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    Sophia’s Cafe Cranston

    4.6 (36 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    Ham and Cheese Empanada
    Karla M.

    I have heard a lot of great things about Sophia's and I was in the area so I decided to try it out for lunch. They have empanadas staring at you when you walk in, so it's kind of hard to resist them. As a result, I ordered a ham and cheese one and a chicken one. In addition, I tried their chopped cheese sandwich since it seems to be one of their more popular items on the menu. The empanadas were good - the dough was flaky, crunchy, and flavorful and they were generously filled. The chopped cheese I thought was a bit bland, but I did like that they bread was perfectly toasted. It might help to have a sharper kind of cheese and make the meat a bit saucy or add a spread to the bread. The inside is clean and there's a good amount of tables spread nicely apart. I loved that there is so much glass to let the natural light in - it made for great pictures and a warm experience. There are also a few parking spots on the side of the building.

    Marisol C.

    First time ordering from Sophia's I'm very picky when it comes to chop cheese as I feel this far NYC has the best but this one was good still not NYC but close. The Chimi I ordered was Res (beef) which was really good but normally I get the Pernil (pork) that was my mistake. The passion fruit was good I would like to try their smoothie one. Service was good no line no waiting. It is nice inside and the outside as well. Prices are reasonable and I was pleasantly surprised that seeing this was a pick up order when I got home my fries were not soggy at all and still had a crunch to them. You can dine in or order ahead. I will try this place again. They do have two locations

    Passion Fruit Juice
    Kent S.

    Rating: 4.5 I've decided to give it a review since this i've been here few times as well as the other location. Sophia's Cafe is a small hispanic restaurant which offer primarily pressed sandwiches, empanadas, and Juice/smoothies. The Cranston location is newer addition and they have parking plaza as well as few inside seatings. Because of that usually people order a head or pick up. My usual go to is the Frikitaki sandwich and ham and cheese empanadas while my partner likes the chimi pollo. Frikitaki is a pressed sandwich with eggs, purple cabbage, cheese, mayo and ground beef. A bit heavy but very flavorful and satisfying. Basically a cheese burger with egg in a sandwich. Ham and cheese empanada is crunchy on the outside and filled with lots of cheese and hams. I think that their empanada is best i've had around. Service is usually good and fast however usually they only have one person at the front so there may be some wait or line if you order on site so it may be best to order a head. Overall the place is very good and one of my favorite go to breakfast/lunch spot in the area. I like the cranston location much better than providence location because it's much nicer, easier access and less crowded. Because it's new it's much nicer cleaner inside.

    Areina C.

    I am so happy I saw this place on IG this morning! Have been craving Latin food, and while I'm Latina myself- I dont always feel like cooking It's a lot of work to make empanadas and a pernil for dinner lol With that being said we are so happy to have stopped in! We had the chimi de pernil, a Cuban and some empanadas. Everything was delicious. They have mayo-catsup for dipping fries, and the strawberry dragon fruit lemonade was bomb. Everything cooked to order and a nice little seating area. Didn't realize this was the old Stadium Fish and Chips. (Happy to see they had a little sign stating that) Defintely love to support small Latin owned businesses! Will be back for sure to try other sandwiches.

    Chimi d' Pernil Sandwich
    Rebecca B.

    I visited Sophia's Cafe on a weekday afternoon. It was fairly busy! I tried the beef and ham & cheese pastelitos, chimi d' pernil, chopped cheese, and shredded chicken yaroa. The pastelitos were so juicy and good. I thought the beef was seasoned well. The chimi was also delicious, they cut it in half so I saved the other half for later. Yaroa was a good portion as well. The chopped cheese was okay, nothing special. I expected more. Service was quick and friendly. Good amount of seating. No complaints, would go back.

    Jamie A.

    Second location is just as good as the original! This is comfort food~ I had the chimiDpollo sandwich, pizza empanada and papaya shake~ the papaya shake is a great, not too sweet, drink for those who don't like overly sweet drinks. The passion fruit drink felt too sweet for me. The pizza empanada are my favorite, but I was missing the pepperoni they usually add into them. The chimi pollo sandwich is amazing and filling. Nothing to complain about. Cashier was vigilant with my order and called me up, but maybe they should add names to the orders. I only knew she had my order ready because we made eye contact The location is clean with limited seating, but I noticed many order their food To-Go, so plenty of seating was available. One wall had pictures of the previous owner, celebrating their legacy, and the continued tradition of a small local business growing and expanding. Also, they have plenty of cold air conditioned air for those hot days!

