Restaurants in Bristol

When they first opened Belly Rules, Chef Valter Monteiro and Melissa Gilmete didn't even bother to hang a sign. Instead, they chose to let their cooking speak for itself, whipping up a menu of meaty breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that have attracted the attention of local diners and reporters from the Johnston Insider. The chefs labor over their renowned country-fried steak and eggs, pig-roast platters, and custom burgers while supplementing the menu with Saturday-night specials such as firecracker shrimp or tequila-sunrise scallops. The restaurant hosts special fundraisers on Friday nights and welcomes guests to Monday Cruise Night, where clients can show off their new cars, classic automobiles, or Tonka trucks.

Though the idea of sharing a table with the Godfather, Scarface, and Don Carlo might be scary, it only gets mouths watering at Wise Guys Deli. That’s because these gangster-inspired nicknames simply denote several of the deli's freshly crafted sandwiches, each of which is piled with prosciutto, juicy roast beef, and fried eggplant. The chefs also churn out Sleep with the Fishes specials—seafood-based soups, starters, and entrees—as well as breakfast selections and premade meals from a gleaming deli case.

The staff at Sullivan's Publick House cherishes three things: good food, good beverages, and good company. These pillars of traditional Irish hospitality shape the restaurant's day-to-day business, beginning in the kitchen, where chefs prepare authentic beer-battered fish ‘n’ chips and shepherd's pie. At the bar, the barkeeps pour one of 24 on-draft brews, such as Young’s Double Chocolate Stout or Hoegaarden. To fulfill the good company portion, the restaurant hosts trivia events and build-your-own burger nights that spark lively conversation about whether cheese belongs on top of a beef patty or securely in one’s front pocket.

Smoked bacon. Guacamole. Chili. A whole fried egg. With a simple tick mark, these and dozens of other toppings appear atop a beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie patty. Rare Burger Bar’s build-your-own-burger menu gives patrons the opportunity to make a fully custom burger. Those feeling less inventive can select from specialty burgers such as the Texas burger, which combines an all-Angus beef patty with bacon, barbecue sauce, and a homemade onion ring etched into a tiny spur. Non-burger menu items include hand-cut fries, chicken sandwiches, salads, and buffalo wings.

Chicken wings, littleneck clams, and garlic bread introduce Fall River Grill's spread of Portuguese cuisine. From top to bottom, the menu is packed with meat and foreign words—bifana, grilled pork cutlets in a sandwich; bife, which means steak; whole grilled chicken known as frango grelhado; and the traditional sausage called chouriço. Seafood makes a big splash at the restaurant, too; there’s enough salmon, boiled cod, and shrimp to convince most people that marine life really does exist. Before you start stuffing yourself, plan to leave just enough stomach space for sweet desserts such as passionfruit pudding and coconut tarts.