Foodie Fun in Downtown Providence from “Rhode Island Food Crawls”

In her new book, Rhode Island Food Crawls, Jamie Coelho—editor in chief at Rhode Island Monthly—takes readers on curated tasting adventures through the Ocean State’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Each crawl is a celebration of local flavor and culture, as well as the chefs and creators who make Rhode Island such a standout culinary destination. A trusty Yankee contributor who has also appeared on our TV show, Weekends with Yankee, Jamie generously shares some of her book’s delicious travel inspiration here.

Rhode Island just might be one of the most underrated states for its spectacular food scene. Every time I travel, it makes me realize just how lucky we are when it comes to fresh-from-the-boat seafood landed at the docks of Point Judith, including sustainable fish species like squid, scup, fluke, and flounder, as well as the harvesting of briny bivalves from more than 80 statewide oyster farms. Because of the close proximity to the ocean, farmland in Rhode Island is also valued among the highest in the country, yet the state works hard to ensure that farmland stays preserved to grow food for future generations. Rhode Island also has more iconic food specialties than any other state, from Allie’s Donuts to clam cakes and chowder, stuffies and quahogs, Rhode Island–style calamari, coffee milk, pizza strips, dynamites, and coffee cabinets. And we cannot forget the icy cool treat that is Del’s lemonade (just don’t ask for a straw!).

More recently, Rhode Island has been getting more national attention than ever. Accolades are mounting every year that passes. Gift Horse chef Sky Haneul Kim just earned recognition as the James Beard Foundation’s 2025 Best Chef: Northeast, and former Rhode Island–based Indigenous chef Sherry Pocknett was named Best Chef: Northeast in 2023. Each year, more and more Rhode Island chefs are named as JBF semifinalists and finalists. Acknowledgments from Eater, StarChefs, Food & Wine, Esquire, USA Today, Vogue, and other international media outlets follow. People are finally catching on to what makes Rhode Island such a great restaurant destination, so sneak in a visit while the smallest state in the United States is still a hidden gem. We won’t blow up your spot if you make everyone think you discovered it on your own.

Note: Jamie lays out nearly 20 foodie itineraries in her book, from “The Newport Gilded Age Gastronomy Crawl” to “The Block Island Bar Crawl.” Each comes with in-depth, atmospheric descriptions for every location—but for the Providence excerpt below, we’re teasing only the stops themselves. To get the full flavor, be sure to pick up the book!

Downcity, Providence:
Foodie Fun in Downtown Providence

Downcity Providence is the neighborhood that surrounds the capital city, and the businesses that make up the district are located along bustling Westminster, Weybosset, and Washington Streets. According to the In Downcity website, “Providence residents in the early 1900s coined the term Downcity as a marker for where to meet up, enjoy social excursions and shopping outings.” Whether you call it Downcity or downtown, there’s great shopping, incredible restaurants, and ice skating or rollerskating at the Providence Rink (which is also equipped with seasonal ice bumper cars). Explore the city’s public art, murals, and sculptures commissioned by the Avenue Concept through their self-guided public art tours and browse local goods on Westminster and Weybosset Streets. Shops include women’s clothing boutiques Queen of Hearts and Modern Love, gift shop Craftland, street wear and sneaker haven Civil, Eno Fine Wines, interior design and gift store Homestyle, Symposium Books, and vintage shopping at the Vault Collective, which provides space for vendors to display and sell their discovered thrifted finds. Supplement your foodie and shopping excursions with outdoor adventures like Venetian gondola rides or a Providence Ghost Tour, and spend the night at one of the glamorous hotels, such as The Beatrice (with a high-end restaurant called Bellini and a rooftop bar for guests) or the more casual Neptune hotel, previously known as The Dean (which has its own karaoke bar and speakeasy). Or plan a whole getaway around whatever musical or notable play is on stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center or Trinity Repertory Company. If you bring the kids, there’s the Providence Children’s Museum, and lots of fun things to do at Providence Place, including the new Level99 live challenge attraction, Dave & Buster’s with arcade games, and a movie theater showcasing IMAX films. This jam-packed bar and restaurant crawl is worthy of a whole long weekend.

Downcity Crawl

1. Start the day with a latte and croissant at Ellie’s (and take some French macarons to go).

2. Head for some DIY ramen at Providence Noodle Bar.

3. Stroll down Westminster Street and stop in for a cocktail at Bellini in The Beatrice Hotel.

4. Sit at the counter at Gift Horse for a cocktail or mocktail and inventive Korean-influenced seafood small plates.

5. Wander next door to sister restaurant Oberlin for crudo and house-made pasta.

6. Sip captivating cocktails at Clementine.

7. End the crawl with a late-night bite and whiskey at Durk’s Bar-B-Q.

Jamie Coelho

Jamie Coelho is editor in chief at Rhode Island Monthly magazine, where she has written about food and drink, fashion and other lifestyle topics in the Ocean State for the past eleven years. She previously worked at Men’s Health magazine, Boston magazine and AAA Publications, and has been published in the Boston Globe Magazine and Yankee.

More by Jamie Coelho