Diner’s Update

OPENINGS AND UPDATES

Aldeia Coffeehouse.

A Portuguese-inspired coffeehouse has opened in Barrington. Maggie Mulvena, founder of Feast & Fettle meal delivery service and author of The Feast & Fettle Cookbook, has created Aldeia Coffeehouse as a space to celebrate Portuguese heritage through coffee drinks, pastries, sandwiches, European pantry items and ceramics. It’s open Wed.-Mon. from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Tuesdays).

Kingfish in Warren is open with some reservations available, but most tables are available as walk-ins. They are offering $2 shucks on Mondays. The seafood-focused restaurant is open Thursday through Monday, starting at 4 p.m. A note from the owners Luke Mersfelder and Brittany Simons: “If you go to make a reservation and see that we’re ‘fully booked,’ we most certainly are not. We’ve just capped the number of reservations we’re currently taking so that we can accommodate more walk-ins and move toward the structure that makes the most sense to us.”

Newport Harbor Island Resort on Goat Island has revamped its 1639 dining concept, and hired a new director of food and beverage, John Barth. Barth is now handling 1639, room service, banquets and catering, and the resort’s four other dining concepts: Torpedo Bar & Lounge, The Firepits, The Bakery and The Pineapple Club. 1639 offers a refined coastal dining experience that celebrates the flavors of New England with an innovative twist, including house-made pastas and locally sourced seafood and meats.

Murmur HiFi Lounge is a new high fidelity, analog listening lounge that just opened in the heart of downtown Providence. The cocktail bar is owned by Robert Troutman and Allison Johnson, who hired well-known bartender Parker Luthman (The Eddy, Gift Horse, Play It Cool) as beverage director and bar manager. Read more here. 

Now open in the former Tiny Bar space is Bevi Bar, from the same owners as Bevi e Vivi, a luxury mobile beverage bar service starring a vintage Italian Piaggio Ape. Bevi Bar is an Italian-themed indoor and outdoor sipping and snacking experience with a Tuscan-inspired wine window. Order an Aperol spritz and enjoy the indoor and outdoor space as an early evening destination. It’s open Thursday through Saturday from 5-11 p.m. Read more here.

Rollers Sports Bar and Grill opened in the former Durk’s Bar-B-Q space in Providence with a creative food and drink menu from the team at Littleneck Hospitality Group. The bar boasts fifteen screens showcasing both local and national sports games and it’s open daily for lunch, dinner and bar service, with a family-friendly environment. Rollers’ name is derived from two Rhode Island sports teams: the Providence Steam Roller, Rhode Island’s only National Football League (NFL) team, which existed from 1925 to 1931, and the Providence Steamrollers, a Basketball Association of America team that played from 1946-1949.

Snack Bar Royale opened in Jamestown with renowned chef and restaurant owner Jake Rojas at the helm. Rojas recently closed Tallulah’s Taqueria in Providence while he was battling cancer. Snack Bar Royale serves oysters, burgers and fries as well as ice cream right on the water in Jamestown. Follow @snackbarroyale on Instagram for hours and updates.

TRANSITIONS

The former Newport Creamery in Barrington has been purchased by the Blount family and will reopen as Barrington Creamery. According to an Instagram post from the town of Barrington, the restaurant will reopen in 2027. “Barrington Creamery is a community restaurant opening in 2027 at 296 County Road — built for, and with, the people of Barrington and the East Bay. On the menu: the classic creamery favorites you grew up with, a few newer and lighter options for the way people eat today, and select highlights pulled from the Blount menu. It’s a mix that’s meant to feel familiar the first time you walk in. This is a neighborhood place first — for families, regulars, kids after school, and everyone in between. The Blount family will be managing the establishment, but it is dedicated to local families; and Creamery diehards!”

Little Sister on Hope Street in Providence is closing later this year. Photo by Jamie Coelho.

CLOSINGS

The Puerto Rican cafe Little Sister announced it is closing at the end of the year after eight years in business on Hope Street in Providence. They will continue brunch, but service is now first-come, first-served. Owner Milena Pagan posted on the the Little Sister Instagram account, announcing the decision: “I want to set the narrative straight from the jump: This decision is purely lifestyle driven,” Pagán wrote. “My Papi is getting very old, he’s 78. I haven’t spent significant time with him in the 20 years I’ve been studying and working in America. That’s a long time to be away from your family. I need more of my time back so I can visit Puerto Rico more often, build our family farm … and pursue other opportunities that are coming up in our lives. We are so grateful for the experience — the beautiful memories we’ll treasure, and the unsavory moments that ultimately made us stronger.”

