13 Best Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island

The scents and flavors of Italy surround you at Costantino's as you peruse the amazing selection of homemade pastas and imported foods. The convivial banter between customers and employees adds to the atmosphere. While here, grab lunch, dinner, an espresso, or gelato at Venda Bar & Ristorante on the opposite side of DePasquale Square. Patio dining in the summertime is a true taste of la dolce vita.

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.

Locals come to this third-generation, family-owned restaurant in the heart of Federal Hill for the chicken or eggplant Parmesan, veal with peppers, and braciola like (your Italian) grandma used to make. The prices are reasonable; the atmosphere, warm and casual.

A brewery tucked into an industrial park near the railroad tracks doesn't seem super inviting, but the tasting room here is warm and friendly, and the beers have creativity by the barrel (IPAs, yes, but also wild ales, barleywines, and a revival of a historical varietal called Kentucky Common). If the adults need a drink after a day at the zoo, Buttonwoods is right in the neighborhood, and hungry kids can be placated with comfort food and pizza from the brewery's pop-up kitchen and a rotation list of visiting food trucks.

Rhode Island's pizza universe has expanded in recent years—you can get a decent slice of New York, New Haven, or Detroit style—but the more things change the more they stay the same at Caserta, the landmark pizzeria on Federal Hill. Homemade sauce, fresh mozzarella, quality toppings, and a thick but crispy crust combine to create a unique Rhode Island-by-way-of-Sicily pie. A pizza pilgrimage site since 1953, Caserta still draws crowds despite its limited menu and no-frills dining room; walk it off with a stroll around Federal Hill and Atwells Ave. afterward.

Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and African and Asian artwork adorns the walls (everything is for sale) at this restaurant-antiques store. The menu is extensive—seafood is particularly, but not exclusively, featured—the food is rich in flavor, and the ambience, occasionally augmented with live music, is full of personality. Brioche toast is the house specialty for weekend brunch.

A tiny Warren restaurant known for offbeat beers, hot chicken sandwiches, and a burger stacked 10 inches tall has blossomed into this second location with more expansive indoor-outdoor seating and an equally enticing menu of decidedly adult, made-from-scratch comfort grub. Pair zesty Mozambique chicken tenders that are definitely not your kids' chicken nuggets with frozen sangria on a summer's day.

Rhode Island isn't top-of-mind when you think of great barbecue joints—this ain't Texas, Memphis, or the Carolinas, to be sure—but it's hard to find fault with Durk's succulent brisket, moist pulled pork, and smoky ribs. Savory sides like skillet cornbread and mac & cheese provide the right flavor balance on the plate, and drinks draw heavily from the collected "whiskey wall" behind the bar—you can't go wrong with the barrel-aged Old Fashioned on draft.

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.

In a neighborhood where Italian food dominates, this spirited seafood restaurant offers a refreshing alternative. Oysters—and clams, lobster, and shrimp—are the main attraction, of course, but landlubbers will enjoy a steak or rotisserie chicken.

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.

Ben Lloyd, the chef-owner of this "agri-driven" American restaurant, is committed to honoring the origins of the food he prepares. He purchases humanely raised and harvested meat, poultry, and fish whole from local vendors, butchers them in-house, and uses every part from nose to tail—combined with eggs at breakfast, cheese and fries at lunch, and fresh vegetables at dinner. The weekend brunch will fill you up with frittatas, home fries, donuts and more for just $15 per person.

This superb grocery offers a family-friendly atmosphere in which to peruse the finest of Italian meats and cheeses; imported vinegars and olive oils; and candies and pastries—all at reasonable prices. In addition, Tony's deli stocks freshly prepared foods to eat on the premises or take with you; try the Italian grinder, a Rhode Island lunchtime staple.