    Beef and Cheese Empanada
    Courtney P.

    I had some beef and cheese empanadas and a steak and cheese sandwich and everything was so delicious. The sandwich was made fresh and the empanadas were nice and toasty. This is a quick to go order style restaurant with only a few barstools along the counter to sit and eat, but it's an awesome quick meal to pick up that's full of flavor!

    Johnathan G
    Hungry G.

    I was excited to visit and eat at Sophia's because of their social media on IG. I arrived to a antisocial order taker. I ordered wings and the Cuban sandwich. I asked for no fries but was given and charged for them. I was not offered any sauce or rub for them. The Cuban sandwich wasn't the best either; dry. A restaurant without a bathroom is not proper. -Notice only 10 reviews I will not be returning. Johnathan G is a clown

    Chimi d' Pernil Sandwich
    Carla R.

    Delicious chimi sandwich! I will pass on getting french fries next time as they were basic and tasteless. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu especially the empanadas.

    Ordering counter and menu
    Christian R.

    Saw the advertisement driving down Park Ave. Saw an Empanada sign. Pulled in and there is ample Parking. They have empanadas in a display case. Tried chicken and cheese, beef and cheese. They offer mayo ketchup. Pretty tasty, plump and flakey. Little higher cost than an average bodega empanada. But the taste is worth it. Had the Pernil Chimichurri, described as coleslaw, pernil, ketchup and mayo on toasted French bread. Not your traditional Broad Street Chimi. But definitely gives it a run for its money. This place offers Bodega style sandwiches with a little higher price tag. The pernil was flavored and not dry, the bread had enough mayo that I didn't add anything. Would recommend a little later hours.

    Beef & cheese empanada

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    3 months ago

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    1 month ago

    Service is fast and always delicious. The team is always professional and meet standards.

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Their pastelitos and Cuban are delicious. The service is always accurate. There is indoor seating snd take out.

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Delicious little lunch spot in Cranston. The chimi de pernil and empanadas were fantastic. Will definitely be back soon!

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    10 months ago

    This was a fantastic place to get a late lunch. The food was awesome and the fries were incredible!

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    1 year ago

    Came for the empanadas and left a happy customer. My favorite are the chicken and beef. I will definitely be back.

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Simply Fabulous! Staff is friendly and the food is always fresh!! Best little market too

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    1 year ago

    First time in this place heard wonderful things service and food excellent highly recommend they got it all thank you...!!

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    2 years ago

    The food here is so good every single time and they have yet to mess up any of my orders and I've ordered a few times.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent food and service been there several times and always do takeout for the kids

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    Sonia's Near East Market & Deli - Pita chip and hummus

    Sonia's Near East Market & Deli

    4.6(290 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I visited here after Sonia's Deli had their renovation and I love the look of it! I love the…read moretraditional rug wallpaper they have on the wall, it really gives it an authentic Armenian look. The art on the walls are also a great touch as well as the sitting area with backgammon available to play. I also love the food and drinks they have in the grocery section. I do wish they had more selections to choose from though. In terms of more options of Russian/Armenian food like deli meat, dairy products, smoked fish, fruits/veggies, candy, cookies, juice... The prices here are steep, it's a big reason as to why I don't shop here often. It's a shame because I would love to support an Armenian business.

