Ellen and John

When we think of eating in RI, we think of these places:

Federal Hill: "The Hill" is the old-school Italian neighborhood of Providence.  You can't go wrong with any of the restaurants along Atwells Ave, but some of our favorites are Angelo's, the Old Canteen, and Camille's

Hot Wieners: A Rhode Island tradition, grab yourself a classic RI hot wiener at New York System Hot Wieners for a late-night snack

Family Favs:  Clam cakes and chowdah - Iggy's Doughboys and Chowder House; Sandwiches - Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches; Sushi - Sakura (it's BYOB)

Rhode Islanders have a wicked lot of hometown pride and it doesn't stop for food.  Providence is home to a top 5 culinary school in the nation in Johnson and Wales, so check out some of these top-rated restaurants:

Al Forno Restaurant - You'll need to make a reservation to get a table at Al Forno, but there isn't a bad dish on the menu.  If you drop Mike McBurney's name, they might take extra special care of you

Hemenway's - The best seafood in Providence; that's the long and short of it

north - Located in a healed and restorated house of ill repute, the flavors at north keep coming from one course to the next.  The dan-dan noodles and ham biscuits are required

Before saying his prayers every night in college, JB would say to his roommates, "I can't wait for breakfast." If you try these spots, you might be saying the same:

Bagel Gourmet - It's not a Brooklyn bagel, but even the most spoiled New Yorkers will enjoy Bagel Gourmet (3 locations throughout Providence)

Knead Doughnuts - Located in downtown Providence, these are the best doughnuts we've ever had

Modern Diner - Pawtucket's most famous restaurant establishment, the Modern Diner was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2015 and has the top Diner Dish in the country according the USA according to the Food Network

Don't call it a comeback.  Narragansett beer may be experiencing a rebirth among New York hipsters, but it never stopped being a hometown favorite.  Check out some of these spots for drinks around Providence:

Trinity Brewhouse - One of the first brew pubs in New England, and one of the most famous bars in Providence, Trinity has been brewing its own beers since 1995.  Don't sleep on the french fries

The East End - Though hotly debated in the McBurney family, we love The East End.  It's a great way to see another side of Providence along Wickenden Street

Ogie's Trailer Park - Not quite as fun as a trailer in West Saugerties, Ogie's is a hip spot to hang outside when the weather's nice and order food from Granny Boo's trailer window

Debate abounds over the most RI of RI drinks. Test all three and let us know what you think:

Del's Lemonade - No one quite knows the science behind it, but Del's managed to turn lemonade into a perfect slush.  Local tip is to do half-lemon, half-watermelon with no spoon and no straw.  Trust us

Coffee Milk - You may never have plain old chocolate milk again.  You may start putting it in your coffee.  If you give it a try, you may end up picking up Autocrat Coffee Milk to take home with you

Awful Awful Milkshake - Awful big, awful good, it is NOT just a milkshake.  It's more than that.  Newport Creamery is the most famous ice cream shop in Rhode Island, and Awful Awfuls are an awful big reason for that

Founded in 1636 by renegade preacher Roger Williams, who was fleeing religious persecution in Massachusetts, Providence was established as a lively experiment to build a community based on hope and freedom.  With so much rich history to explore, walking around the city is enjoyable in and of itself.  We suggest the below site-seeing during your visit:

Waterfire Providence - Before heading to the Providence G for cocktail hour, consider stopping by Waterfire where they light up basins of firewood along the 3 rivers downtown.  They keep the blazes going until 12:30am...so you could head there after the reception if you're feeling fired up

RISD Museum - Founded during the Industrial Revolution and with ever-changing series of exhibits since then, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum plays a big part in making Providence cool.  It has free admission on Sunday and is worth checking out

Walking Ghost Tours - Providence was home of the second greatest author in classic horror, H.P. Lovecraft. It's also the place where the greatest, Edgar Allan Poe, courted transcendentalist widow Sarah Helen Whitman before their engagement was mysteriously broken off.  It should come as no surprise that the walking ghost tours of city are creepy AF

Our two favorite fun facts about Rhode Island are that it's the smallest state with the longest name (formally The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations) and that all all Rhode Islanders live within a 30-minute drive to the Atlantic Ocean or Narragansett Bay.  If you have the chance, we suggest checking out the beaches here:

Newport - First built as the "summer cottages" of New Yorkers such as the Vanderbilts and Dukes, the Newport mansions along the historic Cliffwalk are reason enough to visit. Newport is also home to the Tennis Hall of Fame and Fort Adams, a US Army base established in the 1700s.  We would recommend a walk along Easton's Beach and then a drink at Cara for a stellar view

Narragansett - Narragansett is the more relaxed of the two beach towns.  We would recommend a stroll along Narragansett Town Beach. Pick up clam cakes and chowder at Iggy's or ice cream at Brickley's and head to the Pt. Judith lighthouse to take in the sunset for a perfect evening