Bistro

Comforting Yet Creative Cuisine

Chills Bistro

Chills Bistro is the more casual side of the famous Chillingsworth restaurant, but its meals are equally memorable. Set in a glassed-in greenhouse with skylights, the bistro has flourishing plants and warm terra cotta tiles. The menu is contemporary and changes regularly. Sample appetizers include steamed local mussels in a saffron broth and crispy fried panko-crusted Chatham oysters. Main dishes you won’t want to miss are the grilled bistro steak with house-cut fries and veal sauce, and panseared scallops. The homemade pappardelle with satiny Bolognese sauce is otherworldly. Make sure to save room for dessert, because the pastries are amazing.

—LAURIE HIGGINS

2449 MAIN ST., BREWSTER, MA 508-896-3640, CHILLINGSWORTH.COM

Chapel Bar & Grille

A modern restaurant with a historic soul, Chapel Bar & Grille greets guests with a dramatic stone exterior that exudes old-world glamour. Located in the Chapel View Lifestyle Village in Cranston, Chapel Grille is a thoughtfully conceived collection of dining and drinking spaces sure to satisfy, whether the goal is cocktails and apps, a special-occasion meal or even a private function or wedding.

The restaurant’s showpiece is its cathedral bar: a historic chapel built in 1891 that has been reinvented into a conversation-starting salon. Easily one of the coolest watering holes around, it wows with a soaring ceiling, stone walls, stained glass windows, portrait paintings and a sinuous bar with plush leather barstools. Once seated, you’ll want to sample from the “Iconic Cocktails” list— you can sentence yourself to the Purgatory martini, made dirty with the heat of hot peppers and garnished with blue cheese-stuffed olives.

Other areas to enjoy are the plush main salon and the Skyline Terrace, where, on warm days, the roof retracts and the walls open for alfresco dining. Even in cooler weather, the Skyline Terrace still evokes outdoor dining thanks to its predominance of glass. And an actual outdoor terrace tempts with seating around an outdoor fireplace.

While each dining area has its own vibe, one thing always remains the same: Chapel Grille’s consistently delicious Italian-Mediterranean fare. The lengthy menu covers all bases, from showpiece entrées like lobster, beef tenderloin and wood-grilled baby lamb chops to more relaxed options like grilled pizza. Ingredients are locally sourced whenever possible and the celebrated wine list means you’ll never have to drink the same varietal twice.—JENNIFER SPERRY 3000 CHAPEL VIEW BLVD., CRANSTON, RI, 401-944-4900, CHAPELGRILLERI.COM

Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar

Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar in Chatham offers exceptionally fresh seafood dishes that are so beautifully presented they are like art on a plate. Start with one of its specialty cocktails like a Tokyo Negroni made with Angel’s Envy bourbon, Campari and Tozai plum sake or a Far East martini made with Hendrick’s Gin, Ty-Ku cucumber sake, St. Germain liqueur and fresh lime juice. Appetizer favorites include the wakame salad, house-made kimchee and the sublime barbeque-glazed pork belly. Equally delicious is the Cape Cod monster roll, which comes with lightly torched yellowtail tuna topped with teriyaki sauce, spicy mayo, dots of tobiko, scallions and lime. Those who don’t appreciate sushi will find plenty of other delicious choices as well. The wild Cape mussels and seared day boat scallops are amazing and the menu also includes items like chicken, a petit filet mignon and short ribs.

—LAURIE

HIGGINS

513 MAIN ST., CHATHAM, MA

508-348-1573, BLUEFINSCHATHAM.COM

North

It’s small and doesn’t take reservations, but North in Providence’s West End is always worth a visit for its creative, refreshing Asian cuisine. The menu changes often as seasonal ingredients inspire the chefs and meals range from the familiar (roasted scallops) to the downright adventurous (seared beef heart). Popular starters include the raw littlenecks or oysters, both served with horseradish mignonette, and the hot and sour Chinese American bok choy, prepared with fermented chili, tamarind and puffed rice. For a main course, opt for the hot flavor sesame noodles, dan dan noodles with mutton and squid or the grilled scallion and chicken ramen bowl garnished with boiled egg, radish and wakame. The owners’ engagement in their community is refreshing: 50 cents of every dish sold goes to the Amos House, to which serves warm, nutritious meals to people in need, or to the Rhode Island Food Bank. Now that’s feel-good food.

