The Best American Food in Providence
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The best American food in Providence, according to the experts: AAA, the Forbes Travel Guide, and Wine Enthusiast have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Aurelia at Castle Hill comes out on top.
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Oberlin and Nicks on Broadway hold the next two places. AAA shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with the James Beard Awards close behind.
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Rank 1. Aurelia at Castle Hill
Classic New England
The awards
- AAA AAA: Five Diamonds
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Travel Guide: Forbes Five Star
- Wine Enthusiast Wine Enthusiast: Forward 50 Restaurants
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Rank 2. Oberlin
American
Oberlin is a downtown Providence restaurant where locals take their New York friends to prove the city can be chic and still feed you well. The seafood plates rotate, the staff will talk you through the vermouth list without making you feel like a tourist, and the salt cod brandade arrives with grilled country bread. It's a James Beard Outstanding Restaurant nominee, and the raw bar next door handles the wait.
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurant
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- The New York Times The New York Times: 2017 · 2 stars · Restaurant Review
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurant
- AAA Three Diamonds
- The New York Times 2017 · 2 stars · Restaurant Review
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Rank 3. Nicks on Broadway
Seasonal American
The awards
- AAA AAA: Three Diamonds
- USA Today USA Today: Restaurants of the Year
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Northeast · Derek Wagner
- AAA Three Diamonds
- USA Today Restaurants of the Year
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Northeast · Derek Wagner
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Fried chicken in five flavors, ranging from OG to Nashville hot, is the organizing principle at this Southern comfort spot tucked into East Providence. The menu reads like a greatest-hits of the genre: pimento mac and cheese, sweet potato tater tots, cornbread with honey butter. The chef earned a James Beard semifinalist nod in 2025, which is not a bad argument for crossing a state line for a thigh, a drumstick, and Texas toast.
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Northeast · Nick Rabar
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Rank 5. Waterman Grille
Barbecue
The awards
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Rank 6. Club Frills
American Burger Joint
Club Frills is a cocktail bar dressed as a 70s basement, with fake wood paneling, a disco ball, and tabletops that are marble only in spirit. It wears the dive costume without the sticky floors or the low prices. The drinks run low-ABV and funky, often in colors not found in nature, and the kitchen turns out a burger built around diced olives. It was a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
The awards
- The Infatuation The 27 Best Restaurants In Providence
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Jesse Hedberg