Diner’s Update

EVENTS, SPECIALS AND MENU UPDATES

1/13

For Clementine’s January chef night, chef Wyatt Clopton, a rising star in the Providence food scene from Johnson & Wales University, will be serving a four-course meal. Originally from the North Shore of Massachusetts, he has been living, working and going to school in Providence pursuing his bachelor’s degree at Johnson & Wales University, where he is in his fourth year. This will be Wyatt’s second pop-up at Clementine where he will be bring a brand-new menu designed entirely by him. Outside of Clementine, you can find Wyatt cooking over at Gift Horse. Heavily driven by Korean influences from his grandmother, Wyatt’s menu is a reflection of his childhood memories and time spent with her. This menu is also an ode to his friends and the food they share along with their immeasurable support for each other. Book a reservation for Jan. 13 here.

1/15

Legal Sea Foods is celebrating seventy-five years of serving its award-winning New England clam chowder with the return of its annual Chowder Day on January 15. For one day only, guests can enjoy $1 cups and $2 bowls of Legal Sea Foods’  New England clam chowder when dining in or ordering takeout in person. Available at all locations, including the airport.

1/18

Gooseneck Vineyards is kicking off its new brunch series over MLK weekend. Bubbles and Brunch with Newport Chowder Company is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy a thoughtfully curated brunch menu by Newport Chowder Company, featuring their famous seafood chowder, classic shrimp cocktail and Muriel’s beloved baked French toast. Of course, no brunch is complete without a glass of Gooseneck Vineyards prosecco — perfectly poured as a mimosa or transformed into one of the seasonal spritzes. Tickets are $65 each.

1/22-1/25

The twenty-second-annual Sun Wine & Food Fest will return to Mohegan Sun on January 22–25. As one of the Northeast’s premier culinary celebrations, the four-day festival features more than fifteen curated tasting experiences, over 1,000 wines, beers and spirits, and an impressive roster of celebrity chefs including Michael Symon, Robert Irvine, Antonia Lofaso, Esther Choi, Scott Conant and more. Additionally, David Ortiz will be in attendance for the first time to celebrate the festival! This year’s event will offer expansive tastings, chef-driven culinary activations, rare pours and live demos. Get tickets here.

1/23-3/28

The Boston Harbor Hotel is thrilled to present the thirty-seventh-annual Boston Wine & Food Festival, which returns with more than 43 showstopping events. The acclaimed festival is led by Executive Chef David Daniels and Festival Director Nick Daddona and brings an exciting lineup of brand-new thematic wine dinners, tastings, galas, and master classes. Set in newly remodeled spaces at the hotel with Boston Harbor in the backdrop, the festival kicks off with the Opening Reception on January 23rd and runs through March 28th. The 2026 Boston Wine & Food Festival features several new exciting events, including the President’s Reserve Dinner, which pays homage to the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The dinner will pair wines loved or inspired by six former presidents. A new focus on scotch and whiskey comes to life through The Macallan Whiskey Master Class and a Scotch Tasting Pop-Up. Also new this year are the Art of the Espresso Martini, a Mezcal Master Class, the Louis Roederer Champagne Dinner, Cakebread Cellars Winemaker Dinner, and Rioja Dinner with Bodega Lonzaga.

1/25-2/7

Dine out in Rhode Island’s capital city for Providence Restaurant Weeks and enjoy special offers at participating restaurants. Take advantage of reduced-price items for lunch and dinner with some restaurants offering signature cocktails and prix fixe menus. Visit the website for participating restaurants and pricing.

1/28

See the world through rose-colored glasses at Rosa by Sarto, a night of Cosmos, charcuterie and appetizers. Dress in pink and sip handcrafted pink cocktails made with VELO Vodka and nosh on charcuterie and bites that pair with the vibe. Meet the women-led team from VELO Vodka Team and Chelsea Delman, known as @thesocialitefiles on Instagram and @thesocialitefiles on TikTok. The party kicks off at 6 p.m., and $25 tickets (additional taxes, gratuity and fees apply) include a sample beverage featuring VELO Vodka, passed appetizers, live DJ performance by DJ Valentina, complimentary pink party favors and tickets for raffle prizes awarded that evening: Dinner for two at Sarto; drinks and apps for four at Sarto and drinks and dessert for two at the bar! Guests are responsible for additional orders of drinks at the bar. Unfortunately, no refunds are available for Rosa by Sarto. Secure tickets here.

1/31

Meet Rhode Island Monthly editor-in-chief Jamie Coelho, author of Rhode Island Food Crawls at the Westerly Library on Jan. 31 from 1-2:30 p.m. She will give a presentation on Rhode Island Food Crawls, followed by a Q-and-A and book signing. Rhode Island Food Crawls is an exciting culinary tour through the Ocean State. Discover hidden gems with the freshest seafood, hottest cocktail bars, and the best seaside views around. Each crawl is the complete recipe for a great night out, the perfect tourist day, a new way to experience your own city, or simply indulging in some eye candy from home. Head to Dolores in Providence for brunch, get weird at Warren’s Water Street, and hit South County for oysters, wine, and ocean views. Put on your walking shoes and your stretchy pants, and dig into Rhode Island one dish at a time.

