Unable to get a reservation at the legendary Al Forno, this nearby Italian restaurant was alright…read more Wood-Grilled Crispy Baby Octopus: Apparently their signature dish. The octopus body was grilled to a tender tenderness, though the tentacles were slightly charred and bitter, which is normal, but the sauce was far superior. The kale was cooked until smooth and thick, with a distinct sweetness that completely eliminated any strange vegetable taste; the white beans were also soft and creamy, adding thickness and aroma to the sauce. This sauce paired perfectly with the bread served before the meal. Pizza with Sweet Corn & Spicy Oil: In Providence, you absolutely must try grilled pizza. The waiter recommended this one, saying it was his favorite. It was the first time I'd ever had a pizza like this. The crust was thin and light, with noticeable charring, and a slightly crispy texture, which inexplicably reminded me of the Indian roti that I always had at Cantonese restaurants when I was a child. The tomatoes and corn were in season, and a touch of chili oil brought out a lively blend of sour and sweet flavors. Delicious. Bacaro's "Farmer's Salad": This was the first time I'd had a salad with snow peas, and it had a raw taste. I also tasted a hint of minty, refreshing herbal flavor, which was interesting. I searched for the ingredients but couldn't find the source, and the waiter couldn't explain it either.

I can't believe this is my first time coming to Bacaro! I was very impressed with the experience as…read morea whole. We were a party of three, but it could have been a party of six with all the food we ordered. We had the first reservation at 5 PM. We parked on the street, but you can park in the lot and they will validate your parking for you. The service was a 5/5 and the ambiance can be casual or fine dining. The lighting is perfect for a romantic night out and the view of the Providence River right over your shoulder. We made our own board: Umbriaco di Raboso "Drunken Cow" - amazing cheese, very high quality, sharp, not over powering. Definitely get it! Provolone - sharp very good quality provolone cheese Proscuitto di San Daniele - sliced very thin, soft and flavorful. I was very pleased with the portion size and the flavor. A must have! Spicy Olives - assorted olives with a spicy olive oil. All of the olives were fantastic and there definitely was a good kick from the spice. They threw in the pickles, jams, nuts and honey, all were fantastic. I really liked the blueberry jam. The warm tapas came out at all different times. Fried Bolognese olives - Although these were unique and delicious, I would skip these next time. The Bolognese is just a pinch on the inside of the olive. It would be a game changer if there was a side of Bolognese sauce to dip them in instead. Eggplant - Definitely a must order. Super simple sauce packed with flavor and the buffalo mozzarella is to die for. The pork belly is also a must order. Tons of flavor and not a lot of fat, which surprised me. It was a good sized portion too. Now of the the pizza...we ordered Pizza Salumi. Very thin dough, wood fired for the flavor and the crisp. There is a good amount of sauce, which can make the crust floppy, but it's so worth it! The flavor of the sauce is so good. All fresh and top quality ingredients. The soppressata was perfect, taking this pizza to the next the level. It was cut super thin, as it should, and gave the pizza the flavor a margarita is missing. It would be tough not to order this next time. So just as we should have been walking out of the door because we were so full, we had the duck and the wood fired NY strip to split among the three of us. The duck - The duck dish came with the two legs so it was the dark meat with crispy skin. The duck was flavorful, moist, tender, and had some sort of apple based sauce to accompany it. The mashed potatoes were great and the Gorgonzola chunks were a treat, especially while sipping the sangiovese/cab red wine blend that we ordered for the table. The NY Strip was my favorite. The steak was tender and came with the flavor from that wood fired grill. The sauce was so good that I dipped every piece in it, trying to reserve some for the mashed potatoes. I ordered the steak medium rare + and it came out just how I wanted it. We ordered the lemon tart for my mom's birthday dessert. I would skip the dessert next time, but I always skip dessert. My mother loved it...very fresh and vibrant. I would have to say that Bacaro is my favorite RI restaurant, especially for a special night out. It is also a perfect spot to go and grab a snack or two with friends after work with a drink. It is affordable as you want and can find high end alternatives as well. The bottle of wine was $48 and you couldn't have asked for a better pairing with all of the food. We also ordered an after dinner cocktail, called the Call to Italy...very refreshing for a digestive type cocktail.

