Best Summer Restaurants
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
There are some restaurants, while they’re good all year-round, just have the perfect location for the summer weather. The kind of location where you walk out the door after dinner, the sun hasn’t quite set yet and the air is perfectly warm. So instead of getting back into your car and heading home, you take a walk, do some late shopping or maybe just hop between bars. Here are the summer restaurants that combine great food and that perfect ambience. You'll never eat at home again.
Newport: 22 Bowen's Wine Bar & Grille, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, The Smokehouse Cafe
Yes, I’m cheating a bit here because I really couldn’t decide which of these three restaurants should be the one along that stretch of wharfs off America’s Cup Avenue to recommend. Since they’re all owned by the Newport Restaurant Group I decided to just suggest all three. They’re all very good, 22 Bowen’s having one of the best steaks in the state, The Smokehouse being a great casual location and The Mooring presenting a gorgeous view with your seafood. There’s tons to see and do walking around the different wharfs west of America’s Cup, and then if you cross over to Thames there's a whole different ton of things to see and do. All in all, this triple crown of dining in one of the most beautiful towns on the entire Eastern Seaboard is a sure-fire winner. 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, 22 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, 841-8884, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, 1 Sayer’s Wharf, Newport, 846-2260, The Smokehouse Cafe, 31 Scott’s Wharf, Newport, 848-9800.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
East Greenwich: Hemenway’s Dockside
Brand new to the East Greenwich waterfront but not brand new to Rhode Island, Hemenway’s Dockside is the sister restaurant to the downtown Providence staple. Recently taken over by the Newport Restaurant Group (see above), Hemenway’s Dockside has beautiful views of Greenwich Bay and the marina while serving fresh seafood and a nice selection of wines. When you’re done eating there’s usually music at a nearby bar or, for some of the best local shopping in Rhode Island, walk up the hill to Main Street. Hemenway's Dockside, 28 Water St, East Greenwich, 336-3920.
Narragansett: Spain of Narragansett
Need a place near the beaches in Narragansett that has a lot more to offer than clamcakes and chowder? Spain of Narragansett is a great spot with a charming fountain-centered patio (right) for a variety of food and wine or perhaps some delicious sangria, which really hits the spot after a long day of doing absolutely nothing at the beach. Spain of Narragansett, 1144 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, 783-9770.
Federal Hill: Costantino's Ristorante & Caffe
There are a lot of good places to eat on Federal Hill. To be honest, I could have chosen several, but Costantino’s has great food and is very centrally located for strolling around after dinner. You’re right on DePasquale Square, which is a people-watching delight, and not a far walk
from just about anywhere else on Atwells Avenue that you’d like to go. If The Hill is your scene, you know what I’m talking about. Costantino's Ristorante & Cafe, 265 Atwells Ave, Providence, 528-1100.
Bristol: Persimmon
Persimmon is one of the best dining experiences in the state, always very fresh and seasonal.
It’s located between Hope Street and Thames Street, which runs along the waterfront in Bristol. Afterwards you can do some shopping, stop into Judge Roy Bean or Aidan’s for a pint, or simply stroll along the water. Persimmon, 31 State St, Bristol, 254-7474.
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