Providence Restaurants

  1. Al Forno

    Our most recent visit featured scallops with blackened bacon so perfect that they were celestial - without doubt a constellation out there bears a resemblance. Also enjoy boar loin with cranberry potatoes and green beans, fare from local farms, and incredible desserts (limoncello cake with candied citrus peel). Budget-minded folks can order wood-fired pizzas big enough for two to split. While people tend to dress up a bit, the room and garden terrace are somewhat casual. Make a reservation.

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  2. Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches

    A longtime favorite with students and junior faculty, Geoff's offers a massive menu of creative sandwiches, including meatless reuben (melted swiss, spinach, carrots, sauerkraut), pastrami, kosher meat and lots of things with celery salt. Find scant seating, checked linoleum floor, and a big barrel of pickles.

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  3. Haven Brothers Diner

    Parked next to City Hall, this diner sits on the back of a truck that has rolled into the same spot every evening for decades. Climb up a rickety ladder to get hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, cabinets (milkshake with ice-cream), lobster salad and little else. Everyone who has lived in Providence for a year or more is likely to have eaten here at least once.

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  4. Julian's

    A messy combination of neon, exposed brick and ductwork, come here for tattooed cooks preparing a stellar brunch (served until ) with changing blackboard specials (goat cheese, caper, tomato and mushroom hash) along with several benedicts and lots of vegan options. The dinner menu offers seared yellowfin, small sides and alcohol.

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  5. Louis' Restaurant

    Wake up early to watch bleary-eyed students and carpenters eat strawberry banana pancakes and drink drip coffee at their favorite greasy spoon long before the rest of College Hill shows signs of life. The place is loaded with bad art (crayon on paper menus) and the faded pictures of numerous regulars.

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  7. Meeting St Café

    For enormous sandwiches and lox-oriented breakfasts, head to this College Hill delicatessen. Dinner equals vegetarian lasagna, shish kabobs or good burgers. Enormous oatmeal cookies, voted best in Rhode Island by several polls, measure about 10in diameter.

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  8. New Rivers

    The seasonal menu of this New America bistro features dishes such as rabbit loin with sweet pea sauce, roasted sole or beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pearl onions. The good-looking room combines soft lighting with rich red walls, making it a fine place to peruse a well-conceived wine list. Monday to Thursday there's an around US$26 prix fixe.

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  9. Pastiche

    Awash in soothing colors and warmed by a fire in winter, Pastiche offers a seasonal dessert menu. In summer, you might try the apricot almond chiffon cake, or pick up a favorite like mascarpone tortes or chocolate layer cake.

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