Diner’s Update – Rhode Island Monthly

EVENTS, SPECIALS AND MENU UPDATES

2/2-3/30

Sign up for the Newport Foodies Stroll and rediscover Thames Street with the help of great meals on this one-mile food tour. Wander the historic streets of the City by the Sea with tour guides Thomas and Susan Maxwell in between three-course meals and wine pairings at notable restaurants and pubs. The tours take place Feb. 2-March 30. on Fridays and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $125 per person. Meet at the corner of Thames Street and Lee’s Wharf in Newport. For more information, call 508-505-5299 or visit newportfoodiesstroll.com.

2/26-3/28

Bristol Oyster Bar is bringing back ‘Oyster Madness,’ a month-long bracket-style competition that was originally intended to celebrate the aquaculture of Rhode Island. “This is an opportunity to bring the community together to savor some of the finest and freshest oysters from the Rhode Island waters. We are excited to partner with both The Ocean State Shellfish Cooperative and Whalers Brewing Company to bring back this competition and give the participating farms the opportunity to showcase their product,” says Jordan Sawyer, owner of Bristol Oyster Bar. Guests are invited to join in the voting. Each week Bristol Oyster Bar will feature local Rhode Island oyster farms who will go head to head to compete for the title of “Best Oyster in Rhode Island.” In-person voting will be every week Mon.-Thurs., when you can get eight oysters for $10. Each vote will enter participants to win prizes from the event sponsors. Engage with Bristol Oyster Bar on social media using the official event hashtag: #OysterMadnessBristol.

3/1-3/31

For the third year in a row, local craft breweries are competing in RI Food Fights’ the Big LeBREWski to see who’s the best. Each participating brewery is offering a tasting or a pour for ticket holders to vote upon. Visit the website for $40 tickets. Takes place at various locations throughout Rhode Island.

3/16

Calling all wine and food lovers. ️Sunset Cafe is setting sail for Portugal. Join Brands of Portugal and Bristol Sunset Cafe on March 16  at 7 p.m. for another installment of our “Paired with Portugal” wine dinner series. This exclusive event marks the launch of Sunset Cafe’s dinner menu, featuring chef/owner Fabio Lopes’ authentic Azorean cuisine. Guests will enjoy a welcome drink to kick things off, a six-course Azorean feast prepared by Fabio Lopes himself, perfectly paired Portuguese wines for every dish and an introduction to the the launch of Sunset Cafe’s dinner menu. Limited seating is available. Reserve your spot now for $125 per person (all taxes and gratuity included). 21+ only, ID required.

3/18

3/19

3/19-3/20 and 3/27-3/28

Castle Hill Inn’s culinary team, led by executive chef Andy Taur, is highlighting different cuisines and regions from around the world each week with a Pop Up Supper Club series. The dinners kick off in February and will run through late-March, featuring a new menu each week. The three-course prix fixe menus are $60 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and reservations are required to attend. Make a reservation through OpenTable. March 19 and 20 feature Steak Frites and March 27 and 28 feature a menu dedicated to Roma.

3/21-3/24

Rhode Island Spirits, Pawtucket’s largest distillery, is celebrating its fifth anniversary by bringing back special drinks and products from the past. The distillery opened on March 7, 2019, and from Thursday, March 21 through Sunday, March 24, RI Spirits is welcoming customers old and new to join the festivities at the tasting room at 40 Bayley Street in Pawtucket. The menu will be include cocktails like the a Nasturtium Gin Gimlet and Spiked Coffee Milk from the very first 2019 menu, plus offering bottles of PawPaw Liqueur (last featured in 2020) and ready-to-drink take-home bottles of the tasting room’s signature cocktail, Forager’s Gin Greyhound. There will also be a display of photos from the past five years. Tasting Room hours next week are: Wednesday-Friday 4-8:30 p.m., Saturday 1-8:30 p.m., and Sunday 1-6 p.m.

