Rhode Island’s craft brewers are joining forces this spring to release a collaborative beer named after the Ocean State’s iconic area code. Members of the Rhode Island Brewers Guild have created “401 Beer,” a limited-edition hoppy lager set to launch statewide on Wednesday, April 1. Proceeds from sales will benefit the guild. The recipe came […]
Food & Drink
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Jo’s American Bistro reopens under new ownership as Heritage Restaurant Group completes acquisition
Jo’s American Bistro reopened its doors Thursday evening under new ownership after Heritage Restaurant Group completed its acquisition of the beloved Memorial Boulevard restaurant. The restaurant, which has been a staple of Newport’s dining scene since 2013, welcomed guests back at 4:30 p.m. on January 22. Heritage Restaurant Group, which owns a growing portfolio of Rhode […]
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Newport Restaurant Group to open Avvio Ristorante in Millbury, Massachusetts
Newport Restaurant Group announced Wednesday it will open a new Avvio Ristorante at The Shops at Blackstone Valley in Millbury, Massachusetts, marking the company’s fifth restaurant in the Commonwealth and first in Worcester County. The restaurant, located at 70 Worcester-Providence Turnpike, is scheduled to open in summer 2026. The 5,200-square-foot space will feature seating for […]
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Providence Restaurant Weeks returns for 20th year with more than 90 participating eateries
Providence Restaurant Weeks returns this month for its 20th year, with nearly 100 restaurants across the state offering prix fixe menus, lunch and dinner specials and creative drink offerings. The two-week culinary event runs Jan. 25 through Feb. 7 and features restaurants from Providence to the West Bay, East Bay and beyond, according to GoProvidence, […]
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RI VegFest returns to Providence for sixth year in February
RI VegFest, one of the East Coast’s largest fully vegan festivals, returns to WaterFire Arts Center on Feb. 21 and 22 for its sixth year celebrating plant-based eating and living. The 2026 event will feature more than 90 vegan and vegan-friendly food and beverage producers, restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, artists and makers from Rhode Island […]
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Heritage Group reaches agreement to acquire The Quencher, staff to remain
The Quencher is set to have new ownership, but patrons of the neighborhood spot can expect the same familiar faces behind the bar. Heritage Group announced Thursday it has reached an agreement to acquire The Quencher from Scott and Adrienne Kirmil of Inked Restaurant Group. The existing staff and management will remain in place, and […]
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Newport County Dinner Club returns for 37th year with 2-for-1 deals at 55+ local restaurants
The Newport County Dinner Club is back for its 37th year with a holiday offer that benefits local restaurants and food lovers alike. For $27, members receive two-for-one dining at more than 55 restaurants across Newport County — an increase from last year’s roster of 50-plus participating eateries. The club’s motto, “Shop Local, Dine Local,” […]
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Heritage Group reports record growth, eyes expansion beyond New England
Heritage Group, the Rhode Island-based hospitality company, announced Thursday it expects to reach approximately $155 million in revenue by 2026 after five years in operation. The company, which rebranded from Heritage Restaurant Group to reflect its expanded portfolio, has grown to include 23 restaurants, two inns, catering services, food trucks and retail operations. Heritage Group […]
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Diego’s Cantina, Rejects Brewery hit market together for $4.2 million
Two adjacent Aquidneck Avenue businesses — Diego’s Cantina and Rejects Brewery — have been listed for sale together as a single package for $4.2 million. The properties at 116-124 Aquidneck Ave. combine to form a 0.57-acre parcel that real estate agents say offers multiple investment paths, including the potential for future hotel or mixed-use development. […]
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Yagi Noodles brings back ‘Feast of the Fishes’ for fourth year
Yagi Noodles is once again transforming its menu with the return of Feast of the Fishes, a 10-course tasting experience centered on local and sustainable seafood. The annual event runs from Wednesday through Dec. 20, serving dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person. This year’s family-style menu highlights invasive and underutilized […]
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Omen hosting holiday toy and food drive at Newport Skatepark on Dec. 14
A major community event combining a toy and food drive, live music, and skateboarding will take place Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Newport Skatepark on John H. Chaffee Blvd. Omen’s Holiday Toy & Food Drive and Bowl Bash runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free and open to all ages. Organizers are […]
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Harry’s Bar & Burger transforms Providence locations into winter wonderland
Harry’s Bar & Burger has decked out both of its Providence locations with festive holiday decor, seasonal cocktails and a 12 Days of Christmas event lineup. The winter wonderland pop-up at the North Main Street and Atwells Avenue restaurants features floor-to-ceiling decorations, holiday music and Christmas movies playing on the TVs. “We are so excited […]
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Newport Restaurant Group to host holiday events at Mooring, Boat House