1/31

Celebrate American craft beer at Rhode Island Brew Fest at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence during two sessions on Jan. 31 from 1–4 p.m. and 5:30–8:30 p.m. Fifty-plus breweries will pour more than 200 styles of beer. Now in its thirteenth year, the Rhode Island Brew Fest invites attendees to sip on offerings from local and national breweries while enjoying hearty eats from a bevy of food vendors. All attendees will receive a keepsake pint glass. Ages twenty-one and older. Tickets are $65.21 each and $23.11 for designated drivers.

ONGOING EVENTS

Sarto introduces the new Chef’s Table, an intimate prix-fixe dinner for two, available on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings after 6:30 p.m. For $79.99, guests will savor multiple courses of seasonal Italian-inspired cuisine paired with the option to enjoy select bottles of wine at half price. Make it a weekday or Sunday tradition at a steal. Reservations are recommended at sartoprovidence.com. Sarto is also adding on a new Late Night Lounge. Every Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., guests can extend their evening with after-dinner cocktails in an atmosphere that’s as swanky as it is relaxed. Once the kitchen closes at 11 p.m., the bar takes center stage with curated cocktails, signature Negronis, and complimentary bar snacks designed to keep the night flowing.

Mill’s Tavern now has an extensive Wagyu program. From rare Japanese A5 to premium Australian Grade 6–7 Wagyu and prime grade steak, each cut comes from carefully selected vendors who share Mill’s passion for quality. For more information, visit millstavernrestaurant.com/wagyu. For reservations, call 401-272-3331 or email  info@millstavernrestaurant.com.

Get a feel for the Providence and Newport dining scenes with Rhode Island Red Food Tours. For Rhode Island Monthly magazine’s Best of Rhode Island Award-winning Downcity Providence Food Tour, delicious adventure awaits where food, art, and architecture collide in Providence’s vibrant Downcity Arts District. Sample from diverse Rhode Island favorites and award-winning culinary restaurants, and between bites get an insider’s view of this lively and creative small city. Expert guides will help you discover the treasure of epicurean favorites, hidden art, historic architectural gems, sharing local stories and the many happenings to be found in Rhode Island’s Creative Capital. Tours take place on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, mid-April through November. Tickets are $79 Per Person (no alcohol) or $99 Per Person (with alcohol), or $105 (no alcohol with Rhode Island Food Crawls book) or $125 (with alcohol and Rhode Island Food Crawls Book).

During the Rhode Island Red Food Tours’ Newport Neighborhood Tour, guests will discover diverse, eclectic out-of-the-way neighborhood eateries – with a homespun vibe, where the locals know to go as well as hotbeds of food and fun in the more traveled parts of the city. Step inside some of what may appear as a hole-in-the-wall café or an authentic, cozy 18th century tavern and you will be surprised to find a mouthwatering food scene, using both cultural & regional influences with a strong commitment to sustainable ingredients. Tours take place on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, mid-April through November. Tickets are $79 Per Person (no alcohol) or $99 Per Person (with alcohol), or $105 (no alcohol with Rhode Island Food Crawls book) or $125 (with alcohol and Rhode Island Food Crawls Book).

OPENINGS

A rendering of the new Blu Violet Rooftop.

The Blu Violet Rooftop at the Aloft Providence Hotel has reopened, unveiling its new transformation by Boston-based design and architecture firm LDa, with designers Paola Mondino and Erin Tracey at the helm. Aloft Providence also unveiled the new speakeasy-inspired concept, called Esther’s High Dive. “Blending Old Hollywood grit with midcentury whimsy, the new concept offers a fresh and modern interpretation of cocktails, food, and atmosphere.'”

Ten Prime Seafood is now open in the former Res and Bravo space at 123 Empire St. in Providence. It’s the first Chow Fun Food Group restaurant to launch in more than four years, joining Ten Prime Steak & Sushi, two Harry’s Burgers locations and Xaco Taco in Providence, Oz Tacos and Tequila in Lincoln in the restaurant group owned by John Elkhay. Renowned chef Jules Ramos is back in the kitchen at Ten Prime Seafood, serving Rhode Island-harvested oysters, raw bar selections, seafood dishes and lobster prepared in various ways, as well as prime steaks. Read more here.

Hope & Main, Rhode Island’s food business incubator, broke ground on its second location: West End Kitchens, a shared-use culinary facility in Providence’s West End. This new site marks a major expansion of Hope & Main’s mission to empower diverse food entrepreneurs and create a more vibrant, equitable and resilient local food economy. Read more here.

