35 Rhode Island Restaurants for Outdoor Dining

By Jamie Coelho with assistance from Lauren Clem, Dana Laverty, Jenna Pelletier and Tabitha Pereira

The best and newest spots to dine outdoors in the Ocean State. Sit by the water, close to the beach, in the heart of the city, or shoot for the sky up on a rooftop. The choice is yours to make — we’re just giving you options so you can make an educated epicurean decision. 

22 Bowen’s

The View: Boats bobbing on the harbor make up the backdrop of this waterfront restaurant in downtown Newport. The Portside patio boasts a beautiful bar, cobblestone walkways and brickwork, with planters overflowing with blooms in every color of the rainbow. Each table setting is like steering your own private ship with its own personal umbrella and rattan chairs.

The Details: This is the place for a celebration where only the finest foods will do, especially when punctuated by oysters and caviar. Slice into perfectly seared but juicy-in-the-middle steaks and sip the boldest of reds from the wine list. Seafood selections run the gamut from a prime seafood tower stocked with oysters, littlenecks, shrimp and lobster and entrees of pan-seared halibut to two- or three-pound steamed Maine lobsters. The New England clam chowder (gussied up with heaps of tender clams and fresh dill!) is a must, and I love the seared tuna with crispy rice, avocado crema, yum-yum sauce, ponzu, scallions and eel sauce. Red meat comes with its very own menu of cuts, from New York strip and bone-in Delmonico to a Tomahawk rib-eye and center-cut filet. There’s also a Wagyu selection of six-ounce Miyazaki A5 strip and a sixteen-ounce Westholmes Farms Australian rib-eye. Service is impeccable, with every need anticipated and fulfilled. May as well spring for dessert as all the selections are worth the calories, including pistachio cheesecake and Key lime pie. Why not a taste of both for the table? 22 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, 841-8884, 22bowens.com

 

Perro Salado

The View: The cutest covered brick patio sits beside a historic Colonial house-turned-restaurant. Floral planters set the scene from the sidewalk while residents of the City by the Sea hustle by. This is the most unpretentious restaurant in Newport with an outdoor atmosphere that welcomes pooches, reasonable prices and potent margaritas (book the Uber, it’s worth it).

The Details: The menu includes all the usual Mexican favorites for tacos on fresh corn tortillas, like pork carnitas, chicken tinga and tamarind braised beef, to more inventive options like Korean BBQ duck and blackened mahi-mahi. There are also plant-based options — roasted cauliflower, spicy tofu and sauteed vegetables — that can be served with vegan cheese on request. Starters
go from mainstream guacamole and chips to addictive avocado fries and sticky pork ribs (Wet-Naps necessary). Empanadas are stuffed with everything from chorizo to shishito peppers and served with pico de gallo and sour cream. There’s usually an inventive fusion special like slow-cooked shredded beef egg rolls with birria sauce on the side. Tequila and mezcal lovers will love the epic menu of dozens of bottles available by the pour, flight or cocktail. Perro Salado adds on a 1 percent fee to all guest checks, which is paid directly to the back-of-the-house kitchen staff. Much deserved. 19 Charles St., Newport, 619-4777, perrosalado.com

 

Giusto

The View: Settle into a chair on the expansive deck that overlooks Newport Harbor’s distant sunset views and the yachts that get the VIP waterfront seats. The restaurant’s windows open wide in warm weather, transforming one whole side of the building into a sprawling outdoor bar. Grab a table on the patio for an epic seated dinner or sink into comfortable outdoor couches and lounge chairs for light bites and cocktails or wine.

The Details: Giusto means “just right” in Italian, and the chefs here kick their creativity into high gear with a monthly–changing menu. Seasonal farm and seafood ingredients dictate what dishes make an appearance, but your best bet is the eight-course freestyle tasting menu for $55 per person. Guests experience a family-style shared spread of Giusto’s greatest hits, which might include the ricotta frittelle — bite-sized crisp-on the-outside and gooey-on-the-inside arancini — usually a salad, and a fresh pasta and seafood of the day, followed by dessert. The fish might include anything from scup and skate wing to sea bass or fluke accompanied by a medley of whatever vegetables are being harvested at the moment. Dessert is worth savoring in the form of housemade gelatos and sorbets and elaborate and creamy panna cottas in citrus and tropical fruit flavors. The portion sizes are also “just right.” 4 Commercial Wharf, Newport, 324-7400, giustonewport.com

 

Newport Vineyards

The View: “Rent a row” with a table and chairs nestled along the grapevines at this coastal winery. The atmosphere includes historic stone walls, shaded trees, a fire pit and cornhole, sometimes with live music, located on 100 acres of preserved farmland. Sip wine and beer made from hops and grapes grown, fermented or brewed on-site, and soak up the ocean breezes on the open-air patio strung with twinkling lights and equipped with a retractable roof that can be shuttered with the hit of a button. 

