Long Weekend in Newport, RI

Where to Eat

Our trip was centered around enjoying fresh seafood, and the restaurants below certainly delivered! However, Newport’s culinary scene offers much more to explore. For example, Clarke Cooke House is an 18th century building on the wharf famous for their seafood. They also have a summer sushi menu I hear is not to be missed. The restaurant also has both a porch dining room and candy store bistro. Next trip I also plan to make a reservation at the White Horse Tavern. It’s the oldest operating restaurant in the country, open since 1673.

Corner Cafe 

110 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840 | cornercafenewport.com/ 

The charming Corner Cafe serves breakfast all-day everyday starting at, 7:30 am making it an ideal early morning breakfast stop with a toddler. It’s first come first serve and typically a bit of a wait on the weekends, but it’s worth it. They serve a menu full of breakfast favorites like omelets and a variety of eggs Benedict options and have unique weekly specials. The Wooten’s French toast came highly recommended by friends who had been and it didn’t disappoint. It’s made with sweet eggy bread served with homemade maple pecan butter. 

Must order: Wooten’s Sweetbread French Toast with homemade pecan butter.

Lunch

The Black Pearl

30 Bannister’s Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 | blackpearlnewport.com/ 

Located on Bannister’s Wharf in the heart of downtown Newport, this restaurant consists of two parts – a tavern and patio for outdoor dining perfect for summer weather. The Black Pearl is famous for its thick, rich New England clam chowder (it’s even available for purchase online here). We enjoyed lobster sandwiches piled with lobster meat in mayo on croissants with butter lettuce. 

Must order: Clam chowder

Newport Lobster Shack 

150 Long Wharf Newport, RI 02840 | newportlobstershack.com/ 

One of the cool things about the Lobster Shack is that it’s actually a co-op started by lobster fishermen in 2009 so they are able to sell their catch directly to the public. It doesn’t get any fresher than that! The lobsters, crab and conch are all caught off Aquidneck Island. The lobster roll was great, piled with large chunks of meat in mayo with some chopped celery on a buttered roll. The standout to me was the lobster bites – fried pieces of lobster served with a spicy mayo sauce for dipping. They also offer strips for just a few dollars less. I think it’s worth it to pay for the fried pieces of prime lobster claws and knuckle meat. 

Must order: Lobster bites. 

Wally’s Weiners 

464 Thames St, Newport, RI 02840 | wallyswieners.com/ 

Weenies and ‘tinis  make for a wonderful and fun pairing at this restaurant on Thames Street. There is an extensive menu for both hot dogs and espresso martinis with seating at the bar and tables both upstairs and downstairs. Because the menu offers a ton of diner favorites including corn dogs, smash burgers and fries in addition to the hot dogs, it was a perfect place for the whole family. The elote dog with street corn relish and the kimchi dog with kimchi and black yuzu were both hits. The espresso martini menu ranges from the classic “dark” – made with vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh brewed espresso to the more fun and unique one like the “raspberry white mocha” made with raspberry vodka, white chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao, coffee liqueur and espresso. Try my espresso martini recipe for your next night out (or in).

Must order: Elote dog and one of the espresso martinis. 

Dinner 

The Lawn at Castle Hill 

590 Ocean Ave, Newport, RI 02840 | castlehillinn.com/ 

If you’re looking for a picturesque spot with a view of the East Bay, great food and cocktails, I highly recommend the Lawn at Castle Hill. It also happens to be where my Uncle and Aunt met at a wedding years ago. I made a reservation ahead of time for the terrace which secures a table with a view. Alternatively you can try your luck without a reservation and snag one of the Adirondack chairs overlooking the water from 11am to sunset. They’re first come first serve with walk up bar service. While you can’t order food there, it’s worth it to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine and watch the boats pass by. Castle Hill Inn guests have access to a private lawn section. 

Rather than eating a full meal, we came at an off time for a late lunch/ early dinner and enjoyed shared appetizers. We started with an order of local oysters with rosé vinegar, a delicious start to any meal. We followed it with an order of smoked bluefin tuna dip and roasted corn croquettes. I’ve since heard they are also famous for their chocolate chip cookies so I’m certainly bummed I missed out on those! 

