Last weekend Michael and I celebrated Christmas early by flying north for three days to Providence, Rhode Island. We selected Providence because the airfare was in our price range, the flight times worked with our schedule, hotel prices were reasonable, and we’d hoped to see snow (despite my family’s insistence that you always fly south in the winter).
Three days was the perfect amount of time for visiting Providence; we saw and ate all we came to see and eat. I’ll structure this post similarly to my recent New York post – highlighting where we stayed, what we ate/drank, where we shopped, and what we did. This seems like a more interesting read than a diary-style entry (but if you prefer a linear format, please let me know!).
WHERE TO STAY IN PROVIDENCE
Providence Biltmore Graduate Providence
Providence BiltmoreGraduate Providence | 11 Dorrance St, Providence, RI 02903
Truthfully, I wanted to stay at The Dean for its Ace Hotel-like ambiance, but the budget won out in the end. We ended up with a stellar Cyber Monday deal on two nights in the historic Providence Biltmore now Graduate Providence, for a savings of about $100 total over The Dean. The Biltmore first opened in the 1920s, and after closing for a few years in the 1970s, was reopened and added to the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel decor felt old-fashioned (not in a good way) and was a bit dated. Our room was clean and fine enough for two nights, however we found service at the hotel was extremely lacking. Most importantly for these pedestrian travelers, however, the hotel was in a great location. The downtown area of Providence is rather compact, and very walkable, even in snowy weather. I later discovered that it has been sold and will reopen as part of the Graduate Hotel chain (Update: it’s open!) – hopefully, this change is a welcome one.
WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN PROVIDENCE
north (now closed)
north | now closed
We’d been planning to dine at north (now closed) long before a local bartender here at home told us about it, although it’s changed locations since he’d dined there. He told us that the restaurant’s interior originally looked like the inside of a ship; now it is housed in The Dean Hotel with a larger space to accommodate more diners. Our main focus at north was the seafood, which is good because seafood seems to be their main focus as well. We found the prices and portions incredibly reasonable for a locally sourced restaurant in a large city, and we were still dreaming of our meal when we awoke the next morning.
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Bolt Coffee
Bolt Coffee | 122 Fountain St, Providence, RI 02903
We stopped by Bolt Coffee twice during our visit. Both times I purchased their drip coffee (and took a bag home!) and Michael enjoyed the Woodsman (a latte with maple syrup) and a cappuccino. We purchased a doughnut from local favorite Knead Doughnuts, and the staff at Bolt will gladly give you their opinion on their favorites. This location of Bolt Coffee is housed in The Dean as well, and there is a perfectly cozy area to sit and enjoy with lots to read while you sip.
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Trinity Brewhouse
Trinity Brewhouse | 186 Fountain St, Providence, RI 02903
Trinity has been around for about twenty years, and seems like it is a popular place with the locals! We just stopped in for a pint, but their food menu is full of unpretentious pub standards. There’s no trend or gimmick here, just a good solid place to grab a beer and a bite and spend time with friends; the kind of place you’d spend time in your hometown.
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Hemenway’s
Hemenway's | 121 S Main St, Providence, RI 02903
clockwise, top left: RI clam chowder, seafood broil, cookie and coffee milk, lobster roll
Before we left, I asked Michael what he was most looking forward to while in Providence. Without hesitation, he answered, “clam chowder!” We had our second and final seafood meal at Hemenway’s Restaurant, located by the Providence River. Funnily enough, he didn’t order the clam chowder – I did. He ordered a lobster roll, which was served cold with mayonnaise. I ordered the Power Lunch, which included a starter, main, and a to-go treat. I selected the Rhode Island clam chowder, which varies from New England clam chowder (creamy) and Manhattan clam chowder (tomatoey) by being very simple and true to its namesake. I also ordered the seafood broil with asparagus, which was good but not my favorite. Happily, the meal ended with a choice of coffee or iced coffee milk and a wrapped cookie to go. I chose the iced coffee milk, the state beverage of Rhode Island, and it tasted about like what I expected – sort of like melted coffee ice cream.