The Details: Executive chef Andy Teixeira of Newport Vineyards recently earned recognition in the James Beard Foundation 2024 awards as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Northeast. He takes pride in making almost everything — from fig jam and aioli to housemade bread and cured meats — from scratch. This year is Newport Vineyards’ thirtieth anniversary and upcoming events feature live music, brunch, a DIY charcuterie cart, and the regular beer and wine tastings alongside a full restaurant menu featuring charcuterie and nibbles boards, salads and burgers and sandwiches. The team grows most of its produce, herbs and fruits right in the farm’s fields and greenhouses, and harvests its own grapes and hops for wine and beer. All other ingredients — beef and pork from Blackbird Farm and fish from local fishermen — can be traced back to a local connection. Don’t miss the monthly sweet treat board piled high with creatively themed desserts of every type. 909 E. Main Rd., Middletown, 848-5161, newportvineyards.com

 

Boat House 

The View: Panoramic views of Mount Hope Bay — and if you time your reservation right, a spectacular sunset over the water — will entice you to linger over one more cocktail or a post-meal espresso. 

The Details: Those looking to indulge in the bounty of the sea will be happy as a clam at this Tiverton favorite. A good way to start your meal: Slurp your way through a raw bar sampler and then choose between two preparations of chowder, creamy classic New England white chowder or smoky-sweet Hall of Fame chowder with chorizo, shrimp and a crumbled cornbread topping. Entrees range from casual sandwiches like a Maine lobster roll to more elaborate preparations like Italian seafood stew cioppino and stuffed lobster. This Newport Restaurant Group spot also has plenty of options for meat lovers, including filet mignon and grilled rack of lamb. Cocktails like Tiki Twist, with bourbon and banana, and Smoke on the Water, highlighting mezcal and jalapeno, will transport you back to your last Caribbean vacation. 227 Schooner Dr., Tiverton, 624-6300, boathousetiverton.com —Jenna Pelletier

 

Waterdog Kitchen and Bar

The View: I love the patio here: seashell-paved, bordered by vibrant blue hydrangeas, clean picnic tables with wide, nautical-striped umbrellas, a roaring firepit and dog-friendly (bonus points if you BYO Portuguese water dog). It’s the perfect location for an after-dinner stroll down picturesque Water Street, complete with a jaunt by the picturesque boatyard.

The Details: Start out the night with the shrimp Mozambique Rangoons (a Portuguese spin on crab Rangoons), a tostada with pulled pork and Sao Jorge cheese or some piri piri wings, served with one of the colorful and refreshing cocktails like the pomegranate rosemary margarita or rose sangria. The taco menu is everything with pork alentejana, fried cod, piri piri octopus or lobster and chourico fillings, all served with pico de gallo and guacamole or cabbage with lemon aioli. Some of the larger entrees and plates have Portuguese touches, like the octopus risotto — whose Portuguese vovó didn’t force octopus on you as a kid, but now you love it? — salmon served with kale and chourico risotto, and there’s a Bom Dia burger topped with Sao Jorge cheese, fried egg, pimiento moida and garlic aioli. There’s even Mozambique mac and cheese … OMG. We’re gonna need a doggy bag. 125 Water St., Warren, 252-4660, waterdogkitchen.com 

 

Chomp Kitchen and Drinks

The View: At the Warren location, set up on the patio under the sun shaded by a wide-striped umbrella to take in water views of the Warren River, or nab a covered spot inside surrounded by open-air windows overlooking the boat-bordered harbor. Two more locations, on Ives Street in Providence and Broadway in Newport, also have patio dining. 

