Best Food & Dining in Rhode Island | 2013 Editors’ Choice Awards

The Ocean State offers plenty of restaurant options for hungry residents and visitors. Read our picks for the best food & dining in Rhode Island. BEST MEXICAN FOOD EL RANCHO GRANDE, Providence Maria Meza’s chicken mole has brought grown men to their knees, and legend has it that her menudo has remedied many a hangover. But it’s her genuine brand of hospitality that turns newcomers into loyal regulars. Entrées: from $7. 311 Plainfield St. 401-275-0808; elranchogranderestaurant.comBEST BAR THE AVERY, Providence Interior design phenom Kyla Coburn gave this West Side watering hole the mellow, moody vibe of a speakeasy. No gimmicky cocktail lists here; go for well-made classic drinks and good conversation. 18 Luongo Memorial Square. averyprovidence.comBEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT AVENUE N AMERICAN KITCHEN, East Providence Husband-and-wife team Nick and Tracy Rabar (who also happen to live down the street) have created a neighborhood catch-all for nights when no one feels like cooking. Their menu hits all the major food groups, with salads for a post-workout bite and corn dogs and mac-and-cheese for the kids. Entrées: from $19. Rumford Center, 20 Newman Ave. 401-270-2836; avenuenamericankitchen.comBEST SAUSAGE THE WURST WINDOW, Providence At this walk-up window attached to the Chez Pascal restaurant, the name is as clever as the sausage varieties and toppings are gluttonous. Chef Matt Gennuso’s menu is ever-changing, but the “Hot Link BLT”–spicy smoked bratwurst with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and aioli–gets our vote for top dog. Entrées: from $3. 960 Hope St. 401-421-4422; chez-pascal.comBEST ARTISANAL BREAD SEVEN STARS BAKERY, Providence & East Providence Olive bread, sourdough, challah, Vermont cheddar bread, even the basic baguette–there are no misses at this beloved bakery, which elevates artisanal bread from supporting role to star. 820 Hope St., Providence. 342 Broadway, Providence. Rumford Center, 20 Newman Ave., East Providence. 401-521-2200; sevenstarsbakery.comBEST CATERED BBQ BASH PREPPY PIG BBQ, Warren Praise the lard, pop-collard pitmaster Patrick DeSocio has answered our prayers, giving us the best reason yet to gather friends and stuff our faces with sweet meat. DeSocio, who hauls his smoker behind an argyle-patterned Range Rover, caters parties large and small, serving up Southern-style BBQ with a New England bent. 99 Main St. 401-595-2477; preppypigbbq.comBEST SOUTH COUNTY ESCAPE ELLA’S FINE FOOD & DRINK, Westerly When Chef Jeanie Roland decided to move closer to her family, South County diners scored. Her restaurant, Ella’s, is a French/Asian hybrid that takes a novel approach to nearly everything, from lobster pho to foie gras with bacon brulee. Entrées: from $17. 2 Tower St. 401-315-0606; ellasfinefoodanddrink.comBEST MODERN INDIAN FOOD RASOI, Pawtucket Rasoi offers a lot of dishes that mainstream Indian places don’t, such as sweet-and-spicy cauliflower, curried okra, and date-and-coconut naan. They’re all hits, as is the signature tamarind margarita. Entrées: from $9.99. 727 East Ave. 401-728-5500; rasoi-restaurant.com