Providence/Fox Point

Close in proximity to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, visitors to these schools – as well as business travelers – often choose to stay in Fox Point, rather than pay the exorbitant price of a downtown Providence hotel room. Business travelers who prefer not to be stuck in their hotel rooms for the duration of their trips give Wickenden Street high marks on Yelp.com.

Traditionally a Portuguese neighborhood, Fox Point has held onto its roots; although Wickenden Street offers a hodge-podge of various ethnicities and cultural traditions.

Wickenden Street is a nice break from the hustle of Providence. Wickenden Street in general can be described as eclectic, featuring twists on original and classic foods and coffee. Although there are a few original and small shops on the street, Wickenden is mostly renowned for a few relaxing hot spots. The artwork gracing the telephone poles is the first sign that Wickenden Street is big on personality. This stretch of Providence is a funky mix of galleries, antique shops, junk shops, restaurants and cafes. Also a formerly working-class Portuguese neighborhood that's been steadily gentrified, Wickenden Street has antiques stores, galleries, and trendy cafés. Professors, artists, and students are among the newer residents here. Many of the houses along Wickenden, Transit, Gano, and nearby streets are still painted the pastel colors of Portuguese homes.

Wickenden Street runs approximately two miles up and down the hills that mark Providence's East Side. It begins at the intersection of Gano Street (approximately 1/4 of a mile from the Radisson Hotel on the waterfront at India Point Park), and ends at the traffic light where Benefit Street intersects Point Street. From either starting point, you can move on up the hill that is Wickenden Street (Yes, it really is uphill, both ways, joined by the flat that is George M.Cohan Square, named after the father of the American Musical Comedy, who also happens to be a native son of Wickenden Street).

• 🌍 India Point Park. A year-round area attraction; the site of many cultural festivals hosted by Providence’s various non-profit organizations. It is easily accessed from the India Point Park Walking Bridge that spans from George M. Cohan Boulevard across the I-195 highway. The walking bridge runs parallel to Wickenden Street, and George M. Cohan Boulevard offers plenty of parking for Wickenden Street’s many businesses. 
• 🌍 Adler's Hardware. Back on Wickenden Street, you can travel through the generations of Americana at a third-generation family owned store that offers everything under the sun, from old-fashioned wooden washboards and aluminum wash-tubs to high-end, custom-tinted paint. It’s the kind of place where if it has something to do with home-goods or hardware and Adler’s doesn’t sell it, it most likely doesn’t exist. It can be fun to simply browse the aisles and explore all that there is to see and, more often than not, you will see students from the Rhode Island School of Design shopping for project supplies, before heading across the street to Fellini's Pizzeria for a slice or two of freshly made thin-crust pizza (traditional or gourmet options, such as Philly Cheese Steak or Buffalo Chicken!) or freshly made canolli, a delicious Sicilian pastry. 

If people watching is your thing, you can make your way down the block to The Coffee Exchange, an environmentally friendly, sustainable coffee serving coffee shop with tasty wares and a lovely, elevated view from the front porch or side and back decks. Inside, you will meet people from all walks of life; from college students to their professors and other non-academic types, with collars of every color. All are welcome, so long as they keep an open and respectful mind for the views of others. Often times, the conversations turn to spirited debate, making for interesting listening, too.

After visiting, you may find yourself a regular patron of Wickenden Street’s offerings – so feel free to inquire about the rest of what Fox Point and the East Side has to offer, including:

• Walking tours. Guided tours take place often throughout the year (check local listings for times and dates); and Brown University has set up signs at several locations of locally historical significance as a part of the “Speaking of Wickenden” cell-phone tour. Use your mobile phone to call (401) 415-0206 wherever you see a “Speaking of Wickenden” sign to hear a pre-recorded history of the site.
• Locally owned organic grocery stores; especially the East Side Marketplace (another Best of Rhode Island winner) which is just a short drive away in Richmond Square (the line of demarcation between Fox Point and the East Side). In addition to offering organic groceries, East Side Marketplace's Café offers a great, casual dining experience at reasonable prices. Every month the Café holds various social events, with a different food theme. Plus, there have been many celebrity sightings there – from the late George Harrison and John F Kennedy, Jr. to actress Natalie Portman (all connected to Brown University).
• Saturday Sidewalk Sales along Wickenden Street occur every week, as merchants line the sidewalks with wares for sale and residents join in by hosting tables of their own unwanted treasures. It can be a lot of fun to peruse the one-of-a-kind items on display and for sale. If you plan to shop, be sure to bring cash because most residents do not accept checks or credit/debit cards, although the merchants of Wickenden Street do accept plastic.

Wickenden Street is about much more than just food and drink. In addition to the pubs and cafés – and the one “snuggery”– there are several antique stores and art galleries; as well as public art found in the murals displayed on many storefronts, all done by local artists. Unique places to shop include:

• 🌍 Eastside Marketplace, 165 Pitman Street, ☏ +1 401 831-7771. 8AM-10PM. Eastside Marketplace is a local grocery store owned by residents of the east side of providence. The place has fresh local meats and produce as well as organic foods. The selection of organic foods is very popular with customers. The market also serves free coffee to shoppers. Eastside Marketplace also serves hot food, which is cooked and prepared right in the store. Customers can stop in the cafe section of the store and enjoy a meal and buy a cup of coffee. 
• 🌍 Round Again Records, 278 Wickenden St, ☏ +1 401 351-6292. M-F 11AM-6PM; Sa 11AM-5PM. For those who still know what an LP record is. (updated Jan 2022)
• 🌍 NAVA, 197 Wickenden St, ☏ +1 401 453-6282. NAVA stands for New And Vintage Apparel, which is exactly what you'll find, along with accessories and housewares. 
• 🌍 Marc Allen Clothiers, 200 S Main St, ☏ +1 401 453-0025. This is for the men who want to walk into an office and have people say, “I thought he was just the intern, but he must have gotten a promotion.” Yeah, those guys. 

You will find a criss-crossing of coffee shops and cafes offering breakfast and lunch, juxtaposed by their restaurant counterparts offering lunch and dinner.