The Details: Inventive burgers are key here where the beef patty never plays alone (unless, of course, your kid wants it that way). Burgers come equipped with a panoply of toppings including the Smoky Bandit’s pepper jack cheese, smoky aioli, barbecue sauce, crispy onion strings and pickled jalapenos on a smash patty, or the Scallion Smash with a cheddar smash patty, bacon, tomato, avocado and pea green and scallion slaw. Even the over-the-top chicken sandwiches come all decked out, including the BBQ hot honey fried chicken sandwich slathered with jalapeno cream cheese, Alabama white barbecue sauce and pickles. Sub in a smash patty, grilled chicken, fried chicken or veggie patty for any burger or sandwich. It’s always summer with the latest local beers on draft and the refreshing cocktail menu, including frozen drinks on rotation. I’m all for the Garden Party with Nantucket blueberry vodka, Giffard raspberry liqueur, Amaro Nonino, lemon and simple syrup. Another round, please. 279 Water St., Warren, 289-2324; 117 Ives St., Providence, 537-7556; 111 Broadway, Newport, chompri.com

 

The Love Shack

The View: There are two patios here, including a covered and heated front patio and an expansive open-air beer garden out back, complete with picnic tables, tiki torches, floral planters and a small fire pit with Adirondack chairs. The backyard area shows off the outdoor smokers in a friendly neighborhood atmosphere where you can get to know the regulars and listen to live music. 

The Details: The Love Shack is owned by a couple, Steve and Kate Sylvia, who met twenty years ago in the restaurant industry. This is Kate and Steve’s first restaurant together, and it’s an intimate spot in the former first location of Chomp Kitchen and Drinks. Steve previously managed Bluewater Grill in Barrington, but he also worked at Camille’s, DeWolf Tavern and the former Barnsider, so we know hospitality runs in his veins. The Love Shack menu showcases barbecue ribs, pulled pork and burgers and tacos, but there are also lighter entrees like honey Sriracha grilled salmon and barbecue rice bowls. We got the street corn dip with chips and crudite to start, then went all in on the pulled pork and grilled mahi mahi tacos. Drinks feature a rotating selection of local brews on draft and craft cocktails. Expect to roll up your sleeves and ask for plenty of napkins, because this is messy summer barbecue at its best. 440 Child St., Warren, 289-0607, theloveshackgrill.com

 

Pomodoro Italian Kitchen

The View: Pomodoro’s outdoor tables fill a narrow, string-light-illuminated patio and spill out onto the sidewalk of Wood Street in downtown Bristol. Whether your seat is facing the street, the patio’s wooden fence or a nearby historic home, dining here offers a cozy vibe that’s a lot like hanging out in a neighbor’s backyard. 

The Details: This local favorite (an annual Rhode Island Monthly Best of Rhode Island Readers’ Poll winner) is known for its heaping portions of classic Italian-American preparations, from Milanese and Marsala to Parmigiana to saltimbocca. Run by the Micheletti family, whose Rhode Island restaurant roots run deep, Pomodoro is reminiscent of the charming spots that fill Italian-American enclaves like Providence’s Federal Hill and Boston’s North End, but is tucked away in a quiet area of downtown Bristol. Try comforting classic dishes like eggplant Parmigiana, linguini with clam sauce or gnocchi with creamy vodka sauce before wrapping up the night with a slice of tiramisu or limoncello cake. And don’t forget to pick up a bottle of Italian vino or a Peroni six-pack on your way there — it’s BYOB, with a small corkage fee for beer and wine. Prefer to eat in your own backyard? The extensive menu is also available for takeout. 271 Wood St., Bristol, 396-9699, pomodorobristol.com —J.P.

 

Dune Brothers

The View: Dune Brothers finally has a restaurant location (and a roof over its head!) to match its incredible cuisine. The intimate Fox Point eatery boasts a darling outdoor patio located right next door to the legendary watering hole Captain Seaweed’s. Grab a nice lunch or dinner, then stroll Ives Street and stop in at neighboring businesses like Glou cocktail bar for an after-dinner drink or Kow Kow ice cream for dessert.

The Details: Providence was always in need of a seafood shack serving fresh fish and shellfish harvested from Rhode Island waters. Now we have three, all from the Dune Brothers family, with a fourth location in nearby Riverside. The outdoor seafood shacks in Providence’s Innovation and Design District and in Riverside, as well as the Track 15 food hall outpost, serve up all the rustic clam shack mainstays like fish and chips, lobster rolls, fish macs, and clam cakes and chowder. The new indoor restaurant location with an outdoor patio in Fox Point has all of that in addition to impressive raw bar platters stacked with oysters, littlenecks and Jonah crab claws, and plated dishes like brown butter roasted skate with capers on a heaping bed of savoy cabbage, apple and fennel. Nab a spot on the covered patio and sip a cocktail under the string lights. A fish market inside sells fish and shellfish to take home and prepare your own house specialties. Want to stay home, but don’t feel like cooking? You can also place orders at the curbside takeout window. (In your pajamas? We won’t tell.) 170 Ives St., Providence, 249-9650; 239 Dyer St., Providence, 480-1269; 684 Bullocks Point Ave., Riverside, 378-9201, dunebrothers.com; Track 15, 1 Union Station, Providence, 443-9215, track15ri.com

