Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Providence

This is the original Geoff's, opened more than 20 years ago and boasting perhaps the best sandwiches in Providence. The restaurant is known for its wisecracking help and delightful sandwiches, many of which bear the names of local political figures. This is the place to go for a quick takeaway meal, complete with help-yourself homemade pickles. This Geoff's, unlike its sister further up College Hill, also has a small parking lot, and is just one block from downtown Providence. Delivery service is available.

If you want a classic romantic night which involves dinner and a show, then Gracie's and the nearby Trinity Repertory Company make a great combination. This AAA-four diamond restaurant features ingredients from local farms and fisheries as well as its own rooftop garden in order to bring the bountiful harvest of New England to diners' plates. There are two tasting menus, one is five courses, the other seven and both offer wine pairing as an option. The tasting menus as well as the prix-fixe ones present plates that vary according to season.

Set up as a U-shaped restaurant that seats about 20 people, Birch is a great place to go to if you are looking to have a relaxed evening out while meeting new, interesting people. The menu is prix fixe and consists of 4 courses with each course having 3 items and an optional wine flight that you should certainly try once. Each dish is a culinary masterpiece and you will be amazed at how perfectly the wine matches the food served. With a menu that changes quite frequently, expect delicious surprises in store for you even if you visit often. If you are looking for a flawless dining experience, Birch is the place to go to.

The calamari here is an award-winner. Bluefin is known for its seafood menu, although it serves beef and lamb as well. You may order Chef Phillipe's Tasting Menu, which includes samples of the chef's favorite dishes. The varied Sunday brunch and the pumpkin soup are also recommended. This is an elegant bar and dining room where you may have a martini or dinner among business guests of the Providence Marriott or upscale urban professionals. Parking is available in the hotel lot. Smoking is allowed at the bar.

Providence Phoenix readers have voted Snookers Pool Lounge the Best Pool Hall in Rhode Island for three straight years. This versatile spot on the edge of downtown in Providence's Jewelry District, features 16 pool tables, the Skyline Patio Bar and also serves food and drink into the late hours. Snookers is home to The Green Room, where rockabilly, pop, alternative and garage music from Rhode Island, Boston and New York is performed in an intimate environment with no cover charge. Pool table rates start at $6.50 per hour, $20 to enter tournaments on Mondays and Wednesdays. Food served includes pizza, burgers and grinders.

Urban chic yet laidback at the same time, Askew is much more than a restaurant. Here, you’ll find just about every form of entertainment; any genre of music, from acoustic, blues and pop to comedy shows with local up-and-coming acts performing every night. Retro memorabilia and artworks of local artists adorn the wall and add more character to the place. One of the interesting features of this restaurant is that everything on the menu from chicken tenders to Cajun Shrimp and Sausage is served on a stick. A thriving entertainment venue, and a restaurant, it is the melting pot of the culturally inclined patrons of Providence.