Newport Restaurant Group will host two holiday events at its Rhode Island restaurants this month, including a toy drive in Tiverton and a breakfast with Santa in Newport. The Boat House in Tiverton will partner with the Tiverton Police Department for Operation: Blue Santa, the department’s annual holiday toy drive, on Thursday, Dec. 11, from […]
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Sakonnet Vineyard to host wine dinner featuring Belcourt Mansion tales
Sakonnet Vineyard will pair five wines with a three-course meal and stories from one of Newport’s Gilded Age landmarks at a dinner Thursday evening. The Bubbles & Belcourt event begins at 5 p.m. and features dishes prepared by Chef Andrew Bonamassa of Bar & Board in Newport. David Bettencourt, general manager of Belcourt Mansion, will […]
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How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind
Thomas Tweed, University of Notre Dame Nine in 10 Americans gather around a table to share food on Thanksgiving. At this polarizing moment, anything that promises to bring Americans together warrants our attention. But as a historian of religion, I feel obliged to recount how popular interpretations of Thanksgiving also have pulled us apart. Communal […]
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Heritage Restaurant Group acquires Anthony’s Seafood in Middletown
Anthony’s Seafood Market & Restaurant, a fixture on Aquidneck Island since 1956, has been acquired by the Newport-based Heritage Restaurant Group, the companies announced Tuesday. The deal marks the second acquisition this month for the expanding restaurant group, which announced Nov. 10 that it had acquired Glorious Affairs Catering and merged it with Audrain Hospitality. […]
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Emmanuel Church unveils pollinator garden to support community food programs
Emmanuel Church has completed a new pollinator garden designed to bolster the church’s year-round efforts to provide fresh food to neighbors in need while supporting local ecosystems. The garden, located beside the church’s newly constructed accessible Community Bridge entrance, features plantings that support bees, butterflies and birds — pollinators essential to agriculture and global food […]
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Heritage Restaurant Group launches holiday gift card campaign benefiting MLK hunger relief
Heritage Restaurant Group is running a holiday gift card promotion through Dec. 31, 2025, that pairs customer purchases with donations to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center hunger relief programs. The promotion offers two tiers: customers who purchase $500 in gift cards receive $125 in bonus cards, while the restaurant group donates $25 to […]
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Heritage Restaurant Group to acquire Jo’s American Bistro
Heritage Restaurant Group announced Monday it has entered into an agreement to acquire Jo’s American Bistro, the Memorial Boulevard restaurant that has served American cuisine with Italian influences since 2013. The acquisition is expected to close in approximately 90 days, subject to customary closing conditions. Jo’s American Bistro, located at 24 Memorial Boulevard, was founded […]
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Heritage Group acquires Glorious Affairs Catering, forms Heritage Hospitality
The Heritage Group announced Monday the formation of Heritage Hospitality through the acquisition of Glorious Affairs Catering and its combination with Audrain Hospitality, creating a full-service catering and event planning company serving Southern Rhode Island. The deal brings together Glorious Affairs, a boutique caterer with more than 25 years of experience in Newport County, and […]
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Newport Restaurant Week returns Nov. 7-16
Newport Restaurant Week will return for its annual celebration of the region’s culinary scene from November 7-16. The 10-day event showcases participating restaurants across nine coastal communities offering special prix-fixe menus designed to highlight the flavors of the area. Diners can choose from lunch menus priced at $20 or $30, and dinner menus at $30, […]
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Taste of Newport returns Sunday to benefit families in need
The 42nd annual Taste of Newport returns Sunday evening, bringing together the city’s top restaurants and chefs for one of its most beloved culinary traditions while raising funds to provide Thanksgiving meals for Rhode Island families facing food insecurity. The event, hosted by Child & Family, will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the Newport […]
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Yagi Noodles teams up with Rejects Beer Co. for punk rock-fueled party
This Sunday, Oct. 26, Yagi Noodles is trading its usual dinner service for something a bit louder and a lot more rebellious. The popular Long Wharf Mall noodle spot is hosting a cocktail party in collaboration with Rejects Beer Co. and Fortune Tattoos, bringing together Asian street food, craft beer, live punk rock vinyl spins […]
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Heritage Restaurant Group to acquire Scales & Shells
The Heritage Restaurant Group announced Thursday that it will acquire Scales & Shells, the seafood restaurant at 527/537 Thames St., which has been a downtown Newport fixture for nearly 40 years. The transaction is expected to close within 90 days, subject to due diligence and approval processes. Heritage Group, a Newport-based restaurant and hospitality operator, will take […]
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Newport chef to lead culinary tour of Sicily in 2026
Chef Kevin O’Donnell of Newport’s Giusto Restaurant and Mother Pizza will lead a culinary tour of Sicily Sept. 12-19, 2026, as part of Oldways’ Culinaria travel program. The seven-day immersion will explore Sicilian food, wine, history and culture across the island from east to west, with stops in Ortigia, Agrigento and Palermo. The tour promises […]