3/21-3/29

Narragansett Restaurant Week is back March 22-29. They will be hosting a Kickoff Party on Thursday, March 21 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Towers in Narragansett. In addition to panoramic ocean views, your ticket gives you access to sample delicious treats from local restaurants while listening to live music by Reckless Blues. VIP hour ($60 tickets) starts at 5:30 p.m., and general admission ($50) is at 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets to the opening party. Then visit participating restaurants March 22-29 for special deals and discounts.

3/23

GFree Fest, the state’s only fully gluten free food festival, is happening on Sat., March 23 at WaterFire Arts Center in Providence. GFree Fest’s inaugural event is presented by 110 Grill and features a lineup of dozens of restaurants, bakeries and food and beverage producers who will be showcasing their gluten free products and skills. Attendees will be able to shop, eat, sample and learn more about some of the best and most exciting gluten free foods from both local and national businesses. “I spent nearly a decade in the beer industry before learning that I have celiac disease,” says the event’s founder and co-owner of Ampersand Creative Co., BJ Mansuetti. “While the diagnosis explained so much about many of the health issues I had been struggling with, it was difficult to suddenly make drastic changes to my lifestyle and career path, and I didn’t know where to start. I know I’m not the only one, and I feel that bringing a large gluten free community together is one of the best ways to adjust to gluten free living.” In addition to notable allergen-friendly restaurant chain 110 Grill, GFree Fest will also include gluten free spirits from The Industrious Spirit Company (RI) and hard seltzers from Sprawl Hard Seltzer (RI) at the event’s gluten free bar. For event info and ticket availability, visit gfreefest.com.

3/23

Do you have a hankering for Italian fare? Look no further than the first-ever Soupy Fest, a celebration of all things soppressata, a dry-cured sausage that the locals call “soupy.” Hosted by the United Theatre in Westerly, Soupy Fest will feature tastings, a soupy-based bourbon, a premiere documentary screening, a soupy trail map of Westerly and a contest for the best family-made soupy in town. Visit the website for tickets and more information.

3/24

Tiverton Farmers Market is hosting its Easter Specialty Farmers Market, scheduled for Sunday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tiverton Middle School. This event offers a glimpse into the local community’s rich artisanal culture and vibrant food scene. The market is setting the stage a week ahead of Easter, ensuring families can revel in the festivities and still enjoy the traditional holiday together at home. With more than fifty vendors expected, the Easter Specialty Market will showcase a vast array of products, ranging from seafood & meats, artisanal foods, a variety of international dishes, prepared meals, fresh produce & fruit, baked goods, pottery, jewelry, linens, pet foods & treats, to garden art, and much more.

3/24

Winner Winner fried chicken is making a comeback in Providence on March 24 at Tiny Bar for Buckets and Bubbles. Stop by the bar in Providence to get some throwback fried chicken from noon to 4 p.m.

Now-3/29

Boston Harbor Hotel is hosting its thirty-fifth annual Boston Wine & Food Festival, showcasing renowned winemakers from around the world. The celebration is led by Executive Chef David Daniels and Hotel Sommelier Nick Daddona, and includes expertly paired wine dinners, seminars, thematic receptions and celebratory brunches. Events will take place at the waterfront destination from January through March, kicking off with the opening weekend on January 12, 2024. The 2024 Boston Wine & Food Festival offers a stellar lineup, including the highest level wine dinner in its history, the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Reserve Dinner. This once in a lifetime experience is with arguably one of the world’s most important wine producers. Other standout events include the Grand Cru California Wine Reserve Dinner, Knights Bridge Winery Dinner, and the Women’s Gala Winemaker Dinner. Attendees can choose from numerous seminars to learn more about the winemaking process and the festival’s very popular themed dinners featuring top personalities from the world of wine. Attendees of the 2024 Boston Wine & Food Festival are encouraged to take advantage of a special room rate of $295, based upon availability.

