Friends decided for an Italian night out and one of their fav's is Ida's! Have to say I was very impressed with this gem in Middletown! We started with a few app's between large antipasto, mushroom caps and bolognese bread. Such a great combo to enjoy. Main for me was bolognese, after having on the bread it was a shoe in for the main and it was rich and full of flavor! Desert we grabbed two of the specials to split as Our bellies were nearly at capacity (plus already planned to take half the main home). Both cones were amazing, PB chocolate very rich and the lemon cello olive oil was fresh and light. Service was quick and very gracious as our party staggered in haphazardly. We were quickly served, always bussed and cleared and graciously given the next portion of our meal. The vibe is casual and upbeat, average noise level to enjoy a great conversation with friends over an amazing meal! read more

See all

Had a great dinner here! Came with my infant daughter for a de facto solo dinner. I was able to be seated right away, and the staff was super accommodating. After perusing the menu, the mussels special was calling me, but unfortunately they had run out. I had to settle for the scallop special, which wasn't settling at all! It was fabulous, I absolute loved the blackened cream sauce and the little bits of corn added a perfect sweet touch. The portion wasn't super big though so I opted to also get the firecracker shrimp. This was nothing to write home about, I would not get this appetizer again. The locale was nice and moody and the staff was so sweet. Would definitely recommend and would definitely come back! read more

See all

Entered with my family on a cold winter night for a delicious dinner. Service was impeccable by Kelly My brother had the shrimp scampi and it was the best he ever had. My mother had chicken pot pie with dill and said it was exceptional. I had chicken Marsala - see picture. Super tasty, fresh pasta is to die for. Definitely a great place for a home cooked meal. Can't wait to return! Thanks for all your hard work. read more

Ida's Restaurant - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

Hadn't been here in a while and we were looking to grab dinner out. You all who do the cooking at home know what a nice break that is! All the staff who crossed our path last evening were pleasant and helpful. We enjoyed the complimentary bread. My husband ordered the lasagna and I got the small side salad and eggplant parm which comes with fettuccini. All the pasta is made in house. Our food was plentiful and delicious. It is a noisy place but worth the trip. read more

See all

While I love their whole menu and fresh pasta the show stopper is the Chicken & Biscuits with the most decadent sauce!! Trust me!

Ida's is one of my favorite go to date night spots. I've never had a bad meal here in all the years I have been coming. Sarah has done an amazing job with everything since taking over. The specials are always special and worth trying. All the pasta is fresh and homemade and everyone rants about how delicious it is(the gluten free isn't bad either). Thank you for being a great spot! read more

First, I'll round up on the 3.5 that I wanted to give here because of the freshness of ingredients, the quality of the food and the service, even if I didn't enjoy the flavors. Second, I recognize the inherent issue with complaining about the taste of the food and the portions. It's like the old Yogi Berra saying about a restaurant, "Nobody ever goes there anymore. It's way too busy. The food is awful and the portions are small." It's not so much that the food was awful as I didn't enjoy the flavor of my main dish. If you love cheese, you'll probably dig this. I am more of a sauce and protein guy and I'm not a fan of strong cheese tastes so this was just not for me. But let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming already in progress... We came to Ida's because of recommendations from knowledgeable foodies in the area and the reviews in Yelp. It is a nice, comfortable, warm atmosphere. It plays a little older than us. It feels like a place that the yuppies would go after a few rounds of golf with the wives. But it's clean, busy, and clearly a popular place with the elder locals. The ingredients and preparation are top notch. Very fresh, very well plated. High quality throughout every aspect. The pasta is clearly fresh, it rolled incredibly well over the fork and stayed put. Not really Al dente, but definitely delicious. The sauce was fresh and brassy, very tasty. The veal parm on the other hand was not something that I particularly enjoyed on two different fronts. As I said above, I recognize the weirdness of saying you didn't like the taste and the portions were too small, but they can be mutually exclusive opportunities to discuss where things went from a five-star place to a four-star place. The cheese used on the parm was a little overpowering and not something that I particularly enjoyed. You lose the taste of the other components underneath the cheese. If you're a cheese lover, you may think this is the best parm dish ever. I am not one of those people. If you do love the taste, however, you may be disappointed with the portions of protein, as the veal was hard to find sometimes both due to how thinly pounded down it was and how small the cutlets were. It amounted to about four bites overall for $28. And while the quality was excellent, the value was not necessarily there overall. We got great service from our server. She was helpful, friendly how I answered questions and made sure that we had things the way that we wanted them prepared. There were moments when I felt a little rushed because she kept clearing plates that didn't need to be cleared, but at the same time when we hung around a little bit we didn't feel like we were under pressure to get out and turn the table over. Overall this is a place you should definitely try because your palette may be different than mine in regard to the one dish I tried. It's a nice, busy atmosphere with good service, nice people, excellent ingredients and preparation. Some people will find some fault with the cost/value equation there in terms of portion size, but you also have to take into account the very high quality of the food and ingredients you're getting. Give it a try and let us know what you think. read more

