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Providence is a food city that offers you everything from foie gras to vegan casseroles; steak tartare to steak on a stick. There are great brew pubs, just plain pubs, stellar Italian restaurants, pizzerias, steak houses, seafood establishments, bistros and ethnic spots.
Here's a guide to all there is to try.
Fine dining and Providence are synonymous. Not to be missed is Al Forno, 577 South Main St., (401) 273-9760, alforno.com, with its groundbreaking grilled pizza, amazing desserts, great cocktails and outdoor courtyard dining in the summer.
For a warm inviting experience and an ambiance that is one of a kind there is CAV, 14 Imperial Place, (401) 751-9164, cavrestaurant.com. They offer a very popular brunch on the weekends. The place is full of antiques and with two executive chefs in the kitchen, offers flawless food.
New Rivers, 7 Steeple St., (401) 751-0350, newriversrestaurant.com, is a much beloved spot where owner Bruce Tillinghast and chef Beau Vestal offer an inventive menu with local ingredients that includes house made charcuterie.
Local 121, 121 Washington St., (401) 274-2121, local121.com, is in a beautiful space, both dining room and bar, with a menu that is both seasonal and local.
Gracie's, 194 Washington St., (401) 272-7811, gracies serves some of the best food in the city and has a happening bar.
Tini, 200 Washington St., (401) 383-2400, thetini, is a tiny elegant bar with small dishes of truly remarkable food and the hip sister restaurant of Al Forno.
You can dine outside by the river at Café Nuovo, 1 Citizens Plaza, (401) 421-2525, cafenuvo.com. This is the spot if you can score a table on a Waterfire night.
Mill's Tavern, 101 North Main St., (401) 272-3331, is a stunning restaurant with open kitchen, raw bar and American cuisine. XO Café, 125 North Main St., xocafe.com, is newly renovated and serves out of the box dishes like salmon lasagna (401) 272-2116.
Harry's Bar & Burger, 121 North Main St., (401) 228-7437, harrysbarburger.com, is a cool spot to enjoy a cocktail and burger.
Pot au Feu Salon and Bistro, 44 Custom House St., (401) 273-8953, potaufeuri.com, offers classically prepared French cuisine (salon) or bistro fare in a wonderfully cozy setting.
Ten Prime Steak & Sushi, 55 Pine St., (401) 453-2333, offers those things and great desserts, too. Thee Red Fez, 49 Peck St., offers an eclectic atmosphere, comfort food and two bars .
Capriccio, 2 Pine St. (corner of Dyer), (401) 421-1320, capriccios.com, has classic cuisine in Old World style.
I bet you saw Downcity Restaurant, 50 Weybosset St., (401) 331-9217, on "Kitchen Nightmares."
Asian Bistro, 123 Dorrance St., (401) 383-3551, Asianbistrodining.com offers a large menu with many cuisines, everything from sushi to hibachi foods.
Tazza, 250 Westminster St., (401) 421-3300, tazzacaffe.com, opens at 6:30 a.m. for all manner of coffee and serves lunch and dinner in upscale setting with a cool bar.
Sura Restaurant has opened at 230 Westminster St., Sura-ri.com, serving Korean cuisine and sushi. It is next to the new Small Point Café, 232 Westminster St., which serves coffee, pastry, vegan treats and calzones. Eno Fine Wines and Spirits, 225 Westminster St., (401) 521-2000 is across the street. Bravo Brasserie serves solid moderately priced fare at 123 Empire St., (401) 490-5112 right across from Trinity Rep, the esteemed local theater.
For quick bites: Cafe Choklad, 2 Thomas St., (401) 383-4764, for sandwiches and chocolate and Cilantro Mexican Grill, 127 Weybosset St., (401) 421-8226, for burritos.
Follow the river south and you'll find a French-made rotisserie keeps things warm at Parkside Rotisserie & Bar, 76 South Main St., (401) 331-0003, parksideprovidence.com.
Bacaro, 262 Water St.,(401) 751-3700, bacarorestaurant.net, offers fine rustic Italian fare and great cured meat platters and it's a wine bar as well.
Hemenway's Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar, (401) 351-8570, One Providence Washington Plaza, hemenwaysrestaurant.com, is a popular spot for treats from the sea.
Pakarang serves Thai cuisine at 303 South Main St., (401) 453-3660, pakarangrestaurant.com.