We haven't been back to Oberlin for some time. We had a PPAC performance and were lucky to score a…read morelast-minute reservation on a Friday night. The hostess sat us at a table. We were lucky that another patron decided they wanted a table versus the chef's seat at the counter. For us, this is the perfect place to sit because it lets you take in the whole experience. The ambiance was great. I had the same great Negroni as last time, but also had a new take on an Old Fashioned called the Dinner Jacket. Very yummy! Our server was very pleasant and attentive. We ordered the Kohlrabi Caesar and sesame focaccia again. It was as great as the first time. The focaccia is amazing. My wife ordered the Anolini for her entree, and I ordered the fabulous rack of lamb cooked in the wood-fired oven. It was simply amazing. We ended by splitting the warm apple tart. Everything was fabulous...my rating is the same. Go and enjoy yourself.

The last time I came to Oberlin, they were in a smaller building (now Cielito) in the block over…read more So obviously, they've expanded and the place looks really nice. I loved the cream and gold aesthetics, as well as the cool art on the ceiling. They have a variety of seating areas including tables inside and outside as well as highchairs around the open kitchen and highchairs wrapping around the brick oven which is where we sat. We were warned that it does get very toasty, but it wasn't anything unbearable. My friend comes here often, so he noticed that they've made big changes to their menu. He highly recommended the crudo; it can either be ordered a la carte ($14 per fish serving) or one of each as a platter. I chose to try the black bass and bluefin tuna. We also ordered wood roasted sesame focaccia to eat with the crudo and the cacio and Pepe we ordered. Lastly, we ordered a Kohlrabi Caesar salad which comes with Boston blackened boquerones, croutons, and parmiagano. The food came out at different moments but we ate the salad, bread, and crudo together and saved the pasta for last. The crudo was very fresh and decent serving size. It seemed to only be topped with olive oil and salt, but that was enough to amplify the flavor. The focaccia was soft, easy to tear apart, warm, perfectly crispy/toasted, and every millimeter of the focaccia was covered in sesame seeds. It comes with olive oil to dip in. The salad was unique. I have never had kohlrabi before but it was similar to broccoli stems in its firmness, but not as sweet. It was not drowned in dressing which I was happy about, and has a good amount of parmesan cheese. I could taste the crunchy croutons which added an additional crunch along with the kohlrabi. I have never had boquerones before so I wasn't sure which flavor to look out for. The cacio and Pepe was okay. It was a little bland, but since it was my first time having it, I was not sure what to expect. The spaghetti was cooked a little under al dente and the sauce was a lower viscosity than I imagined. My friend had a drink and all together, our bill was close to $100 which is not too bad. The plates look small (about 6-8" in diameter), but the food is filling. I decided to check out the website for fun and I love the octopus art and that it's easy to navigate. The staff was very friendly and made us feel important and taken care of.

A chic, modern seafood restaurant with a variety of raw and hot selections. Lots of oysters to…read morechoose from, and most of them are local from RI. Our knowledgeable server helped recommend the types that we'd like, as they knew the specifics about each type of oyster. $2 for happy hour is a deal!! Another must‑try dish is the raw scallops. Not only is it beautifully plated, the taste is intricate with the sesame oil mixed with fresh raw scallops. Btw, they have sake on tap!

Cute place with $2 buck shuck from 4p-5p. Upon entry, we were greeted and seated rather quickly. We…read morechose the bar for more table space. We ordered oysters and scallop rolls. Everything was so delicious... especially the scallop rolls. Bookmarked this place to visit again.

Didn't get a picture! But updating to describe the excellent cocktail Bianca made me!…read more I've been getting the espresso martini by default here cause they are quite good...but my drink of choice is usually a citrusy gimlet of sorts. I mentioned this to Bianca when I was ordering and she essentially said "say less"... made me the perfect drink. I was so pleased... it can get quite busy but if you know the general profile of what you're into- Bianca will get the vision and make you the perfect cocktail. It's that personalized touch that'll get me back again and again!

XO is cute! Always a great spot for celebrations. I've been here on various occasions, mostly…read morebirthdays. The drinks are expensive, but not shocking given the feel of this bar. The weekends are always busy and booming. Good vibes.

We were not planning on eating at Press, but wandering around Wickford brought us in last week. We…read morehad a spot at the bar (all tables were reserved) and had a really fine meal. The heirloom tomato appetizer was excellent, the Oysters Rockerfeller were some of the best I've had, although I wish they used a bit bigger oysters, and my smash burger was outstanding. The gentlemen behind the bar was also very good. My wife had a lamb dish which she enjoyed and a nice cocktail to go with it all. The owner(?) said hi on our way out with genuine concern to ensure our meal met expectations. This was our first, but certainly not last time coming to Press for a nice dinner. I just love a great meal at a new place.