3/28, 5/9

Hope & Main’s Meet Your Maker Winter Market Series is back in Warren on select dates. The Meet Your Maker Market is a marketplace to engage the public in the incubator’s nonprofit mission, helping to foster a community of growing and thriving food and beverage companies! Shop for the latest and greatest in locally-produced food and beverage products, and you can also contribute feedback, share in recipe development, learn about new food trends, cooking techniques and nutrition, and more! During each market, there will be live music, hot dinner options from local food trucks, craft cocktails and mocktails, cookies, pet treats, packaged goods and so much more. Free municipal parking. A full list of vendors, programming and market-day details is available at makefoodyourbusiness.org/markets.

3/28

The historic Mystic Seaport Museum is launching an elegant four-course dinner and pairing series on Thursday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m. Lancer Hospitality will take guests on a culinary journey with spirits from Veritable Distillery out of Stonington, CT. The four-course experience will begin with a classic French 75 paired with Mystic Blue Point Oysters in an apple-pomegranate Mignonette, followed by an arugula citrus salad and GG&T with aromatics. For the main course, Port Wine braised short ribs will be accompanied by a NY Sour, and to finish, a rich dark chocolate souffle will pair beautifully with an espresso martini. Priced at $75 per person, the series will feature Veritable spirits, including Southwick’s American Gin, Ship’s Bell Bourbon, and Veritable Coffee Liqueur, with each course. Order tickets here.

3/31

Head to the Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport for Easter brunch from noon to 7 p.m. Enjoy the melodies of a live jazz duo while taking in the stunning views of Easton’s Bay. The four-course prix fixe Easter menu by chef Jacob Jasinksi is inspired by the rejuvenation of spring. Seasonal dishes include locally sourced Don Hopkins Lamb, Newport Lobster Benedict, and a tempting selection of confections from the resort’s Parisian-inspired confiserie. The cost is $125 per person, plus tax, and the three-course children’s menu is $55 per child (ages twelve and under). Reserve your table here.

4/6-4/7

Bloom Flower & Home will take place on April 6th and 7th, 2024 at WaterFire Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Presented by beloved local plant shop, Jordan’s Jungle (Pawtucket, RI), and supported by The Providence Tourism Council, Gather Glass, and Gather Farm, Bloom brings together 85+ small and independent plant shops, florists, retailers, makers, and artists from New England and beyond.  Local restaurants, JA Patty and Hometown Poke, will be popping up with delicious food options all weekend, along with the Inside Voices bar, which will feature local beer from Moniker Brewery, botanically inspired cocktails and mocktails, Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water, and Gather Farm’s homemade ice cream. $8 advance tickets include a complimentary beverage or ice cream from sponsors.

4/12

Rhode Island PBS’s Uncorked! A Food and Wine Event will include a VIP pre-event reception, culinary performance and book signing from 5 to 6 p.m with celebrity chefs from America’s Test Kitchen, Bridget Lancaster, and Bryan Roof from “Cook’s Country.” The full event starts at 7 p.m. at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence. The theme for this year’s event is inspired by pop art. Uncorked! features wine tastings of fine domestic and international vintages selected for this event from the cellars of local purveyors and private donors. Savory small bites are prepared by chefs from more than a dozen of the best restaurants, caterers and confectioners in Rhode Island and southeastern New England. Throughout the evening, guests may also participate in an instant-win wine grab and browse the micro-silent and live auctions offering boutique wines and unique gift packages. Tickets for the event go on sale on March 1, 2024. The event will also showcase the curated work of artists profiled in the Rhode Island PBS original series, ART inc. Attendees will also be able to explore the exhibits at the WaterFire Arts Center which will be open from April 4 to April 28.