For a romantic dessert, or liqueur-laced coffee, there's L'Elizabeth's Cafe, 285 South Main St., (401) 861-1974.
Those on the hunt for a good beer and a bite to eat have many choices, including Trinity Brewhouse, 186 Fountain St., (401) 453-2337 and Union Station Brewery, 36 Exchange Terrace, (401) 274-2739, both of which brew their own specialty beers and ales.
Other nearby pubs include Fat Belly's, 125 Canal Street, (401) 351-3434, Blake's Tavern, 122 Washington St., (401) 274-1230; <strong>Murphy's Deli and Bar, 100 Fountain St., (401) 621-8467, and Sullivan's Rhode, 55 Union St., (401) 383-0852.
The Restaurant at AS220, 113 Empire St., (401) 831-3663, offers the most affordable locally sourced food anywhere with no dish more than $10.
You say you want a revolutionary pulled-pork sandwich? Cuban Revolution, 50 Aborn St., (401) 331-8829, is the place.
Sports fans will find plenty of televisions at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon, 52 Pine St., (401) 861-1782.
Near The Waterfire Basin you will find Waterplace, 1 American Express Way, (401) 272-1040, offers the best views of WaterFire on several floors of dining and bar as does Ruth's Chris Steak House, 10 Memorial Boulevard, (401) 272-2271.
Luxe Burger Bar, 5 Memorial Blvd. (401) 621-5893, offers a build-your-own menu, creative cocktails and a hopping bar and it is close to WaterFire as is The Capital Grille, 1 Union Station, (401) 521-5600. RíRá is an Irish pub at 50 Exchange Terrace, (401) 272-1953,
Providence hotel restaurants have some good choices. Shula's 347 Grill, 21 Atwells Ave., (401) 709-0347, is part of the Hilton Hotel and offers a varied menu and is football themed. Temple Downtown is a very cool, stylish bar and still evolving restaurant in the Renaissance Providence hotel, 120 Francis St., (401) 919-5050. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 1 West Exchange St., (401) 533-9000, has a nice bar inside the Westin. Upstairs at the hotel is the new Centro Restaurant & Lounge, (401) 228-6802, with a community table at the lounge and chef's table in the restaurant. Check out the interesting menu at centroprovidence.com. McCormick & Schmick offers seafood specialties (and is open breakfast through dinner) at the Providence Biltmore, 11 Dorrance St., (401) 351-4500. Aspire is inside the Hotel Providence at 311 Westminster St., (401) 521-3333.
The Providence Marriott has the Bluefin Grille, 1 Orms St., (401) 272-5852, with a fine menu including its award-winning Buffalo Chicken Chili. Around the corner from that Marriott is Snookers, 53 Ashburton St., (401) 351-7665, a place with a huge menu, 20 beers on tap, lots of TVs and pool tables everywhere.
At Providence Place mall you will find Cheesecake Factory at street level, (401) 270-4010, is a popular mall choice; Dave & Buster's, Mall Level 3, (401) 270-4555, is pub fare and arcade games. Fire + Ice, (401) 270-4040, where you can select your own ingredients and watch them be cooked, and Joe's American Bar & Grill, (401) 270-4737, for pub and comfort food specialties. The Marketplace Café in Nordstrom's, at Providence Place (401) 621-3111, in a corner of the store's third floor has dramatic views of the State House and is an upscale cafeteria-style casual restaurant. The Melting Pot, 199 Providence Place, (401) 865-6670, meltingpot.com/ offers fondue dining.
Federal Hill is the city's Italian neighborhood. It is a real scene come the warm weather as Atwells Avenue, the main street, is full of food including restaurants, bakeries like Scialo Bros. Bakery, 257 Atwells Ave. (401) 421-0986, scialosbakery.com, with great bread, cookies and more; and sweet shops the best of which is Pastiche, 92 Spruce St. (401) 861-5190, pastichefinedesserts.com, where fruit tarts and anything chocolate is king. There are cupcake shops including Nancy's Fancies,> 294 Atwells Ave. (401) 421-2253.
Need a fine bottle or brew for the hotel: stop at Gasbarro's Wine, 361 Atwells Ave., (401) 421-4170, gasbarros.com. Nearby is Tony's Colonial Food Store, 311 Atwells Ave., (401) 621-8675, a lovely fully-stocked, Italian food market with lots of prepared foods and tables for a bite too.
