Best road-trip restaurants in Rhode Island

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Generous family-style Portuguese and Spanish spot known for shrimp Mozambique, seafood rice and grilled meats in big portions.

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Long-praised as Rhode Island's best Portuguese kitchen, serving robust Azorean plates like pork with littlenecks, potatoes and olives.

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Newport-area clam shack serving award-winning clam cakes, homemade chowder and stuffed quahogs since 1936 by the water.

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Point Judith institution open since 1920 and rumored birthplace of the clam cake, still serving fritters, chowder and shore dinners.

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South County shore staple since 1989 turning out doughboys, clam cakes and chowder steps from Narragansett's beaches.

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Historic Bannister's Wharf landmark specializing in fresh seasonal seafood with a raw bar of local oysters and signature lobster.

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Lively downtown Newport raw bar serving Rhode Island oysters, raw clams and quahog stuffies alongside broader seafood plates.

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No-reservations Newport favorite for simple perfectly cooked seafood like grilled fish, steamed mussels and fried clams.

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Storied wharf-side spot famous for its rich clam chowder and locally caught seafood served on the water in Newport Harbor.

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Beloved neighborhood counter praised for its snappy dog, fresh meat sauce and light chewy steamed bun rivaling the classics.

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Riverfront institution from Johanne Killeen and George Germon credited with inventing grilled pizza cooked over hardwood charcoal fires.

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Family-run Federal Hill mainstay open since 1924 serving unfussy Farnese-village cooking in a no-frills communal dining room.

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Federal Hill fine-dining Italian offering traditional delicacies with heavy seafood and Latin-infused dishes in an upscale room.

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Federal Hill destination dining since 1914, one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in the state with classic Italian fare.

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Family-operated Federal Hill classic of more than three decades known for hearty red-sauce plates and generous house-made pastas.

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Intimate 26-seat tasting-menu room from Per Se alums, a 2026 James Beard Best New Restaurant semifinalist serving eight courses.

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Bustling Federal Hill Italian market and cafe where you can shop imported goods and eat house-made pasta and cured meats.

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Acclaimed seafood room earning a James Beard Best Chef Northeast award, built around oysters, caviar, crudo and raw-bar towers.

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Elegant New American from chef Matthew Varga offering five and seven-course tasting menus with house-made gnocchi and farm-sourced duck.

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Derek Wagner's farm-to-table spot named a 2026 USA Today Restaurant of the Year with a rooftop garden and open kitchen.

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Chef Ben Sukle's refined seasonal cooking rooted in Italian tradition with hand-rolled pastas, crudos and wood-fired focaccia.

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Serving Rhode Island's snappy hot wieners and coffee milk since 1946, a James Beard America's Classics awardee in Olneyville.

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Longtime Atwells Avenue trattoria serving authentic Neapolitan-leaning Italian cuisine with a deep wine list and warm service.

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Upscale sit-down counterpart to the Federal Hill market known for gourmet Italian, standout ravioli and blistered pizzas.

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Classic 1969 roadside seafood shack on Nanaquaket Pond serving fried clams, lobster chow mein and waterfront picnic-table dining.

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Historic soda fountain, originator of the Rhode Island coffee cabinet, still hand-blending its proprietary coffee syrup into frappes.