 

Bayberry Garden

The View: No matter the season, it always feels like outdoor dining at Bayberry Garden, even when you are inside the greenery-graced dining room. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the 195 District Park near the Providence River Pedestrian Bridge, and the immersive patio, called “The Grove,” is surrounded by planters set with native plants to attract pollinators like butterflies and bees. The outdoor Argentinian wood-fired grill will be smoking this summer on weekends. Hours for the Grove are Tuesday–Sunday, noon to 8 p.m.

The Details: The Grove is mostly meant for pre- and post-dinner cocktails and bites — check out the new “picnic snack” menu — and for socializing in an al fresco atmosphere with an expansive outdoor bar. I love the espresso martinis, the herbaceous and citrusy spritzes and the Butterfly Effect cocktail with gin, lavender, sage, ginger, elderflower and lemon. There’s also a raw bar and small bites options for outdoors, or head indoors for the full weekend brunch or dinner menu. From the dainty cocktails to the delicate poached eggs and botanical atmosphere, it’s a perfect location to catch up with friends. The restaurant is bathed in bright light and feels like an exotic green destination. For a savory brunch, choose the salmon Benedict, followed by the pain perdu, which is like creme brulee French toast. Have it for breakfast or dessert, it’s all good. 225 Dyer St., Providence, 642-5013, bayberrygarden.com

 

The East End

The View: One of the best-kept secrets in Providence is the East End’s magical garden patio tucked away behind wooden fencing and a portico in beautiful Fox Point. Head to the back of the restaurant to access the hidden oasis hung with romantic string lights, dotted with garden plants and flowers, and bedecked with a brick patio with tables under giant navy umbrellas. 

The Details: The chefs at the East End take the simplest recipes and make them special through touches of fresh herbs, seeds and sauces. Vegetables are taken to new heights through slow roasting and grilling — in fact, this is a vegan’s nirvana — though they cater to the carnivores, too. Meaty burgers are vamped up with guava barbecue sauce, pickled jalapenos, crispy onion strings, bacon and cheddar, or there’s the plant-based versions like the barbecue shiitake burger or one topped with vegan cheese, burger sauce, lettuce, pickles and marinated tomato. My personal favorite menu items include the salads, one seasonal version with ripe tomatoes, melon, radicchio and crispy sunflower seeds on arugula, crowned with fresh stracciatella cheese and tossed in a bright vinaigrette. Anytime is a good time for poutine, and the East End’s version was born from a Portland, Maine, Duckfat recipe of mushroom gravy, cheese curds and chives topped with an optional fried egg, duck confit or pernil (slow-roasted pork leg). The tempura cauliflower is a season-bending stalwart, dressed with peanut sauce and a sweet and spicy raspberry sambal chili sauce. I’m craving it again already. 244 Wickenden St., Providence, 433-9770, theeastendpvd.com

 

Frank & Laurie’s

The View: This sweet corner restaurant feels like a stop on a Parisian sidewalk with only five premium tables available for outdoor dining. Striped awnings and delicate seating stand out along the perimeter of the light-filled restaurant located across the street from a park. 

The Details: The East Side was ready and waiting for this daytime hang run by partners chef Eric Brown and Sarah Watts. The menu truly depends on what’s coming in from farms that week, but for early June, you can bet just harvested Wishing Stone Farm lettuces and herbs, freshly plucked strawberries and other early seasonal delights will make an appearance. My favorite dishes are always the salads bedecked with ahi tuna or fresh cheeses, flowers or seeds for a little crunch. I’ve also loved the warm and creamy roasted feta with radishes served with crispy focaccia. Grilled and chilled snap peas are served with ramp yogurt and fresh dill; buttery quiche eats like cheesecake with confit mushrooms and Narragansett Creamery cheese; the Hopkins Southdowns lamb sausage is a can’t-miss dish; and for dessert, there might be a special strawberry galette or a whipped ricotta and beach rose doughnut. Come August and September, the things they do to tomatoes are so lusty they are not fit for print. The restaurant also has evening dinner hours on Fridays from 5–9:30 p.m. The wine list is as special as the food menu, with every bottle and glass perfectly paired and poured with intention. 110 Doyle Ave., Providence, 414-7650, frankandlauries.com