3 LUONGO MEMORIAL SQ., PROVIDENCE, RI 401-421-1100, FOODBYNORTH.COM

Asian DRESSED UP AND PARED DOWN

Tiger Mama

Following the success of her Fenway barbeque joint Sweet Cheeks, Top Chef alumna Tiffani Faison strikes gold again with the opening of Tiger Mama. The Southeast Asian restaurant just down the street from Sweet Cheeks is drawing a crowd with its celebrated dishes and cocktails served from two bars. Settle in at one of the high-top

Guapo’s Tortilla Shack

At Guapo’s Tortilla Shack in Orleans (there’s also a smaller location in Brewster), the décor is bright and the music is upbeat, adding to the festive feeling generated by the food.

Guapo’s serves Baja-style Mexican-American food with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and scratch cooking. You’ll want to start with the house-made guacamole with chips and some chicken wings. For the main event, there are a dozen burritos to choose from along with amazing fish tacos (served with a signature lime sauce) and California-style burgers. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free options. No Mexican meal would be complete without a margarita and Guapo’s has many fine ones to choose from. They make their own sour mix for fabulous flavor and the bar has a huge list of specialty tequilas for your drinking pleasure.

—LAURIE HIGGINS

136 RTE. 6A, ORLEANS, MA 508-255-3338, GUAPOSCAPECOD.COM

Tortilla Flats

If your wish is a Mexican eatery with a seemingly endless margarita list and an upbeat, colorful atmosphere, then Tortilla Flats in Providence is your place. With generously sized booths and a large double-sided bar in its center, Tortilla Flats is easygoing and appeals to everyone from college kids to datenight couples to families. The menu covers all your Mexican favorites—fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas—but incorporates Cajun (crawdads, catfish and jambalaya) and Southwestern (ribs and pulled pork) fare as well. But to start, no one can resist pairing the house-made tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole or the meal-unto-itself chile con queso. Wash your chips down with a sangria or perhaps a freshly made margarita: flavors include strawberry, raspberry, melon and mango.—JENNIFER SPERRY

355 HOPE ST., PROVIDENCE, RI 401-751-6777, TORTILLAFLATSRI.COM

Naco Taco

There isn’t any corny Mexican décor in sight at Naco Taco, a Central Square eatery helmed by executive chef Norlan Taborda, but there are plenty of house-made gluten-free corn tortillas. Order an icy margarita and then dip your chips into a homemade salsa or some freshly made guacamole before sampling one of the restaurant’s signature tacos. The al pastor with spit-roasted pork and burnt pineapple, the barbacoa with braised beef and pickled vegetables and the fried fresh cod with spicy cabbage slaw hit the spot in equal measure. On warmer nights, sit outside and dine on the 100seat patio under twinkling string lights.—JESSICA BOWNE

297 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., CAMBRIDGE, MA 617-945-1548, NACOCENTRAL.COM

Area Four

The savory pies at Area Four, an all-glass Kendall Square mainstay, are hand thrown, gently dotted with homemade sauce and cheese and expertly layered with toppings. Titans of tech, MIT geeks and even President Obama are all fans. The laidback spot serves up pizzas like the Carnivore, with bacon, soppressata, sausage and mozzarella, and the Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola with candied walnuts. The secret is in the homemade dough; the team at Area Four uses a 12-year-old starter, flour, salt and water. Cover all the food groups by adding arugula salad with Manchego and lemon vinaigrette to your order.

—JESSICA BOWNE