During Victorian times, formal meals entailed hours of introducing oneself to each morsel of food, a demand that turned the simplest of rice dinners into an endless affair. Introduce yourself to casual dining with today’s Groupon: for $15, you get $30 worth of food and drinks at Edgewood Café in Cranston.

Edgewood Café is an intimate neighborhood establishment that serves up its own take on classic Italian and American cuisine. Stop in midday and perk up your palate with Osvaldo's grilled eggplant panini, served with garlic, roasted peppers, and succulent mozzarella ($8.95), or satisfy your inner veggievore by sampling the house specialty Grandpa salad, which entertains the mouth with mixed greens, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and its favorite Kay Kyser tunes ($3.95–$6.95).

Early birds and jet-lagged vampires can avail themselves of the brunch menu, loaded with egg-oriented between-meal staples, such as a trio of eggs benedict options ($7.95–$9.95). During brunch, french-toast preparations traverse continental borders with a choice of texas toast ($6.95) or Frangelico-kissed portuguese sweet bread ($7.95).

Dinner guests can avail themselves of a range of appealing pastas, such as lobster ravioli in pink vodka sauce ($17.95), or observe the panko-encrusted salmon served in its natural lemon-dijonnaise habitat, amid roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables ($17.95). This casual BYOB staple is conveniently located just down the street from Edgewood Liquors, making it easy for guests to tote along their favorite bottles of wine while leaving behind a favorite liter-sized hip flask.

Reviews

Rhode Island Monthly named Edgewood Café the Best Food and New BYOB eatery in 2008. The café was featured in the Providence Phoenix, and 96% of Urbanspooners recommend it.

• The Edgewood Café's slogan is "casual neighborhood dining with a gourmet touch," and every adjective is scout's honor true. The atmosphere is relaxed and the service perky; the place is clearly an attraction for hungry locals; and as for the gourmet claim, consider the visit below. – Bill Rodriguez, Providence Phoenix