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Your 2022 guide to great summer food in RI, including can't-miss restaurants

Whitman Littlefield, The Providence Journal
·6 min read

Summer in Rhode Island has it all: sun, beaches, and of course great food.

We may be small, but our culinary scene is mighty. We've got you covered if you're looking to dine out on summertime classics like lobster rolls, fried clams and of course calamari. On the other hand, if you're craving Japanese, Persian, Portugues or dozens of other cultural flavors- Ya, we have that covered too.

If something more adventurous strikes your fancy a night out in R.I. you won't want to miss one of these fantastic dining experiences.

And of course, never sleep on the classic, storied Rhode Island restaurants that helped put R.I. on the culinary map!

Can't miss Rhode Island food adventures for 2022

RI Best: 22 can't miss food and drink adventures for summer 2022: In Rhode Island, great food adventures start with passion. But add in some local ingredients and what a dish you have! Of course, those many, many ocean views don't hurt either. A lot of new people have moved to Rhode Island over the past two years. No doubt they are exploring the great food and drink culture. But if not, let this guide be a starting point.

This list is also meant to help if you have company coming to visit. Either explore with them, or hand it over and send them off to delight in the flavors of Rhode Island.

Best rooftop bars and restaurants in RI: Dining or sipping on a rooftop in Rhode Island continues to be a most exclusive experience. A decade ago it was all but unheard of. Even now there are just a handful of options but they are all something special. Summer dining and drinks are sweet at these 10 spots

14 can't-miss clam shacks to satisfy your seafood craving around RI: Casual summer dining is wonderful at clam shacks. Here you can have your lobster rolls, fried clams, clam cakes and all sorts of scallops and fish dishes.

Many in RI also offer choices with an Italian flavor such as linguini and clams and the state appetizer, calamari.

Where to satisfy that calamari craving: If you are all about the calamari, here’s where you can get some great versions of the official R.I. state appetizer. All 10 businesses with 12 locations are open for takeout and most for dining in or al fresco with reservations.

15 fantastic recipes: How to cooking with a real Rhody flavor: Sometimes dining out just isn't in the cards. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the rich flavors of Rhode Island. The Providence Journal partnered with the best chefs in the state to bring you our series, Small Bites.

The videos will give you detailed instructions on how to cook Rhode Island's most famous dishes.

  • How to turn clams into delicious stuffies

  • Legal Sea Foods’ Crab Cakes

  • How to shuck an oyster

  • Searing scallops

  • How to make the best Mediterranean swordfish burger

We even break it down to the basics and give instructions o the perfect fried egg!

Check out these 15 cooking videos created by The Journal with local chefs and our Small Bites partner The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitor's Bureau.

Must-try restaurants in RI this summer

5 new restaurants in RI that you're going to have to try: One of the fun things about RI is that there is always a new restaurant opening up. There were just a bunch of new food and drink spots and you can read all about them.

Rhode Island got 41 new restaurants, breweries and wineries in 2021: Yes, there have been losses and they are sad. But there have been so many more wins. Dozens of chefs, bakers, brewers and small business owners have opened new restaurants and other food and drink businesses in 2021. Each one is worth checking out!

RI Food Fix: 10 gourmet markets worth the trip: Ok! You're right, this isn't a list of restaurants but each of these markets is well worth the trip. Whether you are looking for hard-to-get European delicacies, want to find a new All-American favorite, or trying to find a taste from the homeland, options abound.

6 best spots for chicken wings in RI: Now, do we believe there is "a" best chicken wing place in the state? No.

There are many, and they are meant to satisfy a variety of tastes.

Are you looking for traditional wings drowning in a spicy sauce that make you grab a drink, a dip, a veggie stick or a napkin? How do you want them cooked? Do you want your wings fried? Wood-fired? Coal-fired? Or smoked low and slow? This list of six restaurants for your chicken wing fix covers all those bases.

Rhode Island is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines (We're not talking fondu here)

Need a great lunch restaurant in RI? Try one of these Bento box spots: This signature Japanese meal is on more than a few lunch menus in Rhode Island. How lucky we are to have them offered as a dining experience.

They moved to RI from Iran. Now they've opened RI's only Persian restaurant: Some of the best dining experiences aren't just about fine food, but about being transported to a different place. That's what you'll find at the intimate new Persian restaurant Shish Kabob in Pawtucket opened by Ali Joneidi, a native of Iran.

Want to travel to Portugal without leaving RI? You've got to try PVD's newest tapas restaurant: What do you get when you combine a businessman, a chef and an artist? You get Fox Point’s newest restaurant, a tapas bar named Aguardente for those seeking out new cultural experiences.

Call them classics, institutions or legacy restaurants but their flavors define RI

More than just breakfast: 4 historic Rhode Island diners you have to try: Diners bring people in with their nostalgia and comfort food. But they also bring an artistic delight with unique designs in streamlined parlor cars. Historical and architectural significance makes them worthy of preservation on the federal government’s official list of properties throughout the United States.

A 348-year timeline of our state's most beloved restaurants, bars, and food businesses: Food and drink in Rhode Island has a rich history. In many ways, the businesses that sprang up over the past 348 years are the history of Rhode Island.

This timeline pays homage to them.

These are 14 restaurants Rhode Islanders miss the most: What restaurant do you miss?

Journal readers clearly can't just name one. They crave not just the flavors, but the happy times enjoyed while eating everything from a good parm to lobster to tacos. Missed were landmark restaurants, neighborhood favorites, ethnic eateries and family-owned businesses, big and small.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI restaurants: 2022 summer food guide and dining options