Ten years ago, downtown Providence was a different place. Many of the great restaurants and shops did not yet exist, and some of our favorites have since left. Gracie’s originally opened on Federal Hill, but opportunity knocked, and we moved into a great location across the street from the spectacular Trinity Repertory Company. Working in downtown Providence came with challenges and opportunities. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the last decade. But as we celebrate our downtown location’s ten-year restaurant anniversary, it is a delight to see many of our neighborhood restaurants bustling night after night. It is encouraging to see so many independently owned shops opening their doors, and at the same time, The Dunkin Donuts center plays host to hockey tournaments and world tour concerts. 

The restaurant business is a tricky one, and so often is subject to the economy, weather, fluctuating food prices, and even the whims of culinary fashions. It’s no secret that many new restaurants close within five years or less for any combination of reasons. Sometimes, though, you get lucky. Hard work, dedication, and a love for what you do come together with people who appreciate what you do. In that respect, we’ve been pretty lucky. 

In the last ten years, we have learned a lot – way more than we could possibly fit into a single blog post. We have also met some wonderful people – again, way more than we could possibly fit into a single blog post. As we celebrate our ten-year downtown restaurant anniversary, we know that we are fortunate to have met and worked with so many wonderful people. 

Sharing a Meal – photo by JWessel Photography

We have restaurant guests who have eaten with us regularly since we opened. We have some guests that we see every year on their anniversary. We have had movie stars and sports stars at our tables, and we have had young couples celebrating a first date. We’ve been honored to host weddings, graduation dinners, and birthday parties. 

Our kitchen has been graced with so many chefs, from Johnson & Wales interns, to our own regular staff, to guest Star Chefs from Maria Helm Sinskey to Ciril Hitz to Celina Tio and so many others. We really can’t begin to express how honored we are to host so many amazing, talented people. 

Current Executive Chef Matthew Varga was featured in Art Culinaire: The International Magazine in Good Taste. We’ve won the AAA four-diamond award four years in a row, and Executive Pastry Chef Melissa Denmark was named a Rising Star by the online culinary magazine Star Chefs. We’ve been able to partner with No Kid Hungry: Share Our Strength to work toward ending childhood hunger in America, and we’ve donated and walked many miles for the March of Dimes. 

In the front of the house, we’ve learned about Wine and Food pairings, how to share the joy of a tasting menu with new guests, and gone through more than a fair share of wine glasses. We’ve watched some of our staff graduate high school AND college, and some we’ve seen move across this great country to follow their dreams. We’ve managed to have some fun, too. Perhaps maybe too much?

This is supposed to be our Front of the House Manager.

 We’ve worked with so many dedicated and caring vendors, local farms, fishers, dairies, artisans, breweries, wineries, and distilleries, many of whom have been part of our team for years. We’ve shared our favorite Providence restaurants with you, and we’re even going on a Mediterranean cruise in October. 

And we owe it all to you. We love what we do, but we wouldn’t be here without each and every person who supports us. From the farmers that spend countless hours raising the best corn, or staying up all night caring for a newborn calf, to the men and women on the Rhode Island coast pulling in fresh seafood, to the guys who makes sure we have all the linens and dish detergent we need, this is a team effort.

Most of all, though, we wouldn’t be here without you. Whether you enjoy a meal with us on a special occasion, or just because, we couldn’t do what we do without your willingness to try new things with us, to taste new ingredients or an unusual wine. For you, we are incredibly thankful. Thank you for helping us make this ten-year anniversary the start of the next decade. 

The post 10 Years Downtown: Our Anniversary! first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post 10 Years Downtown: Our Anniversary! appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

Yes, the title is a bit misleading. “What’s your favorite Providence restaurant?” is probably the wrong question to ask this group if you want a succinct answer. We really can’t pin down one favorite Providence Restaurant. This little city has one of the top culinary arts schools in the country, and is regularly ranked as a food destination. Wether you are eating at one of the great food trucks, or enjoying some of the best Central American food in New England, Providence is a dream location for adventurous palates. 

Enough Already! Tell me about the best Providence Restaurants! 

Just like the first post on this subject, these listings are in no particular order. In fact, they are not even geographically grouped. Why not? Because Providence is small enough that if you just look for downtown restaurants, you might miss out on some great eats close by. Besides, isn’t an adventure part of the joy of a good meal?

The Favorite Providence Restaurant List

Chez Pascal, at 960 Hope Street, is known for being the wurst. The Wurst Kitchen serves house made sausages and cured meats at their walk-up window. The indoor section of Chez Pascal features seasonal and local ingredients to create dishes cooked in the style of a classic French restaurant.

Kitchen, at 94 Carpenter St. is small, cozy, and a staff favorite “for their amazing corned beef hash and perfectly poached eggs.” Kitchen is only open for brunch, and has about a dozen seats, so plan accordingly. 

Abyssinia Restaurant, at 333 Wickenden Street, is unique in Providence; as far as we know, this is the only Ethiopian restaurant until you get to Boston. If you haven’t experienced the fun of eating Ethiopian food, you really should give Abysinnia a try. Instead of forks or spoons, Ethiopian cuisine is eaten with a spongy, sour bread called injera. Don’t wear your fancy dress clothes. 

Tallulah’s Taqueria, at 146 Ives St, in Fox Point is one of our go to spots for a casual summer evening outdoor dinner.  The Tallulah’s menu is simple, but delicious. 