4/20

The twelfth annual Newport Beer Festival will return to Fort Adams State Park on Saturday, April 20 from 2-5:30 p.m.. The festival, sponsored by Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co., will welcome fifty breweries and local food vendors, with festival proceeds benefiting the Rhode Island Brewers Guild, a nonprofit trade group that markets, promotes and advocates for Rhode Island breweries in business, government and community affairs. Tickets are $65. In commemoration of the 200^th anniversary of Historic Fort Adams, the first 200 ticket orders will receive a limited edition Fort Adams Trust trucker-style hat. Festival-goers receive all beer samplings with admission. Live music and a variety of food items for purchase. Twenty-one-plus with valid Id. Rain or shine. Ticket details can be found here.

NOTABLES

Newport Harbor Island Resort (the former Gurney’s Newport), is reopening in April following a massive head-to-toe renovation. Guests and locals will be invited to cozy up in the property’s upgraded culinary outlets, including its full-service restaurant 1639 and Torpedo Bar and Lounge, which boasts a hand-laid stone fireplace with weathered, comfortable indoor-outdoor seating and waterfront views. The venues’ cuisine will feature local, organic food sources, with a selection of signature dishes. Evocative of an early New England-style bakery with marble tile and motifs of black and white, the lobby’s For Five Coffee Roasters will function as a warm and inviting space to grab coffee drinks and freshly baked goods to-go. Meanwhile, the beloved Pineapple Club will activate with a new menu, expanded cabana seating inclusive of an adults-only section on the lower level, extended service to the Marina Deck and dockside, and special pop-up programming.

The owners of Bayberry Beer Hall have a new buyer for the restaurant, which is Morin’s Fine Catering. Tom and Natalie Dennen say they will continue to run Bayberry Garden. From the owners: “The time has come for us to say goodbye to our beloved little corner of West Fountain Street. February 25th will be our final day of service before we hand over the keys and we hope during this time to see the amazing faces of those who supported and made connections with us along this 6.5 year journey.”

Karen Krinsky, owner of Like No Udder. Photo by Casey Nilsson.

Like No Udder in Providence shared news that they have to be out of their current location by April, and that they have found a new location. The plant-based ice cream shop and the Providence Vegan Deli are going into the former laundromat next to Apsara in the heart of Hope Village.”While we’ve been cozy and happy on Ives, Hope has a solid neighborhood/merchants association and a tight-knit group of involved business owners – we’re fortunate to have known many of them for several years,” says Like No Udder owner Karen Krinsky in an Instagram post. “Nothing is likely to happen until May at the earliest! There’s a lot of work to be done and we’re at the mercy of many others and bureaucracy! We need to be out of Ives St. before April so there will be a gap in our season.” They are currently open in their Ives Street location, Friday and Saturday from 1-9 p.m. and Sunday  from 2-9 p.m.

Ten Rhode Island-based chefs and restaurants have been named Semifinalists for the James Beard Awards, the Oscars of the food world. See the list of Rhody winners here.

Dale J. Venturini, President and CEO of the RI Hospitality Association (RIHA), has retired after more than thirty-five years of dedicated service. Here is a profile on Venturini that we ran in our December 2021 issue that tells all about how she helped local restaurants and hotels manage mental health and the economic impact of COVID-19 on their staff and businesses. Heather Singleton, Chief Operating Officer, will be named interim president/chief executive officer as the RIHA Executive Committee oversees the search process to appoint the next president and CEO. Read our pandemic profile on Venturini here.

Ben Sukle and Bethany Calliaro’s new restaurant, Gift Horse, made Esquire magazine’s “Best New Restaurants in America” list. The annual list is on Esquire.com here and in the Winter issue. For this year’s edition, Esquire’s team of intrepid food writers – led by Lifestyle & Culture Director Kevin Sintumuang with support from Jeff Gordinier, Omar Mamoon and Joshua David Stein – traveled coast to coast and dined at more than 200 new restaurants to find the 50 best. Here’s what they said about Gift Horse: “Gift Horse (Providence) – Seafood spots in New England tend to be encrusted with centuries of tradition. Nothing wrong with that. But at Gift Horse, chefs Ben Sukle and Sky Kim scrape off the barnacles and start anew. The result is a reinterpretation of what a raw bar can be.”