    The food here is absolutely incredible & full of flavor. It is one of those places you keep coming…read moreback to because everything is consistently fresh & delicious. The staff is warm & engaging. My go-to is the supreme gyro: perfectly seasoned gyro meat, juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, red onions, feta cheese & banana peppers topped with creamy tzatziki sauce & wrapped in warm Greek flatbread. Every bite is the perfect mix of savory, tangy & fresh. You can really tell the ingredients are high quality & prepared with love! They also have a wonderful specialty market filled with great spices, specialty ingredients & unique items you won't always find elsewhere. Be sure to try the halva - they carry it in several different flavors & it is yummi & unique. The baklava is also outstanding. Both are the perfect sweet treat to take home after an amazing meal! NOM NOM NOM #YUM

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    Sonia's Near East Market & Deli - Market

    Market

    Sonia's Near East Market & Deli
    Sonia's Near East Market & Deli

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    The Big Cheese & Pub

    The Big Cheese & Pub

    4.3(429 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This place is great ... you can tell not too much has changed since the 1970's and unintentional…read moreretro/vintage is my thing. This place could be so perfect with only a couple small changes! - There are white flourescent style lights on the ceiling. This really kills the vibe. It's almost like the top of the restaurant and the bottom don't match. You have cozy, 70's style wood paneling with dark wooden booths and stained glass lights hanging over the tables. Warm, cozy and intimate. Then, bright white lights above. I'd love to eat here with those bright lights turned off sometime. - Probably not economical but red checkered tablecloths, like vintage Italian restaurants used to have would make this place look like a movie set in a good way. That being said, everything else about this place is cool ... you know a good spot by how many regulars are there and everyone seemed to know everyone else by name on a Tuesday night. It wasn't crowded ... but it wasn't empty on an off-night. - The staff is exceptionally good. The waitress and hostess couldn't have been any sweeter and more helpful. Fast refills on the soft drinks and helpful without being intrusive. - The pizza is good. I have to admit, I am not sold on the cheddar cheese vs. mozzarella. I thought it would give the cheese an interesting, sharper taste but it seemed a bit bland. I will do the Italian-style next time with mozzarella. I liked my pizza but there was just something different about it. The crust is Greek-style ... kind of like the old Pizza Hut, when it was actually made fresh. Back in the 1980's and 90's there was nothing better than a golden, buttery light and crisp pizza crust from Pizza Hut, before the brand went to shit. This reminds me of that goodness of 1980's pizza crust. I'm not a thin crust guy ... but if you are, they have a thinner crust on the menu as well. Topping was good, maybe a bit spicier pepperoni would be a bit better ... toppings are a tad expensive for a few slices of pepperoni. A 3-topping pizza adds around $5. The small is good for two-people with light/moderate appetites. I wouldn't be able to eat a small and a salad by myself. Speaking of the salad ... one of the best regular house salads I've ever had. The dressing is amazing ... tangy, salty, perfectly done. I know it's hard to get all worked up over a standard Italian dressing but often the simplest things in cooking are the hardest to get right ... and they get the dressing right! Also, the lettuce was super fresh and the tomatoe slices were as well. The only issue I had was there was no 'side salad' version. There was a 'small' salad for around $8 ... but that could easily feed 2 - 4 people. Overall, this place gets just about everything right. It doesn't change or modernize. It's portions are great ... the food is very good ... prices maybe a bit high compared to other spots ... but you can tell they don't cut corners and everything is freshly made. The bar is where I'd want to sit normally ... but the seats are very close together and I didn't want to be elnow to elbow with strangers, so I snagged a small booth, which was also fine. The customers seemed nice ... but they all seemed very 'Cranston'. If they could deal with the lighting situation and make it less bright, I'd eat here 2 times per week. You can't beat a classic ... and this place is a classic.

    One of my favorite pizzas in Rhode Island. I love the old school, no frills ambiance and classic…read morehometown friendly service. They also have one of my favorite salad dressings- I would go there for that alone! I can't recommend this place enough- the delicious food and comforting vibes keep me coming back!

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    The Big Cheese & Pub
    The Big Cheese & Pub - Pepperoni, mushroom & olive pizza

    Pepperoni, mushroom & olive pizza

    The Big Cheese & Pub

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    Lou Umberto's Italian Kitchen

    Lou Umberto's Italian Kitchen

    4.4(86 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $

    This place makes the neighborhood even more Italian somehow. I ride by before they open and smell…read morethen cooking everyday....and it smells so good! Great place to go with someone who has different taste than you because the selection is vast, even different style of pizza but stay away from the white Italian one, it's addictive. My problem is that I want all of it. Even their drink variety is impressive. Don't have to read menus at all. You can walk in, see the long glass food fridge and point while grunting. Everyone else does Also, don't tell the Original Italian Bakery, the pizza chips are better here

