{"id":81522,"date":"2026-11-07T22:13:35","date_gmt":"2026-11-07T22:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/81522\/"},"modified":"2026-11-07T22:13:35","modified_gmt":"2026-11-07T22:13:35","slug":"newport-rhode-islands-best-al-fresco-restaurants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/81522\/","title":{"rendered":"Newport, Rhode Island\u2019s Best Al Fresco Restaurants"},"content":{"rendered":"

A breezy guide to the best al fresco restaurants and bars in Little Rhody\u2019s City by the Sea.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tDevoted foodies and restaurant newbies love The Feed. Sign-up now for our twice weekly newsletter.\t\t<\/p>\n

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Newport Vineyard\u2019s patio dining area. \/ Photo by Annabelle Henderson<\/p>\n

Wouldn\u2019t you rather be near the beaches this summer, relishing the coastal breeze on an open-air waterfront patio while sipping an Aperol spritz? We would too, so you\u2019ll find us exploring these delightful restaurants\u2019 al fresco dining spaces and savoring local culinary delicacies until fall weather forces us back inside. Lucky for us (and you!), Newport\u2014an easy 90-minute drive from Boston\u2014and its surrounding communities are a wealth of plein-air dining options, from the bustling downtown harborfront to the rural Sakonnet River and across Narragansett Bay.<\/p>\n

The area also has become known for far more than just fried clams and lobster rolls. Menus are replete with locally caught seafood and farm-raised produce (calamari is even the state\u2019s official appetizer, so you know it\u2019s gotta be good), as well as Rhode Island-crafted wines, beers, and spirits. Rest assured\u2014your palate won\u2019t be on vacation even if the skies are cloudy.<\/p>\n

Downtown Newport is wonderfully walkable, so if you\u2019re lodging downtown, stroll along the wharves to a waterfront table for lunch, then hop in an Uber to explore the rest of Aquidneck Island. (Yes, Newport is on an island.) If staying elsewhere, you can park at Mary Street or the Mooring restaurant parking lot, or take your chances with hourly street parking and pay via the Passport app. (Find more lodging ideas here.)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s plenty of time to slurp, sip, and savor your way to a mouthwatering summer in Newport\u2014and nearby. Here are our top picks within the city and a bit beyond.<\/p>\n

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One of the Brenton Hotel\u2019s three rooftop areas. \/ Courtesy photo<\/p>\n

NEWPORT<\/p>\n

If you score a room at the Brenton Hotel (31 America\u2019s Cup Ave.), Newport\u2019s newest boutique hotel overlooking the harbor, order a Naked Topsides cocktail or local Whaler\u2019s Brewing RISE APA from the chic Living Room restaurant, and take it to the roof. Three directions of water views are the perfect accompaniment for a chill sunset. Then devour the native mussels that are bathed in coconut curry white wine sauce, and order extra bread to soak it all up. If shellfish isn\u2019t your thing, the grass-fed Brenton sliders, goat cheese and fig-glazed flatbread, and plant-based meatball are equally delicious for lunch or dinner. (Bonus: The Brenton is very dog-friendly.)<\/p>\n

Giusto\u2019s<\/p>\n

Down the street, you\u2019ll find that settling into the couches on Giusto\u2019s\u00a0waterside patio (4 Commercial Wharf) is like transporting yourself to Italy. (Bostonians may recognize chef and owner Kevin O\u2019Donnell as cofounder of SRV in the South End, a four-time Best of Boston winner in the Italian category.) Amid the energy of a summer\u2019s eve downtown, yet set just far enough back to be private, this space is at once invigorating and calming. As such, it\u2019s really the most sublime spot for a cocktail and meal with those you cherish. Start with that famous fried calamari or heirloom tomato salad, both of which are in season right this minute. You really shouldn\u2019t leave until you\u2019ve savored the squid ink bucatini with frutti di mare, \u2019nduja spicy sausage, and zucchini, or gramigna with spicy pork ragu, carrots, and fava beans. An espresso martini may be all you need for dessert, but order the authentic pineapple crostata anyway\u2014because we never regret dessert.<\/p>\n

Related Guides<\/p>\n

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The small dishes at Cabana include seared sesame tuna and a local cheese trio plate.\/ Photo by Annie Sherman<\/p>\n

Cabana<\/p>\n

Over on Broadway, you\u2019ll find a slew of eateries with tables unfurling onto the front sidewalk. But one of its recent additions, 2022 arrival Cabana\u00a0(140 Broadway), is known for what\u2019s out back. Its popular Beach Bar is an homage to the city\u2019s nautical heritage and is a post-sunset favorite with Rum Pigs and Broadway Juleps flowing freely under the patio lights. Pair local oysters with the cheese trio and baguette, or go right for the steak frites and seared tuna with cauliflower puree as the stars come out.<\/p>\n