Ida's Restaurant - Chicken parm. - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

See all

Comfortable seating, friendly staff, flavorful and well prepared food. My one complaint is that it took a long time to get both food and drinks despite visiting on a Tuesday. I will certainly be back to try more things on the menu, good wine selection as well. read more

Ida's Restaurant - Veal Gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

I love Ida's. It's a great restaurant that serves some great Italian food. I love their veal gorgonzola. It's delicious. The veal is tender. The Gorgonzola sauce is rich with chucks of cheese. It's smooth and creamy. The service is great. It's not a huge place and fills up quickly. It's worth the wait. read more

The food was absolutely delicious. My husband had the veal parmigiana and declared it was one of the best meals he had ever eaten. I had chicken Gorgonzola- rich, tangy and awesome. Both dishes came with homemade fettuccine that was out of this world. We also shared an order of garlic bread. LOTS of Garlic! Our order came to $68 with tax, (no drinks, sides, or other extras other than the garlic bread) so it was not inexpensive for us- but the food, service, and ambience was more than worth it! read more

Ordered takeout tonight for the first time because I was craving Meatballs. Called and was disappointed that they were already out two hours after opening on a Friday night. Went with the Chicken Parmigiana. When I tell you I thought they gave me another persons leftovers! For $28 they should at least put some food in the bowl. Side note: the food was good! read more

Ida's Restaurant - $28 for a kids size portion - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

I went here once shortly after it opened, hoping it would be similar to the restaurant that immediately preceded it. Not even close. I ended up paying some ridiculous amount of money for a tiny sandwich (chicken salad, if memory serves) and never again returned. read more

Here again from Las Vegas on 10/6/2023 and was excellent as usual. Had eggplant Parmesan and the Greek salad and then we took a slice of 5 layer warm chocolate cake back to our hotel. We were fulfilled once again. See you next year! read more

Ida's Restaurant - Eggplant Parmesan with a fresh side of pasta. - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

See all

Incredible mac & cheese, and loved the garlic bread with Gorgonzola sauce. Will be coming back!! read more

Ida's Restaurant - Ida's Mac & Cheese - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

Somehow our first visit. We usually go to PVD or Mama Luisa's (Newport) for Italian. Party of 8. Large menu with many specials. Everyone had a cocktail or beer to start. Then many appetizers. Most entrees were the salmon or chicken or veal piccata with homemade pasta. Service was excellent. They take np reservations so go early - before 630 PM - on the weekend. Damages with tip was $575. read more

A great dining experience for dinner on my first trip. I already know that I want to return and dine here again to try other items from their menu. Parking is in a small lot along a busy street. Reservations were not required and we were able to get in and seated with no wait. Seating can be in close proximity to others. So if you're not ready to be all up close and personal in a you may want to opt for to go dining. When weather allows, there is a very small area designated as outdoor dining. Our host was gracious and candid in her feedback on suggestions when ordering. The owner came around and checked on diners and was clearly making himself useful during a time when eateries are experiencing personnel shortages. The food didn't take a long time to come out. Even though I ordered a salad, it was delicious and fresh. I look forward to dining here again and would suggest others try their food too. read more

See all

It's not the same anymore. Food isn't as good, whole menu changed the mains are things you can get anywhere nothing is unique like it use to be. I especially miss Dan & his sauce. read more