Also on Hope Street in Providence, Ran Zan posted a sign on its door that it has permanently closed. The sign said: “Thank you to our amazing community for all the support and wonderful memories over the last 28 years. It was an honor serving you.”

We also recently lost the beloved Neapolitan-style (well, really, Frankie-style) pizza restaurant, Figidini, in downtown Providence. The restaurant closed last month after fourteen years in business. Co-owner Frankie Cecchinelli made the dough for every single leopard-spotted pizza from his special recipe that included 00 flour that was fermented for up to ninety hours and fired for sixty seconds in the 950-degree wood-burning oven. “We didn’t just want to open a restaurant, we wanted to create a place where people could feel at home,” says the restaurant’s moving closing video. Grab some tissues and watch it here.

Another tough loss last month was Amaryllis, the BYOB woman-owned jewel box of a restaurant that sourced ingredients from local farms every day for its globally-inspired menu. Tracy DeFusco and Deanna Marandola opened the restaurant right in the middle of COVID and made it a solid six years in what was formerly a rotating door of restaurants after Farmstead closed.

Union Station Brewery, “Rhode Island’s original brew pub located in the heart of downtown Providence,” also closed on July 19 inside Providence’s historic Union Station. After news of a potential sale to Newport-based Heritage Restaurant Group, the deal fell through, and the owners decide to close after thirty-three years in business. From its Facebook page: “We want to take a moment to thank all of our loyal customers, as well as all the new faces, who showed up this final week for one more celebration with us. We also want to extend our thanks to the best team we could have asked for, who were the heart and soul of Union Station. Thank you all for 30+ years of craft brews.”

COMING SOON

A new family-owned taco spot, La Fe Taqueria, is coming soon to the former Blue Cottage space on Hope Street in Providence, according to the Boston Globe Rhode Island’s Food Club newsletter. The business is partially owned by the the owner of Lotus Pepper.

EVENTS, SPECIALS AND MENU UPDATES

Fridays only 8/21-9/25

End your week at Food Truck Friday – an outdoor food truck festival at Roger Williams Park Zoo and Carousel Village starting at 5 p.m. every Friday night. For those closer to Newport, Food Truck Friday takes place on Aquidneck Island every Friday through August 28 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., hosted at Newport Craft Brewing and Distillery at 293 JT Connell Hwy. Attendance is free, just pay for what you eat and drink from an ever-changing rotation of more than fifteen food trucks each week. See all events here.

Food trucks will also visit:

• Thurs. 8/27 and Sat. 9/12 at Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland
  foodtrucksin.com/diamondhillcumberland
• 9/6, final season visit to Munroe Dairy and the Sacred Cow Ice Cream Shop
  foodtrucksin.com/foodtrucksacredcoweastprovidence
• 9/10, final Thursday night visit to Warwick
  foodtrucksin.com/warwickri
• Fri. 10/2 at the Crowne Plaza for Warwick Food Truck night
  foodtrucksin.com/warwick-food-truck-night-crowne-plaza-10-02-2026
• Sat. 10/3, annual Food Trucks at Flames of Hope supporting Gloria Gemma
  facebook.com/events/2001231107481713

The plaza at Track 15.

Fridays only 8/21-10/2

Track 15 in downtown Providence kicked off its 2026 Summer Concert Series, bringing twenty weeks of free Friday night live music, art and creative programming to its outdoor plaza at 1 Union Station. The weekly series spotlights local musicians and Rhode Island-based creatives, with performances expected from Julie Rhodes & The Electric, The Grace Darko Quartet, Mary McAvoy, How’s About Charlie, The Wolff Sisters, Charlie Marie and more throughout the season. Guests can enjoy dinner and drinks from Track 15’s vendors, relax on the lawn, and take part in rotating arts programming, including painting, crafts, poetry, pottery and other creative activations. On concert nights, Track 15 will also offer a Rosé and Bubbles bar sponsored by Santa Margherita Wines, featuring rosé, prosecco and a custom frosé. The free series runs every Friday at 6:30 p.m. through Oct. 2, with select dates aligning with Basin WaterFire evenings and Rhode Island Night Market activations.

8/27

Gemini popup restaurant is coming back to the Archive Books and Snackery in Warren for one day only, featuring an a la carte menu of coastal New England dishes. Gemini is a new concept from a trio of Boston food scene veterans, including twins Colin and Sean Kleeman, with Patrick Brenner, who worked together to open Tiger Mama in 2015. They also have backgrounds cooking at Toro and Uni restaurants in Boston, and their new popup restaurant experience is based out of Hope & Main in Warren.