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Timmy’s Legendary Grilled Pizza (now closed)
Timmy's Legendary Grilled Pizza | now closed
We didn’t have anything planned for our final lunch in Providence, but we knew we had hit our seafood limit. We decided to keep it light and split a grilled pizza (“They’re probably thin and small!” we thought) since it seems to be a specialty in the area. We debated back and forth between a few area restaurants and settled on Timmy’s Legendary Grilled Pizza (now closed). It was 2 p.m., and the restaurant was nearly empty (empty usually means not good), but we went with it. The staff were very friendly, and they are willing to let you customize your pizza however you’d like. We created a franken-pizza, with half veggies and half “lasagna” style. It was quite good, but enormous. This pizza could have easily been shared by three or four people!
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The Duck and Bunny
The Duck and Bunny | 312 Wickenden St, Providence, RI 02903
We weren’t quite hungry for dinner yet, and many of the shops on Wickenden had just closed, so we decided to pop into The Duck and Bunny for a glass of wine. The restaurant (or “snuggery,” as they call it) is open all day and serves brunch, afternoon tea, and a creative menu all day long. The space certainly was cozy; the perfect place to escape from the cold and windy outside and into a warm, low-lit space. We’d planned to return for tea the following day but unfortunately didn’t have time. That just means we’ll have to return… (update: The Duck and Bunny is temporarily closed, with an anticipated reopening in Spring 2024).
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Al Forno
Al Forno | 577 S Water St, Providence, RI 02903
Al Forno was a must on my list when looking for dining in Providence, and it did not disappoint. We had a slightly embarrassing experience when trying to enter the restaurant, as apparently, we tried to enter through the kitchen’s rear door! A good-natured cook informed us we needed to go around through the car park and enter on the other side (in all fairness, Google said that was the entrance, and there was a sign outside). We finally found the entrance, put our names on the list, and tucked in at the upstairs bar for a well-made Negroni while we waited. Eventually, we were seated and opted to share everything (probably not standard, but they rolled with it). We had a few slices of pizza leftover for breakfast the following morning, but managed to polish off the pasta and cookies, though I don’t know how. Michael says this was his favorite meal of the trip; I’m torn between this one and our meal at north.
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Knead Doughnuts
Knead Doughnuts | Multiple Locations
We had Knead Doughnuts twice during our stay in Providence: once from Bolt Coffee and once at their brick-and-mortar storefront. Both times were amazing, and their variety of dough styles is impressive (it seems like most shops just stick to one or two base doughs). I can only vouch for the varieties we had (cinnamon bun and gingerbread) but I imagine the rest are just as good.
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Ellie’s Bakery
Ellie's Bakery | 225 Weybosset St, Providence, RI 02903
Ellie’s Bakery wasn’t at all on our radar; we just happened to pass by it (which wasn’t hard since it was around the corner from our hotel). The staff were friendly, the atmosphere was charming, and the pastries were impressive. You can see that I couldn’t wait to take a bite out of my kouign amann before taking a photo!
SHOPPING IN PROVIDENCE
Providence isn't necessarily known as a world-class shopping destination, but there are lots of shops featuring locally-made or quirky goods (i.e. my kind of shopping). Here are a few places we stopped in while in the area:
Westminster St
Craftland | 212 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: Lots of locally crafted goods and clever prints Modern Love/Queen of Hearts | 220 Westminster St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: Well-curated selection of apparel, personal, and home goods The Arcade | 65 Weybosset St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: The oldest indoor mall in the country; we visited on a Sunday and some of the shops were closed
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College Hill
Providence Flea | Multiple Locations Notes: Seasonal flea market inspired by the Brooklyn Flea Impact Everything | now closed Notes: Everything in the shop benefits a cause; brands sold include PACT, United by Blue, and A Wild Soap Bar. Pleasant Surprise | 297 Thayer St, Providence, RI 02906 Notes: Typical gift shop/quirky shop Sneaker Junkies | 290 Thayer St, Providence, RI 02906 Notes: Not necessarily my style, but it's fun to look at the different trending styles Berk's Store | 272 Thayer St, Providence, RI 02906 Notes: Lots of shoes and apparel from brands like Adidas, Frye, and Dr. Martens at reasonable prices. risd:store | 30 N Main St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: RISD gift shop, includes products from graduates and current students
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Wickenden St
NAVA: New and Vintage Apparel | 197 Wickenden St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: One of my favorite shops of this trip Coffee Exchange | 207 Wickenden St, Providence, RI 02903 Notes: Coffees from all over the world, roasted in-house
PROVIDENCE SIGHTS + ATTRACTIONS
RISD Museum
RISD Museum | 20 N Main St, Providence, RI 02903
High on my list of things to do in Providence was visit the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, and it did not disappoint. It’s larger than expected, and I wouldn’t try to see it all in one day to avoid fatigue. Admission is free on Sundays, and we made sure to take advantage of that fact.
