Where should you eat in Rhode Island? Here's the ultimate Ocean State food and drink guide

Katie Landeck, Providence Journal
Updated ·6 min read

A little state with a big food scene, Rhode Island has thousands of restaurants to choose from so it would be understandable if you needed some help narrowing down where to get dinner from.

That’s where we come in.

Whether you are looking for something romantic or something as casual as pizza, we have a recommendation for you that’s sure to delight and, if needed, impress. In this dining guide, we’ve compiled our best picks over the years as well as reader-recommended spots making it easy for you to find the best of what Rhode Island has to offer.

Happy dining!

Most romantic places to bring a date 

There is no other restaurant like CAV for atmosphere.
There is no other restaurant like CAV for atmosphere.

If you’re looking to impress on date night, these restaurants will deliver both food and atmosphere. Whether you're looking for water views, twinkle lights or even World elegance, we want to help point you in the right direction. And, of course, the food is fabulous.

Pick one of these places and you’re stacking the odds in favor of a good night.

Best lobster rolls in RI as picked by readers

A lobster roll from Easton’s Beach Snack Bar in Newport.
A lobster roll from Easton’s Beach Snack Bar in Newport.

There's nothing quite like a lobster roll, particularly when served with an ocean view, and Rhode Island has some of the best lobster rolls you'll find anywhere. To help find the best ones, we recently put it to readers in a poll. Here's where they recommend you go.

Where to go for dinner with a waterfront view

Matunuck Oyster Bar is a favorite spot for dining with a view.
Matunuck Oyster Bar is a favorite spot for dining with a view.

With 400 miles of shoreline to explore, Rhode Island has restaurants with fantastic waterfront views. We polled readers to find the best spots to eat with a salty breeze. Here are their top seven picks.

And if you're looking for even more options, here's a waterfront dining guide by our dining editor Gail Ciampa.

Where to go in Providence for a cocktail

The Plumsucker - a non-alcoholic cocktail from The Red Door bar in Providence featuring spiced rum shrub, spices and lemon.
The Plumsucker - a non-alcoholic cocktail from The Red Door bar in Providence featuring spiced rum shrub, spices and lemon.

Whether it's for a date night, a night out with friends or a meeting after work, knowing a great bar to go to for a cocktail – or a mocktail – comes in handy. In Providence, you can find moody speakeasies, bright and floral hangouts and to-the-point bars that match any occasion. To find a great one, here's our reader-approved guide to seven favorites.

Breakfast spots worth waking up for

The Toast Tasting board at Downtown Tilly. Featured front to back are Avocado toast, Lox toast and Monkey Toast, and Berry Breakfast toast.
The Toast Tasting board at Downtown Tilly. Featured front to back are Avocado toast, Lox toast and Monkey Toast, and Berry Breakfast toast.

You know what they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While it often ends up being just grabbing a quick bite of whatever is easiest, sometimes it's nice to take your time, sit down and go out for a proper meal. Here are seven reader-recommended breakfast spots around Rhode Island that are worth waking up for.

Where to go for a slice of pizza

The House Cheese pizza at Pizza Marvin in Providence.
The House Cheese pizza at Pizza Marvin in Providence.

There's a rich culture of pizza in Rhode Island, meaning there are a lot of excellent pizzerias to try. Consider this guide, compiled based on thousands of reader votes, a bucket list of great places to a slice of pizza in Rhode Island. We recommend you try all of them.

And if that's not enough pizza for you, here's a RI pizza guide compiled by our dining editor Gail Ciampa.

Where to go for a burger

Burgers, double and single patties, and coffee milks are on the menu at There, There, a modern diner in Providence.
Burgers, double and single patties, and coffee milks are on the menu at There, There, a modern diner in Providence.

Looking for a great burger without having to fire up the grill? We asked readers their favorites, and they put together a list that includes both classic, straightforward options and ones with creative toppings. Whatever your burger style is, this list will help you pick where to go.

Reader-favorite ice cream spots

Brickley's Ice Cream, in Narragansett, was voted the best ice cream in Rhode Island by ProJo readers in an unscientific poll.
Brickley's Ice Cream, in Narragansett, was voted the best ice cream in Rhode Island by ProJo readers in an unscientific poll.

The coolest dessert on a hot summer day is an ice cream cone, and in Rhode Island, there's no shortage of places to order a cone. You won't be disappointed at any of these spots.

And if you want even more ice cream options, our dining editor Gail Ciampa compiled a list of 15 Rhode Island ice cream places to check out.

