13 splurge places in Providence, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Providence. All Providence food.
Al Forno ★ 4.9
downtown · 577 South Water Street, Providence, RI 02903
Al Forno on South Water Street invented grilled pizza in 1980 under Johanne Killeen and the late George Germon. Wood-fire kitchen, baked pasta.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday only, 17:00-20:30. No reservations for parties under five; walk in by 17:15 or book on Tock.
Al Forno ★ 4.9
577 South Water Street, Providence, RI 02903
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.
Tip: No reservations for parties under five; arrive by 17:15 or book parties of five-plus on Tock.
Persimmon ★ 4.8
east-side · 99 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906
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.
Tip: Wednesday through Saturday, 17:00 onward. Reservations via the restaurant's own site; book two to four weeks ahead.
Persimmon ★ 4.8
99 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906
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.
Tip: Wednesday through Saturday only; book on the restaurant's own site two to four weeks out.
Gift Horse ★ 4.8
272 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903
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.
Tip: Reservations on Tock; the raw bar counter takes walk-ins on weeknights.
Gracie's ★ 4.6
downtown · 194 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903
Ellen Gracyalny's Gracie's on Washington Street has been Providence's special-occasion room since 1998. Five- and seven-course seasonal tasting menus.
Tip: Sister bakery Ellie's, two blocks away on Westminster, opens late as a wine and small-plates room.
Gracie's ★ 4.6
194 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903
Gracie's on Washington Street has been Providence's pre-show special-occasion room since 1998. Five- and seven-course seasonal tasting menus.
Tip: Book two to three weeks out, especially around RISD and Brown graduations; the upstairs lounge takes walk-ins.
Oberlin ★ 4.6
266 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903
Ben Sukle and Bethany Caliaro's Oberlin on Westminster runs hand-rolled pastas and a small raw bar. 2025 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant finalist.
Tip: Thursday-Monday 17:00 onwards; counter walk-ins from 17:00; book dining tables on Resy two to three weeks ahead.
Mill's Tavern ★ 4.5
downtown · 101 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
Mill's Tavern in the old Pilgrim Mill building on North Main is downtown's regular business steakhouse. Wagyu, wood-grilled fish, award-winning wine list.
Tip: Monday to Thursday 17:00-20:30, Friday and Saturday until 21:30. Reservations via OpenTable.
Mill's Tavern ★ 4.5
101 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
Mill's Tavern in the Pilgrim Mill building on North Main is downtown's regular business steakhouse. Wagyu, wood-grilled fish and an international wine list.
Tip: Sunday through Thursday 17:00-20:30; Friday and Saturday to 21:30. Book the booths along the brick wall.
Sarto ★ 4.4
86 Dorrance 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.
Tip: Wednesday and Thursday from 16:00; weekends to 23:00. Reservations on OpenTable.
Hemenway's ★ 4.3
121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
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.
Tip: Raw bar walks in; book the river-view dining tables through OpenTable.
Camille's ★ 4.2
federal-hill · 71 Bradford Street, Providence, RI 02903
Camille's, in a Bradford Street mansion since 1919, is the oldest continuously operating Italian dining room on Federal Hill. White-tablecloth.
Tip: Book the front-room booths; the Roman Gardens private dining room is the city's anniversary destination.