The positive: Gorgeous patio during fair weather. Stopped…read morein for brunch and the brunch menu is a little on the limited side - short menu, no brunch bevs, etc. House made sausage was heavy on the fennel. Biscuits and gravy I'd pass on - biscuit was not very flakey and it was garnished with raw sage which is a fail

We attended a Maison Ferrand cognac seminar & tasting the other night at Sapphire & it was such a…read morefun & unique experience for us. The staff at Sapphire (Melissa, Marc, & Shiv), as well as the guest bartender (Vannaluck), went above & beyond to make the experience interactive & memorable. We were greeted immediately with a French 75 made with cognac - Did you know that the original French 75 called for cognac, as well as many other classic cocktails? No? Neither did I. The welcome aperitif was a great lil' treat to kick the night off with. We were given a mini charcuterie selection to keep us busy until the main event, which began about 20 minutes after we arrived. Vannaluck talked us through the history & characteristics of cognac. We were given 3 small pours of different cognacs to taste as well as a serendipitous, bonus mini pour at the end. Throughout the night, the kitchen sent out a variety of tapas that UTILIZED COGNAC. Cognac glaze, reduction, brine, etc. Fascinating! I went in knowing next to nothing about cognac & left with a decent understanding of the spirit. I've always wanted to do something like this, & Sapphire made it extremely accessible. It was also amazingly affordable. I'm really looking forward to more events like this one. Sign me up, please.

My husband and I decided to come to Sapphire for a drink...I had really enjoyed the cocktails and…read morethe food during the recent Yelp Elite even, so I told my hubby to check out this place with me. I loved the Jacobean cocktail, so we both got this smooth scotch cocktail...Melissa made the drink with an expertise that few have and while she was making them, we engaged in conversation with Marc, the beverage manager. Both were very engaging and very friendly, making the visit very relaxed and enjoyable....we also got some steakhouse sliders that were outstanding...the meat was just slightly medium, keeping all the moistness and flavor.... Overall a great place for a drink and/or light bites...... The ambiance is inviting and cozy and the patio outside is great for those nice warm Rhode Island evenings....

Claudine: Providence's Michelin-Caliber Anomaly…read more I've now eaten at Claudine three times, and after Saturday's dinner I'm ready to say it plainly: this is the kind of dining experience Providence isn't supposed to have. Rhode Island isn't supposed to have it. What's happening in this kitchen is NYC-tasting-menu-caliber, Michelin-quality cooking, and it exists in a market that rarely supports this level of ambition. Saturday's meal ran two and a half hours -- a ten-course tasting menu matched with a ten-course wine pairing, poured generously rather than the stingy one-ounce tastes you brace for at this tier. Every course arrived considered, every pour arrived confident. The beverage program itself is top-tier, with pairings selected thoughtfully enough to hold their own against the food rather than just accompany it. Nothing about the pacing felt rushed or padded; it felt like a kitchen and a floor team executing a real vision, course after course, for hours. That vision comes at a cost most restaurants at this price point would never take on. Claudine runs four chefs and seven+ servers to pull this off. This is not a lean operation -- it's a labor-intensive, old-world approach to hospitality that depends on volume to survive. A staff this size only pencils out with seats filled, night after night. Which is the real point of this review: Providence needs to fill those seats. A restaurant this ambitious, this technically accomplished, doesn't just happen in a city this size -- and it won't last if the tables aren't full. Three visits in, I'm convinced Claudine is doing something rare, maybe unique, in Rhode Island's dining scene. It deserves the audience to keep doing it.

An amazing anniversary dinner! Everything was fresh and delicious. We did a few upgrades, including…read morethe caviar, wagyu, and cheese, which were all amazing. It's an expensive meal, especially for Providence, but it's definitely worth it if you're celebrating something special!

Aurelia is more than a place to have dinner. Its an experience…read more Its a perfectly orchestrated ensemble of food, ambiance, knowledge, and passion. Food. They use only the best seasonal ingredients. Ambiance. What can beat a view of Narragansett Bay watching the sail boats go by? Knowledge. Have a wine tasting with Carl and he will amaze you with the level of knowledge about the ingredients and the wines that are being served. Im pretty sure he spends countless hours studying the wines, the region where it comes from, and how it harmonizes with the food you are about to eat. Carls usually our waiter but everyone here is excellent. Passion. Its the main ingredient that binds everything together. The workers here are passionate about hospitality. They are all there to make sure you have the absolute best experience possible and it shows. From the valet, to the hostess, to the waiters and waitresses they always bring their A game. Its 2026. There's many things I'm not sure in this life. But one thing I am sure of is that when I walk through the doors of Castle Hill (Aurelia) I'm going to have an amazing meal and more importantly an amazing experience. Patron to this amazing establishment for 11 years and counting!

The courses were unimaginative and bland. Way too expensive for average food. Service and ambiance…read morevery good.