Rhode Island Restaurants

Liberty Elm's menu unites breakfast and lunch options in culinary harmony unseen since the California Raisins dominated the airwaves. Breakfast boasts a crowd of breakfast crowd-pleasers, including coffee ($1.85), fresh-baked muffins ($1.95), scones ($2.50), omelettes made with local cage-free eggs ($8.95), stacks of buttermilk pancakes ($6 for three or $4.50 for two), and unlimited bacon aromas (free). The Liberty Elm serves lunch classics such as burgers ($6.75–$9.95), salads ($3.75–$6.95), and a house-roasted turkey-breast sandwich ($6.95), among others. Multiple vegetarian options are also offered, including roasted tofu veggie, a concoction of spiced tofu w/ roasted sweet potato, grilled onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms ($6.75), and the marshmallowy, peanut-buttery grilled fluffer nutter sandwich ($3.50, add $0.50 for banana).

If your diet of boiled cauliflower and dry-curd cottage cheese has left you hungry for habanero-inspired anything, plunge a warm tortilla chip into the depths of the seven-layer dip ($8.99), or try the spicy shrimp "snake bite" poppers ($8.99), crisp fried jalapeño poppers stuffed with shrimp and cheese. Cactus Grille's extensive entree selection includes bejazzled burgers and other hand-held delights, such as the chipotle bacon cheeseburger ($8.49), smothered with chipotle mayo sauce, or the salmon chimichanga ($14.99) with poblano molé sauce. Other enticing options include Cactus's house-specialty barbecue ribs ($13.99 for a half rack), slow-cooked and doused with the house Mayan barbecue sauce, or the DIY filet dinner ($18.99), wherein sliced portions of filet pre-cooked rare arrives at your table along with a sizzling cast-iron platter that allows you to sear the meat to your desired degree of doneness. Mexican-dining traditionalists will enjoy the selection of burritos, enchiladas, tacos, and fajitas, while dessert-inclined diners will find solace from the fiery fare in the southern plantation key lime pie ($4.95) or cheesecake chimichanga ($4.95).

Chef and owner Sanjiv Dhar has delighted diners with his extensive menu of fresh, authentic Indian cuisine for 24 years. Drawing upon the flavors of India's many culinary regions, Kabob and Curry features a wide range of dishes beloved by herbivores and meatophiles alike. Lunch and main course menus are clearly labeled for easy identification of spicy, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and lego-free dishes. An appetizing appetizer menu grants patrons the uncanny ability to enjoy minced-lamb samosas ($4), pesto-stuffed naan ($3), and South Indian lentil soup ($3), before nabbing a taste of India's western coast with spicy-chicken xacuti ($6.75 for lunch, $13 for dinner), or setting out toward southerly climes with a creamy, coconut-based South Indian shrimp curry ($7.25 for lunch, $14 for dinner). Chronic coin-flippers can have the best of both worlds with lunchtime combination plates ($10.99+), which come with two dishes and a choice of rice or naan.

Tortilla Flats tempts tasters with an alluring melting pot of classic Mexican eats, peppered with hints of Cajun and southwestern cuisine. Lunch and dinner patrons can sup on an eclectic array of quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, classic Mexican combination plates, and entrees. Debate the anatomical impossibilities of an order of wild boar wings (plain, buffalo, or barbecue style, $8.99) before moving on to heartier fare such as the cowboy steak tips ($14.99) or the habanero mac 'n' cheese ($13.99). Combinations of tacos, burritos, tamales, and enchiladas tantalize statisticians with a bevy of possibilities ($7.95–$9.95), and blackened catfish Naw Leens ($13.95) and Bayou Crawdad cakes ($9.50) transport taste buds to the murky environs of Cajun country, replete with Zydeco-blasting tooth accordions.

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.

A Marine Corps tour of duty introduced Chef Daniel Houle to a world’s worth of cuisine. Stateside, he perfected his culinary techniques as a sous chef for an array of restaurants that served both à-la-carte and banquet menus. Now, at 39 West Restaurant and Lounge, Chef Daniel deconstructs Italian staples to bring in modern twists and merges them with American flourishes. The two cuisines intersect most vividly in 39 West’s grilled pizzas, which the kitchen staff sprinkles with American standbys such as philly cheesesteak and barbecue chicken. Dining companions can perform syncopated chewing to complement the bass lines of live music from Wednesday to Saturday.