Rhode Island’s 10 Best Foodie Neighborhoods
It's a beautiful day in these neighborhoods, where food and drink are the major draws.
Long Live Beerworks is a brewery and food truck hotspot. Loie Fuller’s is a great spot for wine and steak frites. Bayberry’s rotating draft list appears on a menu board behind the bar. Photography by Wolf Matthewson.
West End
Providence
Population: 20,950 ◆ Food and Drink establishments: 51
Providence’s West End neighborhood has been declared the “Brooklyn of Providence,” with crafty small businesses popping up left and right, from Broadway to Huntington Avenue to Elmwood Avenue and everywhere in between. Step inside Bayberry Beer Hall, take a seat at a communal dining table and mingle with new friends over brews and delicious, made-from-scratch bites with an atmosphere that includes a living wall of plants. If hop-forward beer is your vibe, drive over to Long Live Beerworks, sip a brew or two in the tasting room or grab a four-pack to-go. More of a wine lover? Take a peek at Loie Fuller’s thoughtfully curated wine list while soaking up the cozy, artful vibe and tearing into steak frites. Sake lovers will find solace at Big King, James Mark’s meditative space that serves sake pairings alongside Japanese-inspired plates of seasonal vegetables and raw, cured and grilled seafood. And if brunch is more your speed (hey, we aren’t judging!), Julians is the go-to place for benedicts, scrambled egg pizza, French toast and more. Plus, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options cater to every taste bud. Looking for a sweet treat? Order an ice cream taco and gourmet ice cream sandwich from Tricycle Ice Cream; life is about balance, and we mean an ice cream in each hand! While out and about, catch a show at the Columbus Theatre. We would try to list every happening spot in the West End, but the area’s commercial corridor is booming; try to keep up.
The Scoop:
Where to park: Street parking is ample and probably your best bet, but be on the lookout for timed meters.
Shop: Find a gift for any personality at Frog and Toad’s sister location on Westminster, and pop in to Rocket to Mars for fab vintage finds including furniture, clothing, jewelry and other collectible antiques.
Cup of coffee: White Electric serves strong coffee, plus tasty bites and other baked goods to savor onsite or on-the-go.
Hidden gem: Far West may be difficult to find, but once buzzed into this speakeasy, you’re greeted with specialty cocktails and an intimate atmosphere.
Grab a drink: Pull up a chair and sip a crafty cocktail at Ogie’s Trailer Park, a retro joint straight outta “That ’70s Show.” The whimsical-chic space also features a seasonal tiki bar in the warmer months.
—Samantha Labrecque