For upscale dinners, the choices are endless. But my three not to miss are: Pane e Vino, 365 Atwells Ave. (401) 223-2230, panevino.net, is a wine bar (an enoteca) and restaurant with some excellent pasta dishes. Siena, 238 Atwells Ave. (401) 521-3311, sienari.com, offers the warmth of dining at a friend's house with meat and seafood dishes. Amici Bar & Grille, 242 Atwells Ave., (401) 490-0409, amiciri.com, is brand new with a wood grill and a menu that offers traditional Italian dishes and imaginative Asian fusion offerings and sushi, too.
De Pasquale Plaza offers a vibrant outdoor scene with crowds and music. Try Costantino's Ristorante, 265 Atwells Ave., (401) 528-1100, vendaravioli.com, which was recently renovated and reopened with a new executive chef and a new menu that is a dinner version of the lovely food offered daily at sister business Venda Ravioli, 275 Atwells Ave., (401) 421-9105, vendaravioli.com, where you can sit inside or outside or take it to go.
You can have wonderful homemade specialties like veal Parmesan at Angelo's Civita Farnese, 141 Atwells Ave. (401) 621-8171 (or take it to go).
Mediterraneo, 134 Atwells Ave. (401) 331-7760, has two floors of dining and its fair share of celebrity diners. But then, you could see or be seen at any of these spots.
Andino's, 171 Atwells Ave. (401) 421-3715, Cassarino's Restaurant, 177 Atwells Ave. (401) 751-3333, and Joe Marzilli's Old Canteen, 120 Atwells Ave., (401) 751-5544, all offer Italian specialties with Old World hospitality. At the Blue Grotto Restaurant, 210 Atwells Ave. (401) 272-9030, give gnocchi, a potato pasta, a try. Camille's, 72 Bradford St., (401) 751-4812, just off the avenue, and beautifully remodeled as it is one of the city's oldest dining spots.
Café Longo, 145 Atwells Ave., (401) 228-6550, offers a side of Frank Sinatra with your dinner. There's also Trattoria Zooma, 245 Atwells Ave., (401) 383-2002, which serves lunch in addition to dinner and Walter's Ristorante d'Italia, 286 Atwells Ave. (401) 273-2652, could double as a film set for a romantic movie.
You can enjoy pizza three ways at these casual spots. Bob & Timmy's, 32 Spruce St. (401) 453-2221, bobandtimmys.com, has some of the best wood-grilled pizza in Rhode Island. Caserta Pizzeria, 121 Spruce St. (401) 621-3618, casertapizzeria.com is the place to have a real local pizza, (you have to order it with cheese or it won't have any) and soak up local flavor and color. Find out what stuffed pizza is at. Sicilia's Pizzeria, 181 Atwells Ave. (401) 273-9222, siciliapizzeria.com.
You'll also find pizza at Geppetto's Pizzeria, 57 DePasquale Plaza. (401) 270-3003; pastry and lunch at Palmieri's Piazza Caffe, 64 DePasquale Plaza, (401) 861-2253; casual dining at Solo, 58 DePasquale Plaza, (401) 272-5440; and at Caffe Dolce Vita, 59 DePasquale Square, (401) 331-8240, this European-style café offers variety and al fresco dining from breakfast to dinner.
Riccotti's of Federal Hill, 133 Atwells Ave., (401) 621-8100, serves subs or grinders or whatever you call big, filling sandwiches in your hometown, and fish and chips.
Everything isn't Italian here. Here are sister restaurants. Providence Prime, 279 Atwells Ave. (401) 454-8881, a stylish bistro with prime steaks, plus other steak-house goodies such as chops and an elegant wine list, and Providence Oyster Bar, 283 Atwells Ave. (401) 272-8866, with beautifully prepared seafood (with a raw bar) as well as other landlubbing favorites, in a high-energy atmosphere. Don Jose Tequilas, 351 Atwells Ave. (401) 454-8951, serves excellent Mexican food in a fun, rustic-styled dining room. Their brunch is wonderful, too.
Tammany Hall Pub and Parlor is a cigar bar with pub fare at 409 Atwells Ave., (401) 831-3180. Thornton's Grille, is a pub at 145 Spruce St., (401) 270-5444.
Lili Marlene's, 422 Atwells Ave., (401) 751-4996, is a really cool bar where you can have an inexpensive drink (you can get a burger, too). MuMu Cuisine, 220 Atwells Ave. (401) 369-7040, serves elegant Asian cuisine.
