Restaurants to delis, bars to bakeries: Here's what opened in RI this year
More than 50 new restaurants, bakeries and breweries opened in Rhode Island in 2023. They came from established restaurateurs, first-time owners, franchise owners and independent bakers and brewers.
Some were years in the making. Many brought the public along on their opening journey on social media with Instagram or Facebook.
They opened in brand new construction, renovated spaces, a hotel, a private club, a former hammer factory and other amazingly repurposed spaces. Some replaced long-gone restaurants and bars.
It's notable that for every one that is on the smaller size, there's a large restaurant striking out to succeed with more seats.
All opened with excitement, on the public's side, and a dose of apprehension on the owner's. Yes, there have been losses of restaurants and those are sad stories. But there have been so many wins, especially in 2023.
These are not all the restaurants that opened in Rhode Island last year. But they are among the most notable. Don't feel bad if your favorite place isn't here. Enjoy that you have a fun neighborhood spot.
New in Providence
Gift Horse, 272 Westminster St., is among the most heralded of the new restaurants, making national best lists from both Esquire and Bon Appetit. Gift Horse brought a raw bar and seafood specialties to downtown from James Beard nominated chef Ben Sukle who offers it as a "gift" of the best catches in Rhode Island waters. gifthorsepvd.com
There, There, 471 West Fountain St., was named to the annual best list of Eater, the digital media brand devoted to food and dining. The casual restaurant – order at the counter, pick up your food – is a modern diner with burgers, chicken sandwiches and coffee milks that honor Rhody history. theretherepvd.com
Oberlin, opened by Ben Sukle in 2016, reopened into a newly rebuilt restaurant space on Grant's Block with its stellar menu of housemade pastas and fresh fish and then some. They have a full bar at 266 Westminster St., seasonal cocktails, plenty of vegetarian dishes and unique desserts, and they serve brunch. oberlinrestaurant.com
Patio on Broadway is the second restaurant from the Winpennys, owners of The Patio in East Greenwich. This spot at a prime location at 166 Broadway, vibrates with energy. They do a killer brunch, have Italian specialties and a nice cocktail menu. thepatiori.com
XO Bar occupies a sacred space at 125 North Main St. where many a fine meal and drink was enjoyed. Co-owner Ben Lloyd was even a chef at the former XO Cafe. Now they offer a stellar cocktail experience in a stylish setting. thexobar.com
East Side Cheese and Provisions, 17 South Angell St., is the first shop and cafe from Jeff and Angie DeMeo. They host events and offer cheese boards. eastsidecheese.com
Lotus Pepper, 752 Hope St., is the first brick-and-mortar restaurant from the food truck of the same name. The family with Vietnamese roots offers a few seats and takeout. Enjoy specialties including Bahn Mi. lotuspepper.square.site
Seoul, at 3 Davol Square, is a restaurant by day and a nightclub by night. The young owner, Joseph Champavannarath, is first generation American. The fusion menu, which is heavy on but not limited to Korean dishes, is approachable and ranges from spicy wonton chips to Rhode Island Calamari and even truffle fries and seaweed salads. seoulprovidence.com
Fogo de Chão, at Providence Place, has Brazilian roots and traces back to 1979 in South America. The steakhouse features an open-air churrasco grill in the dining room, where guests can watch Fogo’s gaucho chefs practice the culinary art. fogodechao.com
Maha Heng makes hot pot and bowls at 165 Angell St. It is the sister restaurant to the excellent Heng Thai on College Hill, in Providence. hengpvd.com
Black Leaf Tea, Amber Jackson's cafe has opened at 52A Valley St. in Providence. Guests can join her for tea, pastries and good vibes. Follow her news on Instagram.
Yas Chicken, 272 Thayer St., brings Asian fusion to the fried chicken game including sandwiches, chicken wings, tenders and nuggets. Sides of tater tots and mac and cheese join desserts, including fried doughnuts on the menu. yaschicken.com
Origin Beer Project has moved into 425 West Fountain St. Check out the current beers from Cheyne and Erika Tessier at originbeerproject.com.
Coco's Cafe Bar in the Providence Arcade, 65 Weybosset St., was opened last winter by Amanda Gabro. She serves coffee and cocktails in the space that was once occupied by New Harvest.