 

NIMKI at Courtland Club

The View: The “cocktail garden” — now open for daytime drinks and grilled outdoor eats as well as dinner — feels like a world away. Mahogany and corrugated metal fencing and vibrant red walls section it off into a gathering spot with plenty of seating, a flowering weeping juniper tree and special programming like live music, barbecues and family-friendly daytime events. 

The Details: Whether it’s casual food off the grill combined with daytime bevvies, or a more formally plated dinner, Courtland Club is dishing it out. The outdoor space is a casual place to hang with friends, family and the neighborhood community. Experience the “New England tropical” cuisine by Nikhil Naiker of NIMKI, who just earned his first James Beard Foundation Awards Finalist nomination for the “Emerging Chef” category. Courtland Club also earned a JBF semifinalist acknowledgement for “Outstanding Bar” in 2024, and the cocktails and zero-proof drinks are some of the most inventive around using harvested herbs, fruits and flowers and some housemade syrups and specialty spirits. The things Naiker does to locally harvested fish and farm vegetables are insane. He dreams up some of the best little salads, including one starring raw and roasted Foggy Notion Farm snap peas — a textural dream — served with a peanut and curry leaf dressing, lemon and mint. NIMKI is also known for the saina chickpea fritters, grilled local fish and crudo, and Hopkins Southdowns lamb. For Naiker’s signature chicken tendies and spicy-style fried chicken sandwich, Baffoni Farm chicken is marinated in buttermilk, garam masala and hot sauce, double-fried, then dipped in a smoky spicy chili oil, and eaten as-is or placed on a toasted bun with tangy tamarind chutney and creamy slaw. It’s a taste of summer in a sandwich. 51 Courtland St., Providence, 227-9300, courtlandclub.com

 

Oberlin

The View: The heart of the city, baby, and whatever’s going on at Grant’s Block next door. There’s usually some kind of summer festival or the monthly movies on the block on June 26, July 24, Aug. 28 and Sept. 25. 

The Details: Surely you’ve heard the hype about Oberlin by now. It’s all true — the restaurant is a James Beard Award finalist this year for Outstanding Restaurant — and now you can bask in the high-quality crudo creations, wood-fired sourdough and inventive, housemade pastas on the outdoor patio while basking in the warm breeze and bustling electricity of downtown Providence. Twinkling lights and carefully curated cocktails add a gauzy layer to nighttime dining and covert people-watching. Or put on your prettiest sundress and tuck into rye sourdough pancakes, oysters foche or a baked iris — a Sicilian doughnut stuffed with ricotta and chocolate filling — during weekend brunch. Whatever your pleasure, bring your foodie friends and order a bunch of small plates to share in Oberlin’s culinary bounty. 266 Westminster St., Providence, 588-8755, oberlinrestaurant.com —Dana Laverty

 

The Brook Kitchen and Bar

The View: Located right on the banks of the Pawtuxet River, the spacious deck and dining room have water views of the flowing brook in the heart of Pontiac Mills.  

The Details: The former NYLO Hotel in Warwick is now the Loom Hotel, and it’s leaning into its history as a textile manufacturing plant and former Fruit of the Loom mill by paying homage to textiles through design and decor. There are loom wall hangings in the lobby and dining room and art on the walls that incorporates buttons, thread spools and vintage logos. Even the menu at the on-site restaurant, The Brook Kitchen and Bar, has playful touches like a “cotton” candy bedecked cocktail. The chef, Daniel Gibb, is straight from Scotland and makes everything from scratch, including the hot pepper jelly served with the cheese plate, curried mussels, crab cakes, Caesar salad dressing and handmade baccala gnocchi with squid. There’s his signature fish and chips as well as an epic lobster roll, served warm or chilled, on a toasted brioche bun. The bread pudding with chocolate ganache sauce and berry compote is incredible, as are the lemon blueberry pancakes the next morning. This is the perfect place for a local staycation; the al fresco dining atmosphere is just a bonus. 400 Knight St., Warwick, 734-4460, theloomhotel.com

 

Cork & Rye Gastropub

The View: You’ll be too enthralled with the picture-perfect cocktails and perfectly plated entrees to notice you’re next to the Warwick Mall.