Get late night munchies? The Haven Brothers truck, can be found nightly at Dorrance and Fulton Streets and it serves up inexpensive street food. Don't miss either the Olneyville New York System Wieners, 18 Plainfield St., (401) 621-9500, and Original New York System, 424 Smith St., (401) 331-5349, This where you can have two iconic Rhode Island foods, hot wieners (they are sausages so don't call them hot dogs) drenched in onions and more, and coffee milk.
Off the beaten path, on the city's West Side, a few blocks from Federal Hill you'll find some great, funky dining including Nicks on Broadway, 500 Broadway, (401) 421-0286, nicksonbroadway.com, serves breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch as well as dinner at which you should choose the tasting menu from chef Derek Wagner. Take your vegetarian (and creative carnivore) to Julian's, 318 Broadway, (401) 861-1770, juliansprovidence.com. Loie Fuller, 1455 Westminster St., (401) 273-4375, loiefullers.com, is so beautifully designed and intimate. Ama's, 3 Luongo Memorial Square, (401) 421-1100, has a raw bar and Japanese beer on tap and bento boxes. Across the street have a drink in the deco bar the Avery, 18 Luongo Square, (401) 286-0237.
Get down and yummy in the Jewelry District which is adjacent to Downcity where you'll find bars, burgers and music. Rick's Roadhouse, 370 Richmond St., has ribs, lots of TVs, (401) 272-7675, ricksroadhouse.com.
The East Side of Providence offers some nice dining about a mile away. New and modern and hip and with a small menu that changes daily is Cook & Brown Public House, 959 Hope St., (401) 273-7275, cookandbrown.com. Chez Pascal, 960 Hope St., (401) 421-4422, chez-pascal.com, is a fine French bistro across the street with seasonal specials and a warm inviting atmosphere. La Laiterie, 188 Wayland Ave., Providence, (401) 274-7177, is the place to enjoy seasonal comfort food with a difference and great cheese and charcuterie plates. There is Rasoi just over the line from Hope Street into Pawtucket on 727 East Ave., (401) 728-5500, rasoi-restaurant.com, serving a full menu of regional Indian food including many vegetarian and healthy options. They have a buffet on Saturdays and Sunday.
Within walking distance of Downcity is Wickenden Street, a funky place to eat and drink and walk. This is the place for breakfast, fun shopping at one of a kind spots and where you can dine in secret gardens when the weather is nice.
Fellini Pizzeria at 166 Wickenden St. sells pizza by the pie or the slice. Amy's Place at No. 214 serves breakfast and lunch and has a secret. It's a garden patio. At No. 230, Taste of India sihas been serving Northern Indian food including many vegetarian options for more than 20 years. The Brickway, at No. 234, is popular breakfast/lunch destination at No. 239. Café Zog also has a secret garden and serves a nice breakfast.
Z Bar at No. 244 has a secret garden and is one of the few spots on the street with a full liquor license and a skylight bringing light to the bar. Duck and Bunny, 312 Wickenden St., (401) 270-3300, theduckandbunny.com, is a cozy spot (they call it a snuggery) with wine and creative crepes on the menu as well as tea sandwiches and more. Abyssinia Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant, 333 Wickenden St., (401) 454-1412, abyssinia-restaurant.com, serves lunch and dinner daily. The Coffee Exchange is at No. 307 and Pizza Pie-er at No. 374 is another place to pick up a slice.
Angkor Restaurant, is behind Adler's Hardware on Wickenden. Find it at 10 Traverse St., run by a family of fabulous Cambodian cooks. Just off Wickenden on 99 Hope St. is the neighborhood favorite Rue De L'Espoir, (401) 751-8890, therue.com.
Up College Hill on Thayer Street you'll find some ethnic dining. Go Greek at Andreas, 268 Thayer St., (401) 331-7879. Try Indian at Kabob & Curry, 261 Thayer St., (401) 273-8844. Café Paragon is a European-style restaurant with a popular brunch at 234 Thayer St., (401) 331-6200 and the English Cellar Alehouse celebrates not just the Brits but great beer just off Thayer at 165 Angell St., (401) 454-3434.
Crave pizza? They are totally creative at Nice Slice, 267 Thayer St., (401) 453-6423 (NICE), niceslice.com and the options seeming endless at Antonio's Pizza, 256 Thayer St., (401) 455-3600. Finish it off with Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream at 237 Meeting St., just off Thayer.
