Your Ultimate Guide to Seafood in Rhode Island
Highlighting the best the Ocean State has to offer in raw bar favorites, lobster, fresh-caught fish and clam cakes and chowder.
Photography by Angel Tucker
Highlighting the best the Ocean State has to offer in raw bar favorites, lobster, fresh-caught fish and clam cakes and chowder. We tell you where to go, what to order and all the fun perks at restaurants both by the sea and a little more inland.
The raw bar at Hemenway’s. Photo by Angel Tucker
Hemenway’s
The Backstory: Hemenway’s serves some of the most consistent, best local seafood in Providence. It’s the first place we take out-of-towners who want the local seafood experience in the city combined with a more upscale atmosphere. Part of Newport Restaurant Group, the restaurant celebrated its fortieth anniversary last year with a complete dining room renovation and menu update.
What to Order: The yellowfin, hamachi or tuna crudo served with creative accents like harissa, cured cucumbers and hazelnut; coconut-cilantro crema and chili oil; or black garlic aioli and soy-ginger vinaigrette. Don’t miss the spicy tuna and native lobster sushi rolls, or the chef specialties featuring the fresh catch of the day — often halibut, swordfish or black bass — served with creatively prepared local produce. The seafood-stocked paella and whole lobsters prepared steamed, fisherman’s-style or stuffed with mac and cheese are always a hit.
Fun Perks: Try the Power Lunch special, which includes an appetizer and entree (chowder or salad to start, followed by items like local monkfish or fish and chips) for $35 with coffee and a cookie to go, available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Handroll Happy Hour also features sushi rice and a variety of fillings hand-wrapped in a sheet of seaweed for just $7, available Monday through Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. 121 South Main St., Providence, 351-8570, hemenwaysrestaurant.com
Crudo and sushi from Hemenway’s. Photo by Angel Tucker
Metacom Kitchen
Roasted tautog from Metacom Kitchen. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Chef Rick Allaire is well respected in the local dining scene for leading kitchens at various Rhode Island institutions for decades. He opened his own restaurant, Metacom Kitchen in Warren, in 2014. He and his wife closed the restaurant and put the building up for sale in 2024 while Allaire revamped Scales & Shells in Newport, but then changed their minds and brought Metacom Kitchen back to life last fall.
What to Order: Nobody does octopus quite like Allaire, who flash-grills it to buttery textural perfection and serves it with avocado, roasted scallion, potato and chipotle vinaigrette. There’s always a market fish — like tautog — served daily with seasonal ingredients, as well as items like olive oil poached cod accented by housemade sauces and garden herbs.
Fun Perks: On Mystery Mondays, diners can choose a three-course blind tasting experience. It’s best shared with a group because then you get to sample many different dishes. The (fresh) catch is that you won’t know what’s coming until the plates hit the table. For $45 per person, there’s a mix of vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes to please all types of appetites. 322 Metacom Ave., Warren, 289-3446, metacom.kitchen
Little Friend
The Backstory: Little Friend is like a secret dinner party that includes twenty special guests at an undisclosed location in Providence. Once you sign up through Instagram, you’ll receive email instructions with detailed dinner directions leading to a hidden back entryway through a warehouse door that peeks inside the culinary creatives’ minds.
What to Order: Chefs Andrew McQuesten (you might remember him as the mastermind at north before it closed) and Stephen Sternkopf gather the best in seasonal produce from Little Compton’s Wishing Stone Farm (where they also run a pop-up restaurant), local squid and other seafood, plus proteins from Hopkins Southdowns Farm to create a simple but surprising five-course menu that changes monthly.
Fun Perks: To gain entry to this secret communal dinner party, available on Tuesday evenings in the summer, and Wednesday and Friday evenings Sept. through May, follow @littlefriendpvd on Instagram and send a direct message for details. It’s BYOB, so bring your favorite wine or beverage pairing, and have cash on hand for donations (suggested $75 per person) for the end of the meal. @littlefriendpvd
Claudine
Wild Goose oyster from Claudine. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Claudine offers an eight-course tasting experience with optional upgrades: think caviar, wine pairings and an extra cheese course. The restaurant is owned by couple Josh Finger and Maggie McConnell, who met while working at Per Se in New York City and moved to Providence to open their first restaurant together. The menu focuses on classic French cuisine with a strong emphasis on seafood and locally sourced ingredients.
