The beauty of a Rhode Islander summer is legend. There's a lot to take in, from the Cliff Walk to pristine beaches; stunning coastal vistas to scenic rivers; and old-time lighthouses. Go back in time at Newport mansions and historic farms. Step inside to explore museums. Watch fires glow along the river in Providence on summer nights. Take in all the sights, sounds and aromas.
But don't forget the food. The culinary scene is just as epic as the setting. From modern bistros, ethnic eateries, clam shacks and nostalgic diners, your table awaits.
If you want a taste of Rhode Island, here are seven things to eat or drink this summer and where to find them. They won't make your summer, but they will make it more delicious.
Clam cakes
Clam cakes are served by restaurants, seasonal seafood shacks and even at church suppers and breakfasts.They are a unique delight.
They are fried fritters, like oversized doughnut holes. They are made with minced pieces of clams, a batter of flour that sometimes includes a little cornmeal, and clam juice. If you want to know where the clams are in clam cakes, look at the dark marks on the crusty exterior. Those are clams fried hot by the oil.
The best ones are light and can be fluffy.
Try them right along the majestic Atlantic Ocean at The AndreaaboveMisquamicut Beach, 89 Atlantic Ave., Westerly, (401) 348-8788,andreaseaside.com; on the water at Nanaquaket Pond in Tiverton at Evelyn's Drive-In, 2335 Main Road, Tiverton, (401) 624-3100,evelynsdrivein.com; or Monahan’sClam Shack by the Sea, 190 Ocean Road, Narragansett, (401) 782-2524, monahansri.com.
Grilled pizza
Everyone has their favorite kind of pizza. There's New Haven pizza, New York pizza, Neapolitan pizza and Sicilian pizza. Rhode Island lays claim to grilled pizza, first made to perfection in the Al Forno kitchen by the late George Germon. The smoky flames make the crust so special, it has become a favorite of many.
You can be promised that Al Forno will deliver a full, exceptional experience. You can dine on their covered patio at 577 South Water St., Providence,(401) 273-9760, alforno.com.
A new modern take on grilled pizza is at the excellent Bar 'Cino in Newport, at 22 Washington Square,barcino.com. Small plates, stellar co*cktails and beautifully composed dishes are also on the menu.
Calamari
What can you say about calamari in Rhode Island? It's the state's official appetizer. We all take it seriously because the success of the dish has brought it to restaurants in all 50 states.
Tender pieces of squid rings are battered and fried and spiced up with hot peppers or banana peppers and/or garlic sauce.
It's easier to count restaurants that don't have calamari on the menu than ones that do. Try the signature calamari by Oakland Beach in Warwick casually at Iggy’s Doughboys and Chowder House, 889 Oakland Beach Ave., (401) 737-9459, or more formally at Iggy’s Boardwalk Restaurant, 885 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick, (401) 737-2895, iggysri.com.
The Gulf Stream Bar & Grille, 1 Lagoon Road, Portsmouth, (401) 293-0930, gulfstreambar.com, beefs up their Gulf Stream Calamari, $14, with spicy cherry peppers and chourico. George’s of Galilee, 250 Sand Hill Cove Road, Narragansett, (401) 783-2306, georgesofgalilee.com, has two calamari appetizers.
Awful Awful
"What says summer more than an Awful Awful?" Bill Janikies, the Jan Companies' chief operating officer, has asked rhetorically many a time. It's a taste of old-time Rhode Island.
The Newport Creamery is the only spot for this ultra milkshake in flavors of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, strawberry, mint, cotton candy, orange, bubble gum, chocolate mint and mocha. They are on the dessert menu along with the Outrageous Awful Awful.
There areeight Newport Creamery locations in Rhode Island and two in Massachusetts.Try the one at Garden City in Cranston at 100 Hillside Road, (401) 944-3397, newportcreamery.com. Then you can stop in and get some Sweenor's chocolates for the ride home.
Stuffies
Stuffies aren't just for airport installations. They are a uniquely Rhode Island food served at clam shacks, fine dining restaurants and markets. They've also been made at home by generations of families. Other coastal places might have stuffed clams, but they don't have "stuffies."
They are an appetizer served in quahog shells. You need to shuck quahogs, save the liqueur, cook up onion and chourico and mix it all together with some breadcrumbs and butter. After a short bake back in the shell, you have a perfect stuffie.
Enjoy them with a water view at the fine-dining venue The Coast Guard House, 40 Ocean Road, Narragansett, (401) 789-0700,thecoastguardhouse.com.
Go casual at Flo's Clam Shack, 4 Wave Ave., Middletown, (401) 847-8141, flosclamshacks.com, where they serve Flo's Fiery Stuffed Quahog. If you like to sit almost on the water in a casual setting, try Quito’s Seafood Restaurant & Bar,411 Thames St., Bristol, (401) 253-4500,quitosrestaurant.com.
Coffee cabinets
File coffee cabinets under quirky cuisines of Rhode Island. Cabinets are like milkshakes or frappes, depending on your regional dialect. They are made with milk, ice cream and flavored syrup.
Delekta Pharmacy, now Delekta’s Corner Store, is credited with the moniker coffee cabinet, named after the wooden cabinet in which the mixer that blended the ice cream was encased. Yup. That's the quirky story. Find it at 496 Main St., Warren, (401) 245-6767.
For a plant-based coffee shake, head to Green Line Apothecary at 905 North Main St., Providence, or 245 Main St., Wakefield, greenlineapothecary.com. Their shakes, with or without milk, are hand spun. They also have a coffee egg cream.
Del's Lemonade
From the grottos of Naples to the streets of Rhode Island comes Del's Lemonade. It's frozen into superfine ice crystals and laced with chunks of lemon peel for a divine taste that is cold and sweet, but not too cold, or too sweet.
There are franchise locations that number more than two dozen in five states. But you want to head to their Cranston corporate store at 1260 Oaklawn Ave., dels.com. There they have all the drinks but also a gift shop. The list of products is extensive. There are candles; bath and body products, including hand soaps and lip balm; logo apparel such as T-shirts, polos and sweatshirts; Christmas ornaments; novelty cups; items for pets; and bottled juices.
