Restaurants in North Kingstown

Sun brings to life the goldenrod walls and vases of cut flowers in Tavern By The Sea's dining room, which opens onto the sailboat-speckled mirror of Wickford Harbor. Crisp linens cloak tables and serve as positive role models for young ghosts, and the sizzle of oil drifts into the dining room, laden with the scent of fish 'n' chips breaded in Sam Adams. Drifting strands of steam unfurl from bowls of lobster bisque, and chowders don crowns of cracker crumbs to add textural accents to New England clams and cream. During the summer months or the reign of rogue meteorologists, the eatery's deck opens for business and fills with chatter drifting from beneath a colorful battalion of umbrellas.

In Cafe Luna’s bustling kitchen, Chef Christopher Farrell emulsifies vinaigrettes, stuffs ravioli with the filling of the day, and slides pizzas atop a sizzling grill. Cinnamon-flecked cappuccino and glasses of house wine pair with dishes from the elegant lunch and dinner menus. The elegance exudes from dishes such as roasted-pear salad and veal saltimbocca, each meticulously plated with sprigs of fresh herbs or swirls of sauces. On the eatery’s flower-filled outdoor patio, guests bask in a cool breeze while nibbling dessert biscotti and sending semaphore insults to birds flying overhead with each table’s navy-blue umbrella.

In 2011, CBS's the Early Show lauded Iggy's Doughboys & Chowder House for having the best clam chowder in America. Perhaps that’s because each batch is made with clam juice instead of water, with clams added at the very end to ensure tenderness. Or maybe it’s because owner David Gravino whips up the Manhattan-style red chowder using his mother's special recipe. Whatever the cause, the effect is a zesty stew flecked with celery, pepper, garlic, dill, and basil that people are happy to stand in line for.

Within the original dining room, whose patio overlooks Narragansett Bay, Iggy's staff also dishes out clam cakes, stuffed quahogs, and landlubbing entrees such as burgers and BLTs. Housemade root beer and raspberry-lime sodas complement each meal, alongside doughboys—pastries topped with ice cream, cool whip, and powdered sugar. In addition to the main location, there’s a seasonal outpost in Narragansett proper that stays open from March until Columbus Day, the holiday which celebrates Christopher Columbus's discovery of a new world inhabited solely by fish.

Soaking up the vibes alongside Oakland Beach, Marley's on the Beach takes on the personality of its waterfront location. Inside, tables spread visitors out across a spacious dining area, and tiki hut hatching decorates a fully stocked bar. There, servers concoct refreshing cocktails and frozen drinks, such as the orange vodka and ice cream mix-infused creamcicle. Adding to the relaxed island feel, live bands gets crowds swinging and swaying every night the restaurant is open.

When Caprice opened in East Greenwich, The Rhode Show correspondent Joe Zito interviewed owner Kostas Karampetsos and overflowed with enthusiasm for his classic Italian preparations. Drawing from his experience running Tavern by the Sea, Kostas and head chef Domingo Fernandez created a menu of pizzas, pastas, and chicken and veal entrees. They also draw inspiration from East Greenwich’s nearby sea monsters to craft seafood dishes such as the scrod francese and frutti di mare, which peppers linguine with littlenecks, scallops, and mussels. Caprice surrounds its guests with elegant dark wood tables and floors and a fully stocked bar. A long wall of windows admits sunlight during the day, and hanging lamps ribbed with an abstract floral design take over at night. Patrons can pull up leather chairs upholstered with a panel of pastel stripes, or slide into one of the lush semicircular booths lining the walls. Behind a speckled stone bar, bartenders also carefully mix more than a dozen specialty martinis.

Christopher Palios, executive chef and owner of Sophia’s Tuscan Grille, inherited his cooking skills from his Sicilian grandmother, with whom he worked side-by-side as a child constructing traditional Italian dishes. Palios went on to refine his techniques by attending culinary school, traveling to the Caribbean and northern Italy, and working in the kitchens of celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Todd English. Palios uses high-quality ingredients to create innovative dishes that reflect the Tuscan countryside.

Personal touches go into the savory entrees, as seen by the hand-stretched peasant-style grilled flatbreads and the handcrafted nuggets of spinach and ricotta gnocchi. Black n’ blue mussels—simmered with crisp pancetta, gorgonzola, and chives—and linguine with clams pair with diners’ libations toted from home under the restaurant's BYOB policy. House-made desserts round out meals with creamy bites of wild-strawberry spumoni as refreshing as a nap in the produce aisle. To bring the Tuscan experience to their own kitchens, diners may take a cooking class or purchase one of four spice rubs hand mixed and packaged by chef Christopher.