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Food & Dining

In Rhode Island

The Rhode Island restaurant scene is bustling, and we're here to help you find the hottest new spots, the coolest hidden gems, and the best places to satisfy your cravings for great food and drinks.

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‘James Beard loved to eat... And he was always broke’: Jacques Pépin remembers one of America’s most influential food figures

The man for whom the awards and foundation are named was considered the foremost American food authority. But ”he wasn’t a chef, and he would be the first one to tell you," Pépin told the Globe.
Tasting notes from the 2024 James Beard awards in ChicagoConnecticut and Maine restaurants take home honors at the 33rd annual James Beard awards

Rhode Island’s oldest dairy farm continues its legacy

No ‘calamari comeback’? The R.I. chef from Democrats’ 2020 convention roll call says he’s a Trump supporter.

In R.I., an unconventional New England clam shack is doubling down on sustainable seafood

New book tackles meaty topic of food and guilt

The Guides

Where to eat to celebrate your college graduate in Rhode Island

It’s nearly graduation season, and open tables will soon be hard to snag. Here are a few places in Providence to consider.

Seeking comfort food? Here are some delicious dumplings to try.

The beauty of dumplings is that they come in all sorts of variations, and from all over the world. And you can find some great ones in Rhode Island.

History is on the menu at these Rhode Island taverns

During the Colonial era, taverns were a place for weary travelers to sleep, and a spot for locals to share news and debate. Hundreds of years later, some of them are still serving up great food and drink.

Your very Rhode Island guide to the 2024 James Beard restaurant and chef award semifinalists

Rhode Island’s restaurant scene punches well above its weight. The rest of America has finally caught up.

‘No one should be able to trademark something so ingrained in a culture’: R.I. chefs on the Momofuku chili crunch controversy

Celebrity chef David Chang has apologized for sending cease-and-desist letters to small companies and restaurants that sell chili crunch. But the damage to his brand may have already been done.

Where to eat dinner in Westerly, R.I., this winter

Though this summer destination is now fully within winter’s embrace, the dining scene is warm and unhurried, with many eateries offering fireside dining and heartier, stick-to-your-ribs dishes.

The savory flavors of Laos in R.I.: Three restaurants serving traditional Lao cuisine

“In a way, we try to teach our customers about Lao food so they know more about Lao culture,” says Britny Savankham, who works with her father at Thai Lan Xang in Johnston.

16 Rhode Island restaurant and bar openings to watch for in 2024

This year, some big names and long-anticipated plans will finally come to fruition.

It’s soup season. Here are 9 superior bowls to try in Rhode Island.

Matzo ball, okra stew, wonton, pozole, and other classics to explore.

A guide to East Providence: Because what else can you do?

With westbound traffic still limited on the Washington Bridge and continued gridlock on city streets, here are some things to do while you’re stuck on the east side of the Seekonk River.

A new coffee/martini bar; Providence’s Omni Hotel has something new, and more food notes

The early bird gets the ... biscuit! Irregardless Biscuit, a new addition to Providence, sells out of its popular dish quickly so get there fast.

Some of the best things I ate in 2023

Truffle ravioli, molé sauce, raw scallops, and much more.

Drinks

Some progress ‘but more work still needs to be done’ to diversify industry, says ‘Brewing Up Diversity’ host

R.I. bartenders have big plans and drinkable resolutions for 2024

Can ‘Boston’s best espresso martini’ really come from a bottle?

An innovative new bourbon from Bully Boy Distillers

Behind the scenes

‘Not your typical train station cafe’: Cafe La France is a staple for Providence commuters and locals

The troubles of retailers like Christmas Tree Shops and Bed Bath & Beyond can be a boon for Ocean State Job Lot, a closeout operation. And they're involved with tons of other businesses.

‘The Hotline hype is real’: Why a tough-to-score pizza is all the rage in R.I.

Despite its name, the only way to get a Hotline Pizza is to slide into their Instagram direct messages once a week when ordering opens. Only some will make the cut.

