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Tuesday is Valentine’s Day. When do you celebrate? Weekend before? After? Day of? If you’re lacking in Valentine’s night plans right now, you may be out of luck trying to land reservations, but there’s hope.
Try a “progressive dinner” – where, instead of doing it at the houses of friends like they did in the ‘70s, you pick which part of RI, MA, or CT you want to spend the evening, then break it up into three restaurants: one for cocktails and appetizers, one for an entrée, and one for dessert. Hopefully, at least one out of three will have room at the bar for you impromptu.
Dining out is like a relationship, which is like a shark, it has to constantly keep moving, so change things up this Valentine’s Day. Make it a dining love story with an effervescent beginning, a delectable middle, and a sweet end.
South County
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CoastalCabinRI.com
DuckPressRI.com
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Cocktail
Narragansett’s Coastal Cabin offers a picturesque view of the Newport Bridge and a host of comfort food options, plus, appetizers are half price from 4 to 6 p.m. daily for happy hour. The cocktail menu updates with the newest and freshest ingredients of the season. Tasty tipples include the Chili Lime Mango Margarita, the Blackberry Citrus Old Fashioned, and, for a holiday-appropriate splash of color, the Cabin Cosmo.
Entrée
South Kingstown’s Duck Press presents a bistro atmosphere with classic New England-style cuisine graced by unique flourishes. Try their clam chowder with gnocchi, fish and chips with remoulade, and house-made pastas.
Dessert
Back to Narragansett for some surfside sweets at Trio right off the pier. In fact, they’re offering Valentine’s Day specials February 10-14, including a shared dessert of fudge brownie in a cast iron skillet with salted caramel chocolate chunk gelato and candied hazelnuts. They also have other delights such as bananas foster bread pudding and salted caramel cheesecake – so good you’ll be tempted to walk down to the beach to recreate that scene in “From Here to Eternity.”
Newport
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WhiteHorseNewport.com
BoruNoodlebar.com
Kilwins.com
Cocktail
If you’re thinking Newport for Valentine’s, why not begin where Rhode Island’s, and arguably America’s, restaurant industry began. The White Horse Tavern claims the title of America’s Oldest Tavern, its website stating that it is the “oldest operating restaurant in the U.S.” Serving guests since 1673, what better way could there be to signify undying love than an ale at this National Historic Landmark, which also offers an extensive wine list.
Entrée
How about an evening spent canoodling over noodles? Boru Noodle Bar does not require reservations and now offers beer, wine, and sake in addition to delicious bowls of ramen ranging from spicy miso and green chili seafood to roast chicken shio and black garlic beef. Plus, the Broadway location puts you steps from more than a half-dozen other fabulous options for an intimate dining experience (should you need to improvise on your progressive dinner plans).
Dessert
Open until at least 9 p.m. most nights, Kilwins Newport brings you ice cream and chocolates on Thames Street right across from Bowen’s Wharf. Sure to hit your sweet spot!
Westport
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TenCousinsBrickoven.com
BittersweetFarmWestport.com
Roses are red, violets are blue, when it comes to dining in Westport, go with Lafrance Hospitality Restaurant Group. Their month-long February Restaurant Month promotion gives you a chance to win a $250 restaurant gift card and a two-night stay at any Lafrance Hospitality hotel. Just dine at, or place an order for takeout at, 4 out of their 5 restaurant locations in February to be entered to win! For Valentine’s Day, get a leg up on contest eligibility by enjoying three of their Westport establishments.
Cocktail
At The Galley Grille, discover appetizers and drinks in a casual atmosphere, along with fresh seafood. It’s also an excellent venue for live music. Saturday February 11, see folk rock group Midnight Kitchen or visit later in the month as other local musicians enliven the atmosphere.
Entrée
At 10 Cousins Brick Oven, you’ll find “farm-to-brick oven” pizzas in the heart of Westport, just one minute away from RPL’s Westport office! Whether you like an understated Margherita pizza or a zesty Westport Bacon Bleu pizza with caramelized onions and balsamic, you’ll find something that speaks your pizza love language. You’ll certainly feel the heat from the oven, if not your significant other.
Dessert
Did someone say sweet? Bittersweet Farm and Tavern delivers classic American fare in a cozy, rustic atmosphere and features special dessert offerings for Restaurant Month, including their house-made Sweet Bread Pudding and S’Mores Crème Brûlée. They also have a whole menu of Valentine’s specials for the weekend before and the day of.
West Bay
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BlackstoneCoventry.com
VandaCucina.com
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Cocktail
Short of grabbing a flight out of Green Airport, the West Bay offers multiple ways to elevate the feeling of love on Valentine’s Day. Coventry is home to Blackstone Herbs and Martini Bar, an establishment that offers all kinds of bar classics, but also presents farm-to-table CBD products including gummies, tinctures, salves, and beauty products. You don’t have to partake of course, and their menu is full of more traditional but lovingly prepared coffees, cocktails, and “food flights.” Mellow out with a refreshing beverage while sampling their egg rolls, tacos, nachos, deviled eggs, and wings. All the better if you get the munchies, because you have two more tubular destinations to go.
Entrée
Vanda Cucina in Warwick provides an inviting, uplifting setting to enjoy a beautiful menu of Italian dishes. Their values of family, tradition, and local ingredients help create delicious dinners made with true love.
Dessert
Just seven minutes south, you step into East Greenwich’s Besos Bistro. Get in at 8:30 before the 9pm closing and enjoy dessert at the bar. Their selections are can’t-miss confections such as their maple walnut cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter brownie. A menu of postprandial beverages ranging from limoncello to sambuca to port lets you feel full in your heart as well as your stomach.
