“It’s Like the End of Prohibition” Newport Has More Than a Dozen New Restaurants for This Summer
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Newport is gearing up for a big summer of eating, drinking, and tourism. The coronavirus took its toll on the Newport tourism industry and a number of restaurants and bars did not survive. Harry’s on Thames and Griswold’s on Bellevue did not make it through the pandemic.
Now, Newport restaurant and tourism leaders are hoping for a big recovery.
In most years, the Newport mansions see upwards of one million visitors. In 2020, most of the venues were closed. No Jazz or Folk festivals. The Tennis Hall of Fame tournament was canceled.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRhode Island continues to battle with the coronavirus. RI has the second most number of cases per 100,000 residents in the U.S., trailing only Michigan.
Bounce Back Summer
Colin Kane, co-owner, Hammett's Wharf hotel is expecting a bounce-back season.
"The hotel's been doing really well [in 2021]. We’ve been full every weekend since January,” said Kane in an interview with GoLocal.
“I think the restaurant [Giusto] is doing great," said Kane, of the hotel's restaurant in the heart of the city on the water. "It's still a struggle with staffing, but I think they have built a great reputation — they opened last fall but then closed because of the restrictions, which were tough."
“I think [this summer's] going to be like the end of prohibition. The restaurant has the outdoor tables, and we're really bullish,” he added.
This summer ‘America’s first resort’ will have more than a dozen new restaurants on Aquidneck Island. And nearly another ten on the East Bay.
Stoneacre Garden which took over the space that the Barking Crab occupied for years opened in 2021 and expects a big 2021 summer. The local restaurant group dubs it “Our newest restaurant, Stoneacre Garden, is inspired by the gardens and grounds of the Stoneacre Estate, designed by America’s first Landscape Architect, Frederick Law Olmsted.” It features brunches, bento boxes, and an eclectic dinner offering.
Others restaurants that have opened and are looking forward to a rebound summer include everything from Knot Norm’s lobster rolls and Planet City X in Middletown.
"It’s abundantly clear when people get that second shot, they have that confidence. I've spoken with countless folks in the past month who say they’re vaccinated and are now going it. It’s like a key to freedom," said Evan Smith of Discover Newport.
Here are some of the restaurants that are “new” 2020/2021 to Newport, Aquidneck Island, and the East Bay:
Opened in 2020/ Early 2021
Knot Norms Catering Co. (formerly Vieste Simply Italian/ Stoneacre Tapas)
Stoneacre Garden (formerly the Barking Crab) (Newport, RI)
Giusto Newport (Newport, RI)
Plumbys (Middletown, RI)
River & Rhodes (formerly Christians) (Bristol, RI)
Clementine’s Ice Cream (Middletown, RI)
Sticks & Cones Ice Cream (Newport, RI)
Twist Ice Cream (Newport, RI)
Jules Ice Cream (Bristol, RI)
Groundswell Café & Bakery (formerly the Provender) (Tiverton, RI)
Green Dragon (Ghost Kitchen in Midtown Oyster Bar) (Newport, RI)
Plant City X (Middletown, RI)
Sakurantani Ramen (Bristol, RI)
Drift Café (formerly Juice’d Café) (Newport, RI)
Bellevue Nutrition (formerly Radio Shack) (Newport, RI)
Crush Nutrition (Newport, RI)
Crave Nutrition (Bristol, RI)
R.L. Flounders (Little Compton, RI)
Groundswell Café & Bakery (formerly the Provender) (Tiverton, RI)
Green Dragon (Ghost Kitchen in Midtown Oyster Bar) (Newport, RI)
Kaffeology (formerly Sydney Portsmouth)
Le Bec Sucré (Middletown, RI)
Blue Anchor Grill (formerly the Beachcomber) (Portsmouth, RI)
Opening this year:
La Vecina Taqueria (opening in June next to Bar’Cino, they hosted a pop-up ghost kitchen this winter) (Newport, RI)
Foodlove Market (opening this summer) (Middletown, RI) No website presently.
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