Will be visiting in late April. Would like recommendations on restaurants, and what direction to take a day or two drive from there.

fun restaurants:
Salvation Army Cafe ( down to earth food, eclectic decor ),
Yesterday,s--the casual side,
Brick Alley Pub,
The Black Pearl ( casual side )

special dinners:
can't beat the Inn at Castle Hill for location and quality

The Mooring Restaurant

and 15 Point Road, actually in Portsmouth( another part of Aquidneck Island ), superb fish.

A day or two drive? how about Boston?
major construction makes it a very difficult city to drive in but there is so much to see, especially if you haven't been east before.

hope this helps.

Lots of great restaurants in Newport. For lunch, Cafe Zelda is great, and very cozy. Make sure to go to the Cook House - I had the best pepper seared tuna I have ever tasted there. White Horse Tavern is lovely, old old old colonial house with crooked floorboards and fireplaces in practically every room, delicious food - a delightful experience, which I would recommend over any restaurant listed in the above post. Their menu is on the web, and they also have an interesting lunch with lectures about colonial times. Just do a search for White Horse Tavern - not sure of the name. Asterix and Obelisk is another great restaurant, for dinner - nice lively crowd, delicious sort of nouveau american cuisine.

The Black Pearl is notable solely for the chowder, which is very good. it's a lot more fun if you can sit outside, though, which you probably won't be able to do in April.

Have fun! Newport is one of my favorite places; we spend practically every weekend there during the summer.

L

oops - meant that I don't know the White Horse Tavern's website... The name is, of course, the White Horse Tavern.

I agree with Lizzie- Newport is notable for it's colonial period homes (along with the mansions, and of course, the hordes of drunken weekenders during the summer), so the White Horse Tavern is not to be missed during your visit. Also, an interesting diversion for dining is the "O-club", the officers club of the Newport Navy Base which is open to civilians, it has a nice view and usually has some kind of special going. Enjoy Newport!

Here's another vote for the White Horse Tavern (dinner) and the Black Pearl (lunch--chowder). There's another very good restaurant, and I can't think of the name, but it's here in the archives if you do a search under Newport.