The city of Warwick, Rhode Island, enjoys not only a long and eventful history, but also a scenic location on the northern tip of Greenwich Bay, its cuisine influenced by the setting on the bay, as well as the waves of English and Italian settlers over the centuries. Expect to find plenty of seafood in these 10 great restaurants.
Located in the Oakland Beach area of Warwick, the Top of the Bay looks out to the south towards Greenwich Bay, and to the west towards Buttonwoods Cove. The Top of the Bay is something of a favourite amongst locals as an excellent spot for special occasions. The menu features plenty of good seafood dishes, some New England classics, and there is something of an Italian feel to some of the offerings.
The Iron Works Tavern has a wonderfully rich history dating back as far as 1867. The Tavern as we now know it stands in what was the original office building for the iron works; it still has the original 300-pound solid oak door. The menu features a mixture of salads, grilled pizzas and steaks, and a wide range of signature dishes including seafood cioppino, beef ribs, and the classic bacon-infused meatloaf. Look out for the Newport, Rhode Island Merlot on the wine list.
Eleven Forty Nine, East Greenwich | Image courtesy Eleven Forty Nine
Eleven Forty Nine is a Warwick classic offering contemporary American cuisine in a swish, modern setting. Hearty meat dishes available as main courses include a 14-ounce cider-brined pork chop served with balsamic onion-jam, and a 10-ounce filet mignon wrapped in Applewood-smoked bacon. You can also add stuffed shrimp to any meat dish to create your own surf and turf arrangement.
Iggy’s Doughboys and Chowder House is something of a Rhode Island tradition, serving up excellent New England classic dishes with plenty of seafood to choose from. There are now two locations, with the main Chowder House being located in Oakland Beach in Warwick and affording diners a spectacular view out across Narragansett Bay with both the Jackson and Newport bridges visible. The menu has over 50 tempting items available, from fish and chips and seafood platters, to fried calamari, stuffed quahogs, and a variety of burgers.
Not Your Average Joe’s is a group of restaurants founded in 1994 by Steve Silverstein in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island states that have a reputation for serving up inventive cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. The team behind the Warwick Not Your Average Joe’s promise food that is both casual and creative – so look out for a wide range of handmade stone hearth-cooked pizzas, and a selection of burgers.
Sophia’s Tuscan Grille is the ideal place for anyone looking for fine dining in Warwick. The menu is a celebration of the big flavours of Tuscan and Italian cuisine. On the menu you will find classic Italian antipasti dishes such as polenta with oranges and eggplant involtini. For mains look out for pasta Toscano or Romano, as well as linguine with clams, and specialities such as sirloin porcini and Tuscan griglia mista; a 12-ounce Chianti-glazed sirloin with seared salmon and Parmesan polenta.
The Crow’s Nest Restaurant has been run by the same family since 1994. Located in a building that has been a Chowder House since the mid-1960s, diners in the restaurant can look out over Apponaug Cove and towards Greenwich Bay in the distance. Unsurprisingly there is a nautical theme to the décor and the menu promises some of the finest freshly caught New England seafood available.
Bertucci’s centre all of their handmade cooking around the brick oven that affords their chefs intense heat with which to lock in freshness and ensure diners enjoy the richest flavours possible. The brick ovens at Bertucci’s reach cooking temperatures of 675 degrees Celsius, testing the artistry of the chefs as they prepare perfectly caramelised toppings for pizzas and calzones. The menu is, of course, largely Italian in theme, so be prepared for innovative pizzas and pasta but with lots of New England seafood mixed in there too.
The Ripe Tomato is a small and friendly Italian restaurant providing simple and fresh dishes, all served in a room with brightly painted red walls that give the restaurant its name and hint at warm, Mediterranean flavours and ingredients. The menu offers uncomplicated and unpretentious Italian cuisine with the freshness and quality of the ingredients allowed to stand out.
The Remington House Inn is located in the historic Apponaug Village area of Warwick. Set in a handsome wooden-panelled building with sash-windows that dates back to 1801, the Inn has a reputation for excellent food and drinks, including an extensive selection of signature martinis. The menu combines traditional New England classics with some continental favourites as well.