Maven’s Delicatessen, the Jewish delicatessen, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Blackstone Place plaza on East Avenue in Pawtucket. It is stocked with house-smoked pastrami, boiled and baked bagels, matzo ball soup, bialys and other traditional Jewish favorites. Check Instagram for updates on hours and availability. The eatery serves breakfast, lunch and dinner fare and has seating for 106 in the main dining area, around eighteen in the grab-and-go section near the entrance, and fifty on the back deck area. Read more here.

CLOSINGS

Metacom Kitchen announced it will be closing April 22, so that chef and co-owner Richard Allaire may pursue other culinary opportunities. From the Instagram post: “I have always viewed MK as a place where the menu is always somewhat temporary and in a constant state of flux. It is in this spirit of change and a desire to do new things that we have decided, after nine wonderful years, on April 22nd the restaurant will close. It has always been in my nature to want to keep learning and hopefully evolve as a cook, and this restaurant has provided an opportunity for me to have a place where I had the freedom to explore and be creative. I am very grateful to the people who have supported the restaurant over the years: I have always felt that a restaurant should be both about the guests and the people who work in it, so I would like to thank Stephane, Jayne, Jessica, Ben, Mike, Andy, Kevin, Isabel, August, Manuel and most of all, my wife Sue, who has been endlessly supportive of this project. I would also like to thank the town of Warren for welcoming the restaurant into their community. Metacom Kitchen will always be a special place for me, filled with lots of great memories and many wonderful people who, over time, have become the regulars that I look forward to seeing every week. In closing, while I will miss the restaurant and those who I have met while operating it, I am also excited for the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The decision to close a successful restaurant has been a difficult one to make but, in my heart, I feel that it is the right path forward at this point in my life. I know the things that I have learned while operating MK will be applied to future projects, and I am certain the spirit of the Metacom will continue on elsewhere.”

Plant City X in Middletown closed on February 18, according to an Instagram post. But the good news is, owner Kim Anderson plans to open a Plant City X in Barrington.

Feed the Cheeks also closed its Wayland Square location, and opening a new shop at Garden City Center in Cranston. According to its Instagram post, they are citing the bridge closure as having a profound impact on business: “…our Wayland store will be closing this year (more to come on an exact date). While we are extremely grateful for our Wayland Square community for allowing us to serve them, the bridge closure and other factors have severely impacted business there and have made it difficult to remain open. We like to think of this closure as more of a relocation to Cranston, as our Angell St store will continue to serve our East Side patrons.”

Hunky Dory in Warren is another beloved restaurant that announced that it is closing, citing the bridge closure, a hard winter, and escalating food costs. “Our physical space is closed, but we are so fortunate to now have the friends and community built inside that little 800sq ft restaurant. And it’s been amazing seeing for our industry friends that fight everyday to show up for their community finally get the deserved national recognition. And a plea to you all to keep showing up to that place that gives you warmth and comfort: the restaurant, or the old time jam, or whatever it may be. Winter months are insanely hard, bridge closures we know all know by now, the cost of anything a business needs at the moment is so, so expensive. So please keep supporting and breathing yourself and life into your own circle. We’re so thankful for you. ”

Lost Valley Pizza is closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Owner Sean Larkin announced the news in a statement on his Instagram page: “Who knows how 2024 will shake out for any of us, but despite loosing my business, getting evicted, and having to start over, I still feel really lucky. The reality is, that there is no shame in not being able to afford doing business in this climate. Shit is hard, and really expensive. I tried really hard, put myself in debt and fought the good fight, and always put the needs of others ahead of my own. There are two sides to every story. One day I’ll be able to tell mine.”

