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Food & Dining

In Rhode Island

The Rhode Island restaurant scene is bustling, and we're here to help you find the hottest new spots, the coolest hidden gems, and the best places to satisfy your cravings for great food and drinks.

Everyone's gotta eat! Grab a seat and load up your plate: We've got regularly updated guides, behind-the-scenes features, Q&As with up-and-coming chefs and restaurant owners, and all the news that foodies can use.

Love to cook? There's an entire section of great recipes from experts to explore.
And we're serving up the best food news in Rhode Island as well. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and we'll deliver it directly to your inbox.

What wine goes best with Pirate’s Booty? Or pigs-in-a-blanket?

Unexpected wine parings were the stars of the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. So we decided to experiement ourselves.

Del’s Lemonade to replenish newly released apple cider flavor

We’ve been buying olive oil all wrong. Here’s what you need to know.

What makes cider doughnuts so special? We went farm-hopping to find out.

Restaurants in R.I., Maine still struggle to find workers

The Guides

Seven new restaurants to check out in R.I.

From Vietnamese dishes in Providence to an aesthetically pleasing café in Newport, here are some new places to try in Rhode Island.

Where to get the best coffee in Rhode Island? Here’s what readers had to say.

We asked readers of Globe Rhode Island’s weekly Food & Dining newsletter where their favorite cafés were across the state, and received a ton of responses.

10 must-attend food and wine festivals in Rhode Island this summer

From dining inside one of the Newport mansions to chowing down classic New England seafood, here’s a roundup of the major festivals for foodies taking place in summer 2023.

Three new-ish cafés where you can get work done in R.I.

In June, Globe Rhode Island's Alexa Gagosz got to do what most food writers dream of: attend the James Beard Awards.

Summer food guide: 12 unsung, yet perfect places to eat in Rhode Island this summer

From pop-ups at local breweries to farm-to-picnic dining on Block Island, these places are worth a visit.

The best oyster deals in Rhode Island

There are scores of $1 oysters and half-priced deals in the Ocean State. Here are a few of the best ones.

What do Rhode Island consumers need to learn about local seafood? Actually, quite a bit.

A number of local organizations have set out to change how people perceive some of the plentiful seafood native to the state.

Where to get ice cream in Rhode Island? Here are some favorite spots.

There are more than 130 ice cream shops to explore in the Ocean State, where you can find ice cream therapy, gelato, lemon ice, and other frozen treats.

Support local farmers in R.I. and head to one of these summer markets

A sure sign of summer: Farmers markets are the ideal warm weather activity, and that joy of buying local, outdoors, is about to return to the Ocean State.

Where to buy cheese in Rhode Island

In the past nine months, the number of specialty cheese shops in Rhode Island has doubled, and at least two more will open this summer. Here are some of Rhode Island’s specialty cheese shops.

Newport has a ton of culinary gems hidden in plain sight. Here’s where to eat, according to a local.

Although some restaurants in this coastal enclave get substantial lines or wait times, the city has some treasures tucked away in the most unexpected corners.

Why does Providence have so many 18-plus nightclubs?

With thousands of students returning to the city this fall, establishments are once again getting ready for a boon in business, one that often comes from Rhode Island’s younger crowds.

Drinks

He spent 28 years in the military. Now he’s started a distillery inspired by his service.

One year later, founders behind R.I. coquito brand find themselves at a crossroads

When they want to speak up, they make beer

For Bitter For Worse will shake up your ideas about zero-proof spirits

Behind the scenes

‘Our love letter to Mexico’: New restaurant on Providence’s Federal Hill pays homage to traditional cuisine

Amilkar and Pamela Gonell are opening Terra Negra Cantina in DePasquale Square.

The forgotten history of Block Island’s Harborside Inn

The troubles of retailers like Christmas Tree Shops and Bed Bath & Beyond can be a boon for Ocean State Job Lot, a closeout operation. And they're involved with tons of other businesses.