The Details: Parking lot outposts near suburban shopping malls are typically the domain of sports bars and chain restaurants. And indeed, Cork & Rye Gastropub’s location next to the Warwick Mall used to house a Fat Belly’s pub. But this contemporary cocktail bar and restaurant — opened in 2019 by industry veteran Ashlen Gianforcaro — is anything but cookie cutter. The elevated menu features seasonally tailored entrees like blackened swordfish with smoked chicken sausage and black bean dirty rice and steakhouse cavatelli with marinated flat iron steak and spinach, mushrooms and onions in garlic butter. Even handhelds get the grand treatment with options like the bacon and brie burger with tomato jam and arugula and the fig and smoked prosciutto grilled pizza. For drinks, choose from any of the rotating craft cocktails with names like Use the Force and Let the Wookie Win (psst — there’s usually a theme!) or check out the extensive wine list and mocktail selections. You might be miles from the coast, but a newly renovated patio and full raw bar ensure even the suburbs can capture a slice of Rhode Island summer. Plus, many menu items are available vegan or gluten-free, so even those with dietary restrictions can indulge. 255 Lambert Lind Hwy., Warwick, 921-8324, corkandryeri.com —Lauren Clem

 

Apponaug Brewing Company

The View: An industrial chic patio nestled among a revived factory complex on the banks of the Pawtuxet River makes this brewery a hidden gem.

The Details: Apponaug Brewing Company’s dinner menu and fully stocked bar set it apart in Rhode Island’s busy brewery scene. Tacos and sliders form the base of this pub-style menu, with handhelds like chicken street corn tacos and fried green tomato sliders perfect for noshing in an Adirondack chair on the riverfront patio. Other menu categories include crunchy — banh mi fries with pickled vegetables and cilantro — and flatbreads — Buffalo chicken with crumbled blue cheese and scallions — along with salads and apps. Pair it with a pint of the Pawtuxet Pils or a glass of sangria and you’ve got a perfect recipe for an afternoon spent lounging in the sun. The newly remodeled and pooch-friendly patio also has a large covered area, making it an option in any weather. Don’t forget to say hello to PopeAnnaug — aka the Bishop of Beer — a clergy-themed Mr. Potato Head originally conceived as part of a Hasbro marketing campaign that now presides over the patio. 334 Knight St., Warwick, 681-4321, apponaugbrewing.com —L.C.

 

Lake Taco

The View: Located on Tiogue Lake in Coventry, Lake Taco is your stop for a picturesque waterfront dining experience in the unlikeliest of places. Rhode Island might be known as the Ocean State, but this waterfront restaurant nestled smack dab in the middle of the state offers lake views and stunning sunsets on the water. 

The Details: The menu exudes Tex-Mex vibes with options ranging from chips and salsa and nachos for starters to dinner choices like a BBQ chicken bowl with tangy Texas BBQ sauce and roasted corn or a classic fajita plate with simmering veggies and chimichurri. Choose from handhelds like hot honey chicken with buttermilk fried chicken breast and creamy slaw or a fish sandwich with beer-battered cod. And of course, Lake Taco wouldn’t be complete without a wide range of taco selections: carne asada, shrimp and a veggie quesitaco are just some of the options, with additional menu items named Brisky Business, complete with smoked brisket, creamy slaw, pickled onion and Alabama white sauce and the Lake Taco, filled with crispy cod, lettuce, mango pico de gallo and cilantro aioli on a flour tortilla. And if you have a gluten sensitivity, you’re covered: All tacos can be prepared gluten-free. Wash it all down with a beer or cocktail from the extensive list or a selection from the special tequila or mezcal menus. The lakeside restaurant also offers brunch and live music almost every night. 446 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, 205-8226, laketacori.com —Tabitha Pereira

 

Press

The View: Score one of the outdoor tables on Press’ patio, which overlooks Wickford Village’s peaceful Academy Cove, and take in a view reminiscent of what you’d see on a stroll in a park or nature preserve.   

