Great experience. Small intimate setting. Large portions. Our waitress warned us when we were…read moreattempting to put to many apps in. 6 people split 2 apps. Everyone took leftovers home. Great wine selection as well

I was expecting to be blown away considering all the amazing things I have heard about spaghetti…read morelane.. here's why I just couldn't give 5 stars.. We had a reservation for 5pm.. we arrived around 440.. to find out we couldn't sit in the "restaurant side" meanwhile there were vacant tables. We asked politely if we could just stay in that room considering it was our first time there, we were clearly for our res and didn't plan staying too long (just a quick early dinner) .. we were told no and next time to "request" that room.. oh well.. so we sat in the "cafe".. definitely not the vibe we wanted for our dinner but we still had high hopes.. it was awkward- people in and out.. standing around us getting coffee/pastries etc while we are "having dinner" however, our waitress was great, very polite, knowledgeable about their menu.. the food wasn't anything special but it was delicious!! I really wanted to LOVE this place so I will be coming back to give it another shot!

When we first walked in we were greeted by the bartender/waiter/host who was fantastic. Genuinely…read morewarm, genuinely happy to be there. We grabbed seats at the bar, naturally, and the first thing we noticed was how clean the place looked. This spot used to be Midici, run by a great guy named Brian, and if you were anywhere near East Providence and in the mood for pizza, it was the place to go. The crust was always perfectly crispy with that Neapolitan chew, and the wood fired oven was put to great use across the whole menu. Toward the end of the Midici era things had started to feel a little run down, borderline dingy. Not anymore. From the dining room to the bathrooms, the whole place has had a real facelift. One note: the walls are a little bare. My partner, who is an artist, pointed out that bringing the olive branch motif already present in the table and bar decor to a simple white outline on the walls could be a really lovely touch. We ordered wine and were a little bummed to find a couple of old favorites no longer on the list. In the Midici days, we'd reach for the Tormaresca Chardonnay when we wanted a white, or the Cedar and Salmon when we were in the red mood. We settled on a Chianti and it was quite nice. On to the main event. My partner's usual here is the pesto pizza with ricotta, but a special caught her eye, the Lemon Ricotta and Arugula. It was the highlight of the night. The crust came out beautifully blistered, the arugula was piled fresh and generously across the whole pie, and the combination of big pieces of garlic, lemon zest, and actual lemon slices made for something really bright and satisfying. Honestly, just looking at it made you want to dig in. I went with the Chicken Caesar Salad Pizza, also off the specials menu. The outer crust was spot on, but toward the center things got a little thin and soggy, not quite pick up and eat territory. The toppings were generous but crowded in the middle, leaving the outer edges a little bare. The flavors were good overall, though I'd love more Caesar presence. Not sure what sauce was used as the base, but a proper Caesar dressing might be worth exploring for this one. It's still our favorite spot in the area for pizza, and the new owners have clearly put real care into the place. A little fine-tuning on execution and they'll have something really special on their hands.

This lovely restaurant had the best gluten free pizza I have had in a very long time. The services…read morewas friendly and attentive. We enjoyed the seating as it gave enough distance between tables to feel that our dining was intimate. Great place for a conversation and yummy food .