Buttonwoods Brewery is still open at its Cranston location, but it will be moving to Providence inside the former Lost Valley Pizza space. From the Instagram page: “It’s not what we planned or intended, but sometimes you have to improvise. Between a series of unfortunate events and good luck in between we are able to make a bad situation into a great decision. We found a new home in Providence that we are excited, enthused, and scared shitless about! We will have to hold the new location in a little longer, but we start our lease in January and are ready to hit the ground running. Hoping for an early spring open, but we really won’t know until we’re able to get in the space.”

Irregardless is now open.

CURRENT OPENINGS

Irregardless Biscuit Company is now open in the former Kitchen spot in Providence, Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. until sell out. The crisp, buttery biscuits and sandwiches are now available at a permanent location on the West End of Providence. Read more about it here.

Stingy Alley, the new speakeasy from the owners of the Square Peg and Amy’s Place, is now open in downtown Warren. The hours are Wed. and Thurs. from  4-11 p.m.; Fri. from 4-Midnight; Sat/ from 2 p.m.-Midnight and Sun. from 2-8 p.m. Stay updated on their Instagram at @stingyalley.

The Rose Room is a new coffee shop “where coffee blooms and conversations blossom” that opened in the former the Shop coffee shop on Wickenden Street in Providence. It’s open daily from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. The cafe serves coffee and seasonally inspired breakfast and lunch, using ingredients sourced as locally as possible from small New England farms and purveyors. Stay updated at @theroseroomcafe.

Meanwhile, in a surprise twist of events, John Paul Murton, formerly owner of the Shop at Fox Point, has started a new popup espresso bar at Pickerel, during their off-hours. Go see JP for espresso drinks Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Cash only!

WatULike Bakery is now open.

East Side residents (and former Brooklyn natives) Rob and Mike Fitzhenry recently opened WatULike, a new bakery in Pawtucket’s Oak Hill neighborhood located at 194 Hillside Ave. The bakery specializes in rustic and refined goodies like country cakes, cookies, breads, candy bars, scones, muffins and more, all homemade. A small retail section sells take-and-bake goodies and baking ingredients so customers can make their favorite recipes at home — think Icelandic chocolate, Italian salt, Canadian maple syrup and coconut sugar, which will give watUlike’s baked goodies a rich, caramel-like dimension.

Aurelia at Castle Hill is the latest culinary landmark at Castle Hill Inn, formerly known as the Dining Room at Castle Hill. The high-end, luxurious dining experience offers a six-course prix fixe menu focusing on contemporary and seasonal New England ingredients. Helmed by chef de cuisine Dylan Cadrette, Aurelia offers a chef’s tasting menu as a special two-and-a-half-hour dining experience. Aurelia at Castle Hill offers dinner service Thursday–Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) from 5:30–9 p.m. Reservations are required and available through Tock.

Ming’s Asian Street Food‘s Sando Bar at the Lorraine Mills at 560 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket is now open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Now you can get Ming’s signature sandwiches and fries five days per week. They are also accepting work to be an event vendor, or to cater weddings, company parties, birthdays, fundraisers and university events. Click here to fill out their event catering form and they’ll provide menu and pricing options.

Strive is a new restaurant and speakeasy located at 383 Admiral Street in Providence. Designed in partnership with Jackson Creative Group, the restaurant is thee years in the making and serves a menu of shareables and comfort food entrees like braised chipotle and coffee rubbed short ribs, an Angus Rodeo burger with north country bacon, cheddar and crispy onions on a brioche bun, and Sicilian-style pizza, as well as healthy dishes like tuna tartare and everything bagel-seasoned salmon with horseradish-beet risotto, dill yogurt, and marinated onion..

The UpSide Bar at the new In Your Ear record store is now open! The hours are Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.-midnight (closed Tues.); Sat., noon to midnight; Sun., noon to 10 p.m.

Oberlin opened its new location at 266 Westminster Street in Providence. Hours are Thursday through Monday at 5 p.m. Chef/owner Benjamin Sukle also recently opened Gift Horse right next door with a raw bar-style menu and seafood comfort food with a focus on local shellfish and New England catch.  Read more here.