The Details: This new all-day dining destination in a charming mid-1800s historic home called the Swan’s Nest on the water invites you to sit back and linger for a while. In the morning, pop by the coffee bar to indulge in a well-made espresso drink and a decadent treat like a housemade brown sugar cinnamon pop-tart. The brunch menu, offered Friday through Sunday, features sweet and savory dishes ranging from zucchini bread with savory herb-whipped ricotta to a warm beet salad with apple compote to a cheese board with selections sourced from nearby Wickford Cheese and Sundry. Come dinnertime, share sophisticated seasonal large plates, like the confit chicken thigh brined in buttermilk and rye-crusted fluke served meuniere style in a brown butter lemon sauce. The stand-out cocktail menu includes less common selections like milk-washed rum punch and five coffee cocktail options, as well as enticing mocktails, including a refreshing booze-free raspberry mojito. 30 W. Main St., North Kingstown, pressri.com —J.P.

 

River Bar

The View: The outdoor patio overlooking the meandering Pawcatuck River is a slice of serenity amidst the bustle of downtown Westerly.

The Details: Restaurateurs Aaron Laipply and James Wayman — who are also behind the bakery and pizza spots Nana’s Westerly and Nana’s Mystic — expanded their Rhode Island restaurant footprint by opening River Bar last year. The menu celebrates local farmers and fishermen, with options including grass-fed burgers with meat sourced from Stonington, Connecticut, and cornmeal-crusted calamari, while creatively incorporating a global pantry of fermented ingredients like miso and koji. For a lighter meal, pair a plate of Nana’s crusty sourdough bread with a spread of just-harvested Rhode Island oysters and littlenecks from the raw bar. And it’s already earned national praise: River Bar made Esquire’s 2024 Best New Restaurants in America list. 37 Main St., Westerly, 561-7050, riverbarwesterly.com —J.P. 

 

Reach the Beach

More great patios on your way to and from the beautiful beaches of Rhode Island. By Jamie Coelho

Matunuck Oyster Bar

Closest Beach: East Matunuck State Beach. The View: Rooftop and patio views over Potter Pond, where oysters are harvested. The Menu: Rhode Island-sourced seafood and Matunuck Oyster Farm oysters, paired with Matunuck Farm-harvested produce. Try crudo or raw bar options, or go for Point Judith calamari, littlenecks and chourico or clams casino, followed by heartier plates like the lobster roll, seared scallops or blackened yellowfin tuna. 629 Succotash Rd., Wakefield, 783-4202, rhodyoysters.com

Celeste

Closest Beach: Narragansett Town Beach. The View: Distant water views of nearby Narragansett Town Beach and the Towers. The Menu: Coastal European cuisine from Italy, Spain and France using locally harvested and fished ingredients. Salads, pizzas (topped with Narragansett Creamery mozzarella), sandwiches and more robust main courses like a whole roasted fish, Brandt Farm ribeye and Romesco cod are popular for this time of year. 15 Kingstown Rd., Narragansett, 792-4333, celesteri.com

George’s of Galilee

Closest Beach: Salty Brine, Narragansett. The View: The port of Galilee where fishing boats depart and arrive. Watch out for the seagulls! They are gluttons for good food, too. The Menu: There’s plenty of seating at this waterfront restaurant with six different dining rooms over two floors, al fresco dining, two seasonal tiki bars and a takeout window serving all of Rhode Island’s seafood specialties — from clam cakes and chowder and a lobster roll to a plated whole-roasted local fish and lobster boil — landed by boats coming to shore in Point Judith. 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd., Narragansett, 783-2306, georgesofgalilee.com

Iggy’s Doughboys, Chowder House and Creamery

Closest Beach: Scarborough (Narragansett); Oakland Beach (Warwick). The View: Distant water views from the upper deck of the Narragansett location, and full Oakland Beach views from the patio in Warwick. The Menu: Whether you just want clam cakes and chowder after a stop at the beach, or you’re craving a full-on seafood feast, Iggy’s satisfies your needs. Stop by for a quick doughboy or ice cream (or a doughboy sundae), or pick up a takeout order at the windows, or sit down to a casual fried seafood platter or lobster roll meal at either location. Warwick has a more extensive menu with seated and plated lobster and seafood dinners at the Boardwalk. 1151 Point Judith Rd., Narragansett, 783-5608; 885 and 889 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick, 737-9459, iggysri.com