What to Order: There’s only one option for the full tasting experience at $165 per guest, but you can always expect the freshest catch of the day, including a simple Rhode Island oyster from the Ocean State Shellfish Co-Op with Hokkaido sea urchin and Champagne mousseline to start the evening. Other seasonal seafood species for July might include striped bass, soft shell crab, Maine lobster, shellfish like Bang Island mussels from Maine, local quahogs and razor clams prepared with farm produce like sun-ripened tomatoes and corn, freshly picked herbs and foraged wild berries.
Fun Perks: Claudine was recently named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best New Restaurant. The dining room offers an open kitchen with a mirror on the ceiling, allowing guests access to dinner and a culinary show. For those who don’t imbibe in alcohol, Claudine also offers a nonalcoholic beverage pairing. 225 Weybosset St., Providence, 808-6195, claudinepvd.com
Ten Prime Seafood
Lobster mac and cheese from Ten Prime Seafood. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Ten Prime Seafood is an Elkhay family affair, with owner and “maestro” John Elkhay’s son, Harrison, and daughter, Laura, helping to run the show. It joins Chow Fun Food Group’s other seafood mainstay, Ten Prime Steak & Sushi, as a sister restaurant.
Located on the corner of Empire and Washington streets, where Res and Bravo used to be, it’s perfectly positioned across from Trinity Repertory Company to draw in the theater crowd.
What to Order: Renowned chef Jules Ramos is back after making waves back in the day with Elkhay. Favorite seafood dishes include the raw bar tower with lobster claws, shrimp cocktail, local oysters and littlenecks, the bluefin tuna crispy rice, lobster acting like escargot and the lobster mac and cheese stuffed inside a full lobster. Guests can also opt for simply prepared day boat scallops, swordfish and bluefin tuna that’s either grilled, blackened or sauteed with
lemon butter.
Fun Perks: The restaurant offers half off raw bar favorites on Tuesdays, and “no whine Wednesdays” grant half-priced wines by the glass. There’s also a fun “Poppy Hour” menu available from 4:30–6 p.m. with free organic popcorn and discounted shared plates like super crunchy fish sliders, bluefin tuna and salmon crispy rice, crispy clam strips and fries. 123 Empire St., Providence, 642-0770, tenprimeseafood.com
fred.
The Backstory: This restaurant on the corner of Broadway had big shoes to fill. It was the beloved Broadway Bistro for more than two decades, but the ambience and camaraderie haven’t faltered since the new Portuguese-inspired concept — thankfully run by the same team — replaced it.
What to Order: Start with small plates to share like the nonnegotiable salt cod fritters, pork and littlenecks with braised and fried pork belly, seared squid with charred scallion, roasted red pepper and piri piri vinaigrette, or the seasonal razor clams if they’ve got them. The pasta dish to get is capellini with anchovies, scallions, chili crisp and Asiago, and you can’t leave the Portuguese-inspired restaurant without tasting the shrimp Mozambique.
Fun Perks: The restaurant is also known for its cocktails, including the fred. martini with Chopin vodka, Dolin dry vermouth, house brine, warm olives and Parmesan, a perfect foil to shellfish dishes, and the Italicus spritz with Italicus, soave, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, prosecco and rosemary salt. 205 Broadway, Providence, fredpvd.com
Midtown Oyster Bar
The Backstory: A casual seafood spot with two stories for dining, two bar areas including the cozier second floor Burgee Bar, plus three outdoor decks, including a roof deck. Midtown is more than just oysters, though the bivalves from farms across the region are the definite draw.
Midtown Oyster Bar. Photograph courtesy of Discover Newport
What to Order: Try oysters naked with a squeeze of lemon or bright mignonette, or order a shared platter like the Newporter, the Midtown or Leviathan, all stocked with pristine bivalves, littlenecks, shrimp cocktail, a chilled lobster and shrimp ceviche. Other options include oysters Rockefeller, tuna tartare tacos and the fisherman’s stew with littlenecks, mussels, shrimp, lobster and fish in a saffron tomato broth served with crostini.
Fun Perks: Try Midtown’s oyster shooters, complete with Industrious Spirit Company’s Ostreida oyster-infused vodka, mixed with housemade cocktail sauce and lemon with a fresh oyster on top. 345 Thames St., Newport, 619-4100, midtownoyster.com
Audette
Escargots served with the Gentian Spark cocktail from Audette. Photography by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Located under the Bouchard Inn in the space that formerly occupied Chanterelle and the inn’s namesake restaurant, Audette is like a Parisian cafe where there’s no need to keep track of the time or hold back on butter. The restaurant is run by the same team that owns Thames Street Kitchen and Mission, but this is its fanciest boite in their box.