Had dinner last night with work family. Wow what a surprise and pleasure. Have lived in Newport many times over the last 40 plus years and never knew of this wonderful gem. Small cozy place packed with locals. I had Tuna it was the best Tuna I have ever had. Vegetables were great as well. Rest of party loved their Picata and Ravioli. I am so glad I went read more

Friday night and Italian food was calling my name! We've ordered take out from Idas a few times but this was the first time we ate there. I loved the true Italian atmosphere where the tables are all so close together. Their bolognese is pretty fantastic, the pizza garlic bread was delicious too. The noodles are all homemade which is something I look for in an Italian restaurant. Our waitress was so great to us and made sure the kids were happy. read more

Great food and even a better staff ! We love this place ! The food is always fresh and very well cooked. In house or pick up ... never a bad meal ! read more

Always love coming here. Food is consistently good. Nice bar, warm and cozy atmosphere and great staff. Their specials are always good and their desserts are pretty delish. If they have the coffee cake dessert as a special definitely do not pass on it. You can have an expresso to finish your meal. so satisfying. read more

"Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Mark Twain.. I rarely award five stars but Ida's in Middletown about a half mile from Newport is really sweet - honest and authentic presented by people who don't use the "I will be taking care of you." and then don't - until time for the check. These folks are genuinely nice and happy to be here and to see you. The menu and drinks menu is well thought out and thoughtfully presented. Prices are quite reasonable for quality Italian. I had the Veal Gorgonzola with fettuccine. Very nicely done. Pretty crowded and no reservations but they'll clear a table for you quickly. You'll be happy. read more

yummy food in a cozy family style Italian joint highly recommend the curly shrimp pasta!! read more

See all

Who knew that one of the best restaurants on Aquidneck Island wasn't in downtown Newport but nestled off an unassuming side road in Middletown? Ida's Restaurant has been a family favorite for many years, and a great place for an easy and delicious dinner when we need to get out of the hustle and bustle. The owners used to have a restaurant called Puerini's in Newport, which specialized in homemade Italian cuisine, so you know they know what they're doing here! They've taken many of the favorites off of that menu to Ida's, but also expanded the offerings to seafood, salads, steaks, and more! There's literally something for everyone, so if you're looking for a great option for group dining, Ida's is a good bet. The restaurant is cozy without seeming crowded, and there's ample seating in the warm dining room. The walls are dotted with childhood artwork from Ida, the owner's daughter and restaurant's namesake, and the handsome hardwood floors plus ambient lighting create a relaxing and homey atmosphere for your meal. They also have bar seating, which is comfortable for a more casual dining experience. Bonus- if you sit at the bar, you get a glimpse at the active kitchen through the window! It's quite fun to watch the food prepared before your eyes! As for the menu, the Italian specialities are really the star of the show, but don't forget the other options! I absolutely LOVE their homemade pasta, especially the Curly Shrimp, which features al dente linguini tossed in a spicy marinara sauce topped with juicy local shrimp and the crispy and tender Eggplant Parmesan. However, you definitely shouldn't miss out on the Seared Tuna, served with homemade soy, wasabi, and aioli sauces for dipping, the Honey Glazed Carrots (I have been known to get a double order of this sweet-meets-savory side dish), and the fabulous Garlic Bread with a gorgonzola cheese sauce for dipping. I visited Ida's the other night for a friend's birthday dinner, and we got the garlic bread.. it was so good that I'm still thinking about it three days later. Yum! Save room for dessert! Along with a list of rotating specials (when I visited last it was a strawberries n' brandy concoction over ice cream), they also have Italian inspired favorites like Tiramisu and Chocolate or Vanilla Tartufos, which are basically ice cream rolls topped with chopped nuts and chocolate. I also adore the Pot de Creme, which is a chocolate mousse-style dessert. It's very rich and filling, so I always try to save room for it when I eat here! It's tough, though, since everything is so good. Ida's is definitely a restaurant you're gonna want to bookmark when you come to Aquidneck Island. If you can do the short drive or Uber ride from downtown Newport and want a great meal in a comfy and relaxed environment with friendly service, you'll love it here! read more

Ida's Restaurant - Vanilla Tartufo dessert - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

