Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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.
James Beard Award--winning chef Benjamin Sukle’s downtown Providence restaurant has been called the place to take out-of-town friends you want to impress—no small praise in a city brimming with culinary talent. Take a seat by the open kitchen or in the attractive dining room and savor local seafood in creative preparations, fresh pasta dishes, and paired wines and sake.
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.
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.
A giant fork hangs outside this neighborhood brasserie in Wayland Square, and the chefs do things big here—from the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink chopped salad to supersize sangrias. The menu is eclectic, but you'll find plenty of Italian- and French-inspired bistro items, including French onion soup, steak frites, rigatoni Bolognese, and mussels prepared six ways and served with hand-cut frites.
This place generates well-deserved buzz for its wine-braised beef short rib and for its pasta with a rich Bolognese—as well as for the kitchen's willingness to satisfy off-menu cravings. It's best to split an appetizer, as portions here are huge.
Ask for a table by the large windows, as the back dining room can get noisy.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
