Gifts of the Sea

& FOOD DRINK

Popular downtown eatery enters a new horse in the race with a raw bar concept and beverage program to match

Anyone who’s spent evenings dining along downtown Providence’s vibrant stretch of eateries is already familiar with Oberlin, the cozy mainstay known for its fresh seafood, pasta, and carefully curated drink menu. By the time you’re reading this, sister restaurant Gift Horse, a full-service raw bar, may already be open just a block away at 272 Westminster Street, where Oberlin is also moving next door.

Led by award-winning chef and owner Ben Sukle, Oberlin will be able to stretch its legs in the larger space, and Gift Horse will showcase fresh catches from New England waters prepared with Sukle’s innovative, o beat style. Both locations will also expand their beverage programs, with longtime general manager and now partner Bethany Caliaro at the helm.

Since culinary school, Caliaro knew she loved working in the front of the house. For her, it brought new challenges, excitement, and the welcomed opportunity to connect with guests. After years of working in kitchens as a server, Caliaro opened a restaurant with a friend where she cut her teeth running the beverage program. “It was deﬁnitely a learning curve for me,” she says, “but I loved that pathway and realized there’s no shortage of things to learn when it comes to beverages, wine especially.”

With this experience under her belt, Caliaro came to work at Oberlin as general manager and to run their beverage program, which she’s been doing for almost ﬁve years. Ahead of Gift Horse opening, Caliaro added bar manager Rachel Stone to the team, who will oversee both bar programs.

Caliaro and Stone are excited to collaborate on the new drink menus, both of which will feature wine, beer, sakè, and cider, as well as a selection of low- and no-ABV (alcohol by volume) beverages – a crucial facet of Caliaro’s vision. As she puts it, “it’s important to give people who aren’t drinking, or are trying to drink consciously, options to still feel special, to still have fun, and to still be able to connect with the people they are dining out with.”

Caliaro is also intentional about another piece of the drink menu – selecting producers. If you chat with the team about your drinks while there, you’ll notice many beverages have a unique story stemming from those origins. Caliaro prioritizes choosing small producers who are sustainability minded, ideally o ering organic or biodynamic beverages. She also seeks out women-owned companies making wine in a natural style.

While both restaurants aim to pull beverages from a more expansive list, they’ll each go in their own unique direction. Gift Horse’s beverages will focus on complementing the restaurant’s heavy Rhode Island oyster and seafood focus. At Oberlin, the core drinks customers have come to know and love will remain, but with added options, too.

Stone looks forward to embracing the New England food culture and selecting libations that pair well with oceanfare.

“The drink menu will feature some local, seasonal ingredients, some low-ABV options, some classics, and some more whimsical creations,” says Stone. “There will be something for everyone on the drink list.” Customers can expect creative takes on spritzes and martinis inspired by the Italian coast.

Since coming on board, Stone has synthesized Oberlin’s menu in her own unique way. Likewise, Stone says Caliaro “has great taste and is a wealth of knowledge.” Together, this team is bound to bring a fresh beverage scene that complements downtown’s most anticipated new seafood concept.

Gift Horse

Where the former XO Café once served fine dining dishes, soon the new XO Bar moves into North Main Street shaking up creative cocktails. Chef Ben Lloyd (of Salted Slate and Providence Wine Bar) and business partner Scott Champagne are opening the new spot on the first floor of the historic John Updike House. The plan for the new establishment is “relaxed vibes, a lounge feel, smooth lighting, stellar beats, and over-thetop hospitality… comfortable and classic, the way it should be,” says general manager Alesandra Paolino Ottone. “We’re not reinventing the bar experience, just stripping it down and bringing it back to its roots.”

Ottone promises a “rotating original cocktail menu, classics made the right way, as well as those with some fun twists. Plus, a beer for everyone’s palate, from Bud Light to local brews, and an extensive, indulgent wine selection.” Although there won’t be a kitchen, XO expects to o er snack boxes with homemade potato chips, cheese, and charcuterie prepared by The Salted Slate. Providence, TheXOBar.com

“It’s always fresh” at Walker’s Roadside stand in Little Compton, according to owner Ian Walker, who recently took over the popular farmstand from his father Coll. “When Coll decided it was time to call it quits, I ﬁgured I’d hang up my hoe as well. But after a summer of crappy corn and tasteless tomatoes, I knew what I had to do,” he explains.

Walker decided to reopen the stand after the business closed last summer, carrying on the 40-year family tradition of growing everything from corn to raspberries, with a selection of other high-quality, local food items at the stand, too. “The farm was like a ghost town, the plow was in the rain, and summer would never be the same without Walker’s,” says Walker.

“So I ordered some seeds, saddled up my tractor, and here we are. We’ll continue to grow the same fruits, ﬂowers, vegetables, herbs, and berries that Walker’s is famous for, while upholding the high standards set by my father and grandfather.” The farmstand is slated to return June 16. Little Compton, Facebook: Walkers Stand

No doubt, chowder always tastes better with a gentle sea breeze overhead. This summer, you’ll have the chance to experience it ﬁrsthand at Newport Chowder’s new seasonal space on Thames Street. Owner Katie Potter carries on the legacy of her family’s secret recipe from the beloved Murial’s restaurant in Newport. “I started Newport Chowder in 2019 as a spice-packing company with my mother’s spices and the recipe on the back, so that people could make their chowder at home,” she says. When the pandemic hit, she turned to food incubator Hope & Main. “I went through their entrepreneur program and then I started making the chowder, doing farmers markets, selling two gallons at a time.”

That led to a food truck and now a seasonal restaurant opening Memorial Day weekend, adjacent to Kilwin’s Ice Cream. With well over 100 events already scheduled for this summer, Potter and her crew will be busy stirring the pots. In addition to her award-winning seafood recipe, Potter has introduced a gluten-free corn chowder. “I guess I’m the chowder lady now,” she jokes. NewportChowderCompany.com

Discover the ﬂavors of Rhode Island! From fresh seafood shacks to farm-totable eateries, little Rhody o ers a diverse culinary landscape that caters to all tastes. Indulge in delicious seafood, global cuisines, and locally-inspired dishes, and experience the culinary richness of the Ocean State with a dining experience that will leave you craving for more.

All Favorites Cafe

1678 Broad St, Cranston | 401-941-3550 allfavoritescafe.com |

A Breakfast/Lunch restaurant serving a mash up of Southern and French inspired ﬂavors. Everything from French Toast to Cubanos.

Chelo’s Hometown Bar & Grille

8 locations across RI! chelos.com |

A Rhode Island staple since 1955! Fresh, homemade deliciousness in every bite.

Mambo Sushi

380 Atwells Ave, Providence

401-642-8439 | mambosushiprovidence.com

Peruvian Flair to Asian Cuisine

BLU On The Water

20 Water St. East Greenwich | 401-885-3700 bluonthewater.com |