While my dad was out here visiting from California, he got the sudden craving for pasta. I had driven past Ida's quite a few times but never stopped, so we looked at the menu online and decided to give it a try. When we got there, it was packed, but we were able to get a seat within 15 minutes which wasn't too bad. The acoustics in the restaurant is the first thing that I noticed. The sound from the kitchen echoed throughout the restaurant and made it really hard to hear anything other than kitchen sounds. Despite that, we decided to press on and see how the food was. Our waitress was friendly but rushed, and it took us awhile to get her flagged down to place our order. The first thing we ordered was the garlic cheese bread, which was probably the best thing we ate all night. They were not skimping on the garlic, and the bread was buttery and cheesy in a very satisfying way. The entrees came out pretty speedily. I ordered the eggplant parmesan with pasta, and dad ordered the lasagna with broccoli on the side. My eggplant was fried, dry, and thin, with no pleasant mouth-feel, and really void of any taste. The brown eggplant circles were topped with a red sauce, but the sauce was sweet, boring, and lacked dimension. Dad thought his lasagna was ok, but not very impressive, with no presentation. I ordered spaghetti and meatballs to go for hubby with a side order of garlic bread, and he was also unimpressed with his meal. It was the general consensus that the seasoning of the sauces and the method of cooking of the dishes needed attention, and left us still feeling like we wanted Italian- this didn't do it for us. Service was ok but not great, presentation was lacking, seasoning and cooking was in dire need of help, and prices were comparable to other restaurants in the area, but high for what you actually get in quality for your meal. I'd be willing to try them again and see if we caught them on a bad day, but I definitely wouldn't be in a rush to come back anytime soon. read more

See all

Excellent food and service! Highly recommend! We are from out of town and this was a great find!

Had a very nice dinner time last night at Ida's. I sat at the bar and the service was very good and friendly. A very extensive menu with a lot of my Italian favorites and I settled on fettuccine with broccoli. The portion was very good and the sauce was also very good. Overall I highly recommend Ida's and it's located close to Newport without the crowds and hassle of finding parking. read more

Ida's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

My daughter and I are visiting the area for Jazz Fest and we wanted to just grab some takeout and home back to our hotel. Food was so yummy! We got the roasted red pepper fettuccine Alfredo and the eggplant Parmesan. Food was ready when we arrived before we were promised. If we are ever back in the area, will definitely be back. So delish and very friendly staff. read more

So good. I love the farm stand salad, scallops, eggplant appetizer. And support animal friendly!

One of the best and there's parking! Favorite is Gorgonzola dip. All pasta is fresh. Lots of veal choices. Great flan. One caution closed Sunday and Monday. read more

We had such a lovely experience here last night. We brought our kid and enjoyed a delicious meal in a welcoming environment. Our server, Olivia, was spectacular. Maybe the best server we've ever had! She recommended a perfect wine, anticipated our needs (extra napkins, extra plate, etc) before we had to ask, and made us feel really welcome even with a slightly rambunctious toddler with us. It's so rare that we go out to eat as a family, and Olivia welcoming us and being so kind to our kid, made the experience feel extra special. The food was delicious. We had a beet salad, chicken Marsala with hand cut linguine and shrimp scampi. Everything was great and we left very satisfied and very happy. We will be back for sure! read more

Food was excellent service was great. I never thought of it for Italian food, but it is really great.

Food was quite delicious a little small in portions so wouldn't recommend if you have a huge appetite. Served wasn't very friendly but hostess was quite pleasant. read more

Great food and the waitress was phenomenal! Recommend going if you're looking for a good dinner with delicious desserts.

As a Newport local, my favorite restaurant is really in Middletown. Such a cute restaurant, with huge portions. It's a little pricy, but for the quality of food and in house made pasta, it's well worth it. Servers have always been kind. Last time a server spilled red wine all over me, which completely ruined my night. However, other than that I've had an amazing experience here and would recommend to all. read more

