Hemenway's is a fine-dining restaurant in Providence.
Hemenway's reopened March 5, 2025 after a refresh of the bar, raw bar and lobster tanks. Downtown riverside seafood since 1985 on South Main.
Must order: The shellfish platter from the raw bar plus a one-and-a-quarter pound Maine lobster.
Tip: Raw bar walks in; book the river-view dining tables through OpenTable.
Address: 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
Sarto returned to its Dorrance Street room in 2024 under G Hospitality. Regional Italian; 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence list; weekend live jazz.
Order: A regional pasta off the chalkboard and a glass of small-grower Italian red.
Tip: Wednesday and Thursday from 16:00; weekends to 23:00. Reservations on OpenTable.
Johanne Killeen's Al Forno on South Water Street invented grilled pizza in 1980. Wood-fire kitchen, baked pasta, Providence's most enduring fine-dining room.
Order: A grilled pizza Margherita and the baked penne with tomato cream.
Tip: No reservations for parties under five; arrive by 17:15 or book parties of five-plus on Tock.
Champe and Lisa Speidel run Persimmon out of a small Hope Street dining room. Seasonal French-leaning cooking; the city's most-booked special-occasion room.
Order: Whatever Champe is plating from the Rhode Island shellfish run, plus the long-standing foie gras course.
Tip: Wednesday through Saturday only; book on the restaurant's own site two to four weeks out.
Ben Sukle's downtown raw bar where 2025 James Beard winner Sky Haneul Kim cooked until October 2025; new menu under Sukle and John Robinson.
Order: An oyster flight across the nine Rhode Island growing regions; the kitchen's seasonal raw bar plates.
Tip: Reservations on Tock; the raw bar counter takes walk-ins on weeknights.
Mill's Tavern in the Pilgrim Mill building on North Main is downtown's go-to business steakhouse. Wagyu, wood-grilled fish and an international wine list.
Order: A wood-grilled fish of the day with a small-grower Italian red.
Tip: Sunday through Thursday 17:00 to 20:30; Friday and Saturday to 21:30. Book the booths along the brick wall.
Gracie's on Washington Street has been Providence's pre-show special-occasion room since 1998. Five- and seven-course seasonal tasting menus.
Order: The seven-course chef tasting with the optional wine pairing.
Tip: Book two to three weeks out, especially around RISD and Brown graduations; the upstairs lounge takes walk-ins.
