Coffee shop/bakery in the neighborhood:

• The Nitro bar: Maybe the best nitro coffee you’ve ever had. Inside a bike shop.  Need I say more? Providence or Brooklyn?  Inside this place there’s no telling. 

• Seven Stars: full-on dream bakery! Delicious pastries, excellent café beverages

• White Electric: hipster coffee bar, eclectic atmosphere, great vibe, sandwiches, salads, pastries.

Sit down for breakfast in the neighborhood:

• West Side Diner: old school diner, booth and counter service.  Classic breakfast food. Delicious. I love it here!

• The Classic Café: folks love this place.  Real a real gets.  Sit down breakfast diner.

Grab some takeout for breakfast or lunch in the neighborhood:

• Hudson Street Deli: If you’ve ever dreamed of living upstairs and opening a delicious deli downstairs this is that dream.  Great local scene, great food, great vibe (all take out).  You’ll dig Providence after going here.  They also sell ‘doggy bacon’ if you’re taking a walk with the pups.

• Bagel Express: Exactly what it sounds like. No frills, but solid bagel sandwiches. Don't go here if you identify as a snob.  You won't be impressed. Go here if you want a bagel. :) 

Brunch in the neighborhood:

• Nicks On Broadway:  One of the best restaurants in the city. Open kitchen. Great food. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

• Julian’s : A Providence institution. A fun, low key, always-good-vibe bar and restaurant. The line wraps around the corner every day of the year. 

• BayBerry Beer Hall: German style beer hall with a rotating, highly curated beer list in all kinds of styles from unique breweries.  The food is fantastic, too.  Think hummus, burger, chicken sandwich, cheese and meat boards, salads, pasta dishes.  Casual, but awesome.

• BayBerry Beer Garden: This is BayBerry's fancy aunt.  It's in another neighorhood, dripping in gorgeous plants, super high ceilings, and absolutely delicious food, cocktails, the whole nine. 

Dinner in the neighborhood!!!

• Nicks On Broadway: Open kitchen, delicious, great vibe, always bustling

• Great Northern BBQ: Absolutely delicious BBQ.  Also stuff for non meat eaters. Super cute bar, great vibe. 

• BayBerry Beer Hall:  German style beer hall with a rotating, highly curated beer list in all kinds of styles from unique breweries.  The food is fantastic, too.  Think hummus, burger, chicken sandwich, cheese and meat boards, salads, pasta dishes.  Casual, but awesome.

• Big King: Asian influenced. very small, very cool, very delicious. Stylish. Make a rez because it seats like 12 total.
  Courtland Club:  Known and loved for their cocktails and vibe, they also serve food and it's pretty damn good. 

Killer restaurants in other neighborhoods in Providence:

• Oberlin: My favorite restaurant in the city BY FAR!!  

• North:  In the Dean Hotel.  Asian influenced.  DELICIOUS.

• Dolores:  Gorgeous, insanely delicious, utterly authentic but modern Mexican food.

• Gracie’s:  This is the fanciest place in Providence. They have a prix fixe menu and you can also order a la carte.  The service is incredible and the food is really good.  This is my go-to for special occasions, but I’ve also sat at the bar before a show (it’s downtown) and had an incredible meal with no reservations.  I always try to hate this place, but I never do.

• Plant City: an entire mill building as a vegan food market! There’s three dinner restaurants, a bakery, and a few other things. It’s wild. All vegan.

• Persimmon:  The other fancy restaurant in town.  Great for foodies.

• New Rivers:  In a beautiful old mill building.  I love their cheese plate, wine, gorgeous building, and gorgeous food.

• Los Andes:  Peruvian/Bolivian food and a Providence institution.  It’s REAL Providence: Latin families dressed up for special occasions, the place is run by three brothers and their parents and grandparents.  The grandmothers make all the desserts every day.   I absolutely love it here because it’s zero pretense, not hip, just real people working hard, doing a great job because they want to be part of a great place.  I’m actually choked up thinking about this place.  I love it.  Don’t go here if you self identify as a snob.   Go here if you’re nice. 

Easy Going/Not fancy but delicious places in the neighborhood:

• Pizza J:  Super thin crust, creative pizzas alongside other delicious crowd pleasing food.  Full bar, great beers on tap, and tons of pinball machines!  Great for families.

• Bayberry beer hall: German style beer hall with great food.  Low key, awesome vibe. My go-to bar. Great for groups. Big picnic table seating. This is my favorite bar, by far.  I also love the food.

• Great Northern BBQ: Absolutely delicious BBQ.  Also plenty of stuff for non-meat eaters. Super cute bar, great vibe.

• Bucktown Fried Chicken and Fish: It’s an order-at-the-counter place.  Awesome burger, incredible waffle fries, just a delicious, ultra casual greasy spoon.

• Julian’s:  Easy going, hipster bar and food. Providence landmark.  Great for families.

Great for Families in the Neighborhood:

• Julian’s:  Easy going, hipster bar and food. Providence landmark.  Open kitchen, very chill vibe, pez dispensers in the bathroom.

• Pizza J: Super thin crust, creative pizzas alongside other delicious crowd pleasing food.  Full bar, delicious menu, great beers on tap, and tons of pinball machines! 

• Ogies: A trailer park themed place.  Full, big bar, order at the window, sit outside by the airstreams at a picnic table.  Burgers and whatnot.

Breweries/beer in the neighborhood! :

• Bayberry beer hall: German style beer hall with great food.  Low key, awesome vibe. My go-to bar. Great for groups. Big picnic table seating.  I also love the food.