Warwick Mall is the new home of Rocky Point Chowder House in the mall’s food court. The nostalgic restaurant is inspired by the beloved Rocky Point Amusement Park, a Rhode Island icon that many families visited to create everlasting memories. Read more here.

Carpionato Group has brought five new, food- and beverage-focused businesses to Chapel View in Cranston. They include Applebee’s, Cava, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Ugly Dumpling Shanghai street-style food eatery and Wonder, a virtual food hall concept. They join Circe Prime and Crumbl for a total of seven new food businesses.

The Blue Room jazz bar and restaurant is now open in Cranston’s Pawtuxet Village with live entertainment nightly and a full food menu, including a burger, salmon, lamb chops, veal Parmigiana and more.

Newport Restaurant Group opened J.T. Commons in Middletown — a new pizza-forward restaurant that replaces Foodlove Market. The space features an expansive bar, al fresco patio, and a community-centered menu from Executive Chef Walter Slater, who’s known for mentoring some of Rhode Island’s most popular pizza chefs.Guests can enjoy two signature pizza styles — Roman and Focaccia — plus sharable plates, hearty sandwiches, and a soft-serve dessert bar with house-made toppings.

Anna’s pizzeria opened on the East Side of Providence inside the former Piemonte, next to Frank & Laurie’s. The business started out as Anna’s Vesuviano, a mobile pizza oven, but now it’s a bricks and mortar spot with a wood-fired oven pumping out margherita, provola and summer tomato pies. It’s open Wed.-Sun., 5-10 p.m.

TRANSITIONS

Mill’s Tavern in Providence has named chef Cara Marie Mourning as its new executive chef. She most recently served as executive chef at Blu Violet at the Aloft Hotel Providence and has appeared on “Hell’s Kitchen” (Season 24), “Chopped,” “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Beachside Brawl.” At Mill’s, she’ll lead the kitchen while preserving the restaurant’s signature steak and seafood offerings and expanding its vegetarian and vegan menu options.

Chef Mariana Gonzalez-Trasvina is leaving Newport Restaurant Group’s Bar’ Cino and La Vecina to start her own project. “What began in June 2019 as an opportunity to open Bar’Cino quickly became one of the most meaningful chapters of my career — and later, the privilege of creating La Vecina from the ground up. These kitchens shaped me, challenged me, and gave me a community I will always be grateful for. Thank you to the teams, guests, colleagues and mentors for the trust, the long days, and everything we shared. Leaving isn’t easy. I’m stepping aside to build something of my own, with everything I’ve learned along the way. More soon.”

Heritage Restaurant Group continues to add to its culinary portfolio with more recent acquisitions including Scales and Shells in Newport, Providence Coal Fired Pizza restaurants, and Inked Restaurant Group’s The Quencher. They plan to keep employees and staff in place and the former owners are aiding in the transitions. Inked Restaurant Group will continue to own and operate Diego’s locations in Newport, Middletown and Providence, as well as Rejects Beer Company in Middletown.

Michael Lester, formerly of the legendary The Dorrance, is back on the Providence dining scene with the upcoming opening of Memere’s inside the newly rebranded Neptune (formerly the Dean). The restaurant is located in the former north space, where Thick Neck last had a pop-up residence. The restaurant is inspired by Lester’s grandmother, and the menu will deliver New England comfort food with a Quebecois twist — or, in Lester’s words, “Montreal during the week and Paris on the weekends.”

Pawtucket’s famous nationally recognized landmark, the Modern Diner, is up for sale. The breakfast spot inside of a 1940s Sterling Streamliner, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is looking for a new owner to take over for the family that ran it for decades. Nick Demou started working at the Modern Diner with his father, Arthur Demou, in 1985. The family, including Nick and his father, Nick’s sister and his brother-in-law, ran it for nearly four decades. “This is a bittersweet decision,” says Nick Demou, who grew up in Pawtucket. “The Modern Diner has been part of our family for generations and we’ve loved every moment of serving our neighbors, watching families grow, and being a source of comfort and nostalgia.” During the transition, the Modern Diner will remain fully operational and continue to be run by the family. Guests can expect the same warm service, classic dishes, and familiar faces throughout the process. The sale includes the iconic diner car structure, the business and real estate. Interested parties should contact Brian LaFauci at Won Strategy at 401-533-3991.

The Jewish deli Maven’s Delicatessen is opening a second location on Providence’s Thayer Street this winter, called Maven’s Jr. Diners can expect the same pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, bagels, salmon and lox, matzo ball soup and more, now steps away from Brown University.

