Open
Jalapeno’s Tex-Mex Grill spices up Mineral Spring Ave with quick, sharp takeout and dine-in. 1968 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence. (401) 773-3125
345: Plant City has expanded beyond its three-floor, multi-restaurant compound to serve drinks in an unassuming new spot right across the parking lot from plant central. In speakeasy tradition, this new cocktail bar comes in disguise, so be patient and open-minded as you search for the entrance. 345 South Main St, PVD. @345PlantCity
Speaking of plants, there’s a new PiANTA in town. Featuring locally-sourced plant-based vegan food in the spirit of, and just a few blocks from the recently departed Grange on Federal Hill. 243 Atwells Ave, PVD. piantaveganrestaurant.com
And speaking of Federal Hill – there’s a lot happening in that culinary mecca… Cap’t Loui brings finger food to the Hill with a new, crawdad-centered restaurant, the first RI member of this national seafood boiling chain. 238 Atwells, PVD. captloui.com/providence-ri
Y Shabu Shabu has opened on Federal Hill, a new source of hot pot cuisine (not the recently legalized kind, the soupy kind) that’s all you can eat. Or drink, depending on what you do with your hot pot. 243 Fountain St, PVD. yshabushabu.com
Mr Chicken sounds like a KFC, but it’s actually a Portuguese restaurant that serves all sorts of meat and fish – and dessert – following Portuguese traditions. Don’t be scared to try it! 275 Child St, Warren. mrchickenri.com
Next to the Superman Building, the Beatrice Hotel has opened in DownCity. A high-end venue and one of several new hotels – a bit surprising in our AirBnB age. There’s also a rooftop bar with a view of Kennedy Plaza – watch the buses turning, or get a bird’s eye view of the upcoming PVDFest. 90 Westminster, PVD. thebeatrice.com
Sport & Leisure will be opening in June where Olives used to be, across from the new XO. A sports bar from the folks who brought you Black Sheep and Brass Monkey, it will surprisingly not be named after an animal.
Union & Main is a burger and beer bar in East Greenwich, with a healthy dollop of EG-appropriate seafood options. And they have trivia every Monday. If you can’t guess the location, you haven’t been paying attention. 455 Main St, EG. unionandmainri.com
Another new entry in East Greenwich – not unexpected, given how many establishments closed there in the last year – Tavern on Main is another regional chain with its first RI presence, featuring American-style grub and refreshments. Don’t let the name fool you – unlike almost everything else in EG, it’s not actually on Main St. 1000 Division St, East Greenwich. taverninthesquare.com/eastgreenwich
Closed
The Duke Kitchen & Spirits, a burger and drinks joint with a giant caricature of John Wayne on one wall, has shuttered its saloon doors. 1839 Smith St, North Providence. dukekitchen.com