I went to Ida's for the first time with my family for dinner. It was my sisters birthday so one of my brothers wanted to have a family dinner out for her 49th birthday. She's the youngest in the family so we're all very seasoned First off our waitress was awesome! I wish I asked her name to give her credit in my inevitable review but I didn't want to seem like a weirdo so I didn't. She was spot on with everything. And that wasn't just with us. I noticed she was that way with everyone. Now, it's a quaint atmosphere. Very clean and fairly bright with natural light. In looking at the menu I noticed that the prices were crazy expensive. To the best of my recollection no plate was under $20. Nothing. You would expect that in downtown Newport but not at a restaurant next to NAPA Auto Parts and across the street from the DMV and a mini golf course. I'm not trying to cut this place down but that's just a fact. Even the appetizer's and deserts were very expensive. We got a couple of stuffed mushroom appetizers to start off with along with bread and olive oil. The bread was delicious and the olive oil was top quality. So flavorful. The mushrooms were ok. Nothing great and the one thing that stuck out in my head was that one of the stuffed mushrooms were absolutely tiny. Consistency is everything in the restaurant business. I know this because I have a very extensive background in this business. It should have made it way into a Marsala instead of occupying someone's serving of an appetizer. I don't know what my family thought of their meals because nothing was said about them but it all looked pretty good from a presentation standpoint. As for my meal? I'm so sorry to say this Ida's, it was horrible. I got the Chicken Marsala. It was incredibly bitter. Like lemon bitter. That's because the garlic was way over cooked. At least that's my opinion. Garlic in a meal should never see more than 30 seconds in a hot pan before adding any liquid. It should only be cooked until fragrant. That's it. Any more and it gets very bitter.I didn't taste lemon in it but some do incorporate it in Marsala. Speaking of Marsala, I didn't taste a bit of Marsala wine in it at all. I'm certain it was in there somewhere because that's what I ordered, just didn't taste it. The chicken was never flowered and pan fried before incorporating the sauce which is a key part in making Chicken Marsala because the bits and the pan crust are such an important part of making the sauce. The onions were stark white instead of caramelized like they should be and the pasta was swimming in a bitter, thin; translucent sauce instead of on the side in its own dish with a traditional red sauce (Sauce type is optional though). No way was it worth the $23 that my brother spent on it. It was 2 very small chicken portions, a little bit of mushrooms and onions and about 2 ounces of pasta (before cooking) in a bitter sauce. About 1/3 of a pound of food in total. Hardly a meal to say the least and certainly not a 23 dollar meal in any way. The molten cake was the best part of the meal. It tasted really good and the maple ice cream was very tasty. I never said anything at dinner because I didn't want to upset my brother who was the one paying. All I really cared about was the time spent with my family and it was an awesome time regardless. I'm a Yelper so I'm doing my due diligence to my fellow human beings. I don't mean to drop a bomb on Ida's. It's a local business and local business is so important to our community. And I'm not saying not to come here. I'm just giving my opinion of my experience. I gave it 3 stars because it was a decent atmosphere to enjoy spending time with my family and some of what I was served was great. read more

Highly recommended Amazing food, amazing service, and mouthwatering dessert, specially their warm chocolate cake read more

