The Reef claimed first place Thursday in the Annual Hot Drink Contest, held as part of the 38th Annual Newport Winter Festival.

Jo’s American Bistro finished second, and Red Parrot rounded out the top three in the competition.

The Hot Drink Contest is among the final events of the festival, which runs Feb. 13–22 across Newport. The festival has featured several culinary competitions throughout its run, including the 29th Annual Chili Cook-Off on Feb. 15, where Caleb & Broad claimed first place, Skiff Bar at the Marriott finished second and Jo’s American Bistro placed third. Diego’s won the best decorated award, and the Newport Fire Department was inducted into the Chili Cook-Off Hall of Fame.

The festival’s final event, the Mac & Cheese Smackdown, is scheduled for Feb. 22.

The winter festival runs concurrently with the 9th Annual Newport Burger Bender, a 10-day competition featuring 60 restaurants from across Newport and Bristol counties also running through Feb. 22.

For a full list of Newport Winter Festival events, visit newportwinterfestival.com.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...