• Long Live Brewery:  A gorgeous renovated mill building houses this delicious brewery right in the hood. Dog friendly patio outside.

• Revival Brewing: Chill vibe, pizza, DJs. Right down the street from the studio.

• Beer On Earth:  Super small, but awesome little place.  Beautiful art on the walls, great beers, and dog friendly.

• Moniker:  Fire pits outside at each table, cool vibe.  Right in the heart of the West Side.

Fancy Cocktail Bars in the neighborhood:

• Courtland Club (My favorite bar in the city! Speak-easy style, prohibition era influenced, cocktail hang. No signage!)

• The Avery (art deco, dark, romantic, intimate)

• Royal Bobcat.  Korean food, great cocktails, hip. 

• The Industrious Spirit Company:  Vibes and cocktails

• The Eddy (downtown…not in the hood, but awesome):  Cocktail bar GEM. Downtown, hidden in an alley.

Git Drunk in the neighborhood:

• Nolan’s Corner Pub (an actual dive bar.  Not a hipster place trying to be a dive.  Just an actual dive.  I fucking love it here. )

• Scurvy Dog:  Heavy metal/punk bar. Tons of beers, whisky.  Outdoor patio. Pool table, but no windows.  Not a one.  They boast that they’re ‘relatively douche bag free’.  Open 365 days a year.

• Ogie’s: trailer park themed, food truck inspired, outdoor patio and firepit hang out. I think it’s open til 2am. It’s loud and rowdy at night which is fun if you’re looking for that.

• Courtland Club: super hip, no sign, hidden gem. Great cocktails, beautiful space, good food, but light menu. Fave.

• Troop: 90s themed restaurant right next door to the studio. Always something going on here at night; live music, djs. Fun place.

• Riff Raff:  a combination bookstore and bar.  What could go wrong?  This shares the courtyard with the studio.

• Nick a Nees:. Dogs allowed! Really good live music on Sunday and Wednesday nights.  This is downtown so it isn't technically in the neighborhood, but I love this place so it's on here. 

Pizza:  

I understand that pizza preference is a very personal thing.  I like a New York style: thin crust pizza you can fold in half and eat.  So that is what’s being reflected in this list.

• Nice Slice:  Right up the street.  Absolutely delicious and perfect in every way. They even do vegan pizza.  It’s a take out place.  No beers.

• Pizza J:  Ultra thin crust, creative toppings, super delicious. If you want to sit down, play some pinball, have a beer and a pizza.  Also in the neighborhood.

• Flatbread Company: This is near Brown and RISD.  Organic ingredients.  Always super busy, family friendly.  People love this place.

• Coal Fired Pizza:  Wow.  So delicious.  So good that you tell yourself you’re just going to have one piece and you can’t stop eating it’s so good.  Full restaurant, always busy, full bar.

• Fellini:  Open late! (and since 1989)  And DELICIOUS!  I think they deliver through grubhub.

Federal Hill/Atwells Ave:

This is the Italian section of the city that many people have heard of.  In my opinion, it’s out of style in every way, but if you know that ahead of time you can enjoy yourself for what it is.  I always feel like I’m either traveling to another planet or to another era over there. There are also quite a number of cheesy bars, bad Chinese food, and hookah bars.  A relevant note:  most of the cast of Jersey Shore were from Rhode Island.  Justsayin’

Stand out places on Atwell’s Ave:

• Venda Ravioli:  Delicious Italian take out, cannolis, espresso.  My favorite place on the street.  I go here to cater my get-togethers and then take all the credit.

• Tony’s Colonial: Exactly like Venda.

• The Old Canteen:  OLD SCHOOL!  Pink dining room, REAL old school bar, waiters in tuxedos, the host is the son of the original owners, huge portions of spaghetti and meatballs.

• Siena:  These guys get best of Rhode Island every single year.  And anything that wins anything every single year is obviously rigged, but I like it here.  It’s cheesy and crowded and delicious and fun.  I don’t know how the female bartenders do anything with nails that long, but they look awesome and I think I’m just jealous.

• Enoteca Umberto: Super small and authentic.  This is a Sicilian style place. Need reservations.  The husband waits tables and the wife is in the kitchen…WHERE SHE BELONGS.

• Pastiche: European style dessert café where you can sit down and also have tea or coffee.  The desserts here are absolutely delicious.

• Scialo’s Bakery:  100 year old bakery, ‘old world’ Italian pastries.  I get cannolis here. 

Shopping in the neighborhood:

• Frog and Toad: Awesome gift shop.  A few pieces of art in my/your place are from there. Love it here, great gifts.

• Rocket to Mars:  Consignment shop of your dreams.

• Hall’s Consignment: Thrift if you’re hip.

• Providence Flea: Inspired by Brooklyn’s flea market. Sundays right near the studio.

Great Hair, Great Spa, Great Hotel, Great Real Estate Agent:

• Nina Ganci Hair: Best of Boston hair colorist moves to Providence. Lucky us! Go get your hair done, look and feel your best, and meet your new best friend.

• The Bodhi Spa: hydro therapy spa right in the neighborhood. Treat yourself after yoga!

• Jess Powers: Incredible real estate agent if and when you’re ready to move to this great city and make it even greater.

• Katie Cocuzzo: Yet another great real estate agent when you’re ready!

• The Dean Hotel:  The coolest little boutique hotel you ever did know. Come to a couple of yoga classes, get hydro therapy, get your hair done, go out to dinner, and stay the night!

• Urban Greens: The neighborhood co-op health store. Remember life before there was only one cool healthy grocery store? This will remind you.