CLOSINGS

The iconic Louis Family Restaurant on Providence’s College Hill closed on Dec. 31. The restaurant was opened in 1946 by World War II veterans Louis and Dominic Gianfrancesco, and was taken over by their sons and run by the same family for nearly eighty years. Brothers brothers John and Albert Gianfrancesco announced the closure at the end of December, giving patrons a few last days to say goodbye. The restaurant location has been sold to Trang Duong and Ritu Nguygen, who will transform it into a new cafe and bakery called Suis, which means “I am” in French.

The Narragansett favorite Crazy Burger Cafe and Juice Bar closed abruptly at the end of November. The beloved breakfast and burger restaurant operated for thirty years, and was recently visited by celeb chef Gordon Ramsay for an episode of “Gordon Ramsay Secret Service.” A post on the former business’s Facebook page reads: “I am saddened to tell you that Crazy Burger is now closed. We ran out of money before we were able to sell the business so we’re forced to close the doors. It’s difficult to express the gratitude we’ve had for all your love and support over the last 30 years and we will miss serving you one and all we wish you all the best over the holiday season.”

Chilango’s is closing.

Chilango’s in Providence is also closed. “It’s with great sadness that we write to inform you our last day of service will be today, December 10. This decision comes after a sudden hospitalization of Carlos. As family we have decided to take an indefinite break as we navigate this difficult situation. Thanks for all your support and friendship through the years we love you and we will miss you come by tonight to get your last burrito villa and margs.”

Durk’s Bar-B-Q owner Steve Durkee announced that Durk’s is closed. From its Instagram page: “Durk’s Bar·B·Q has been serving some of the best BBQ in New England to the folks of RI and beyond for 8 years now. We’re very proud of that and of the many people who have contributed their skill and passion to make that happen. Barbecue needs passion and commitment. As we move toward our 9th year in a few weeks, I’ve made the difficult decision to close Durk’s Bar·B·Q – A life decision. I know there are many many loyal guests of the restaurant and our catering and we so appreciate and feel privileged for all the years of letting us feed you. From all the staff at Durk’s, past and present, we truly thank you!”

Sin has closed its cafe on Broadway in Providence. The bakery is going back to its roots, and focusing on custom cakes and specialty orders.”Need a special birthday cake, no problem! There will be pick up hours at our location and of course, delivery is still available,” said a statement in Sin’s email newsletter. “We are not happy about closing the cafe, but due to current economics this is what we have to do in order to keep Sin continuing for many years. Hopefully sometime in the future, you will see all your favorite retail items back together again. ” You can still place an order for a cake at eatwicked.com/shop-now.

NOTABLES

Johnson & Wales University was featured in the latest episode of the hit television show “Hell’s Kitchen,” in an episode celebrating fifty years of excellence in culinary education at the university.  Season 24, episode 9 aired November 9 on the FOX network. JWU was featured as the central theme of the episode, with Chef TJ Delle Donne, the assistant dean of the College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT), serving as judge for the morning challenge alongside CFIT student Hollis Tuffile, a Culinary Arts major slated to graduate in May. The winning dishes from the head-to-head morning challenge were featured on a tasting menu at the celebration dinner.

Celeste in Narragansett has been named the #2 restaurant on Yelp’s national list of Best New Restaurants of 2025. “We’re incredibly honored to be recognized by Yelp and by the diners who made this possible,” said Celeste General Manager Lou Capodilupo. “Our goal at Celeste was to create a dining experience inspired by coastal Europe – harmoniously blending the bright and fresh flavors of Italy, France and Spain with local ingredients, good company, and genuine hospitality. To see that resonate with guests is the greatest reward.”

Winner Justin Brody and his Rivera Cove Swizzle Cocktail at the Mystic Cocktail Classic Whiskey Night.

Justin Brody of Juniper Bar in Providence, just won the inaugural Mystic Cocktail Classic with his Barbados-inspired rum cocktail, the Bajan Daydream. After a nationwide search drawing submissions from 25+ states, Brody’s daiquiri riff — featuring The Real McCoy 5 Year Rum, falernum, and house-made corncob and thyme syrup — took top honors at Monday night’s live finale at Jealous Monk in Mystic, CT. He wins a trip for two to Barbados, including a private tour of Foursquare Distillery. The competition, presented by Veritable Distillery, brought together industry legends including Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Shannon Mustipher, and Sother Teague for a weekend of competition, panels, and spirited dinners.

The Beatrice in Providence launched “Sips & Snacks,” a luxurious, in-room snack service featuring locally-made products from the adjacent Hope & Main Downtown Makers Marketplace, Rhode Island’s premier culinary incubator. Through its partnership over the years, The Beatrice has supported and pointed guests, visitors and city residents to visit Hope & Main — which has helped over 450 food and beverage businesses to launch, scale and thrive since 2014. For “Sips and Snacks,” guests can use the streamlined Snack Attendant concierge service to call down to the front desk and order Hope & Main snacks from the displayed in-room menu, along with local beer and wine pairings, delivered directly to their room.