Trend No. 5

There was a time in Providence’s culinary history when the East Side was widely acknowledged as the foodie part of town. It makes total sense: fine dining establishments like Adesso and The Gatehouse drew big crowds practically every night. And while there are still a huge number of great restaurants on the East Side, the West Side is emerging as a dining destination in its own right.

We know, we know. The last thing you need to read is another story about how the West Side is the cool part of town. But consider the evidence here. Favorites like Broadway Bistro, Nicks on Broadway and Loie Fuller’s have been serving crowds for years. But there’s a new crop of restaurants – north, The Grange and Kitchen among them – that are generating a lot of buzz. Most of that buzz is local: The Grange won audience favorite in the I Heart Providence East vs. West Culinary Competition earlier this year. The long-awaited West Side Diner finally opened last month, and people are anticipating new restaurants from the owners of both Julian’s and The Duck and Bunny on Westminster Street later this year.

But, the buzz isn’t all from Providence. North was reviewed in the Boston Globe this summer. Reviewer Devra First said, “Maybe once a year, if I’m lucky, I get to eat somewhere that blows my mind. I just got my taste for 2013. Which is why I’m going to tell you to get in a car and drive to Providence to eat at a tiny restaurant that doesn’t take reservations. It will be worth it.”