    Cutting Crew was playing over the speakers…read more At an Italian deli with a brick oven and an Italian flag hanging in the front window. (I Just) Died in Your Arms, 1986. Whitney Houston a few minutes earlier. Taylor Dayne before that. Huey Lewis somewhere in the rotation too. Somebody behind that counter was a kid in the late eighties and built the playlist around the songs they grew up with while the food their grandparents brought over from Italy came out of the oven twenty feet away. Lou Umberto opened this place in 2017 after graduating from Johnson and Wales. His family is from Cerreto Sannita, a hill town in Campania. He set up shop on Cranston Street, just outside Knightsville, on the edge of one of the oldest Italian neighborhoods in the city. Lauren and I went on a Monday afternoon. Gray skies. One of those quiet Rhode Island days where lunch slowly becomes dinner without anybody announcing the transition. Before we got inside, one of the guys working there was helping an elderly woman through the side door and walking her back toward her car with her groceries. That told me most of what I needed to know. Walk in and the room is doing four jobs at once without any of them getting in the others' way. Shelves stacked with imported groceries. Rummo pasta. Loacker wafers. Baci chocolates. Bottles of olive oil lined up beside jars of tomatoes and peppers. Along the opposite wall sits a long deli case full of prepared food. Eggplant parm. Broccoli rabe. Pasta in vodka sauce. Stuffed banana peppers. Pasta salad. Roasted vegetables. Then the bakery case. Tomato pie cut in squares with red sauce all the way to the edge and enough seasoning on top to perfume the whole counter. Potato pizza. Calzones. Spinach pies stacked on black trays. The kind of food that makes people walk in for one thing and leave with six. Near the front, bags of pizzelle tied shut with twist ties sat on a wire rack underneath a hanging sign that read Welcome Family and Friends. Normally signs like that feel decorative. This one didn't. And behind all of it, through the opening in the back, sat the brick oven. That being said. The pizza. The pepperoni pie came out raised on a metal stand by the window, the Italian flag moving outside in the gray afternoon behind it. Good looking pizza immediately. No stunt toppings. No overloaded nonsense. Just confidence. The pepperoni was placed, not dumped. Natural casing cups charred dark at the edges. Maybe fifteen slices total across the whole pie. Somebody understood restraint. The crust landed somewhere just outside classic New York style. Slightly thicker, but only enough to give the inside some chew. The outer rim puffed up high in spots and blistered dark from the oven. Flour still clung to the bottom and the back edge from the peel. The sauce tasted bright and barely cooked. In some bites it pushed forward sharp and fresh. In others it melted completely into the cheese. Sometimes all you tasted was crust, and that worked too. The cheese browned into amber patches across the surface that pure mozzarella usually doesn't create by itself. Probably some provolone mixed in there. I didn't ask. I should have asked. And the slice held beautifully. Crisp underneath. Enough structure to fold slightly at the front without collapsing. You could see the care in it immediately. Nothing rushed. Nothing overloaded. Nothing trying too hard. Just a very good neighborhood pizza made by people who seem to understand exactly what kind of place they want this to be. The kind of place where somebody helps an elderly woman through the side door before getting back to work. The kind of place that makes you think living nearby might not be the worst idea in the world. Don't forget to grab a bag of pizzelle on the way out.

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    Lou Umberto's Italian Kitchen
    Lou Umberto's Italian Kitchen
    Lou Umberto's Italian Kitchen

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    Catanzaro's Pizzeria Cranston - Eggplant Parmesan sandwich

