favorite in Providence. See: cavrestaurant.com

Yes, from Julian's you are about a 1 mile walk from Waterplace Park. It's only slightly further than to Federal Hill. It can get crowded however, so you may want to plan accordingly or inquire about reservations.

A bit further down the road on Broadway is Nick's on Broadway (http://nicksonbroadway.com/site/dinner/), which has great food and a nice atmosphere.

Both Julian's and Nick's cater to vegetarian/vegan diners. A quick perusal of the menus shows that they will likely be able to accommodate the veggie eater in your party quite well (better than some of the red sauce places on Atwells), while still offering great food for the rest of you.

Or you could reserve yourself a table at Al Forno (www.alforno.com) which is located on South Main right at the mouth of the river. Great salad selection and some side veggies. Good Italian food and you can walk UP the waterfront towards Waterfire - a very pleasant after dinner walk indeed. That's a good way to come in and park anyway, rather than fighting downtown.

Will definitely second Julian's -- excellent spot for brunch, which is all I've had there.

Al Forno is a decent choice as well, especially for pizzas and Italian specialties.