What to Order: James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef: Northeast, Jasmine Watson, crafts a Caesar salad to remember with a crisp Parmesan topping and anchovy, and guests must get the escargot with garlic herb butter. A signature dish is the quenelles de halibut with lobster, braised Swiss chard, confit shallots and sauce americaine or the monkfish with mussels and seasonal vegetables.
Fun Perks: The sidewalk patio is pure whimsy, with cobblestone and mosaic detailing and dog-friendly seating. Check out the charming side bar, Sarah’s Bar, located between Audette and Thames Street Kitchen for a before-or after-dinner bevvy. 505 Thames St., Newport, 324-5802, audettenewport.com
Giusto
The Backstory: Chef-owner Kevin O’Donnell was recently acknowledged as a semifinalist for Best Chef: Northeast in the 2026 James Beard Awards. The Rhode Island native got his start in hospitality at local pizza places, then went on to work at restaurants in Italy, New York and Paris before opening his first restaurant in Boston, SRV. He made his way back to Rhode Island and opened Giusto right in the middle of the pandemic.
What to Order: Giusto means “just right” in Italian, and the chefs here kick their creativity into high gear with a menu that changes often. 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 crispy-on the-outside and gooey-on-the-inside arancini — a salad, and a fresh pasta and seafood of the day, followed by dessert. The fish might include anything from swordfish and skate wing to sea bass or fluke accompanied by creative preparations of freshly harvested vegetables.
Fun Perks: Dessert is worth savoring in the form of housemade gelatos and sorbets 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
The Lobster Bar
The Backstory: Located at the end of historic Bowen’s Wharf, The Lobster Bar opened in 2012, transforming the space that was once Aquidneck Lobster Company. The restaurant honors the previous owner, Ronnie Fatulli, with a statue installed on site in 2021. Now owned by the Kilroy family, the restaurant and event space is known for its 180-degree harbor views and for selling live shellfish directly from the tank.
What to Order: Start off strong by ordering the Caesar salad bedecked with fried shrimp. For fried fish lovers, the fish and chips is a must, with crunchy panko-breaded Atlantic cod and comforting french fries. With a name like The Lobster Bar, diners can’t go wrong
ordering the traditional lobster roll: Chilled lobster meat is generously dressed in lemon, celery, dill and light mayo then packed on top of a buttered and toasted brioche bun.
Fun Perks: Want to sample all the lobster roll options? Then try the lobster flight with three lobster rolls: one traditional, one naked and one fried, served with hot butter and garlic aioli. For $38, it’s a great way to experience a variety of lobster handhelds. 31 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, 619-2890, lobsterbarri.com
Claw & Hammer
Ocean feast tower from Claw & Hammer. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Opened in April and located where the beloved Scales & Shells used to be, Claw & Hammer brings contemporary flavors to Newport’s Thames Street. Executive Chef Carmine Mottola, formerly of Villa D’Este in Lake Como, Italy, reimagines the New
England seafood experience. The designers aimed to update the space, purchased by Heritage Restaurant Group last year, while keeping its original charm.
What to Order: Paired with a bright citrus herb aioli and fennel salad, the crab cakes are the perfect way to start. The restaurant is known for its stone crabs, and the crustaceans come in three sizes; large, jumbo and colossal, and can be paired with house mustard, cocktail sauce, horseradish, fresh lemon or Tabasco. Other raw bar options include a rotating selection of Rhode Island oysters, and the ocean feast towers. Finish the night off with a housemade coffee milk pie.
Fun Perks: Try the curated caviar service with prosecco from the Pearls & Bubbles section of the menu. Wash down hackleback, osetra or Italian sturgeon served with creme fraiche and chives on blinis and kettle chips with half a bottle of Mionetto prosecco. 527 Thames St., Newport, 846-3474, clawnhammer.com
Signature stone crabs from Claw & Hammer. Photo by Ange Tucker
Finn’s Harborside
Lobster roll with fries
at Finn’s Harborside. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Finn’s Harborside has been a part of Rhode Island’s seafood heritage for several decades. The restaurant suffered a devastating fire in March 2024 that kept the interior restaurant closed for renovations for the last two years. They ran an outdoor bar called Slip 38 last summer and the restaurant is now fully operational, both indoors and out.