At Providence restaurant Dolores, James Beard-nominated Chef Maria Meza knows what she’s doing

“Everything is homemade. Everything comes from the original,” says Meza, recently named a James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: Northeast.

The Kitchen at The Shack brings a taste of French Polynesia to South County

When Momo Camara first moved to the US, he found comfort in cooking. Now the chef is merging international flavor with Rhode Island roots.

‘If you can’t beat them, eat them.’ Why foraging for invasive plants is good for you — and the planet.

After Lil Rhody Clam Cake Crawl No. 9, the “Clamarati” -- friends who embark on a daylong journey to sample and rank the best clam cakes -- may have reached local celebrity status.

Here’s what’s moving into the former Oberlin restaurant space in Providence

Get ready for a new Mexican kitchen in downtown.

Cooking

Recipe: Boost the flavor of a quick, spicy chicken stew in coconut milk with jalapeno, cilantro, and lime

Looking to switch up your festive sips? Here's some advice from the pros.

Three classics — spaghetti carbonara, Venetian shrimp, and chicken salmoriglio — that offer a tour of Italy

Milk Street sends you on a Roman holiday, without leaving the house.

Recipe: For the creamiest scramble, stir these eggs low and slow, then add ricotta and chives

Recipe for Ricotta-Chive Scrambled Eggs

Recipe: Pancakes with matzo meal and cottage cheese

Recipe for Passover Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Enough already with the jokes. Chopped liver can be very good.

The deli version is often heavy and pasty, so make your own nicer, lighter recipe and give it some respect

Recipe: A simple orange-scented olive oil cake, mixed with cornmeal, is perfect for berry season

Recipe for Olive Oil Cornmeal Cake

Recipe: Apricot and peas garnish this slow-cooked lamb

Recipe for Lamb Tagine with Apricots, Peas, and Lemon

Recipe: You don’t knead this fluffy focaccia with tomatoes and mozzarella, but give it a long, slow rise

This recipe is for Slow-Rise No-Knead Focaccia with Tomatoes and Mozzarella from the food section of The Boston Globe.

Meet the Rhode Island Team

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Rhode Island Food & Dining Headlines

FOOD & DINING

Rhode Island’s oldest dairy farm continues its legacy

Wright’s Dairy Farm has been pasteurizing and bottling its own branded milk since the 1930s, and now boasts an on-site market with more than 500 dairy products.

THE FOOD CLUB NEWSLETTER

‘James Beard loved to eat... And he was always broke’: Jacques Pépin remembers one of America’s most influential food figures

The man for whom the awards and foundation are named was considered the foremost American food authority. But ”he wasn’t a chef, and he would be the first one to tell you," Pépin told the Globe.

PODCAST

This season is bittersweet for the Mr. Lemon family

On the Rhode Island Report podcast, Janice, Colleen, and Joe Rao talk about the love that their mother, “Mama Lemon,” poured into the Providence lemonade stand, which opened 50 years ago.

RI POLITICS

No ‘calamari comeback’? The R.I. chef from Democrats’ 2020 convention roll call says he’s a Trump supporter.

Iggy’s Boardwalk Executive Chef John Bordieri stood, wordlessly, clad in black, holding a platter of sautéed squid during a video roll call of states that formally made Joe Biden the party’s presidential nominee in 2020.

New book tackles meaty topic of food and guilt

A recent MFA graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design, Irene Chung, delves into the complicated relationship women often have with food, a subject she grappled with herself.

FOOD & DINING

Tasting notes from the 2024 James Beard awards in Chicago

The traditional awards ceremony, which is known as the “Oscars of food,” is only part of the celebration. Here’s what the culinary elite ate and drank at the post-awards celebration.

FOOD

Connecticut and Maine restaurants take home honors at the 33rd annual James Beard awards

Two things are clear: Portland is officially a bakery destination, taking home two big prizes. And Mystic Pizza is no longer the best-known restaurant in Mystic, Conn.

FOOD

The little-known story behind National Doughnut Day (which is today!)

Doughnut shops across the state mark the day with special prices, freebies, and unique, fun flavors.