- Rhode Island is home to many wonderful clam shacks and seafood restaurants.clam image by bedecs from Fotolia.com
Many movies have been filmed in Rhode Island, including "Me, Myself and Irene," "Rain Man," "There's Something About Mary," "True Lies" and "Amistad." No matter how many celebrities pass through there, the true star in Rhode Island will always be the bounty from the sea. Anywhere you choose to go in the state, there are sure to be plenty of seafood restaurants featuring the local catch. - Ask anyone in Newport where the best chowder is made, and all of them will agree on The Black Pearl. Located on Bannister's Wharf, the structure was built in the 1920s. It served as a sail loft and marine machine shop until 1967 when a local yachtsman purchased the site and turned it into the area's first fine dining restaurant. It has gone through several renovations since then, adding an outdoor patio and bar among other things, but the interior still retains much of the original materials and every bit of the old ambiance.
The Black Pearl's Tavern has a more casual atmosphere and serves both lunch and dinner. The menu offers everything from omelettes to burgers to entrees. The Waterside Patio & Bar has a limited menu including its famous clam chowder, selections from the raw bar, salads and sandwiches and seafood from the grill. The Commodore Room offers traditional fine dining and serves up an assortment of seafood including a grilled 2 1/2 lb. lobster with tomato-basil buerre blanc, salmon with a mustard-dill hollandaise and littleneck clams with Dutch peppers and bacon. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Black Pearl
10 W Pelham Street
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 846-5264
blackpearlnewport.com - Flo's is traditional Rhode Island clam shack serving up mounds of fried clams and other seafood as well as hot dogs and burgers in a casual and lively environment. The dining area on the ground floor is filled with kitschy marine memorabilia and an open kitchen where diners can watch the seafood be prepared. The second floor patio offers a view of the ocean as well as a raw bar.
The menu features clams in a variety of preparations. Choose from three types of clam chowder, stuffed quahogs, clam cakes, raw clams and fried clams with or without their bellies. White fish, oysters, calamari, scallops and shrimp are also available.
Flo's Clam Shack
4 Wave Ave.
Middletown, RI 02842
(401) 847-8141
flosclamshack.net - With a prime location overlooking the Narragansett Bay, Iggy's is no newcomer to Rhode Island's seafood scene, winning a spot in Rhode Island Monthly's "Best of Rhode Island" Hall of Fame in 2007. The main dining room is spacious and has taken its design inspiration from the colors of the bay. Oversized end-to-end windows offer water views from almost every table in the dining room.
Although their clam chowder and fried dough sprinkled with sugar, called "doughboys," are the star of the show, Iggy's extensive menu offers plenty of other options. Along with the clam cakes, salads, sides, sandwiches and burgers, diners can also choose a variety of seafood dinners include lobster rolls, fish and chips and stuffed quahogs. Take out is available.
Iggy's Doughboys & Chowder House
1157 Point Judith Road
Narragansett, RI 02882
(401) 783-5608
iggysdoughboys.com