Must order: a dozen oysters

Scales and Shells 

527 Thames St, Newport, RI 02840 | scalesandshells.com/ 

Scales and Shells is located a bit further down on Thames Street, set a bit away from the busier harbor area. The calamari appetizer stood out. The crispy fried pieces are tender on the inside and served with Fresno chilies and a well-balanced spicy pepper mayo for dipping. The lobster pasta entrée was simple yet delicious. Radiatore pasta was tossed in a very light lobster bisque sauce with asparagus and a grilled lobster tail that added a slightly smoky flavor. The raw bar, aptly named ½ Shell, is attached to the main restaurant and offers local oysters, littleneck clams, and a frequently changing selection of other fresh options.

Matunuck Oyster Bar 

629 Succotash Rd, Wakefield, RI 02879 | rhodyoysters.com/ 

While not in Newport, it’s the perfect stop on the way in or out (it’s about 30 minutes from Newport). We arrived a bit on the early side, showing up just after opening at 10:30am, but it was worth it. We started with a dozen oysters on the half shell harvested right outside the restaurant (it doubles as an oyster farm on Potter Pond). On some days they even give tours. We ordered the lobster pizza – made on naan bread with large chunks of lobster claw and knuckle meat with a mascarpone base, gouda cheese and mozzarella, with crispy prosciutto and a drizzle of white truffle oil. It was indulgent and over the top in all the best ways. It started raining a bit which called for a cup of New England clam chowder, filled with chopped clams, potatoes and bacon.

Must order: Lobster pizza. 

Cliff Walk

The 3.5 mile cliff walk is a great (free) way to see the gilded age estates, or “summer cottages” along the coast. There are several entrances to the cliff walk from different streets. The Narragansett entrance to the right is currently undergoing construction, so I recommend entering at Webster Street. There is metered street parking along each entrance. The path is paved and wide enough for strollers though I recommend entering at Ruggles for the most accessible path. It is also available to tour.

Newport Mansions & Gardens 

While the cliff walk is a great way to see the gilded age mansions from the ocean-front property that they look out over, many of them are historically designated and available to tour. The Breakers is the grandest estate, built in 1895, and provides a grandiose show of the Vanderbilt family’s financial prominence during that era. You can choose to tour one or multiple properties with tickets around $25. I’ve also heard great things about the Servant Life Tour, focusing on those who worked behind the scenes for the wealthy families in the area. 

Boat Tour

31 Bowen’s Wharf Newport, RI 02840 |  discovernewport.org/things-to-do/tours/harbor-tours

It wouldn’t be right to visit the sailing capital of the world without making it out onto the water. We didn’t have a tour scheduled ahead of time, so instead we walked down to Bannister’s Wharf and found one about to leave. The 75-minute tour was on The Rum Runner II, a classic 1920’s yacht that used to transport liquor during prohibition. We did the morning tour to see another perspective of the city’s coastal beauty, showcasing lighthouses, islands and historic sights, but they also offer a sunset sail that I’ve heard is lovely! It was incredible to see some of the 1000 boats docked in the Newport harbor in the summer months.

Brenton Point State Park 

Ocean Drive, Newport, RI 02840 | riparks.ri.gov/parks/brenton-point-state-park 

We stopped after an early dinner at the Lawn at Castle Hill. With views of the ocean and a large grassy area, it was the perfect spot for my toddler to run around and burn off some additional energy. There were plenty of people flying kite’s and enjoying picnics. The stretch overlooks Ocean Drive, a 10-mile stretch of scenic road. 

Easton’s Beach 

175 Memorial Blvd, Newport, RI 02840 | https://www.cityofnewport.com/visiting-newport/eastons-beach

One of the draws of this coastal town is the beach. Easton’s Beach, also known as First Beach, is the most popular in Newport stretching ¾ of a mile with metered parking available. We went early in the morning and spent some quality time on the beach with just a few other people around. Sachuest Beach, or Second Beach, is dog friendly in the early mornings! 

Shopping

America’s Cup Ave and Thames Street 

The main shopping area stretches down America’s Cup Ave and extends down to Thames Street. Bowen’s Wharf and Bannister’s Wharf are filled with restaurants but also have more touristy shops. I did pick up Jackson’s first Black Dog sweatshirt from one of my favorites. I recommend stopping into Shore Soap Company for some locally made candles and bath products.