14 Best Restaurants in South County, Rhode Island

The Surf Shack is a six-room B&B with attractive guest rooms with coastal casual decor, but the lodging is almost secondary to Chef Momo Kamara’s Polynesian-inspired dining experience at the restaurant downstairs. Indulge in daily ceviche selections, pork belly steamed buns, and curried and Thai-style mussels, capped with Tahitian-style rice pudding for dessert.

Family owned and operated for four generations, this iconic Point Judith indoor-outdoor dining spot has been a must for Rhode Islanders every summer since it opened in 1920. Its peerless, waterside location, and unpretentious atmosphere are the main draws, along with favorites like steamers, fish-and-chips, and namesake Carrie Cooper's clam cakes, still made using the original recipe.

Built in 1888 as a US Life-Saving Service Station, this restaurant has been nearly destroyed twice by storms—by Hurricane Bob in 1991 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Regardless, the dining area has spectacular views of the ocean, the roof deck is a great hangout (try the frozen Dark 'n Stormy cocktail), and the patio is about as close to the sea as you could be without getting wet.

Owned by the same family since 1948, this local landmark near Salty Brine State Beach has its own private patch of sand and beach blanket service in the summertime, along with a lively tiki bar. Try traditional Rhode Island favorites, including calamari, clam cakes, Portuguese-style clams with chorizo and shallots, and "stuffies" (stuffed quahogs), as well as raw bar treats. Get your fried or broiled seafood from the walk-up window, too. George's buys seafood directly from fishermen in Galilee, so this is also your place to sample sustainable local fish.

Shuckers are hard at work at the raw bar in this awesome waterside restaurant, allied with the nearby Matunuck Oyster Farm. This year-round business committed to serving fresh, local produce, along with farm-raised and wild-caught seafood, draws a crowd—snag an outside table if you can. Take a 60-minute tour of the Potter Pond oyster farm, offered several times during the summer.

Overlooking the water since it first opened as an ice cream parlor in 1916, the Olympia's varnished wood booths and a long marble counter echo the restaurant's rich history. The kitchen focuses on local and artisanal ingredients served with simple elegance and abundant flavor, including spicy flaked haddock and Milanese-style crispy chicken.

It's all about breakfast and burgers (that's the "B&B;" it's not a bed-and-breakfast) at this café overlooking the Pawcatuck River. Burgers rule the lunch menu, including the deliciously decadent Fat Elvis—with peanut butter, bacon, cheese, and caramelized bananas, it'll leave you saying, "Thank you, thankyouverymuch."

The hand-cut fries at this former speakeasy hidden in the woods are revered across southern New England, and steaks and burgers are big and cooked to perfection. Lawn games like horseshoes, bocce, and corn hole; an enormous stone firepit; and the "Down Back" outdoor music stage make the grounds feel like the backyard of your dreams.

Vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores flock to this funky café not far from Narragansett Town Beach for smoothies, creative juice blends, and breakfast served until 4 pm daily (3 pm on Sunday). Signature burgers are categorized as "hoof, fin, and claw," but there are vegan options, too. White Christmas lights and colorful lanterns are part of the indoor and covered patio decor, as is a red phone booth behind the counter that houses condiments (like the house-made ketchup).

This restaurant defies its strip mall location with a bright interior design soaked in natural light and a high-fenced courtyard for warm-weather dining. Coast-inspired comfort food like fish-and-chips occupies the menu alongside fish tacos, mac and cheese, and a savory chicken grilled gyro; lobster Benedict is a brunch staple.

This family-owned restaurant at the Hotel Maria serves Mediterranean cuisine, from casual (pizza, raw bar) and familiar (veal Parmesan) to fancy (filet mignon tagliatelle). It's right across the street from the beach and a standout on a strip of ice cream stands, takeout shacks, and motels that have seen better days.

This cheery tavern has three bars and 69 beers on tap, but hungry folks flock here for burgers and tasty pizzas—like the Pink Panther, which is topped with chicken, prosciutto, and pasta in a house-made pink vodka sauce. Also on the menu are Mexican dishes, mac and cheese with local Whalers beer in the sauce, and other comfort foods.

This Spanish restaurant earns high marks for beautifully prepared and presented food and deft service; the paella is legendary. Arched architectural features and greenery help create a Mediterranean mood, and in summer you can dine on a patio anchored by a three-tier fountain and a massive brick fireplace.

Lunch or dinner on the deck or patio at this Wickford restaurant is an essential part of a visit to North Kingstown's most scenic village. Watch fish swim and ducks paddle into the cove as you dine on Greek-inspired pizzas and sandwiches, salads and seafood entrées, or shared plates of mussels, calamari served Rhode Island or Asian-style, and stuffed Quahog clams. In a town that's sometimes a little too quiet at night, the tavern's patio bar is one of the better places to grab a drink and some local gossip.