Fall in Love With the Food in Newport, RI

The weather may be getting chillier, but that’s no reason not to hit the road, especially if you’re in search of a foodie adventure. You can find all the best cuisines New England has to offer in Newport’s many restaurants – and enjoy spectacular fall foliage along the way.

Complement your meal with a visit to the area’s best wineries and breweries, and be sure to stop by some of the island’s best farms for first dibs on locally grown and sourced foods. What’s more, Newport Restaurant Week will be held from Nov. 3-12 with various restaurants offering deals on regular menu items as well as special prix fixe menus.

From Casual Bites to Award-Winning Restaurants

Newport is home to some fabulous seafood establishments, but Newport Restaurant Week is a great opportunity to try something new. Fans of Jamaican food, or anyone thinking about trying it, should head to Humming Bird. If you’ve got a curiosity about Polynesian cuisine, take a stroll to Bowen’s Wharf to Wharf Fishhouse and Tiki Bar. Vegetarians and vegans will love Root Plant Based Eatery, located on trendy Broadway, where diners can also discover the eclectic Caleb & Broad to sip on craft beers and sample dishes like street corn tacos and pea and mint falafel.  

Newport Restaurant Week

12 days of delicious discounts, Nov. 3-12.

Dig In

For those who like the finer things in life, a meal at AAA Five Diamond Cara at The Chanler hotel is a must. Here, you can enjoy sophisticated European-style dishes often prepared with local, New England-sourced ingredients in a luxurious setting. If you’re visiting The Chanler during restaurant week, The Café is offering two-course prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner.

You’d certainly be missing out if you visited Newport and didn’t pay a visit to at least one of the city’s Italian restaurants. You can savor dishes like lasagna spiedini and prosciutto agnolotti at Giusto Newport, led by Rhode Island native chef Kevin O’Donnell. The restaurant’s menu pays homage to traditional Italian dishes, adding O’Donnell’s own creative spin, and sources many of its ingredients from local farms and fisheries. Snag a deal during restaurant week at Sardella’s Italian Restaurant, which is offering a choice of ten classic dishes to make up a three-course prix fixe menu for $45.

Wineries and Breweries

Travel north of Newport proper to the city of Middletown, where you’ll find the stunning, expansive grounds of Newport Vineyards, owned and operated by the Nunes family for the past 25 years. During your visit you can enjoy tastings, winery tours and even a meal at the onsite restaurant. Also on the property is Taproot Brewing Company, serving hop-forward beers like the brewery’s New England IPA and German Lager.

Visitors to Aquidneck Island looking to relax along the water with a glass of wine shouldn’t miss Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth, set along the Sakonnet River. While in town, beer-lovers might also want to check out Ragged Island Brewing Company, a barn-turned-brewhouse, set on a working farm. Pivotal Brewing Company just over the bridge in Bristol has a more industrial and eclectic atmosphere, located in a large brick building and serving brews like IPAs and Pilsners.

Farm Fresh

Just outside the city of Newport, you’ll drive through plenty of farmland, home to farms that produce meats, cheeses and local produce, many of which you you’ll often see at local farmer’s markets and on the menu in area restaurants.

Aquidneck Farms is famous for its grass-fed beef, which grazes on hundreds of acres of preserved conservation land, while Simmons Farm is known for its fresh produce. Mount Hope Farm has a different vibe and is perfect for exploring, with trails and gardens throughout the property’s arboretum. Sweet Berry Farm is the ideal destination for a pick-your-own fruit adventure, even during the fall months, when nearly ten varieties of apples are ripe and ready for picking in the farm’s orchards.

Hotels and Accommodations

When heading to the Newport area for Newport Restaurant Week, you’ll need a place to stay. Check out the elegant Hotel Viking close to downtown, or opt for the more intimate AAA Four Diamond Cliffside Inn.

Hungry for more? Discover Newport today.