What makes cider doughnuts so special? We went farm-hopping to find out.

The best ones are freshly made on the spot: springy, crumbly, and warm reminders of why New England is the most delicious place to be in the fall. (Just don’t ask for the recipe.)

In Newport, a pizzeria that brings chefs back to their roots

Mother Pizzeria, the brainchild of the team at Giusto, recently opened serving sourdough pizzas, cured meats and cheeses, and tin fish.

Do Rhode Islanders really call hot wieners ‘Greek lobsters’? It’s complicated.

After Lil Rhody Clam Cake Crawl No. 9, the “Clamarati” -- friends who embark on a daylong journey to sample and rank the best clam cakes -- may have reached local celebrity status.

What is family meal and why is it so important to restaurants?

In a fast-paced, high-stress restaurant environment, the chance to eat a meal together — made "with love" especially for the staff — before the busy part of the night begins can show "the team that you really care.” Even if everyone's sitting around on milk crates.

Cooking

Add potato gnocchi to your cooking repertoire with an easy-to-follow recipe

A little potato prep work is key to making light, fluffy gnocchi at home.

Recipe: These egg sandwiches, similar to French toast, are overwhelmingly popular on social media

Recipe for Egg Sandwich in the Pan

Recipe: Toss grilled corn with white beans and curry vinaigrette for a pot luck supper or lunch at your desk

Recipe for Grilled Corn with White Beans and Curry Vinaigrette
MORE RECIPES FROM THE GLOBE

Recipe: Instead of pasta, build this ‘lasagna’ with broiled eggplant planks and a quick meat sauce

Recipe for Eggplant Plank 'Lasagna'

Recipe: This meatloaf was a standby for the author’s artist mom, who didn’t like to cook

Recipe for Mom's Meatloaf

Recipe: If you only make one preserve, it should be this savory, complex, spicy pepper jam

Recipe for Spicy Pepper Jam

Recipe: Give local tomatoes a final farewell in this quick fresh sauce for spaghetti

Recipe for Quick Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Recipe: Ripe peaches and custard make a velvety, scrumptious summer dessert

Recipe for Peach Custard Cups

Meet the Rhode Island Team

news

Rhode Island Food & Dining Headlines

RI FOOD & DINING

Del’s Lemonade to replenish newly released apple cider flavor

The new flavor has been so popular, many locations have run out of stock.

FOOD & DINING NEWSLETTER

What wine goes best with Pirate’s Booty? Or pigs-in-a-blanket?

Unexpected wine parings were the stars of the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. So we decided to experiement ourselves.

RI BUSINESS

Historic Block Island inn destroyed in fire had not been inspected by state since 2019

“The maintenance and cleaning of the hood was a factor” in causing the fire that destroyed the Harborside Inn, inspectors wrote in a report obtained by the Globe.

FOOD

We’ve been buying olive oil all wrong. Here’s what you need to know.

I was drawn in by fancy labels, lower-to-middle price points, and smart terms like “cold pressed” and “extra virgin” — but I never actually knew what I was buying.

RI FOOD & DINING

For sale: PVDonuts, an iconic shop known for over-the-top donut flavors

“We’ve thought about this on and off for a few years, and what finally drove us to this decision all came down to mental health and matters in our personal lives,” the founders of the doughnut store wrote on social media.

BUSINESS

Restaurants in R.I., Maine still struggle to find workers

“We need to do more to keep these people in our industry,” said Dale Venturini, the CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

INNOVATOR Q&A

Move over, kibble. This personal chef is focusing on healthier options for your pup.

A private chef in Newport is the founder of Sonny Nation Dog Food Co., a Middletown-based micro-business offering “human grade” dog food using locally sourced ingredients.

FOOD

What makes cider doughnuts so special? We went farm-hopping to find out.

The best ones are freshly made on the spot: springy, crumbly, and warm reminders of why New England is the most delicious place to be in the fall. (Just don’t ask for the recipe.)