I haven't been to Newport in YEARS, back when I was dating --- RRrrgh! -- Erik. I mean, that was a difficult time, what with my precious pug, Peaches, having just died and then stupid Erik breaking up with me - who wants to relive that atrocious time? Look - I haven't dated in forever - I've been off Tinder and then Covid - but dining with masks on and social distancing? Honestly: ICK! (Don't get me started!) Okay... Ida's. First, though: I met Briley on Instagram. He looked like a statue sculpted by Donatello, (if D was watching PornHub all the time). I know, I know... he's a little young, but, SRSLY, he looks like Will Poulter with a harelip scar and I was weak! He's not the brightest Hibiscus in the garden ( I know he's not "Yale" smart, but he's definitely "Southern New Hampshire University" smart - he has an Associate's Degree in "Doing Stuff"), but he makes a nice living and he makes me happy (so far). Anyway, after a few lost weekends at Boutique Hotels and B&Bs in Vermont and Maine - and one forgettable weekend on the Cape (I'll review later) - Briley asked to go to Newport for his friend Mischa's wedding. I said fine. Well guess whose wedding it was! Turns out this Mischa was marrying - yes - Erik! And the first night we arrived after checking into the Marriott (actually... not that bad) Mischa insisted on taking us to dinner with another couple, Freddie and "Jaisin" (seriously, and they made jokes about it all weekend) and where, oh, where did we go? IDA'S! Oh, yes: that place! So, you can imagine my state of mind when we all walked in (if you thought "Bitchy, with a side order of Catty," then you would be correct). Ida's is, first of all, NOT IN NEWPORT, it's in Middletown - a dull town so uninspiringly named because it's located between two notable, Historic towns, NEWPORT and PORTSMOUTH - but since finding parking in Newport is like finding an unoccupied glory hole at The Eagle on a Saturday night - there's something to be said about that. So, this Ida's... (to review): it's a cute place and has this long banquette against the front windows, with little deuces all in line from wall to wall so you can have tables for two, or maybe four or more. They put three tables together for us and we sat down. Freddie and "Jaisin" (and yes, btw, he spells his name like that -gag me); Mischa and -- RRrrrgh! - Erik in the middle with Briley and me on the end. I behaved and started things off with two Espresso Martinis - we took an Uber - while the others ordered wine. Briley ordered sparkling water with ice - bless him - and then we looked over the. menus. Erik asked if we minded if we just order a bunch of appetizers and dishes and share, which is interesting, since Erik never wanted to share his Carpaccio when we went to Trattoria L'incontro in Astoria. As everyone was in agreement (I just nodded but I had resting Baranski face all night), that's what we did (Mischa, btw - not hot). While they enjoyed their Martin Codax Albarino, (and I, more espresso martinis), Mischa and Erik talked... and talked... AND TALKED. About how they met (on Grindr - insufferable); about all the quaint little towns they visited on the Cape; about that time they toured the North Shore Wine Trail in Long Island and found Kontokosta Winery (oh, really, Erik? You don't remember when WE went there?) All he did was rave about the little picnic tables with the "Nantucket" umbrellas and the fussy little Viognier blend they had (it was called the Anemometer, ERIK) ... DOES IT PAIR EVER-SO-PERFECTLY WITH EMMENTHAL AND GRUYÈRE? DOES IT, ERIK? When the food arrived, we ordered two more bottles of the Albarino (light and crisp, like a really nice Sauv Blanc) and passed around the (i have to admit) truly lovely appetizers (beets with goat cheese and candied nuts; scallops with pancetta - to die for!; garlic bread with sweet roasted red peppers - genius! - and mushroom caps with sausage and cheese). The staff - lovely, all of them - brought over a few entrees, which we shared: three orders of the tuna, which was like sashimi; lots of pasta (homemade) and three veal dishes - one creamy, the Rosemarino; and two orders of a yummy lemony piccata; and assorted vegetable sides - ginger glazed carrots - SO yummy! I was soon stuffed and a little less grouchy (but a little Karen Walker) and behaved. As she was clearing, one of the servers mentioned that Ida's is owned by the gentleman who owned Puerini's. Which is why it's so wonderful, of course, but Erik acted like he didn't know this; and then, when he saw me squinting, said, "Oh, they must have redecorated or something!" Erik is a real piece of work. The kind of work that you need little plastic bags to clean up. I passed on dessert of course, and had another Espresso Martini. At some point, Briley started nudging me under the table with his foot, so I picked up the check and we gracefully exited. Ida's is terrific. The rest of the weekend? Not so much! read more

We really wanted to love this place. All the of the hoopla and word-of-mouth...everything was positive about this place. We started with the stuffed mushroom caps as an appetizer, which contained crumbled sausage with Fontinella cheese. We detected no cheese whatsoever, but they were still decent. Then came the oregano. Most every true Italian restaurant I've been to does not put oregano in their marinara sauce or meat sauce. Different sauces perhaps, including pizza sauce (I actually make my pizza sauce this way). It's so pungent and can take over any marinara or meat sauce. The chicken parm was breaded and actually quite flavorful, moist, and tender and the portion size was decent. My veal parm was pounded into oblivion and had no breading on it. It spread out into a decent sized piece (which got lost in the sauce), but was so thin it had to have been a small piece of veal to begin with. I would like to go back and try something that doesn't involve their red sauce. read more

Ida's Restaurant - Chicken Parm - Italian Near Me - Middletown, Rhode Island

See all

Walked in and got a table for two early on Saturday night. Very prompt and pleasant service. The menu has a lot of variety and dishes have a homemade quality. Portion sizes are just right - you can finish everything - well worth a try! read more