Benjamin's Easter Buffet 2025…read more I don't normally leave bad reviews but this felt necessary. Let me paint you a picture of Easter at Benjamin's: My family of 9 adults had a reservation for their 3pm seating. When we arrived a little before 3, we had to wait in a line that was out the door of the restaurant and down a long hotel hallway. We were pretty far down, and as we came in people were wishing us luck or calling other restaurants to see if they could go there instead. It was like being on the RMS Titanic- a foreboding sense of inevitable danger ahead. We were worried about our 3 elderly family members being able to stand in line, but luckily the line started moving after 10 minutes or so. When my party got to the front, we were seated. They did not ask if we had a reservation- just led us to a table. Half our group was cut off by another party that just arrived, claiming they had priority because they had a reservation. Hah! So did everyone else in that line but okay. Anyway, the rest of our party joined us, our waiter brought out 2 carafes of water, and told us his tables would be going first. He felt really bad for the customers, you could tell. We asked him about the food they ran out of as people were muttering about that in line. He said they were out of garden salad and turkey (because they dropped it, apparently. Huh.) but they were also out of bread rolls. If you're going to have three buffet seatings- have food for all three. So the buffet itself was outside the dining room. They had opened at least one other banquet hall at the hotel to fit people, so they were all coming toward this buffet table. Luckily, we were first in line. There were three servers at the buffet for 11 trays of food so it took forever. The scrambled eggs looked awful- very dry. No one piece of bacon looked like it was cooked the same- some of mine were crispy some were chewy. Sausage was fine. They gave you two pieces of each. Stingy! One of my two French toast sticks was hard as a rock. Potatoes were okay. I went to get coffee at the next table and Oop! There wasn't enough to fill a cup in the one canister on the table. No one seemed to be in a rush to bring out more though. The dessert table had some danishes and another tray of blondie crumbs. While eating this first plate, someone finally came around to ask what the name of our reservation was. Better late than never! Our waiter brought us a whole coffee pot because he knew we didn't get any, complete with fresh cream and sugars. After finishing our first plates, some of us headed back to the buffet for round 2. But lo and behold the line was back around the corner! A family friend dining in another section of the restaurant told us that at this point, they had only just received water. Yikes! We did not want to wait in line, so we waited at our table for a bit. Some of us never even returned to the buffet table. A few of us did head back now that the line had died down. I set a timer; it took 14 minutes and 43 seconds from the time I entered the line until I was back at my table. When you reached the buffet area, they had now diverted the line to start at the ham carving table rather than the eggs, so the feng shui was even worse than before, with the line now stretching across the small buffet area. This time, I got the lunch offerings. The ham was alright. The mashed potatoes were incredibly salty. The carrots were mushy on the outside but hard on the inside. The scrod was fine and the penne was fine. There was a welcome addition to brownies at the dessert table. We could've paid extra for a better dessert selection off the menu though. We were not as wise as our fellow diners who complained and got comped, so my elderly grandfather who was paying for our meal paid full price for this, at $35 per person. Oh, and they didn't tell us about the credit card processing fee, costing an extra $10. Thank you to our waiter who tried to make this doomed experience a little better! Suffice to say, we will not be returning to Benjamin's.

Very disappointing experience at Benjamin's in Seekonk. I went in with a gift card that was…read morepurchased when the restaurant was operating under the same name, but they refused to honor it. I was told the restaurant has gone through three different owners and that there were issues with the previous owner not paying out gift cards. As a customer, that's extremely frustrating. The restaurant still operates under the same name, and there is no notice on the website or posted anywhere in the restaurant letting customers know that old gift cards are no longer valid. Customers shouldn't be stuck with the loss when ownership changes, especially when nothing is communicated ahead of time. Just something others should be aware of before going.

I stopped in for the food fights sandwich on a Thursday at 5:20. The sandwich was a chicken cutlet…read morewith lettuce, tomato, lemon, and banana peppers. I didn't think I was going to like it because it wasn't anything I would ever order. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the lemon and vinegar from the banana peppers was a perfect combination with the chicken. I am very impressed!

This place is serving top notch Italian food and has market items galore. It reminded me of…read moreweekends at my great aunt's house which is saying A LOT of good things! The sandwich and Italian soda I had were perfection. I will def be back to try more from here! The owner was super friendly and I loved chatting with him. He really has a wonderful business and it is truly a gem! I'm so glad best sandwich RI brought me here. It's a cute spot for sure!

The food was AMAZING!!! I ordered the calamari and ziti. I sat at the bar and Jenna was taking care…read moreof me. It was her third shift and she was truly amazing!!! Great service and great food. Must come when you're in Providence.

Visiting Providence and stumbled upon this Italian gem. I understood that Federal Hill is known for…read moreits Italian restaurants and we searched for a place that had a good crowd. Massimo's has street parking or valet. They also take reservations. We came on a Monday and chose to order from their prix fixe menu. They also have a great à la carte menu. Our dinner came with focaccia and olives, a glass of house wine, an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $38/pp. Portions were smaller than the à la carte dishes but enough for us. Between my husband and I, we ordered the caprese salad and meatballs appetizers, sliced strip steak with mashed potatoes and mushrooms, a fettuccine with asparagus and prosciutto with cream sauce, and dessert was the pannecotta and cannoli. Pasta was freshly made and al dente, steak was tender and flavorful. We loved everything. My only complaint that for a large restaurant, bathroom was small. Only one unit per gender.

