I came here as part of Providence Coffee Crawls. I had been here before and loved my experience, so…read moreI was looking forward to visiting again. The first time I came, it was a rainy weekday and this time it was a sunny weekend, so I was expecting an even larger crowd; and my prediction was correct. The line was just out the door but because of their awesome staff, the line was moving very quickly. While we waited in line, we could watch them making pastries through the glass, a couple feet in front of us. I admired that level of transparency. When we were third in line, the kindest lady asked us whether we'd be eating in or taking out and she took down our name to help us find a table when it came time. She did the same for the rest of the people in line. She also gave us some recommendations, including the cinnamon bun - apparently they're so good kids cry when they sell out. I didn't intend to order anything with my drink, but I couldn't get the cinnamon bun out of my head so I ordered it along with my iced spiced chai latte. The hen (I think it's their logo) on the aprons of the employees are super cute. We did secure a table. The tables are close together to maximize the number of people who can sit down but I didn't mind. I love their art all around, mostly of birds which I am obsessed with. I love that they have a lot of natural lighting coming through their tall windows. I also like the navy blue and white theme they have going on. The chai latte was perfect. It was the right color (a dark tan), meaning the ratio of tea and milk was good and I could taste a lot of the spices. The cinnamon bun blew my expectations away. The second my teeth made. contact with the icing, it was a magical feeling. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it tasted like, but the closest I got was dulce de leche. It is truly unlike any other cinnamon bun I have ever had. The dough is soft and there is a good amount of cinnamon. It's also $4 which is not bad. I had a bite of their canelé, which apparently requires a lot of work to make. It was very moist, with a great caramelized finish. I am super excited to try their new weekend dinner menu, but also more of their all day menu items.

Ellie's is dangerous. I walked in thinking coffee and one pastry. That lasted about 30 seconds…read more The owner (adorable, by the way) was walking around checking on tables and making sure everyone was happy. It feels like her place in the best way -- warm, proud, hands-on. Pastries are legit. Super buttery, flaky enough to make a mess, clearly baked that morning. No sad, sitting-around-all-day vibes. Ordered the breakfast sandwich and that tomato jam needs to be illegal. Sweet, savory, slightly tangy -- it completely makes the sandwich. I kept trying to figure out how to recreate it at home. Not happening. Crispy chicken sandwich was properly seasoned and not dried out (why is that so hard for some places?). Fries were solid too -- crispy, not limp. And the kale salad with roasted chickpeas and chicken made me feel like I had my life together. Fresh, simple, and actually satisfying. It's one of those places you stumble into while traveling and then immediately start googling whether you can justify going back the next day.

Went on a recommendation to this shop. I always am searching for doughnuts. It was a little…read moreconfusing with gos location but we made it. Ordered ahead every thing was ready when we got there. Doughnuts were pretty pricey and they were delicious. The cafe was cute very nicely decorated. I would stop again if I'm in town.

They have basic coffee/tea but no lattes or flavor shots. The donuts were pretty picked over by…read more1130 on a Saturday. The donut was pretty and okay but definitely not worth the price. There's better options around. The staff was nice and there were lots of tables and good music while I was there. I'll pass next time.

I went to Layali with a friend of mine. We got flaming espresso martinis.(I was skeptical since I'm…read morenot the biggest espresso martini person (has to be made right, not too sweet, etc.) I actually really enjoyed this one. The bartender was pretty cool, but the restaurant was busy but service was still great The restaurant itself sits slightly below street level, but is not exactly underground. Rather the restaurant is in the basement of one of the buildings downtown. I recommend Layali for good espresso martinis and order their cocktails

Food/Drinks: I've been here multiple times, and they have the best martinis. I feel like finding a…read morespot where the martinis are very strong but also extremely tasty is really difficult, and they honestly do an amazing job! I'm also not just talking about their signature martinis with the names. They have different types of martinis and fruity ones as well, and those are just as delicious, maybe even a little better than their signature ones, which always hit the spot regardless. I usually come here to chitchat with friends and catch up for drinks, so I haven't gotten huge meals, but I've heard that the food is delicious, and I definitely will be coming back to try it. I did try their charcuterie board, and it's so delicious and filling, and perfect for picking at a little something while you have your delicious drinks. Location: This location is right in the heart of downtown PVD. This place definitely gives more business casual vibes, but you can definitely dress up to go on a date. If I'm not mistaken, Friday and Saturday nights definitely have more of a club vibe after a certain time, but during the week, I've also gone before, and it's very low-lit, romantic, and honestly perfect for any occasion, especially with the type of drinks they have! Parking can be a little difficult because it's downtown, but you can always try to get street parking with a little walk. I honestly find parking down the street, and it's not that hard. There's also parking you can pay for right on the corners, so there are different ways of finding a place to park. Taking an Uber would be a great idea as well, so you don't have to deal with anything and can drink as much as you want. They do not have valet. Service: The service has always been super friendly and very accommodating. Honestly, all the times that I've gone, they've been very helpful with helping us get seats and just giving us a great experience, even with how busy it gets. This is definitely a spot that I not only recommend to everyone, but it's somewhere that I will continue to go because it's genuinely one of my favorites!

