Hot wieners are meeting cold cash as Newport’s Audrain Food Group gobbles up another slice of Providence’s comfort food pie. In their latest culinary conquest, they’ve snagged the legendary Olneyville New York System – home of Rhode Island’s famed “all the way” wieners – adding it to a portfolio that already includes the pink-walled former Italian paradise known as The Old Canteen.
When Humble Meets Haute
Picture this: It’s 2am, you’re sporting a slight buzz, and nothing — absolutely nothing — will satisfy your soul like an Olneyville hot wiener “all the way” (that’s mustard, meat sauce, onions, and celery salt, for the uninitiated). Since 1946, this temple of late-night indulgence has been serving up these snappy little treasures on steamed buns, becoming so quintessentially Rhode Island that the James Beard Foundation crowned it an “American Classic” in 2014. Not bad for a joint where your meal is prepared on someone’s arm, rather than on a plate. Flip the script to The Old Canteen, where those same Rhode Islanders might head when it’s time to pop the question or celebrate Nonna’s 90th. Since 1956, this Federal Hill institution has been serving up plates of veal parm under bubblegum-pink walls that would make Wes Anderson swoon. It’s where generations of families have twirled pasta, clinked glasses, and loosened belts after one-too many garlic rolls.
When Yacht Club Meets Hot Wiener Club
The Audrain Food Group — whose Newport roots scream “yacht club” more than “wiener joint” — has been collecting Rhode Island food institutions like some people collect fancy watches. While they’re not exactly broadcasting what they paid for these culinary treasures, one thing’s clear: They’ve got a taste for places with history deeper than a Federal Hill pasta sauce. This north-south romance raises some saucy questions. Newport’s dining scene increasingly caters to folks who don’t blink at $28 cocktails, while Providence spots like Olneyville and The Old Canteen have always been places where regular Rhodies could fill their bellies without emptying their wallets. It’s like watching a Lamborghini pull up to a family cookout — intriguing, but everyone’s wondering if the driver knows how to flip a burger.
Same Sauce or New Recipe?
The million-dollar question (perhaps literally) hanging over Providence like the scent of simmering sauce: Will our beloved food landmarks keep their authentic flavor, or are we witnessing a culinary makeover show nobody asked for? Audrain might be plotting to transform The Old Canteen into another location of their Newport concept, Wally’s Wieners — a jarring pivot from white-tablecloth Italian dining to hot dogs with an upstairs speak-easy-style cocktail lounge. Will the iconic pink walls that have framed countless anniversary dinners and first dates remain? Will they become a backdrop for late-night wiener enthusiasts balancing craft cocktails and condiments? The thought of replacing tableside Caesar salads and wine service with paper-wrapped wieners and trendy mixology has many Federal Hill regulars clutching their napkins in dismay. And here’s where the plot thickens like a properly reduced sauce: If Audrain was planning to replicate their successful Newport Wally’s concept at The Old Canteen location, why then acquire Olneyville NY System — the undisputed crown jewel of Rhode Island wiener joints? It raises tantalizing questions about their strategy. Are they collecting the entire Rhode Island food experience like culinary Pokémon? Do they have plans to create some sort of wiener empire across the Ocean State? “Gotta eat ’em all” seems to be their motto. These aren’t idle questions for Rhode Islanders who measure life milestones by meals at these institutions.
Community Perspectives
Chef Frank Terranova, a Certified Executive Chef who’s been part of Rhode Island’s culinary scene for decades, shares some concerns about Audrain’s seemingly contradictory acquisition strategy. “I have never been to Wally’s but have seen them in Newport where the makeup of guests are usually visitors looking for a quick economical bite,” notes Terranova. The potential transformation of The Old Canteen particularly raises eyebrows for many, Chef Terranova points out the dramatic shift in dining experience. “Mostly people who want to go to an Italian Restaurant are looking forward to a relaxing evening, casually dressed, having a nice cocktail or a bottle of wine,” Terranova explains. “Parking there is a premium for all restaurants, and they utilize valet parking. I saw the price point in Newport, but everyone walks not valets” This practical observation cuts to the heart of the cultural clash that might emerge. The Old Canteen’s more fine dining experience, complete with valet parking and leisurely wine service — seems fundamentally at odds with the quickservice model of a wiener joint, regardless of how upscale cocktails might be.
Final Course: What’s Next on the Menu?
As Audrain folds these Providence classics into its growing culinary collection, Rhode Islanders are watching with the intense focus of someone waiting for their name to be called at a crowded brunch spot. The burning question simmering in everyone’s mind: Can Newport polish preserve Providence authenticity? Will hot wieners still be served all the way? Why buy NY systems if they planned on turning Old Canteen into Wally’s Wieners? Or will we see a wiener battle between two beloved once-werelandmarks now owned by the same restaurant group? Only time — and taste buds — will tell if this marriage of Newport refinement and Providence comfort food creates a delicious new Rhode Island recipe or leaves a bitter taste in locals’ mouths. •
Check out Hamman’s “Rhode to Good Food.” startup with a collection of products that celebrate Rhode Island’s unique culinary heritage, no matter who owns the landmarks.\
Photo by Courtney Hamman
