Pawtucket Rising

I think the principle choice in my life is whether I turn left or right at the end of my street. Left, and I am swiftly on Hope Street, headed towards the familiar bars, restaurants, and other merry-making options that exist within the city that I consider my first adult home. Right, and I delve into the depths of Pawtucket, which seemed like a joke even after I bought a house just over the border. I mean, why would anyone go to Pawtucket when Providence is right there?

So why do I find myself more and more frequently turning right? Why do I now tell my colleagues at work in Boston that I live in Pawtucket? Why have I been shunning some of my more familiar Providence haunts? Because, at long last, the resurgence of Pawtucket is not just a dream or a theory, but a true, if fragile, thing.

I plan on writing more about what's going on in Pawtucket over the next few months, but I wanted to start by highlighting a few of the places you should be checking out right now.

The first thing you should do if you're a Pawtucket neophyte is to cruise through the downtown. The whole thing is actually on the National Register of Historical Places, mostly because of the fantastic 1800's commercial and industrial architecture. Despite a great number of architectural calamities, you'll get some sense of how wealthy and powerful the city was not too long ago.

While you're there, make sure to check out the Grant, and particularly Cafe Lila, which is making a strong push for being the best independent coffee house in the state. (In a pinch, I'd still give the crown to White Electric.) It is a hard place to describe, so go down to Main Street and check it out for yourself. And, if you want a treat, get a root beer float...you will be a very happy camper. Then check out the odd assortment of businesses and shops that make up the rest of the building.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Pawtucket right now cannot be localized in a single place: rather, it is the collection of artists that are giving the city its pulse which are so intriguing. To find out what's happening in the city's art scene, a good place to start is the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative. With the holidays upon us, you might consider finding some of the many art shows to fill your gift giving needs in a truly original, and beautiful, way.

But you need to sort of localize yourself to eat, and I'm sad to say I haven't eaten a meal in downtown Pawtucket yet (but I'm gunning for the China Inn this week.) Anyway, my favorite raft of Pawtucket restaurants is right on the border of Providence, in the plaza where LJ's Barbeque (which I've already written about) resides. If you're in the mood for something a bit lighter, that same plaza houses the Garden Grille, which is the only vegetarian restaurant that I, as a carnivore in good standing, have ever found to be a pleasant dining experience. It is one of the more unique restaurants in town, and I highly recommend it.

Finally, there are a number of quality bars throughout Pawtucket, many of which have been documented on this site (subliminal message time: gototheBlackstone!). But the most recent addition to my laundry list of bars is certainly the News Cafe, which has friendly people, cheap drinks, and an overall good vibe. When you're tired of the increasing expensification of Providence, it's sweet relief.

Anyway, this is just a primer. The best way to explore Pawtucket is to get in your car, hop on I-95, and get off any exit between 26 and 30. You'll find something worth your time. I guarantee it.

Bar Tabs: Ivy Tavern

Every guy needs to have three skills in his back pocket: first, a quality story he can tell in awkward social situations. Second, he needs a recipe (preferably on the grill) that he can make better than anyone else he knows. And finally, he needs a bar he can go to with a group of people where he knows everyone will have a good time. My story is about the time I got fired, my dish is flame-grilled bruschetta, and my bar is the Ivy Tavern.

Why the Ivy? First and foremost its the bartenders. Its not that I know them really well. The reason I like them is that you don’t need to in order to have a good bar conversation; about the Red Sox, what’s going on in the neighborhood, whatever. At its best, the Ivy feels like a group of friends hanging out, and the bartenders are the gracious hosts.


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Second, the food is pitch-perfect bar fare. The Ivy is the only place other than San Francisco that I’ve ever had finger-sucking good garlic fries. They also do an exemplary job with hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and other pub sandwiches. If none of that suits you, they usually have some decent pizzas or other specials, and my wife can even find a good salad or the like if she’s trying to be healthy.

Finally, there is just something about the place itself. They’ve got a bunch of good beers on tap (reasonably priced, too), some cool old boxing and wrestling posters on the wall, and a notice board with surprisingly funny messages spelled out in scrabble letters. The crowd is a mix of Brown kids, twentysomethings, and neighborhood folks in for a beer and dinner.
Check it out the next time there’s a big game on or you want to spice up a slow Saturday night. Then you just need a good story and a good grill recipe to complete your manly troika.

That Morning Meal

It is easy to forget about breakfast. I spent most of college life and my early adult weekends sleeping well past the hour when any decent person considers eating cereal, eggs and pancakes. But as I age and wisen, I realize that there are very few pleasures (at least culinary pleasures) that compare to sitting down in the morning with a group of friends and chowing down on bacon, omelets, and hash browns, with coffee taking the place of alcohol as the social lubricant.

My absolute favorite breakfast place is the Modern Diner. If you summon up a mental picture of what a diner is, you will see, more or less, the Modern. (That's probably why it was the first diner put on the National Register for Historic Places.) But the nostalgia trip wouldn't be any good if the food wasn't first rate, and it certainly is that. While you wait for a table (and on the weekend, you will wait), you can check out the several dozen specials they have listed. All types of berry-stuffed pancakes, exotic omelets and creative waffles are there for the choosing. Or, you can just get a classic like scrambled eggs with a side of rye toast and a cup of joe and enjoyably waste away the first few hours of your morning.


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The other breakfast spot I keep coming back to is more of a hole-in-the-wall than a diner, strictly speaking. Ruffuls, in the Wayland Square neighborhood on the East Side, is a local institution that many people probably walk by without even noticing. However, once you walk in the first time and taste their hash browns, you'll be loyal for life. Amazingly, you can still have a meal for two at Ruffuls that will leave you completely stuffed and pay about $15, with tip. It would be almost impossible to splurge.


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I personally would be hard-pressed to pick my favorite. I think the Modern Diner might be a bit better for sweet stuff like pancakes, and Ruffuls has the market on omelets and hash browns. But either way, if you're looking to fight off a hangover or bond with family after church, either one of these spots will give you exactly what you want in before-noon dining.