Frisbie's Dairy Barn opened in the Arcade, 65 Weybosset St., in February, the first Rhode Island outpost of a premium ice cream business in Connecticut. A second Frisbie's opened in North Attleboro at 429 South Washington St.
New in Pawtucket
Maven’s Delicatessen, 727 East Ave., felt like the most awaited restaurant in America due to the demand for corned beef, pastrami, whitefish salad and nostalgia. The restaurant from the Sugarman family pays homage to the great Jewish delis. mavensdeli.com
The Feast & Fettle Neighborhood Fridge, 727 East Ave., is a grab-and-go of fresh meals with a menu that changes weekly. The delivery service has grown and thrived across New England since its beginnings in 2016.
Flynn’s Irish Pub took over the restaurant at 342 East Ave., Pawtucket.
Hangry Kitchen is a new American bistro at 542 Pawtucket Ave. The chef, Stacy Cogswell, is Johnson & Wales University trained, a cookbook author and was a contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef," season 12. hangrykitchen.com
Senjoy, serving noodles, sandwiches and bubble tea, opened at 856 Newport Ave. senjoypawtucket.com
Butterbang baker and proprietor Brian Leosz has moved to Pawtucket at 122 Waltham St. He started his pop-up croissant window in March 2020 in Providence. The format is still the same since Leosz is a one-man band making his light as-air croissants. Those on his email list are notified of baking days and place an order for pick up at the designated time. Learn more on his Instagram page.
New in Newport
Chanterelle Restaurant, 505 Thames St., was named to OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurants in America list for 2023. It was early in the year when the Bouchards announced they were stepping back after more than 25 years from the Bouchard Restaurant & Inn. The renamed restaurant, a blend of French and American fare, is now under the direction of executive chef Jessica Odunwa. chanterellenewport.com
Mother Pizzeria, 49 Long Wharf Mall, is the second restaurant from the owners of Giusto. Named after the starter or "Mother" used in sourdough baking, the pizza is made from naturally fermented dough using local stone ground flour and baked in a Marra Forni Neapolitan-style pizza oven.
Mr. R Fusion Street Food, 7 Memorial Blvd., has a menu that combines Asian, Italian and American cuisines. Dishes are meant to be shared. mrrfusion.com
Luke’s Lobster opened as a seasonal shack at 36 Bowen's Wharf. They have a walk-up window serving lobster rolls, crab and shrimp rolls and clam chowder. lukeslobster.com
Wharf Fishhouse and Tiki Bar, 41 Bowen's Wharf, comes from the owners of Diegos, Wharf Southern Kitchen and Rejects Beer Co., It serves dinner, tiki cocktails and late-night bites in space formerly occupied by Fluke. wharffishhousenewport.com
La Costa on Thames got a brick-and-mortar for their tacos and lobster food truck business. It's at 515 Thames St.
Bar 12, a speakeasy-style cocktail and wine bar, was opened at 12 Broadway by Jill and Jim Blumel, the owners of Tavern on Broadway.
New in Middletown
The Helmway is the restaurant in the new Pell Hotel, 425 East Main Road. They serve breakfast and dinner daily, except for Monday.
New in Warren
Wedge Cheese and Provisions, 279 Water St., opened in May. Chelsea Morrissey and Sasha Goldman have a great selection of cheese, local artisan products and outdoor tables in season. You'll find artisan goods from other spots in Rhode Island. Eat with your eyes online at wedgeri.com.
Chomp Kitchen & Drinks moved into their lovely new spot at 279 Water St. to serve their stellar burgers and beer selection. They have abundant outdoor seating, including some right on the water.
New in East Providence
The Nerdy Baker, 237 Newman Ave., was opened by Anita Carnevale whose lineup includes 40 varieties of cupcakes and custom cakes for nerds of all ages. She is a DC Comics fan who can't get enough Batman and Superman but who also loves Pokemon and Spongebob. For a certain crowd of pop culture, that's all you need to know to want to visit her bakery. nerdybakerri.com
Crook Point Brewing Company, 65 Massasoit Ave., has room for 300 guests in four spaces. Come for the beer and stay for the hard seltzers that come in more than 50 flavors. crookpointbrewing.com
New in Cranston
Ceviches by Divinos Cranston, 1000 Chapel View Blvd., is the first restaurant owned by Ali Quero. He is an experienced restaurant manager (at Los Andes), a sommelier, has a MBA (Johnson & Wales University) and is an intelligence officer with Rhode Island National Guard's Army 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment in Quonset. Maybe that doesn't matter to your dining experience, but the beautifully composed Peruvian ceviches, Pisco Bar drinks and other specials might sway you. They also have a foundation, Ceviches with a Purpose, to donate a portion of the proceeds to impoverished children in Peru.