    Catanzaro's Pizzeria Cranston

    4.3(195 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    This was the first time for me, and I was beyond excited. I run a local pizza group and so many of…read morethem told me this was THE BEST and I was ready to experience that for myself. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the counter, then the oven behind a wall of pizza boxes stacked high and ready for service. In front of that wall stood a smiling face. She warmly greeted us and let us know to seat ourselves in the dining room. The bartender was also the dining room server and came over to take care of us. She was a treasure. Every time she came over she brought with her a smile, an anecdote and loads of charm. We ordered a meatball each, then a medium pizza with pepperoni, half olive. While we waited, I checked out the space. At first the place seems small, but it has high ceilings and bright lights that show how much space is actually inside. Beautiful bar, tables of different seating sizes and some cozy booths tucked into the corner shaped perfectly for close conversation. The meatball took no time to arrive, served with a garlic breadstick made from Buono's bread, a local bakery favorite if you did not already know. The meatball was tender, it reminded me of the meatballs my grandfather used to make growing up, and that's when I knew I was in the right place. The sauce was chunky, thick enough to scoop onto the bread. I cleaned my plate, my mother would be proud. Then the moment I had been waiting for: the pizza. It arrived scalding hot and smelling like heaven. I could see the crispy cheese on the edges of the crust and the generosity of the toppings. I am not a patient woman when it comes to pizza so I braved the lava like sauce and took a bite. And understood why so many love Catanzaro's. The thick crust and tangy-sweet sauce combining with the cheese, pepperoni and olive created a moment of sensory excellence. It was a study in Sicilian done well and I can absolutely say the group choosing this spot for Best Sicilian in Rhode Island was well deserved. While we were eating, I noticed one of the owners, Anthony, by the bar. He made his way around to every table. Some people he knew, some he did not. But he spoke to everyone with the same good-natured, welcoming approach. The reputation of Italian hospitality is well known, and Anthony is a terrific continuation of that. When he got to our table, I had the chance to introduce myself to him and explain further what we're trying to do here with our pizza community group. He was immediately excited about what we are trying to build. He and his wife Lauren - great name - love the community we are growing. Outside of the rainy weather, I couldn't have asked for a better beginning to this Best of RI trip based on our group votes. I was happy to connect with another iconic Rhode Island pizzamaker and experience his craft first hand.

    Wednesday. 5:30. The parking lot was busy…read more That told me everything I needed to know before I ever opened the door. The kitchen at Catanzaro's Pizza is open and you can see everything being made from your table. Three people, each one perfect at exactly what they were doing, moving together like a tight jazz trio, every action landing exactly where it needed to. Metronomic precision. And then our server arrived. After I finished my first Mountain Dew I told her to just bring me two more cans so I wouldn't have to bother her later for a third. She said she wanted to keep them cold for me and didn't mind coming back again as needed. Like Radar O'Reilly, she was there every time before I knew I needed her. She could not have been any more friendly, warm, or gracious. It was like eating at your best friend's house, the dinner her cool mom made, the one where you always hoped you'd get invited back. First, the meatballs. One meatball each, served in a pool of sauce it had been simmering in all day, dusted with grated cheese, a wedge of garlic bread there to catch what spills over. Big enough to be an appetizer by itself. And it was the most tender, delicious meatball I've eaten in recent memory. Moist all the way through. No dry pockets. No tough exterior where someone got impatient with the heat. This was a meatball that someone thought about. The sauce it was served in smelled almost impossibly good when it hit the table. And it tasted better than it smelled. It tasted like your grandmother made it. (Assuming she was Italian, knew what she was doing, and loved you enough to get it right.) Anthony, the owner, came over and talked with us for a while. Some owners do that as performance. Anthony does it because he actually wants to know if everything is right. There's a difference when you are passionate about serving your customers as well as you can every time, and you can feel it. Then. The pizza. Catanzaro's does Sicilian. Not the thick, doughy kind that puts you to sleep. This is its own creature, a rectangle with serious intentions, baked in a well-seasoned pan, with a crust that's golden and crisp and an interior that's chewy and pillowy and herbaceous in a way that makes you stop mid-bite and reconsider every other place you thought was in your top five before this. The sauce is tangy. Bright. Lightly sweet in the way a good tomato is sweet, not the way a corporate kitchen adds sugar to cover its sins. The cheese pulls. The pepperoni cups and chars at the edges, pooling in the middle, because the oven is hot. This is substantial pizza. Filling pizza. Fantastic pizza. I walked in a stranger on a busy Wednesday night in Cranston. I'm already planning when I'm coming back to see my new friends.

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    Catanzaro's Pizzeria Cranston
    Catanzaro's Pizzeria Cranston
    Catanzaro's Pizzeria Cranston

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    Sophia’s Cafe Cranston - sandwiches - Updated June 2026

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