I am a longtime devotee of Pasta Beach after many visits to the Newport location and several mobile delivery orders from the Boston location when I was feeling homesick during college at Emerson! However, I've never had the chance to visit the Providence location until a few nights ago when trolling for something savory after a very sweet evening at a Providence Bagel Elite Event!
First off, location, location, location! Wayland Square is like the Upper East Side of Providence! I've never been to this neighborhood before, and I wonder what took me so long. True to my form, I usually stay put in my artsy comfort zone of DownCity and Thayer Street, but I'm glad that my culinary wanderlust took me out of my bubble and into a gorgeous new place to explore! It was a beautiful and warm late spring evening, and the flowering trees that line the quaint main street were raining petals on the brick walkways in the gentle breeze. It was very magical and romantic - score one for me with the date night atmospheric win!
The Providence Pasta Beach looks small from the outside, but is actually quite spacious on the inside - a two story affair done up in their signature nautical European chic with lots of clean white and marble details and comfortable if quite close knit seating. Be prepared to make friends with your table neighbors! Our waiter was excellent, and took our orders promptly and with a smile. I was having a carb craving, so I went for the Gnocchi Mare e Monti, which is a dish that is exclusive to this location, and my boyfriend got a Gamberi Salad because they were out of focaccia bread for the Pollo Sandwich he initially ordered. Bummer, but we'll be back soon I'm sure.
The food came out super fast and my pasta was piping hot and very flavorful! The gnocchi was tender and served with a generous portion of shrimp and mushrooms all sautéed in a flavorful and creamy garlic tomato sauce. I was so excited to eat that I didn't get to snap a pic, but I would definitely recommend this if you like seafood pasta! My boyfriend's salad was good, but they gave him a lot of lettuce and not much else. I wouldn't get the salad as an entree, but rather as a starter to split with a group of one or two other people so that you can portion out the abundance of greens. I gave him some of my pasta, though. There was plenty for two!
The menu is pricy, so this isn't an option for every day dining. However, if you want a special Italian meal out in a relaxed yet refined setting in a cute and stylish neighborhood, Pasta Beach is the place for you! read more