Flo’s Clam Shack

Closest Beach: Easton’s (First) Beach (Middletown); Island Park Beach (Portsmouth). The View: Scope out Bruce, the giant fiberglass shark outside, climb the stairs to the upstairs bar to avoid the crowds, and look out across the street to Easton’s (First) Beach. In Portsmouth, chill on picnic tables overlooking Island Park Beach. The Menu: All your favorite clam shack fare in an unpretentious atmosphere; think shabby chic wooden tables and kitschy nautical decor with a menu of clam cakes and chowder, fried clams, fish and chips and lobster rolls served on no-frills disposable dining ware or to go. In Middletown, there’s also the Flo’s Top Side raw bar menu with freshly shucked oysters, littlenecks, crab legs and more. 324 Park Ave., Portsmouth; 4 Wave Ave., Middletown, 847-8141, flosclamshacks.com

Ocean House

Closest Beach: Watch Hill Beach and East Beach. The View: Sit on the porch of the Verandah and take in ocean views, the croquet green and Taylor Swift’s rooftop with raw bar selections, salads and lighter entrees. Over at Thea at Dune Cottage, hotel guests are dining directly on the beach. Dalia is another option, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and the Secret Garden Champagne Bar shows off surrounding waterfront views with plush outdoor seating. The Menu: The accessible-to-the-public Verandah is all about the raw bar of local oysters, clams, jumbo shrimp and lobster, as well as ceviche, lobster rolls, flatbreads and sandwiches. Dalia involves Spanish tapas while Dune Cottage offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu, available for hotel guests only. 1 Bluff Ave., Westerly, 855-678-0364, oceanhouseri.com

 

Up on the Roof

Where to grab food and drinks with views that overlook the city, ocean or bay. By Jamie Coelho

The Roof Deck at the Vanderbilt

Watch the sunset over the horizon from the rooftop terrace of a Newport mansion once owned by the renowned Vanderbilt family. Sip Newport-themed cocktails, and pretend you’re from old money, honey. 41 Mary St., Newport, 846-6200, aubergeresorts.com/vanderbilt/dine/the-roof-deck

Top of Newport Bar, Hotel Viking

Up on the roof of the Hotel Viking is a place where you can let all your cares drift right into space over views of the Gilded Age mansions and boats in the marina. Time a visit right for sunset. Open Memorial Day weekend through October, Top of Newport offers a Lite Bites menu served with cocktails, beer and wine. 1 Bellevue Ave., Newport, 847-3300, hotelviking.com 

Midtown Oyster Bar

Midtown Oyster Bar has a third-floor roof deck and second-floor patio for lunch and dinner seating with views that look down on the bustling waterfront. They cannot guarantee seating on the roof deck or patio, but you can try to request it upon arrival or with your reservation. 345 Thames St., Newport, 619-4100, midtownoyster.com

Coast Guard House 

Grab a spot on the roof deck overlooking southern Rhode Island’s craggy coast in the former U.S. Coast Guard station made from solid granite. Seafood dishes surround you, but there’s plenty of sandwiches, steaks and pasta dishes at this prime waterfront perch. 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, 789-0700, thecoastguardhouse.com

Aloft Providence Downtown’s Blu Violet Rooftop

The hotel’s newly renovated rooftop has one of the most stunning views in Providence with a straight shot of the Superman building and College Hill. Choose from a self-described “chaotic, New American seasonal fusion menu,” carefully crafted by executive chef Cara Mourning, alongside inventive cocktails, lounge seating and firepit towers. 191 Dorrance St., Providence, 252-0710, marriott.com/en-us/hotels/pvdal-aloft-providence-downtown

Bellini Rooftop

This private, members-only rooftop bar, also accessible to hotel guests, is a hot ticket if you can get in the door. The space is designed for intimate social and business gatherings with lounge seating, and wide doors open to a sprawling deck with outdoor furniture. Views overlook the entire city, and if you’re lucky, you’ll catch the sunset, bellini in hand, of course. The Beatrice, 90 Westminster St., Providence, 443-2960, thebeatrice.com

Mare Rooftop

The year-round, fully enclosed rooftop restaurant features views of the East Side and downtown Providence, plus amazing dinner, weekend lunch and cocktail menus. 229 Waterman St., Providence, 336-6273, marerooftop.com

Rooftop at Providence G

Yes, you can find a Miami vibe in little PVD. Take the elevator up to the rooftop where a sprawling bar, outdoor couches and sitting areas await for dinner and drinks. The open space has a retractable glass rooftop, fire pits and private lounges to enjoy the city skyline and starry nights. Weekend nights might feature after-dark entertainment. The downstairs restaurant also has sidewalk seating at Sarto. 100 Dorrance St., Providence, 632-4904, providenceg.com