Chic waterfront eatery Beech in Jamestown offers artful cocktails, house-made pasta
While you may be more familiar with Jamestown’s beautiful waterfront views, sandwich shops, state parks, or bookstores, it’s also home to Beech, a chic restaurant and bar that encapsulates summer in Rhode Island.
I visited Beech late on a Thursday night, expecting to be one of the only patrons at the venue. However, I was met with a soft buzz of conversation and wine glasses clanging as I approached the entrance. Its outdoor seating area was one of the most interesting and involved layouts I’ve seen in a restaurant, complete with sidewalk paths leading to tables, various patios, and a full outdoor bar. Complete with fairy lights, dim table lamps, and extensive greenery, the place had a mind of its own. It also features an inside dining room that looked aesthetic from the windows, but I wasn’t able to get a closer look.
Beech’s cocktails are all artfully presented, and I found myself staring at the different drink arrangements that waiters and waitresses carried by. Mine — a rose sangria — was complete with a lemon, strawberry, and pineapple leaf; others had the pineapple leaf clipped to the side of the glass with a mini clothespin. While my drink was a perfect fruity mix — not too sweet, but not too bare, a friend of mine did incur a fee for her drink being on the rocks, despite not asking for that option.
My pasta ragu dish rivaled that of Federal Hill, with Beech’s thick, house-made pasta being cooked perfectly al dente. Although the prices were a little steep, the portion of pasta was more than enough to finish in one sitting; however, other meals seemed to be of smaller portions, particularly the fish entrees.
Beech’s employees were notably very friendly, making me feel right at home despite never having dined there before. To me, it’s crucial when a server can give you honest reviews about the food on the restaurant’s menu and steer you toward a meal you’ll enjoy, which is exactly what my waitress did. I’ll definitely be back here before the end of the summer!
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: What's Great Off 138: Beech restaurant in Jamestown
