Food & Drink EXPERIENCE

By Maggie Pearson

Sip, Savor, and Learn

A local tour company lets you meet the foodie makers of Providence’s Valley Neighborhood and beyond

On a delightfully sunny Saturday, my husband Kyle and I arrived at the Farm Fresh RI Food Hub to meet up with Jack Griffin, our Rhode Island Red Food Tour guide for the afternoon. We congregated with a small group of eight other food enthusiasts for the recent tour focusing on Providence’s up-and-coming Valley Neighborhood. Beginning at the bustling indoor farmers market, the tour highlights many of the city’s newest and most creative makers. Griffin gave a short historical account of the 60,000-square-foot “purpose-designed” Farm Fresh building, which was once the site of a stone-cutting facility – best known for cutting marble for the RI State House.

At the market, we made our way through the crowded corridors until we reached our first stop: the highly sought after BUNS Bakery table. A freshly baked cinnamon babka in hand, Griffin introduced us to the owner, Guy Hanuka. The Israeli-born baker, known for his incredible challah, babka, and rugelach, started BUNS out of his home amid the pandemic in 2020.

We followed Griffin over to one of the facility’s permanent tenants, New Harvest Coffee Roasters. In the custom-built coffee lab, we met with co-owner Rik Kleinfeldt who told us all about the business of coffee and offered samples of their smooth Colombian single-origin Chiroso Honey variety, which pairs wonderfully with the sweet babka from BUNS.

Then we were o to our next stop, Rhed’s Hot Sauce. Chef-owners Deja and Karsten Hart took us through the ingredients and processes that make their products unique. Deja explained that she is especially “focused on creating layers of flavor and not just heat,” by fermenting their chili mash for at least two weeks, as well as incorporating lots of fresh local vegetables to create flavorful, well-balanced sauces. While we listened, we worked our way through sampling their award-winning hot sauces – ranging from classic to the tangy and umami-forward Deja Vu and zesty yellow Lemon Drop. We also got to try their salsas and BBQ sauces.

After a quick 15-minute shopping break to explore solo, Griffin led the group across the street to The Industrious Spirit Company’s (ISCO) tasting room patio to learn about the first distillery in Providence since prohibition. Located in a former industrial mill complex, ISCO produces sustainably sourced vodka, gins, and bourbons. After sipping small pours of their handcrafted spirits, it was back across the street for tacos. We sat down at Tallulah’s Taqueria while Griffin gave us the rundown of the popular multi-location joint which first opened in Fox Point before expanding to Jamestown and then here on Sims Avenue. The braised pork carnitas taco we sampled hit the spot.

The next stop was Providence Brewing Company. Their industrial tap room includes an impressive rotating selection of beer, as well as specialty frozen beer cocktails, like the one we sampled: the Raspberry Fritter Blood Orange Imperial Pastry Stout. We finished the tour on a sweet note with stops at Wright’s Creamery for a scoop of “cow-to-cone” ice cream and then Anchor To ee for their signature small-batch Almond Butter To ee.

While the PVD Valley Neighborhood Victuals Tour is now closed, go on your own foodie jaunt with Rhode Island Red Food Tours for their Newport Neighborhood and Downcity Providence tours, all of which sell out fast!

If snacking away an afternoon isn’t tantalizing enough, the lure of discovering new favorite businesses and food makers is well worth taking a culinary adventure with RI Red Food Tour.

Rhode Island Red Food Tours

270 Bellevue Avenue, Newport 401-684-1110

RhodeIslandRedFoodTours.com

By Gina Mastrostefano

Dive Bar Vibes Meet High-End Eats

The owner behind West Coast-inspired restaurants brings no-fuss Italian cuisine in newest venture

Before there was Diego’s on Bowen’s Wharf – and all the iterations to come over the years – there was punk band drummer Scott Kirmil. Hailing from Newton, CT, Kirmil dove into the restaurant industry when he moved to Boston, where he met his now wife Adrienne. The two of them stacked up over 12 years of experience working in restaurants before Adrienne’s real estate background led them to a property destined to become the first in a local franchise of eclectic contemporary dining.

“When Adrienne and I opened up the original Diego’s in 2009, we wanted a fun casual vibe with inspiration drawing from some of our favorite West Coast and Mexican eateries,” says Kirmil. “Our backgrounds were everything from dive bars to high-end cocktail spots. We just wanted something fun that landed somewhere in between the two.”

Amidst Newport’s sea of fine dining and white linens, Diego’s fearlessly marches to the beat of its own drum with its punk rock motifs and Mexican-fusion menu. Since the Bowen’s Wharf eatery achieved success, they have continued to expand the franchise, and branch out to other styles of cuisine. For instance, also in the neighborhood is Wharf Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar, which opened in 2018 with a fresh take on southern dining. Using locally sourced ingredients, the eatery brings the flavors of Louisiana and Nashville to the Ocean State.