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The Providence Athenaeum
The Providence Athenaeum | 251 Benefit St, Providence, RI 02903
I love my public library here at home, but I only ever run in and out with my checkouts. If we had a public library like the Athenaeum, I think you would have to force me to leave! The library has a rich history, which you can read about here.
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Roger Williams Park Zoo
Roger Williams Park Zoo | 1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI 02907
We go to the zoo a lot when we travel. Even though the Providence Zoo houses my two favorite animals, red pandas and small-clawed otters, I was hesitant to go because of the weather forecast (barely above freezing) and the uncertainty of the animals’ activity. Michael insisted, and we went anyway. The zoo was nearly empty, and fortunately, many of the animals were either out or inside a building where visitors could enter too. We were disappointed that the red pandas were sleeping when we arrived, but another animal’s barking woke them up, and we enjoyed about an hour of them running, pouncing, climbing, and playing in the snow. Unfortunately, the otters were tucked away somewhere, but I’m still so happy we went. Notes: Uber doesn’t give drivers good directions to the zoo, and over two-thirds of the drivers we encountered spoke very little or no English (one driver just gave up and canceled on us). Be prepared to explain in Spanish if necessary.
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Federal Hill
Federal Hill
Another area we visited was Federal Hill – a traditionally Italian neighborhood, though we saw lots of other styles of restaurants too. I enjoyed watching people scurry in and out of stores preparing their holiday orders.
Wandering + Exploring on Foot
To be honest, I think my favorite thing we did over the weekend was wandering the city, looking at the lights, and playing in the snow. Armed with a warm beverage, we didn’t even feel the chill of the winter weather.
SUMMARY + KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: PROVIDENCE
We truly felt that three days was the perfect length of time to visit the city: enough to feel like we “got” the city and were able to fit in everything we wanted to do. At the end of each trip, we always discuss whether or not we would return, and how long in the future would we wait before coming back. We both agreed we would love to return to Providence sometime – just maybe in the summer to have a full New England summer experience.
Know before you go: T.F. Green Airport (PVD) is served by both legacy and budget airlines (full list and nonstop flight map here), with nonstop flights originating from the East Coast, a few midwest cities, and the UK and Ireland. Train service is available from Boston and New York City. The city is well-served by Uber and Lyft, but I highly recommend staying downtown and walking. The downtown area is compact, and relatively flat except for the College Hill area. Summer is likely the ideal time to visit, with access to the coast via ferry, however exploring the city around the holidays was truly lovely.
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Have you been to Providence? What was your favorite part of your visit?
It is sad to see so many place now closed. I just spent about 18 hours in Providence in October. We stayed at the now Graduate and had a great experience. They have a coffee shop off the lobby, which was convenient. Craving seafood, we went to Hemenway’s too. Even though it reminded me of places my dad would take clients back in the 80s, the lobster mac and cheese amazing! We also went to hunt down Lovecraft’s gave, which was a little anticlimactic, but the cemetery was beautiful, if you are into that sort of thing (I am! 🙂).
I know – it definitely hurts a little to go back and update with closures! Glad to hear the now-Graduate is a great home-base for exploring; it’s such a fun brand whether or not you’re affiliated with the local university. Oh my gosh, “corporate lunch” is definitely the best way to describe the atmosphere at Hemenway’s – I think enough time has passed since that era that I can find some appreciation for it!
Good to know about the cemetery! There are some beautiful ones in historic cities, and they always have an interesting story to tell.
It’s a great list. Sad that many of these places are now gone. I worry about some of the ones that remain. I still refuse to call it “The Graduate”…