8/27

Join Vine Service for the Wild(y) East Tour in Jamestown on Aug. 27 at 5:30 p.m. for an evening on Narragansett Bay as Saperavi Brothers, Wine Wizards, Vine Service, Grapes & Gourmet, Wildes Grocery and Next Door team up for a wine salon on the sea and a beachside afterparty. Set sail aboard The Coastal Queen for a private charter featuring a guided tasting of Georgian wines led by Kosta Chernikov of Saperavi Brothers, part of his national Wild(y) East Tour. Enjoy curated snack boxes from Grapes and Gourmet as you cruise the bay, and up to two glasses of wine per guest. Please note, all guests will need to be twenty-one-plus for this event and proper ID will be required. Back on shore, the celebration continues at Next Door Wine Bar at 7:30 p.m. with a beachside DJ, Georgian-inspired bites from Wildes Grocery (drawing on Polina Chesnakova’s Chesnok: Cooking from My Corner of the Diaspora), Rhode Island oysters, and the chance to purchase your new favorite bottles through Grapes and Gourmet. Tickets are $75 for the cruise and tasting, $75 for just the after party, or $140 for both the cruise and after party.

8/29

Brew at the Zoo takes place on Sat., Aug. 29 at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. It is an adults-only evening event where guests can sample over a hundred beers, hard seltzers, wines and ready-to-drink cocktails from dozens of local, regional and national breweries.  This year’s event is bigger and better than ever with the addition of a brand-new wine tasting experience. Enjoy live music by TJ & the Campers, animal encounters and more. Tickets must be purchased online in advance at rwpzoo.org/event/brew. General admission tickets are $75 and include a commemorative pint glass. Designated driver tickets are $40 and include a voucher redeemable for a soft drink and a snack. VIP tickets are sold out. This is a 21+ event, and no person under the age of 21 will be permitted (including infants). All attendees are required to show a valid ID. Rain or shine, tickets are non-refundable.

9/1

Make plans to head to the Daydream Gala on Sept. 1 from 6-9 p.m. at Pivotal Brewing Company in Bristol for an evening celebrating independent filmmaking, local artists and the incredible Rhode Island community that helped bring the feature film, Daydream, to life. Daydream is a coming-of-age feature filmed throughout Rhode Island, including Bristol and Warren. It is a women-led production, with every department head on the film led by a woman. The Daydream Gala will bring together local businesses, artists, filmmakers, women in film, creatives and supporters for an evening featuring food and drinks, live entertainment, a first look at Daydream, raffles, a silent auction, and opportunities to connect with members of the New England creative community. Boston Casting, The RI FIlm and TV Office, WIFVNE, and many other local film communities will be in attendance and supporting this event.

9/5

Track 15‘s inaugural “Oyster Darty” will take place over Labor Day weekend on Saturday, Sept. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. “Darty” stands for “day party,” and this bash calls for fresh, local oysters, live music and art. The party will take place on the plaza with a variety of Dune Brothers seafood, including freshly-shucked oysters and littlenecks from different farms, grilled and fried oysters and more. There will also be a specialty martini in the mix, the Salty Brine Martini, as well as plenty of Narragansett Beer to go around, of course. A makers market will also be running at the same time, and it includes oyster-themed crafts and art from Rhodey Wild Sea Gardens, Sea Change Ceramics and Shore Line Creations RI. Azure and DJ Lefty will perform throughout the event. The event is free to attend; all food and beverages will be available to purchase.

9/6

The Moon RI is celebrating one year in business with The Moon: 1 Year in Orbit at Bom Cafe PVD from 5-11:30 p.m., a night of cocktails, small bites, music and the people who made it possible. Tickets are $13.51 each.

9/12-9/13

If it’s from the sea, you’ll find it at the Rhode Island Seafood Festival at India Point Park, held on Sat. from 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Spend the weekend listening to live music and eating fresh local seafood from vendors like Matunuck Oyster Bar, Blount Clam Shack, Ninigret Nectar Oysters and more while sipping drinks from Whalers Brewing Company, Narragansett Beer and Chair 2, among others. Not a fan of seafood? No worries! Plenty of non-seafood options will be offered as well. Tickets are $12 each; free for ages twelve and younger.

9/16

The team behind Littleneck Hospitality Group – Providence’s Club Frills and Pizza Marvin, and Newport’s Pescadou – will be heading to New York City for Dinner: Rhode Island Meets the Riviera on September 16, produced by Platform by the James Beard Foundation® at Pier 57. Chef Robert Andreozzi, a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist, joins William Rietzel, a James Beard Award semifinalist for Emerging Chef, to spotlight Ocean State classics reinterpreted through a refined French lens. Jesse Hedberg, a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service, will be behind the bar mixing up creative libations and channeling the spirited hospitality that’s put these Providence and Newport spots on the map. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and tickets range from $185-$250.