• 🌍 Pizza Pie-er, 374 Wickenden Street. After a night out or when you’re in need of something quick check out Pizza Pie-er. The name is self-explanatory, but it doesn’t say how amazing their pizza is, ranging by whole pizza or by the slice. You can even create your own pizza with their eclectic and delicious toppings, ranging from conventional cheese or pepperoni to meat, turkey, baked potato, bacon, vegetables, peppers, ham, pineapple and even a wide variety of cheeses. There are 10 sauces to choose from and 5 types of crust. The possibilities are not only delicious, but virtually endless. You can even order online! 
• 🌍 Fellini's Pizzeria, 166 Wickenden Street, ☏ +1 401 751-6737. Su-W 11AM-11PM, Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-2AM. New York-style, thin-crust pizza with creative toppings. Boasting an open-area kitchen, patrons of Fellini's can watch the pizza dough being stretched by hand the old-fashioned way – by being thrown up into the air and caught on the way down. It makes for quite a show! In business since 1989, Fellini’s consistently ranks among Rhode Island Monthly magazine’s Best of Rhode Island. Fun atmosphere, for kids and kids at heart due to the pinball machines. Awesome specials, specifically at Thanksgiving time, which is when they offer a one-time-a-year Thanksgiving style pizza. Free delivery for Providence area. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Sakura, 231 Wickenden Street, ☏ +1 401 331-6861. Traditional Japanese cuisine and fresh sushi, in true Japanese style.. Large selection of specialty rolls. The staff is very friendly although some are hard to understand. It can get very busy and sometimes the only available in the dining room where you must sit on the floor at the tables. You usually find a lot of college students in this dining room, they don't mind it. BYOB. Meals $6-20. 
• 🌍 Taste of India Restaurant, 230 Wickenden Street, Providence, RI, ☏ +1 401 421-4355. M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5-10PM; Sa Su noon-3PM, 5-9:30PM. A small but cozy Indian restaurant which specializes in curry dishes and authentic appetizers. Authentic India Food with a seven days a week lunch buffet. Vegan friendly, and also offers Gluten-free menu items. Price range $2-$35. 
• 🌍 Amy's Place, 214 Wickenden St, ☏ +1 401 274-9966. Daily 8AM-9PM. Breakfast is served until 4PM and they have an outdoor patio. The cozy atmosphere also has an art gallery with local work on display. 
• 🌍 Brickway on Wickenden, 234 Wickenden St, ☏ +1 401 751-2477. M-F 7AM-3PM, Sa Su 8AM-3PM. A very family-oriented restaurant. Serves breakfast, which is available all day, and lunch. The wait can be long on a weekend morning, but it is worth it for the chocolate chip and banana pancakes. If savory is your thing, you can’t go wrong with one of their unique omelets. Reasonable prices and has brunch on Sundays. 
• 🌍 Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches, 401 S. Main St., ☏ +1 401 751-2248, geoffs.on.southmain@gmail.com. Daily 11AM-6PM. A family-owned sandwich shop where you will find the food a tad on the expensive side, but worth it for the quality of their products and the non-commercial atmosphere. 
• 🌍 Tea in Sahara, 69 Governor St., ☏ +1 401 709-3252, mohamed@teainsahara.com. Tu-Su 11AM-11PM. Very affordable Moroccan appetizers, smoothies, and paninis. Hookahs, with a variety of flavors, are also served. Relaxed atmosphere and friendly servers. Free WiFi provided. 

• 🌍 The Wickenden Pub, 320 Wickenden St.. Tastes from every culture imaginable, serving over 99 beers from around the world (but no food; they do not have a kitchen, so it is strongly suggested that you dine before you stop in for a pint or several!). 
• 🌍 The Coffee Exchange, 207 Wickenden Street, ☏ +1 401 273-1198. Daily 6:30AM-11PM. Voted the number 1 coffee shop on the East Coast, it’s one of the most popular spots for coffee. It’s a neighborhood favorite with their organic coffee. All coffee purchases support environmental sustainability and all decafs are water pressed, no chemicals. It is the founder of Coffee Kids, international non profit organization to help coffee-farming families in Mexico, Central America and South Africa to improve the quality of their lives. Their coffees range from African, Latin American, and interesting blends such as Sante Fe, Cochabamba, and Mel’s Private Stock. The Coffee Exchange is also a great place to relax and break up your day as you can sit outdoors on the patio overlooking the street or sit inside in the warm, cozy artistic setting adorned with graffiti and art on the walls. 
• 🌍 The Wild Colonial, 250 S. Water Street, ☏ +1 401 621-5644. Bar opens at 4PM most days, 5PM on the weekends. Stays open until 1AM Sunday-Wednesday, 2AM Thursday-Saturday. The Wild Colonial was once named “One of the 50 best bars in America” by Esquire Magazine and has continued to enjoy wild success since it opened. The aesthetic of the bar is absolutely incredible (mostly brick, hardwood tables), and that helps it maintain an old-English style atmosphere. You can play billiards and darts, the beer selection is phenomenal, and the food is very good. All in all, it’s a great place for a long night out. 
• 🌍 The Hot Club, 25 Bridge St, ☏ +1 401 861-9007, Hotclubprov@gmail.com. The outside bar overlooks the water, which is nice in the summer. Decently priced drinks, featuring $2 Gansetts. 

In addition to hotels, longer-term rentals are available in store-front apartments right along Wickenden Street and duplex-style apartments off of the many side-streets that make up the Fox Point region. These apartments are especially welcoming of college students seeking off-campus housing.