Diego’s Cantina opened in 2019 just two blocks away from Easton’s beach and adjacent to Reject’s Beer Co., which is owned by Kirmil’s sister. The tandem businesses (and built-in-since-birth partnership) makes for seamless takeout orders via the brewery. Then in 2020, Diego’s made its debut across the bridge on a cozy corner lot in Providence’s Wayland Square. With the pandemic following just a few months after, Diego’s Eastside, like many restaurants, was limited by COVID restrictions. Luckily, their charming wrap-around porch provided a safe option for outdoor dining, and the location has quickly found its footing in a post-pandemic world.

Inside the East Side iteration, it’s clear the energetic personality of the OG restaurant hasn’t faded – there’s a cluster of polaroids hanging in the foyer offering an ode to memories made over margaritas, along with a delightfully manic ambiance established through bright and punchy accents contrasted with black-and-white skull wallpaper. Popular menu items, like a variety of street tacos and Mezcal cocktails, remain the same, but each Diego’s diverges with its own specials, too, like the East Side’s Pork Taquitos.

And the Kirmils don’t plan to stop there. Coming soon from the restaurateur couple is a new destination on Long Wharf, where Celtica Newport used to be, called The Quencher. “We hope to create the perfect marriage between a dark bar and the cozy neighborhood eatery you crave weekly,” Kirmil explains, “with no-fuss Italian food made from scratch, late-night live music, family and local friendly, and an old school barroom vibe.”

With chef Joey Piotti at the helm, the new upscale dive will substitute the sugar skull decor of its predecessors for vintage Italian horror movie posters. Keep an ear to the ground for a celebratory block party happening mid-June to mark the opening of what’s soon to become one of Newport’s best kept secrets.

Diego’s Newport

11 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport 401-619-2640 • DiegosNewport.com

Diego’s Cantina

116 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown 401-619-1717 • DiegosMiddletown.com

Wharf Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar

37 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport 401-619-5672 • WharfSouthernKitchen.com

By Ken Abrams

Burger

Known for slinging some of the best burgers in Warren, Chomp is moving to a new location at 279 Water Street. Co-owner Tanner Larkin, who promises water views from every seat, envisions Chomp becoming part of an emerging bar crawl scene in the town. “We’re really excited to be able to move into the heart of Warren. There are so many awesome small businesses from one end of Water Street to the other. Between us and The Guild, it’s going to be a great strip.”

Chomp’s menu won’t be affected much by the move. “Right now our menu changes seasonally and we run weekend specials,” says Larkin. “We can kind of do whatever we want as long as it fits between two buns or some sort of sandwich concept.” Chomp offers an extensive selection of craft beers, including favorites from local brewers Buttonwoods and Proclamation. Larkin expects to offer more bar snacks and shared plates. “Sometimes people just want to come in for a beer and a snack, rather than having to sit down for a full tray of wings or a whole burger.” Warren, ChompRI.com

Passersby have long been speculating on the fate of the former Grange in Providence, which will soon be home to the second iteration of East Greenwich eatery The Patio on Main. “We’ve been thinking about expanding our brand and when we saw this opportunity in a historic urban neighborhood, we were eager to pursue it,” says Patio owner Jason Winpenny.

Known for outdoor dining in EG, Winpenny expects to open the new Patio on Broadway up to the surrounding neighborhood. “People enjoy dining al fresco more than ever before,” he says. “We are excited to be located in an area with natural surroundings, the perfect way to enjoy everything the city offers. We’re working to provide a unique ambiance with expanding windows to get an outdoor feel while dining inside and enjoying an innovative and exciting culinary experience.” Expect a similar menu at the Broadway location, with tasty salads, sandwiches, burgers, and bowls leading the way, plus craft beers and cocktails. Providence, ThePatioRI.com

Gansett Wraps, the popular fast-casual restaurant wrapping authentic Lebanese favorites such as falafel, hummus, and fattoush salad – along with a menu of American classic sandwiches and soups – will open a new spot in North Kingstown later this year, joining the locally owned chain that already has locations in Narragansett, Westerly, and Middletown. Owner Bahaa Mahmoud describes his menu as “fresh salads with a Mediterranean twist.”

“Gansett Wraps started as a family business using mom’s home-cooked recipes from Lebanon, taking a journey through different continents, starting with our first location in Narragansett,” adds Mahmoud. Everything is made from scratch, based on modern and traditional recipes. “We focus on keeping a family-friendly environment,” says Mahmoud. “We ensure that our service and food put a smile on our customers’ faces as we consider them extended family members.” And don’t worry, if kabobs, falafel, and gyros are not your style, Gansett Wraps offers traditional salad and sandwich fare including tuna, turkey, chicken and more. GansettWraps.com