I recently discovered Bellas being new to the area and I've already been several times. Their…read moresandwiches are great and my favorite prepared foods are the chicken Marsala and the penne pink vodka. Delicious!!!

Its like a little Venda Costantinos but not on the hill, on the trail! Authentic Italian…read moredeli/bakery. Offers breakfast options as well as lunch + dinner. Can sit and eat here or take to-go. The Greek tortellini was delicious! Will be back for breakfast and lunches for work. Egg sandwiches, eggplant parm, chicken parm, lasagna, broccoli rabe etc. Fresh bread, pasta and house made soups. Tons of sandwhich options as well. Check out their website for full menu. Lots of parking (wraps around building).

Tucked in Pawtuxet village in Cranston is this wonderful Italian restaurant that echoes the best in…read morefood service and atmosphere. We had early reservations for our anniversary dinner. I had perused the menu so I knew what I wanted. The on site bread with roasted garlic and high quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil , you cannot help but over do on the bread. We split a Caesar salad which was done perfect not overloaded with dressing. We would both loved anchovies but it was a winner . I had the Basta chop with the lobster sauce on the side . The presentation was spot on with the bone in on the plate . I upgraded the side to lobster risotto instead of the pasta marinara . Which was a good simple freshly made marinara . My husband had veal Milanese . He could cut his with a fork it was so tender . I saved room for dessert for a house made very berry sorbet which did not disappoint. Lots of moving parts inside large bar, private party. Constant water refilling and taking away if plates . If you you are ever lucky enough to go there , you'll want to hurry back . They have several light dishes pizza appts etc. Of course our server Taylor was top notch , lots of young busses being trained in the art of hospitality.

Valentine's Day at Basta Trattoria -- truly the night of a thousand roses -- and hands down the…read moremost romantic place to be on a day meant for love. The ambiance was absolutely beautiful, intimate, and perfectly set for such a special evening. The service was amazing as usual -- attentive, warm, and seamless even on one of the busiest nights of the year. And the food? Incredible. Every single time. We dine here often, and what I appreciate most is the consistency. It is always delicious, always beautifully prepared, and always exceeds expectations. One of my personal favorites is the veal chop -- but fair warning, it's definitely a two-person chop! Generous, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. However on this night we had the lobster à la bomba and the surf and turf! They didn't disappoint. Honestly, anything I've ever ordered here has been executed to the highest standard. If you're looking for romance, exceptional service, and unforgettable food, Basta never disappoints. It's truly a gem.

In Full Transparency, this review would be 3.5 stars if I had that option, but that's by no means a…read moredig on this nice little spot to get some good local food at great prices. Came here before a concert at XFinity based on Yelp reviews. Provalone's is a very unpretentious little spot with a big menu, great prices and friendly service. Also, surprisingly fresh, quality and tasty food for what you might expect from the outside. Definitely a book that can't be judged by its cover. This is primarily a takeout spot and catering service. While we were sitting and enjoying our dinner they were loading up a large catering order for a customer and several people came and left with good sized orders. Clearly the locals enjoy it here. I went with the chicken parm sandwich. I expected a fried, formerly frozen patty and mediocre sauce Inna roll. What I got (for a very reasonable price) was real chicken breast, clearly hand breaded and fried, with a chunky, fresh, tasty sauce that ended up being a bit watery when put up against the cold provolone in the roll and made everything a bit uncomfortably soggy and messy. This may have been alleviated by baking the sandwich a bit before serving. Sandwiches come in one size here, which is a 12-in grinder. I would have ordered a slice as well, but the pizza in the case seemed to be pretty old and needed a refresh to be appealing. There is a very large menu, including pasta platters that include penne, ravioli or tortellini with meatballs, real veal or chicken. That's unusual for a takeout place with just a couple of tables. But it was among the many very pleasant surprises here. Good food, great prices and friendly service at a nice local spot with great menu variety. If you're nearby, I would definitely recommend giving Provolone's a try.

The food is very good a d huge portions. We always do pickup or delivery, very convenient.read more