Ice cream, pizza and tinned fish: Fun food things to do and eat around RI in April

Gail Ciampa, Providence Journal
·3 min read

Ice cream shops are opening for the season. But that's only the tip of the cone where Rhode Island food news is concerned.

Can clam shack openings be far behind? One is already busy serving up fresh fish in Providence.

There's a new restaurant in the Omni Providence in a space that's been vacant since the pandemic hit in 2020.

Phantom Farms' new owners in Cumberland are introducing a new event this month.

Narragansett Beer is collaborating with an epic Portuguese market this weekend.

A Pawtucket spirits company is expanding their ownership to employees.

Here's all the food and dining news this week has to offer.

Brickley's Homemade Ice Cream has opened for the season at 322 Main St., South Kingstown. The Narragansett location should open mid-April.

Brickley's is scooping in Wakefield.
Brickley's is scooping in Wakefield.

Clementine's Ice Cream has opened for the season at 2934 South County Trail in East Greenwich and 62 Wave Ave. in Middletown. Coming in May is a new, third store at 1016 East Main Road in Portsmouth in the Fieldstones plaza. Follow them on Instagram for news.

Fleur, a new restaurant, has opened in the Omni Providence, One Exchange St. They will be serving Parisian and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, according to posts on social media. The restaurant is in the space that housed Centro for many years until the pandemic shutdown.

The Bait Box features whiting fish at Dunes Brothers Seafood. They call it "chicken of the sea" for picking off the bone.
The Bait Box features whiting fish at Dunes Brothers Seafood. They call it "chicken of the sea" for picking off the bone.

Dune Brothers Seafood Shack has reopened for the season at 239 Dyer St., Providence. They have online ordering for pickup.

Tinned fish will be on the menu at Narragansett Beer this weekend.
Tinned fish will be on the menu at Narragansett Beer this weekend.

Narragansett Brewery is teaming up with Fall River’s Portugalia Marketplace for a night of craft brews and tinned fish. Guests can stop by the brewery on April 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. for beer paired with Portugalia Tinned Fish Charcuterie Board Kits. These include a kit with Tenorio Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil with Azorean Lemon and Chili Peppers, Nuri Sardines in Olive Oil and Minerva Mackerel Fillets in Olive Oil. A second sampling features Luças Octopus in Olive Oil and Luças Mussels in Escabeche Sauce. The Portugalia team will be on–site selling products including La Rose Codfish with Olive Oil and Garlic and Conservas Santos Sardine Paté. Extra tins will be available all weekend long at the Brewery at 271 Tockwotton St., Providence.

Rhode Island Red Vodka and Tonic is just one of the cocktails you can make with RI Spirits Rhodium vodka made with tart cherry and cranberry with rosemary.
Rhode Island Red Vodka and Tonic is just one of the cocktails you can make with RI Spirits Rhodium vodka made with tart cherry and cranberry with rosemary.

Rhode Island Spirits, 40 Bayley St., Pawtucket, producers of Rhodium, have named tasting room manager Amy Gravel and production manager Patrick Cull as the first employee-owners. RI Spirits founders and owners Cathy Plourde and Kara Larson made the announcement.

Rhode Island Spirits’ owners, left to right, Kara Larson, Patrick Cull, Amy Gravel and Cathy Plourde in the company’s Pawtucket distillery. Founders Larson and Plourde have added employee owners.
Rhode Island Spirits’ owners, left to right, Kara Larson, Patrick Cull, Amy Gravel and Cathy Plourde in the company’s Pawtucket distillery. Founders Larson and Plourde have added employee owners.

Employee ownership rewards the engagement and dedication of RI Spirits' full-time employees with a share of the fruits of their labor as the company is poised for significant growth this year and next, said Larson and Plourde.

The company is poised for significant growth over 2024-25. "Our team is focused on building on our successes, growing into new markets, continuing to develop new products that showcase the 'Spirits of Rhode Island' to the world,” said Larson.

General Tso's Chicken Pizza at Francesco's, a New York-style pizzeria on Hope Street in Providence.
General Tso's Chicken Pizza at Francesco's, a New York-style pizzeria on Hope Street in Providence.

Save the date: Providence Pizza Week returns with deals and specials on April 14. It's sponsored by the Providence and Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau. There's already a tempting list of participating pizzerias online. There's old school and new school spots on there. I spy Twin's Pizza in North Providence offering Garlic Shrimp Pizza and Fig and Prosciutto Pizza.

Phantom Farms will run its first-ever Mac N Cheese cookoff at the Cumberland farm. It’s set for April 20 from noon to 2 p.m. at 2920 Diamond Hill Rd. The fee to enter is $10 and admission to the event is $8. Contestants will be entered for first-, second- and third-place prizes. Those attending will taste and vote. To participate as a contestant, email info@phantomfarms.com.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Fun food events in RI at Phantom Farms, 'Gansett beer and pizza week