Winter's Bounty

It may be the dead of winter, but there’s so much going on in Southern Rhode Island!

Two new bakeries have opened – Borrelli’s and Silver Spoon Bakery. Borrelli’s Bakery (294-0008) at 820 Boston Neck Road in North Kingstown, just south of Wickford Village, is number four for Carmine and Rosemary Borrelli. The husband-and-wife team also own bakeries in Johnston, Barrington and North Providence. Carmine has been baking for 35 years. Borelli bakeries are known especially for their Italian bread, spinach pies, calzones and pizzas, as well as dessert delicacies such as zeppoles.

Silver Spoon (384-0078) is a completely different kind of bakery, specializing in trendy cupcakes and French macarons. Located at 58 Main Street in East Greenwich, Silver Spoon has a definite French accent. The Parisian-inspired shop is a bit hard to find, but once you go through the dark blue door, head toward the rear of this historic building, you’ll find the tiny shop with its dessert case full of colorful temptations. The cupcakes (about $3 each) are almost too beautiful to eat. The Diva, for example, is a vanilla cupcake topped with sassy hot pink frosting, pink sugar and pearl sprinkles. Their buttery caramel cupcake is frosted with salted caramel icing and gold sugar. The delicate macarons come in a rainbow of colors, from green tea with honey cream filling to almond filled with cherry buttercream. If you can’t wait until you get home, you can have a goodie or two with a cup of French roast coffee or Harney & Sons tea in the cozy front room with its wall-size mural of the Eiffel Tower. Owned by Kelly Colgan, the Silver Spoon Bakery donates a portion of its sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Lung Association and local organizations.

Market by the Sea (322-0232) on Route 1 in Charlestown reopened last year with noted fishmonger Liz Messenger, formerly of The Fish Market (now closed) in North Kingstown. Inside her tiny shop are reasonably priced lobsters, shellfish and all kinds of fresh seafood. Liz always offers her customers a sample taste of either the shrimp cocktail, with her own cocktail sauce, or the hot soups and chowder she makes on the premises. Her prepared foods are equally delicious: stuffies, stuffed scallops, salmon burgers, crab cakes, clams casino and more. For 50 years Market by the Sea has been in that location, next to Henry’s Farm Stand and Ramblin’ Rose Antiques, but it’s never been better. The shop is closed right now for some remodeling – watch for the reopening in the spring.

The waterfront restaurant Clam Jammers in Galilee now has a food truck, spotted recently here and there in Providence.

Come spring, SoHo Ristorante at Pier Marketplace in Narragansett will have expanded patio service with outdoor acoustic and jazz music.

Meldgie’s River Edge Cafe in Wakefield now has a second location at 909 Boston Neck Road, formerly Phil’s Restaurant. Meldgie’s is owned by Mark Eldridge.

The Bike Stop Cafe is slated to open at 148 Boon Street in Narragansett, in the former space of Jackie’s Seaside Cafe. Owned by Casey Montanari and Brendan Roan, the cafe will specialize in wood-fired pizza and tacos.

Orange Leaf Yogurt, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop, has set up shops at the Kingston Emporium near the University of Rhode Island and at 1000 Division Street in East Greenwich. They offer 64 flavors and 80 toppings.

The legendary Villa restaurant and banquet facility (821-0060) has re-opened at 272 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick. Formerly Evelyn’s Villa, the business was acquired by the Caddick family about six months ago. During that time, it has undergone an extensive renovation from the kitchen to the stone façade. The menu is traditional Italian. The Villa also offers “soup and sauce to go” every Sunday.

The popular Coastal Growers Market at Casey Farm in Saunderstown has moved indoors for the winter to Lafayette Mill, 640 Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown.

Ella’s Fine Food & Drink (315-0606) at 2 Tower Street in Westerly has new hours. They are now open every Monday at 4pm in addition to their regular hours. A prix-fixe menu of three courses for $25 is offered every Monday through Thursday.