What to Order: Keep it simple with the quintessential Ocean State version of stuffies, Rhode Island-style calamari with marinated peppers and marinara, and the stuffed-to-the-gills New England-style lobster roll served in a buttered and grilled bun with shatter-crisp hand-cut fries (those fries!).
Fun Perks: The dockside dining destination still features a waterfront outdoor bar where boaters can pull up for cool drinks and good vibes. Finn’s features live music almost every Friday and Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. 38 Water St., East Greenwich, 884-6363, finnsharborside.com
Purslane
Lobster roll at Purslane. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Chef Matt Richard spent three years learning alongside chef Daniel Boulud at Cafe Boulud in New York City, then came up as an executive sous chef at Newport’s Thames Street Kitchen. He and his partner, Freida Sahady, then went on to open their own food truck, Butterhead, which served elevated handheld fare. Eventually, they sidelined the truck and opened their own restaurant in downtown Wakefield with a new oyster and cocktail bar next door, St. Charbel, which opened this spring.
What to Order: The epic Purslane seafood platter makes a visual and gustatory masterpiece out of a dozen oysters, tuna crudo, bluefish dip, scallops aguachile, tinned sardines, pickles, crackers and bread. But if you’re not feeling the over-the-top fish-filled feast, then skip ahead to the tuna crudo with nuoc cham and chili oil, and scallops with cilantro, jalapeno, red onion and cucumber, followed by the chilled lobster roll, lightly dressed in Duke’s mayo and served in a crisp and buttery griddled bun with chives and Aleppo-dipped lemon. It’s simple and perfect, just as it should be.
Purslane’s interior.
Fun Perks: Head next door to St. Charbel for happy hour from 4–5 p.m. before your meal for specials on small plates and fancy, photo-worthy cocktails served in dainty glassware. 318 Main St., Wakefield, 515-7340, purslane-ri.com
Matunuck Atelier
Ceviche from Matunuck Atelier. Photo by Angel Tucker
The Backstory: Matunuck Atelier is the elegant and sophisticated little sister to Matunuck Oyster Bar. Perry Raso’s second restaurant opened across from Wakefield Mall this past winter after a fire destroyed the original Matunuck Oyster Bar in May 2025. The original still operates under an upscale and elegant tent across the street from its previous location, spring through fall, with a rebuild coming soon.
What to Order: The second outpost boasts an expansive and similar MOB menu. While many of the raw bar and seafood menu items carry over from the original, there’s a greater emphasis on ceviche, crudo and sushi, housemade pastas and seafood-stuffed ravioli, as well as impressive steaks like an American Wagyu bavette, a Prime Tomahawk steak and a Wagyu burger for the carnivores.
Fun Perks: Take advantage of the valet. Just pull up and let them park your car for you (remember some small bills for a tip). Head to the back of the restaurant to watch pastas and breads being made by Italian-born artisan Gabi Napoli, using her family’s time-honored recipes. 151 Old Tower Hill Rd., South Kingstown, 238-8759, matunuckatelier.com
Sea Craft
The Backstory: Located in The Shore House hotel, Sea Craft opened in 2021. The setting is casual yet sophisticated and an ocean view is almost always guaranteed as the restaurant faces the water.
What to Order: Settle in with a platter of local oysters served with cucumber mint mignonette and cocktail sauce. On a day that calls for warmth, order the New England clam chowder. Made with local clams, smoky bacon and shallots, this starter is comfort in a bowl or cup. The cod tacos are the perfect balance of sweet and salty: Crispy cod is drizzled with zesty lime crema and chipotle aioli, and topped with sweet pineapple pico de gallo and crumbled cotija.
Fun Perks: Don’t skip the raw bar, specifically the Shorehouse Tower, built for sharing with a group at $90. It comes with twelve oysters, eight littlenecks and six jumbo shrimp, served with sauces on the side. 113 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, 515-7222, seacraftri.com
George’s of Galilee
The Backstory: Norman Durfee and his wife, Edna, purchased “George’s Lunch” in 1948, converting the popular fisherman’s hangout into a clam shack. They began serving some of their family recipes, including a clear broth quahog chowder born from a collaboration between Norman’s ancestor, Thomas Durfee, and King Philip’s brother, Wamsutta of the Wampanoags, back in the 1600s. Today, George’s has expanded to two floors with six dining rooms, a beachfront al fresco area and a takeout window.