Mi Ranchito, at 1516 Westminster St. is “super small, but the food is out of this world. I highly recommend the garnachas.”

Rasoi is technically in Pawtucket, but it’s just over the line, so we’re calling that close enough. Rasoi is refined and flavorful Indian food. They regularly host cooking classes, as well. The menu is consistent, as is the food, and they are able to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets. 

Birch is Gracie’s neighbor on Washington St. in downtown (200 Washington to be exact). Heidi Sukle and Chef Benjamin Sukle run this 18 seat restaurant known for seasonal ingredients and exacting preparations. They are also one of the few high-end restaurants that are open on Sunday and Monday. 

Figidini Wood Fire Eatery is Ellie’s neighbor, at 67 Washington St. Figidini has the distinction of being the only restaurant in Rhode Island to cook exclusively with wood fire. They serve a traditional Neapolitan pizza, as well as a variety of local and seasonal dishes that are grilled in the open kitchen. 

Do you have a favorite Providence Restaurant that we missed?

Certainly, this is an incomplete list, but if you are looking for a new place to eat in Providence, we can offer these suggestions as great places to eat. What would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments. 

The post Our Favorite Providence Restaurant: Part 2 first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Our Favorite Providence Restaurant: Part 2 appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

photo by JWessel Photography

For two weeks each January, Gracie’s participates in Providence Restaurant Weeks. Participating restaurants throughout the area offer a three-course, prix fixe dinner menu with a discounted price. These weeks have always been fun for us, as we get to meet new people, and host friends we missed over the holidays.

For you, this is a great chance to revisit some favorite dishes, or try out something new. The menu reflects some of our classic courses, such as Jeffery’s Baby Green Salad, with Great Hill blue cheese, red onion, potato crisps, and soy-sherry vinaigrette.

Jeffery’s Baby Green Salad – photo by JWessel Photography

Gracie’s Rigatoni Campanaro is also on the prix fixe menu. This classic, hand-rolled pasta dish has been a staple on our menu since the day we opened, sixteen years ago. It is served with sweet and spicy sausage, plum tomato, parmesan, and ricotta salata. We can easily omit the sausage so our vegetarian guests can enjoy a Gracie’s tradition.

Gracie’s Rigatoni Campanaro – photo by JWessel Photography

No meal at Gracie’s would be complete without bread, and restaurant week selections are no exception. Enjoy complimentary breads from our bakery, Ellie’s, with each meal.

Focaccia and Honey Beer Bread – photo by JWessel Photography

The full prix fixe menu is listed below. The price per person is $34.95. Beverages, tax, and gratuity are additional. The bread, macarons, and good time is included.

The Wine Room – photo by JWessel Photography

Gracie’s Restaurant Week Prix Fixe Menu

The post Providence Restaurant Week first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Providence Restaurant Week appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

photo courtesy of First and South

On Monday, October 20, Gracie’s is hosting the next dinner in the Star Chefs Series. Chef Taylor Knapp, of First and South in Greenport, New York, will join us for an evening of passed canapés, and a five-course tasting menu. We were curious to know what Chef Taylor might have planned for his first visit to Gracie’s; he took some time to chat with us in between foraging, cooking, and working on his newest project, Peconic Escargot.

Chef Taylor is known for his dedication to foraging, and seeking out local and regional foods that are a little off the beaten path, such as “young sassafras saplings that will be used to make butter.” The Star Chefs Dinner will use ingredients “raised or foraged on Long Island’s East end, but there is a lot of collaboration happening. Take the bread for the dinner. It will utilize spent beer grains from a Rhode Island brewery and flour made from wheat grown on Long Island – a melding of ingredients from two different locations in one bite.”

photo by JWessel Photography

Creating a meal for the Star Chefs Dinner, and for the menu at First and South, is not just about finding ingredients, though. Chef Taylor is asking us to slow down, to “think about what we’re eating, where it comes from, and the history behind the ingredients.” This is what compels him to forage through beach plum briars, head to the shore to harvest seaweed, or spend hours plucking the petals from fresh flowers. In fact, Chef Taylor is so dedicated to the idea of fresh and local food that he is about to open Peconic Escargot, the “first and only company in the U.S. to offer fresh escargot.”

Chef Taylor sums up his philosophy of food quite eloquently: Food “should be given as though it were a gift, prepared with care, love, and thought, just as you would prepare a meal for a loved one. Slow down. Simplify. Focus on the things we’re putting on the plate.”

We look forward to working with Chef Taylor Knapp for this special evening on Monday, October 20. The five-course tasting menu will be paired with wine from The Savory Grape. For reservations, call Gracie’s at 401-272-7811, or email Tenneal@graciesprov.com.

Gracie’s by JWessel Photography

The post A Conversation with Star Chef Taylor Knapp first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post A Conversation with Star Chef Taylor Knapp appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

The Friday night event is also the season’s debut of our very own Millie! We will have more on her in a future post, but can I just say “Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich Trike”!

Saturday morning the Dorrance will host the Grand Tasting, and then on Sunday we will be at the Providence Biltmore for the Grand Brunch. Some of our favorite restaurants and partners will be there, including Easy Entertaining, and Sin.

Tickets and information are available on the Eat Drink RI website. Hope to see you there!

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