Where to go for Italian food

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is grated over spaghetti pomodoro at Locanda.
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is grated over spaghetti pomodoro at Locanda.

Looking for an Italian restaurant in Rhode Island? Do you want red sauce, homestyle, freestyle, inexpensive or fine dining? Should it be a ristorante or a pizzeria? Is Federal Hill the only place to find the best?

When it comes to Italian dining, there are so many questions. But there doesn't have to be. Our dining editor can point you in the right direction. Or you can take the word of readers, who offered up their favorite spots.

Where to go for BYOB

Sandra and Mike Hamilton brought their own wine and cocktails for dinner with friends at Cafe Vino in Johnston. Cafe Vino is a BYOB restaurant in Johnston.
Sandra and Mike Hamilton brought their own wine and cocktails for dinner with friends at Cafe Vino in Johnston. Cafe Vino is a BYOB restaurant in Johnston.

Want to bring your own booze? No problem. We've rounded up 20 Rhode Island restaurants where you can bring your own beer, wine or spirits.

Stylish rooftop dining spots you don't want to miss

The Rooftop at the Providence G offers food and drink with a city view.
The Rooftop at the Providence G offers food and drink with a city view.

If you like a view with your dinner, then rooftop dining might be for you. Whether you're looking for city views in Providence or a water view in Newport, these spots offer great menus to go with the ambiance.

Where to go for BBQ

Great Northern BBQ offers a Sampler Plate for $28. It has wings, ribs and pulled pork with coleslaw, cornbread and pickles. Fries are a side dish.
Great Northern BBQ offers a Sampler Plate for $28. It has wings, ribs and pulled pork with coleslaw, cornbread and pickles. Fries are a side dish.

There aren't many BBQ restaurants in Rhode Island, but our dining editor Gail Ciampa has tried them all. For the most complete run down you'll find anywhere, read this list.

Top picks for a Rhode Island clam shack experience 

Blount Clam Shack on the Waterfront in Warren is one of many great dining spots to enjoy on Water Street.
Blount Clam Shack on the Waterfront in Warren is one of many great dining spots to enjoy on Water Street.

Seafood is quintessential Rhode Island, and one of the best ways to experience it is at a clam shack. You can find them by the seashore or in the city, and enjoy them inside or seaside, but regardless we recommend ordering a lot of Rhode Island seafood.

For when you want classic diner food 

Jigger's Diner is a little gem on Main Street in East Greenwich.
Jigger's Diner is a little gem on Main Street in East Greenwich.

Rhode Island has four operating diners that have made the National Register of Historic Places, serving up classic comfort food. If you are looking for a meal out with a distinctly retro vibe that promises to be a blast, we’ve got the rundown on where to go.

Taprooms and brewpubs you should try

Co-owners Josh Dunlap and Wes Staschke of Whaler's Brewing salute their customers with a shaken beer toast at their South Kingstown facility.
Co-owners Josh Dunlap and Wes Staschke of Whaler's Brewing salute their customers with a shaken beer toast at their South Kingstown facility.

If beer is more your style, Rhode Island has plenty of breweries to visit as their popularity has only grown. This list will narrow it down to 20 must-try brews the Providence Journal has featured around the state, featuring everything from IPAs to dessert beers.

When you want to eat something truly massive

'Man v. Food' host Casey Webb, center, films a segment for the Cooking Channel show at the Hungry Monkey in Newport.
'Man v. Food' host Casey Webb, center, films a segment for the Cooking Channel show at the Hungry Monkey in Newport.

Pizza as big as the table it's served on, cocktails bigger than your head and an omelet big enough to possibly satisfy Disney's Gaston (who famously ate five dozen eggs a day). For fun, we took a look at menus around the state looking for the largest foods in the smallest state. Here are seven giant foods you could try.

Where to go for vegan food

Beet Roses are chef Pete Carvelli's signature dish at Foglia. They take two days to make. They feature thinly sliced and rolled beets cooked in fresh beet juice and are paired with pickled red onion, beet-pistachio crumble and vegan feta.
Beet Roses are chef Pete Carvelli's signature dish at Foglia. They take two days to make. They feature thinly sliced and rolled beets cooked in fresh beet juice and are paired with pickled red onion, beet-pistachio crumble and vegan feta.

Vegan food keeps growing in popularity and Rhode Island has a fair share of choices that run the gamut from sweet to savory. We asked readers for their favorite spots and they didn't disappoint with choices that will tempt your taste buds no matter what you're looking for.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI food and drink guide: Top picks for everything from seafood to pizza