Every time I stop at this store, I see fun and new items added. They have increased the amount of…read moreinternational items with a lot of candies from Japan. I also saw a nice gift box with flavors from Hawaii. These really nice and cool ideas make it easier for the customer to pick something for a loved one.....interesting, cool and unique choices. You can also buy items in bulk if you so desire.

they rotate the candy a lot which i appreciate. also have lots of licorice options and it's my…read morefavorite. i only took off 1 star because it is very expensive

First time visiting and we were greeted warmly right away. We checked out the menu on an iPad,…read morewhich was really convenient, and they also had a cute handwritten menu. After placing our order, an employee asked what other dessert we might have chosen. My partner said mint chocolate chip, and the employee surprised us with two mini mint chocolate chip sandwiches on the house. We took our treats to a nearby park. They were very cold (in a good way), and we were advised to wait a few minutes before eating them, which was perfect since it was such a hot day. We didn't talk at all while eating our ice cream sandwiches , they were that good. It's also great to know they offer catering. A must try spot. The banana pudding sandwich was my favorite - I couldn't believe how good it was.

Simple in design, but rich in flavor and creativity. Their menu is comprised of pre-made ice cream…read morecones, tacos, push pops, and sandwiches ranging between $4-$8. The menu is drawn onto a chalkboard and does list all the flavors and toppings in each one. I chose the red velvet ice cream sandwich this time which had red velvet ice cream swirled with cream cheese frosting stuffed between two chocolate cookies and partially dipped in white chocolate coated with cookie crumbs. They do tell you to wait about 10 minutes before eating it since they are really frozen, so in that time, my friend and I drove to the pedestrian bridge to eat our ice cream by the river. I wish the cookie could be soft, since it does make biting into a little tricky in the beginning. They had a slightly dark chocolate flavor with a hint of saltiness. The ice cream was really good, but the frosting made it even better. I thought it was the white chocolate dip that was added the additional creamy and sweet goodness but it was the frosting the whole time. I enjoyed everything about this flavor. My friend got the chocolate taco. I am personally not a fan of chocolate ice cream, but it was still decent to me. The toppings of shaved coconut and nuts was tasty.

A chic, modern seafood restaurant with a variety of raw and hot selections. Lots of oysters to…read morechoose from, and most of them are local from RI. Our knowledgeable server helped recommend the types that we'd like, as they knew the specifics about each type of oyster. $2 for happy hour is a deal!! Another must‑try dish is the raw scallops. Not only is it beautifully plated, the taste is intricate with the sesame oil mixed with fresh raw scallops. Btw, they have sake on tap!

After visiting RISD on their free Sundays, my friend and I were looking for a place to eat,…read morepreferably something refreshing and not too heavy. We decided on the Gift Horse and circled around a couple of times to find street parking (which is also free on Sundays). At the time that we went in, all spots were busy, but we were directed to their standing bar area where we could order a drink and hang out while something became available. Literally 2 minutes later, something freed up. I started with their Silver Spring cocktail ($15) which was very good - refreshing and slightly sweet. For food, we ordered a crudo plate ($18) with a side of sourdough bread ($6), followed by oysters ($18), then the lamb burger ($22), and lastly the crispy piri piti fish (MP - $40). The crudo plate was one of our favorites. We enjoyed all the cuts of fish it came with, but our favorite was the yellowfin tuna as it was firm and flavorful. The toppings of olive oil, capers, onions, etc. were the perfect touch. The sourdough was simply toasted and buttered but oh so good. They have a happy hour for oysters from 4-5 PM where they're only $2 instead of $3 but we missed the window by a little. There is a half dozen order minimum so we did two Quonnie, two Great Salt Pond, and two Wild Goose. That's the order in which we ranked them, from best to less best. The Quonnie were smaller, but they were flavorful and the Great Salt Pond were big and meaty. All were very fresh. There are three sauces to choose from, but we went with the GH Fermented Green Chili Hot Sauce. The RI Lamb Burger was incredibly good. It was advertised as a Bulgarian style burger so we asked about the difference between Bulgarian and I guess American and it came down to the spices used. We enjoyed how juicy and well-seasoned the meat was. I loved the contrast between sweet (pepper jelly and fried onions) and salty (feta). The bread seemed homemade; it was light and fluffy and had a healthy amount of sesame seeds. The crispy piri piri fish came out last and it was not what we were expecting. My friend didn't enjoy it as much, but I liked it. The fish was battered for a crispy finish and sat over a piri piri sauce with two rolls, mustard greens, and potatoes. The piri piri sauce was tasty, not too spicy, with a thicker consistency. The rolls seemed like they were made in house; they were slightly buttery and soft. The mustard greens were good. The potatoes were similar to home fries with onions. The staff was very helpful and explained the food after delivering it. Ambiance is good.

Scialo Bros Bakery is an Italian style bakery in the Federal Hill section of Providence. I've been…read morea few times over the years, most recently last weekend. They sell fresh filled cannolis, cakes, cookies, pastries, etc. The small shop has a classic feel. On this visit, I just bought a box of cannolis. They had an option of a traditional filling, or with chocolate chips. They also had options for capping the ends. I chose chocolate chips for the chocolate chip filling, and pistachio for the traditional filling. I tried the traditional with pistachio. The shell is lighter than most of the places where I've bought cannolis. The filling was mildly sweet, very smooth and had a very slight fruit flavor. Perhaps from orange zest? In my experience, Scialo Bros is a cool place to visit and has good treats.

Looked online for must places to go in Providence, RI. This place came up. If you're craving truly…read moreexceptional baked goods. This is the spot. 10/10 on the cannolis with chocolate chips. Sweet pastries everywhere and the selection seems never ending. We also got eclairs and they were ok but had nothing on the cannolis. My husband ordered the carrot cake and said it was very good. If you are ever in the area and have a sweet tooth. Visit this hidden gem.