Shake Shack, 30 Hillside Road, at Garden City, is the second of the chain's Rhode Island locations for burgers, hot dogs, chicken and shakes. shakeshack.com
New in Coventry
Lake Taco, newly opened, just this week, is the lakeside restaurant that brings barbecue to Coventry at 446 Tiogue Ave. Think ribs, brisket and pulled pork, by the pound. Plus, you'll find tacos, chili, wings and grilled cornbread. It comes from the owners of the Back 40 in North Kingstown, Black Oak in Coventry, Union & Main in East Greenwich and Evie's in Westerly. Justin Dalton-Ameen and partners Josh and Peter Culpo started with Lulu's in Allston, Massachusetts, but all their recent expansion has been in Rhode Island. Chef Travis French is at the helm. laketacori.com
New in East Greenwich
Downtown Tilly, 241 Main St., is the first restaurant from Grace Bramhall and Ty Cosgrove who call it a "modern deli." They offer comfort food and have a liquor license. Dive into the farm-to-table menu and you'll see why they became an instant hit.
Scotti’s Salumeria, 4654 Post Rd., is the first restaurant for co-owner Marco Scotti who wanted to bring the traditions of his family, from their roots in Naples, to the restaurant. scottissalumeria.com
Crumbl Cookies opened its first Rhode Island store at 1000 Division St., in February. The national chain has many fans who had been waiting for a shop to open here and serve their huge cookies in pretty pink boxes. A second location later opened at 371 Putnam Pike, Smithfield.
New in Warwick
The Corner House Delicatessen, 3880 Post Rd., was opened by Kara Sheridan, proprietor of the popular pub The Shanty in Warwick. She offers an elevated deli experience with everything from a seasonal lobster roll to a new Ham & Swiss Croissandwich. You can also grab a great local beer, too. cornerhouseri.com
New in Wakefield
Purslane, 318 Main St., from Freida Sahady and Matthew Brown who brought you the ButterHead Food Truck. The food truck is still on site, parked out back serving up their classics. But many new offerings are available beyond their sandos. They include raw bar items, lobster rolls, small and shareable plates and rotating specials. purslane-ri.com
New in Narragansett
Galleria Dolce Café, 140 Point Judith Road, in Mariner Square, is the first restaurant for Sabrina Labbadia. You'll find authentic Italian coffee and pastries, plus Scialo’s bread, pound cakes and biscuits. For lunch, there are panini (pressed) sandwiches with mortadella, prosciutto or a lineup of Italian cold cuts.
New in Smithfield
The Trap North, 10 Smith Ave., offers traditional pub fare and is the newest restaurant from the Martucci Group which runs Safehouse in Warwick and Besos in East Greenwich.
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KelCarQ opened at 375 Putnam Pike. Pitmaster Michael Strout and wife Janet opened the new barbecue restaurant. They closed their Gotta Q BBQ in Cumberland last year.
Jack's Irish and Italian Pizza Pub has opened at 970 Douglas Pike. You gotta like a place that holds a Christmas pajama party and offers an Irish and Italian menu in one place.
New in Lincoln
Nathaniel's Bistro, 600 George Washington Highway, has an elegant menu that includes octopus carpaccio and grilled octopus, Alaskan King Salmon, whole Branzino, Kobe burgers and Colorado lamb.
New in Richmond
Celebrated, the vegan and plant-based bakery, has moved from Warwick to 5 Stilson Rd. The elevated desserts are worth the ride. celebrated.co
Double Barrel Steak, The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences, 87 Kingstown Rd., opened to great fanfare with chef David Burke bringing his clothesline bacon and other dishes to the sporting club. He's no longer associated with the restaurant (due to a breach of Burke’s 26-mile radius constraint with Foxwoods Casino), but his mark is there.
Newly reopened in Massachusetts
The Venus de Milo has reopened for events and functions after a multimillion-dollar renovation. They have resumed takeout four days a week. No restaurant is planned to open at this time.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Restaurants, delis, cafes and bakeries that opened in RI in 2023