Belle\u2019s Cafe<\/p>\n

On your way out of town, stop into Belle\u2019s Caf\u00e9 (1 Washington St.) at Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard for a hearty post-night-out brunch. The shipyard is an active port, so the megayachts docked there will set your heart aflutter. Once you recover, find your dockside table under an umbrella, where the wacky waffles, shipyard sandwich, or build-your-own omelet, paired with a bloody mary, should set you straight.<\/p>\n

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Native fluke with fennel puree, roasted beet, green olive and beet vinaigrette at The Mooring. \/ Photo by Annie Sherman<\/p>\n

A Cheat Sheet to More Can\u2019t-Miss Summer Dining in Newport<\/p>\n

At these classic Newport eateries, you\u2019ll be greeted enthusiastically, whether it\u2019s luxury white-linen dining or the casual paper napkin crowd.<\/p>\n

Since 1936, Flo\u2019s Clam Shack (4 Wave Ave., Middletown) adjacent to Easton Beach in Newport or Island Park in Portsmouth, has been a staple of fried clams, raw bar, and other timeless seafood dishes.
\nGrab a bowl of chowder and mudslide at 22 Portside (22 Bowen\u2019s Wharf) in the heart of Bowen\u2019s Wharf, where people-watching along the busy harborfront is an added bonus.
\nThe patio at Pasta Beach (138 Bellevue Ave.), which also has a Boston location,\u00a0is a fashionable Miami Beach-style Italian bistro where the espresso martini cuts the creamy bucatini cacio e pepe perfectly.
\nStop into the casual Surf Club (337 Thames St.), a subterranean restaurant and cocktail bar with a hoppin\u2019 sidewalk caf\u00e9 at the center of town.
\nIs it summer in Newport if you don\u2019t lunch at the Mooring (1 Sayers Wharf)? We think not.<\/p>\n

BEYOND NEWPORT
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Photo by Annabelle Henderson<\/p>\n

Trade the urban crowds for pastoral vineyard vistas at Newport Vineyards (909 East Main Rd., Rte 138) in Middletown. With its restaurant and Taproot Brewing along with estate-grown wines, this has become a regional destination for casual wine and beer flights, tasty small plates to share on the patio, and hearty farm-fresh meals from scratch. Whet your appetite with Newport Sea Salt pretzels and monk(fish) nuggets, and launch into a Pt. Judith bluefin tuna burger, or Cloverbud Ranch roast beef sammie with house boursin cheese, or the Vineyard Grown pizza with roasted mushrooms, pea greens, rosemary cream, and parmesan.<\/p>\n

Head out to 15 Point Road (15 Point Rd.) on the banks of the Sakonnet River in Portsmouth where the peaceful water views and fresh native dishes will steal your breath. The lobster mac and cheese is a fan favorite, but the almond-crusted halibut with orange ginger beurre blanc comes in a close second. There\u2019s also something earth-shattering about a local filet mignon that melts on your tongue, or perhaps that\u2019s the roasted split duck with blueberries, raspberry gelee, and hoisin glaze? We can\u2019t decide, but no worries, because everything tastes fantastic on this al fresco patio\u2014especially when you chase it with Grand Marnier cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

In Tiverton, don\u2019t overlook the Red Dory (1848 Main Rd.) and its charming patio. Its fresh cuisine is sourced largely from the area\u2019s farmers and fishermen, highlighted with Mediterranean flavors. Wake up your taste buds with fluke ceviche, or go for broke with the raw bar platter. A smoked haddock and clam chowder is a hearty hug on a rainy day, while Spanish octopus can be your little Ocean State experiment. Or play it safe with pan-seared sea scallops with a garlic scape and hazelnut pesto.<\/p>\n

On the other side of Narragansett Bay, Jamestown\u2019s newest pedigreed neighbor is Beech (13 Narragansett Ave.), featuring multiple levels of al fresco dining in the arbors. While that Aperol spritz glass clinks and friends\u2019 laughter emanates into the sky, you peruse the deep menu. Those sticky ribs in a pickled plum sauce are a wise choice because they will surely stick to yours, followed by littleneck clams in chitarra pasta, or maybe the Narragansett Beer-battered cod fish and chips. Linger under the stars with another cocktail and you\u2019ll really see what summer in Newport County is all about. But if you didn\u2019t get enough, come back for brunch tomorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A breezy guide to the best al fresco restaurants and bars in Little Rhody\u2019s City by the Sea. Devoted foodies and restaurant newbies love The Feed. Sign-up now for our twice weekly newsletter. Newport Vineyard\u2019s patio dining area. \/ Photo by Annabelle Henderson Wouldn\u2019t you rather be near the beaches this summer, relishing the coastal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":81523,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[6348,6346,6344,6347,6345],"class_list":["post-81522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rhode-island","tag-rhode-island","tag-rhode-island-dining","tag-rhode-island-food","tag-rhode-island-grocery-stores","tag-rhode-island-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117577462840036229","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}