Myrtle is a new neighborhood bar and vintage shop now open at 134 Waterman Ave. in East Providence. Read more here.

Juniper Bar is a new speakeasy that is open on weekends, Fridays and Saturdays from 6-11 p.m., in the Rooms & Works building in Providence, near Long Live Beerworks and Knead Doughnuts. It’s located in the space that used to be Far West and High Dive. Find out the latest updates on its Instagram account, @juniperbar_ri. The address is 55 Cromwell St. in Providence, and you gain access through the call box. Check the Instagram account weekly for the password.

FUTURE OPENINGS

Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli is opening on the ground floor of the Nightingale Building in Downtown Providence, part of Cornish Associates, in the spring of 2024. Maruichi will be located at 113 Washington Street and is part of the Fuji Mart Corp, based in Stamford, CT. The shop will be open seven days a week and specialize in Japanese grocery staples and prepared foods amongst other offerings.

Mexican food from Tuxpan Taqueria.

There is great news coming to the former location of Oberlin in Providence. Diego Alcantar, the same owner of Tuxpan Taqueria in Central Falls, is planning to open a second Mexican restaurant there, called Cielito. Tuxpan Taqueria was also just nominated as a Semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Award category for Best New Restaurant. Cornish Associates is welcoming Cielito to the Alice Building this spring. Learn more details about the opening and visit indowncity.com for Diego’s thoughts on opening Cielito, written in his own words. The restaurant’s name is in reference to Vicente Fernández’s song “Cielito Lindo.” Cielito was also the name of Alcantar’s parent’s grocery store in Mexico. “The mission of Cielito Mexican Kitchen is to bring traditional cuisine from the state of Michoacán, Mexico to Providence,” says Alcantar. “We want our customers to try dishes that are not only made with love but that also come from our Mexican roots. These dishes will represent our hometown and state, and provide a different experience for our customers. Providence consists of well-known restaurants, and it will be an honor to open the Cielito restaurant there.”

A new concept from Newport Restaurant Group, Celeste, will soon replace TRIO Kitchen + Bar space at 15 Kingstown Road in Narragansett. “Inspired by coastal European cuisine, Celeste’s menu will feature raw bar offerings highlighted by a selection of crudo, an expanded pizza menu, shareable small plates, and entrees steeped in the flavors of coastal Italy, France, and Spain,” according to a press release. “After 15 years, it’s time for a change and we’re ready to bring something unique to the pier once again.” While the restaurant undergoes cosmetic renovations, TRIO will continue serving dinner Mondays through Fridays from 4-9 p.m. and lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays from noon-9 p.m. through Sunday, January 28. The Pier Menu will still be available Sundays through Thursdays, featuring a choice of an appetizer, entree and a soft drink, draft beer or wine by the glass for $35.95.

Eric Brown of the popup eatery Thick Neck, located inside the Dean Hotel, will be opening Frank & Laurie’s at 110 Doyle St. in Providence with his wife, Sarah Watts, sometime in spring 2024. The new restaurant will be located in the former Rebelle artisan bagels shop, and it aspires to be a neighborhood retreat providing a wide range of daytime offerings centered around the cooking practices Eric has adopted over a decade of working in fine dining establishments and working closely with local farms. From the Thick Neck Instagram: “It is named after my grandparents and the place where I learned what a perfect runny yolk is like; where I learned how dark to take a pancake; where I learned ranch is good on most things; where I tasted a peach for the first time. Now we’ve got keys in hand, and we’re ready to build our baby. Thick Neck will be here until the bitter end, and then it’s onwards to something new. For now visit Thick Neck in the Dean Hotel. Learn more about Frank & Laurie’s here.

Brown Bee Coffee is another new coffee shop that will be opening soon on Benefit Street in Providence. Follow @brownbeecoffee for updates.