5 Best Restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island

A brewery tucked into an industrial park near the railroad tracks doesn't seem super inviting, but the tasting room here is warm and friendly, and the beers have creativity by the barrel (IPAs, yes, but also wild ales, barleywines, and a revival of a historical varietal called Kentucky Common). If the adults need a drink after a day at the zoo, Buttonwoods is right in the neighborhood, and hungry kids can be placated with comfort food and pizza from the brewery's pop-up kitchen and a rotation list of visiting food trucks.

Rhode Island's pizza universe has expanded in recent years—you can get a decent slice of New York, New Haven, or Detroit style—but the more things change the more they stay the same at Caserta, the landmark pizzeria on Federal Hill. Homemade sauce, fresh mozzarella, quality toppings, and a thick but crispy crust combine to create a unique Rhode Island-by-way-of-Sicily pie. A pizza pilgrimage site since 1953, Caserta still draws crowds despite its limited menu and no-frills dining room; walk it off with a stroll around Federal Hill and Atwells Ave. afterward.

One of the area's most popular gathering spots, the Coffee Exchange is the place to come for pastries, a coffee (hot or cold), and a chat. Family-run, the coffee shop has been an East Side landmark for nearly 40 years, adopting socially conscious sourcing long before that was common or trendy. If you don't have time to sit a spell, stop by the to-go window on the deck. 

Fun and kitschy Ogie's bar and restaurant fuses trailer-park chic and colorful (maybe even garish) 1950s-style decor. The "Granny Boo's Kitchen" menu emphasizes "gourmet comfort food," which translates into the likes of tater tots with white truffle oil, grilled peanut butter and jelly, and mac 'n' cheese croquettes. The restaurant's backyard is one of Providence's best outdoor dining and drinking spots.

Even omnivores can get behind this chic vegan food hall, positioned near the waterfront and the city's new Providence River Pedestrian Bridge. On two floors and cascading outdoors, you'll find three restaurants, a bakery, a coffee bar, and a market offering familiar fare like tacos, pizza, lasagna---even burgers---all made exclusively from plants. Arrive early to snag one of the limited seats in the 345 speakeasy, tucked away next door.