9/18-9/19

Celebrate art, music and culture during PVDFest, a love letter to all things Providence. The festival returns to downtown Providence for a weekend of live music — including headliner Big Freedia — artisan vendors, art installations and delicious food. Fuel up at one of the many local food trucks on site, dance till your feet hurt during a live performance and make new friends. It’s not just a weekend in Providence: It’s a cultural experience. Free. Check website for locations and times.

ONGOING EVENTS

At Beech in Jamestown, every Sunday is “Bolognese Sunday” where they bring back this beloved guest favorite dish exclusively on Sundays for $36. The dish is a traditional recipe from Bologna, Italy, made with a five-hour simmered sauce and housemade tagliatelle pasta.

Ten Steak & Sushi located at 55 Pine St. in Providence is offering a new Social Hour Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m., which includes a full menu of elevated bar bites, $10 cocktails and half-priced wine. Small bites include Chips & Dip ($9) with the option to add caviar ($14); tenderloin yakitori with garlic mango sauce ($12); deluxe truffle fries ($10); jumbo shrimp cocktail with Old Bay and bloody mary cocktail sauce ($12 for four shrimp); tuna crispy rice: tuna, avocado, crispy rice, spicy mayo and sriracha ($10); California roll: lump crab, cucumber and tobiko ($10); spicy ahi tuna maki with cucumber, spicy mayo and togarashi ($10); and Rhode Island calamari with banana peppers and jalapeño tartar sauce ($14). $10cocktails include the Ten Prime Martini with 10 Prime Organic Vodka and blue cheese stuffed olives; Ten’s signature mojito with Bacardi Superior, muddled lime and mint; red or white sangria; and the Moscow mule with 10 Prime Organic Vodka, ginger beer and lime. A selection of wines are available for half-price during Social Hour, including Torresella Rosé Prosecco ($6), Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc ($6), Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio ($7), Carpineto Dogojolo Sangiovese ($6), the 2021 Cambria Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir ($8), and the 2021 Ely Callaway Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($8).

Little Clam Restaurant at the Wayfinder in Newport is hosting its Burger of the Month Club, which gives guests a limited-time specialty burger inspired by the flavors of the season. August’s featured burger is the Tuscan Chicken Burger ($24), topped with basil pesto aioli, fresh mozzarella, crispy prosciutto, and arugula. The restaurant is also celebrating its one-year anniversary throughout August with Daily Birthday Bites (Aug. 1–31, Sun.–Wed. from 3–5 p.m.), featuring $1 oysters, fries, cucumber salad, a rotating draft beer and prosecco (limit one per guest).

Celeste, located just steps from the beach at 15 Kingstown Road in Narragansett, officially launched its seasonal Friday lunch service. The summer menu features coastal-inspired dishes, including a local raw bar, fresh artisan pizzas, a classic chilled lobster roll with brown butter aioli, and creative hand-crafted cocktails like the Golden Hour.

Weekapaug Inn in Westerly is hosting the Sunday Coastal Grille Series, a weekly waterfront dining experience (July 12, 19 and 26, Aug. 2, 9, 16 and 23), featuring live music and a rotating menu of grilled seafood, smoked meats and seasonal specialties. Guests can also enjoy Movies on the Pond, Camp Weekapaug for families, naturalist-led adventures, the Summer Speaker Series and the inn’s signature summer traditions throughout July and August.

Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton hosts live music on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. Guests can enjoy wine tastings in the tasting room accompanied by a variety of music styles and seasonal offerings from the café.

Coast Guard House in Narraganset just launched Sound Waves, a new weekly vinyl DJ series set on the restaurant’s upper deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Each Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., from June 11 to August 27, Providence-based DJ Dayglow will spin an eclectic mix of vinyl records from around the world. Known for her joyful and engaging sets, DJ Dayglow will connect Sound Waves attendees with beloved classics and unexpected gems alike.

Hemenway’s Restaurant, located at 121 S Main St. in Providence, is now offering Hand Roll Happy Hour available for dine-in guests at the raw bar and bar Monday through Friday from 3-5 p.m.

FOOD TOURS

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).

NOTABLES

Rhode Island food personality Alexia DiGiglio-Mancini of the social media accounts “U Had Me at Kitchen,” was part of the cast for the biggest and newest show on The Food Network. She was amongst 100 home cooks in America selected to participate in “100 Cooks!” The competition is hosted by Terry Crews, with co-chefs and judges Nick DiGiovanni (who is also from Rhode Island) and Alex Guarnaschelli.