Portsmouth-Tiverton
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PortsmouthPublickHouse.com
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Dessert
Life is short, so have dessert first, right? We’re starting at delicious Gray’s Ice Cream in Tiverton. Their website proudly proclaims that they are open 365 days a year, “because ice cream is good everyday!” And it’s true. Your taste buds don’t know that it’s February, so treat them to Gray’s amazing list of flavors. Sit in your car, put on a favorite tune, and turn the heat up – just like when you were teenagers! Too bad Valentine’s Day is on a school night this year.
Entrée
Portsmouth Publick House does the classics and does them well. A family-run restaurant boasting local ingredients, their hearty fare suits all tastes, from goat cheese spinach salads and pulled pork mac and cheese to their extensive burger menu. Plus, enjoy 24 beers on tap – just avoid “publick” displays of affection.
Cocktail
Tiverton’s Wally’s Tap House has a woody interior, a diverse cocktail menu, and is open until 11 p.m. on most nights for a perfect nightcap spot. Don’t miss curfew though!
Providence - the West Side (PVD)
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TheWalnutRoomPVD.com
NotJustSnacks.com
ParksideProvidence.com
Cocktail
With a candlelit, dreamy, speakeasy vibe, The Walnut Room lets you savor a tastefully curated menu of bar snacks and endless possible potables. Staffed by knowledgeable bartenders, it’s an ideal locale for intimate conversation and expertly made drinks.
Entrée
A little heat and a little spice are great in romance and in dinner. Not Just Snacks is a Hope Village go-to for homemade Indian food. Operating for over 20 years, their focus on authentic taste elevates this casual dining experience into a true feeling of satisfaction.
Dessert
With a bustling location next to Superior Court, Parkside Rotisserie, like most of our suggestions, is a fabulous choice for all parts of a great meal. Its delicious dessert menu often gets overlooked, however, in the face of world-class entrées including its famous rotisserie chicken. Our favorite sweet is their Tart Du Jour, a crisp, light, free-form pastry filled with warm apple slices, mixed berries, or peaches. You will melt just like the scoop of ice cream that sits alongside.
Mystic
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Red36CT.com
AJsBistro.com
Cocktail
Celebrating New England's fresh & flavorful food heritage, The Shipwright’s Daughter nails the stylish, living room atmosphere and hits hard with spot-on food and drink. How can you not love a place that refers to booze as “Libations”? Offering house-made infusions and tinctures, you can sip a “Mezzin' Around” cocktail made with Ilegal Mezcal, grapefruit-infused Salers Apertif, Green Charteruse, and Cava, plus a whole range of Negroni recipes.
Entrée
Southern New England is so spoiled by the amazing availability of fresh seafood. Red36 is a haven of deliciousness for any maritime menu fan with a picturesque location right on the Mystic River. Entrees include beer-battered fish and chips, seared scallops with truffle mushroom risotto, linguine and clams, and lobster carbonara for mouth-watering food by the water.
Dessert
More Mystic charm is on display at Anthony J’s Bistro. Its warm, brick interior sets the stage for sweet delight. Their array of desserts, made and prepared by their chef on the premises, includes everything from tiramisu and coconut cake to their sinful “Mystic Mud Pie.”
East Bay
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BristolOysterBar.com
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Prince-Alis-Kebab.com
Cocktail
Bristol Oyster Bar, though typically not open Tuesdays, is offering a Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Menu. Bar seating is first come first served, so stop by and taste the famously romantic delicacy that is raw oysters. These are fresh, delicious ones that you and your heart will grow very fond of.
Entrée
Scoot up to Warren for a visit to a beloved, family-owned East Bay restaurant, Crossroad Pub. Serving since 1977, their sure-fire, varied menu brings you comforting favorites such as chicken Marsala, chicken Piccata, baby back ribs, and grilled salmon.
Dessert
Try Prince Ali’s Kebab in Barrington for an exceptional dessert experience. Find classic Middle Eastern offerings like baklava with pistachios and halawa, as well as an amazing candy selection, including UK imports such as Cadbury Flake and milk chocolate bars. Their wine list lets you extend the evening even further, while their menu of authentic cuisine ranging from gyros and lamb chops to a variety of kebabs merits a follow up visit.
Northern RI
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CookandDagger.com
LaFamiliaRestaurants.com
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Cocktail
Self-describing as a hidden gem, Cook & Dagger in Greenville has romance right in its DNA, having been started in 2015 when husband and wife team Chris Kattawar and Taylor Krickl sought to bring creative comfort food to the Smithfield. When it comes to cocktail hour, nothing beats outstanding pairings such as Apple Cider Sangria with Manchego croquettes or a Pear Mule with chili-glazed pork ribs.
Entrée
It’s just too tempting to go the Italian route when Valentine’s dinner is called for. Cumberland is home to La Familia, a restaurant presenting perfect portions of succulent specialties. Dig in to Eggplant Marinara, Veal Sorrentino in a white wine mushroom sauce, or Chicken Milanese in lemony, buttery goodness, you and your companion will be singing “That’s Amore” before too long.
Dessert
Let’s stay in the Italian mode and continue on to Lincoln’s Trattoria Romana. With locations across RI and MA, selections such as bread pudding with gelato, cannoli, and indulgent cheesecakes are beautifully plated and deliciously brought to life. What can you say but, “buona notte.”
Think you’ll be once, twice, three times a-hungry on Valentine’s Day? Give this progressive dinner idea a shot and let us know how you… ahem… make out… on this romantic holiday, and be safe...driving we mean!
