Hope Street, north of Brown, is the city's neighbourhood food spine: Seven Stars Bakery, Persimmon, the Saturday farmers market at Lippitt Park, Aleppo Sweets on Ives, vegan ice cream at Like No Udder.
Champe and Lisa Speidel's Persimmon on Hope Street runs four-night seasonal French-leaning cooking. Foie gras, RI shellfish, the city's special-occasion room.
Signature: Seasonal tasting plates, Foie gras, Rhode Island fish of the day
Order: Whatever Champe is plating from the Rhode Island shellfish run.
Tip: Wednesday through Saturday, 17:00 onward. Reservations via the restaurant's own site; book two to four weeks ahead.
The Den Den group's Korean fried chicken counter on Angell Street. Double-fried wings and drumsticks in plain or gochujang glazes; small dining room.
Signature: Double-fried wings, Sweet and spicy drumsticks, Tteokbokki
Order: An order of double-fried drumsticks with sweet-and-spicy glaze, plus tteokbokki.
Tip: Sister cafe Den Den Cafe Asiana on Benefit Street handles bibimbap and katsu in the daytime.
Den Den's Korean fried chicken counter on Angell Street: double-fried wings and drumsticks in plain or gochujang glazes; small dining room, takeaway.
Signature: Double-fried wings, Sweet-and-spicy drumsticks, Tteokbokki
Order: Double-fried drumsticks with sweet-and-spicy glaze, plus an order of tteokbokki.
Tip: Half-and-half a tray of plain and spicy; orders ship in 12 to 15 minutes once you order.
Wara Wara on Hope Street has been serving ramen, cold sake, oysters and tapas since 2016. Compact dining room; the bar takes counter orders late.
Signature: Ramen, Pork belly buns, Oysters and sake
Order: A bowl of tonkotsu ramen, pork belly buns, a glass of cold junmai.
Tip: Closed Sunday; the small bar turns over for walk-ins on weeknights.
Borealis Coffee opened in 2016 in a restored 1850s train depot in Riverside on the East Bay Bike Path. Specialty roast, gluten-free bakery, cyclist stop.
Signature drink: Latte in a pint glass
Seven Stars opened its Hope Street flagship in January 2001 at Hope and Fourth. Country bread, croissant, the morning bun every East Sider knows.
Worth the queue: Morning bun
Knead Doughnuts has multiple Providence storefronts; the Elmgrove cafe on the East Side is the steadiest. Daily rotating brioche and cake-doughnut menu.
Worth the queue: Maple bacon brioche
Borealis Coffee is the East Bay roaster and cafe in an 1850s train depot in Riverside on the East Bay Bike Path. Specialty single-origin roasts, cuppings.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
The Hope Street Farmers Market is a farmer-run cooperative at Lippitt Park, Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard. Vegetables, breads, cheese, meats.
Stock Culinary Goods on Hope Street is the East Side's cookware shop with a small workshop programme: knife-skills nights with Chef Lara and occasional seasonal cooking classes.
Seven Stars on Hope Street is the East Side breakfast bakery counter. Country bread, croissants, the city's most-recognised morning bun; weekend lines.
Order: Morning bun, pain au chocolat, drip coffee.
Knead Doughnuts' Elmgrove cafe runs the daily rotating brioche and cake-doughnut menu from 07:00 to 14:00. Counter ordering, small standing bar.
Order: Maple bacon brioche, a classic glazed, drip coffee.