Roasted cod and Hurricane calamari at George’s of Galilee. Photo by Angel Tucker
What to Order: Kick off your visit with doughy clam cakes and one of the chowdahs. From there, flip straight to the George’s specialties section for the sustainable and whole roasted local catch of the day or the baked seafood trio featuring flounder, scallops and shrimp. If you’re looking for a quick hit before hitting the beach, the albacore tuna melt or Galilee fish sandwich made with oven-baked haddock should do the trick.
Fun Perks: Grab seats on the deck or in the second-floor dining room overlooking Block Island Sound for prime views of the various vessels — and sometimes even gray and harbor seals — gliding by. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s events calendar for live band appearances. 250 Sandhill Cove Rd., Narragansett, 783-2306, georgesofgalilee.com
Ocean House
The Backstory: Dinner at Ocean House is always a special moment. The stunning AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five-Star property sits on the bluffs of Watch Hill and recently underwent room renovations. Whether you choose the more casual bistro with oceanfront views or splurge on the full chefs’ tasting experience at COAST, the chefs gather local farm ingredients and the freshest seafood to produce all dishes.
COAST at Ocean House. Photo by Angel Tucker
What to Order: At the bistro, start with a half-dozen briny local oysters and velvety scallops crudo with citrus, pomegranate and cucumber, and snack on lightly fried calamari. For entrees, we recommend the seared Stonington scallops with romesco sauce, fava beans and chorizo with vivid slices of daikon radish and the mussels frites with shellfish broth you’ll want to spoon up like soup.
Fun Perks: Book dinner on the earlier side so you can take in the crashing surf from the dining room windows and catch the sunset views from the front of the hotel. Guests can also choose outdoor dining at the Verandah raw bar in spring and summer, while resort members and hotel guests can take
advantage of the beachside Thea at Dune Cottage for its Mediterranean menu. 1 Bluff Ave., Watch Hill, 678-0364, oceanhouseri.com
Champlin’s
The Backstory: Watch your dinner sail by on one of the many fishing fleets returning to port at this classic seafood-by-the-shore joint. You can either sit indoors — where the many windows let in the sea breeze — or outside facing Point Judith Harbor. Check out the historic photos depicting the aftermath of the 1938 and 1954 hurricanes plastered along the walls.
What to Order: The classic chowdah and clam cake combo: Order red, white or clear chowder by the half-pint, pint or quart, and pair it with either a half-dozen or dozen clam cakes. An ample portion of fish and chips is made with just-caught haddock or flounder. The lobster dinner comes with either french fries, red potatoes, sweet potato fries or onion rings and slaw. A reminder to “rent” a nutcracker for $3 and you’ll get your
deposit back at the end of your (messy) meal. (Don’t forget a lobster bib!)
Fun Perks: Casual is the name of the game here: Many folks come straight from the beach, sporting sun-baked cheeks and flip-flops. Kids — and adults — love waving to passengers coming into Point Judith on the Block Island Ferry. Pick out a lobster from Champlin’s seafood store downstairs and the restaurant will steam it for you for $5. If you have room for dessert, visit The Sweet Spot next door for a Galilee Rocks-homemade chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips, walnuts and marshmallow topping. 256 Great Island Rd., Narragansett, 783-3152, champlins.com
The Coast Guard House
The Backstory: The Coast Guard House is housed in a former “life saving” station active from 1888 (just two years after the Narragansett Towers were built) until the 1940s. It spent a few decades as a seasonal spot before transforming into a year-round dining destination in 1979. Though the restaurant has taken quite the beating from several hurricanes, the updated (and resilient) property boasts a modern dining room with panoramic views of the sea and even more outdoor waterfront dining opportunities.
The Coast Guard House. Photo courtesy of The Coast Guard House/Josh Edenbaum
What to Order: A little something from the raw bar, like a half-dozen fresh littlenecks or oysters, is a great place to start. On the apps side, the sizable stuffies, punchy popcorn shrimp and semi-spicy Spanish octopus should all be top of mind. For entrees, go for the Mediterranean herb sauce-covered swordfish nestled amongst couscous andcherry tomatoes, as well as the lobster mac and cheese.
Fun Perks: Move over Castle Hill: The Coast Guard House also breaks out the Adirondack chairs in the summer months for sippin’ pretty right on the ocean rocks. 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, 789-0700, thecoastguardhouse.com
