Cafe Nuovo

Had dinner at Café Nuovo the other night. The place was packed, as it was a waterfire night. Even though we had reservations, we opted to sit inside because it was very hard to get a seat outside. That was definitely a mistake — the waterfire is gorgeous and worth the wait. Also, some of the tables inside are very close together and people bumped into us a few times.
Still, these are minor complaints. The food ranged from very good (rack of lamb) to extremely good (lamb shank — highly recommended). The crab cakes are worth a try, as they have a very unusual mild spicy flavor. I also liked the crispy sushi, which was an unusual deconstructed take on a traditional sushi dish. The server poured the wine a little fast (common trick to get you to order more), but a lot of places do that.
Very good food and a gorgeous view of waterfire. Pretty expensive so I’d wait for the waterfire to make it truly special.

Nick S. is the best server in Providence! Fantastic wine pairings, menu suggestions and overall attentiveness on a busy waterfire night! Our reservation ended up being early and we started with oysters. We then moved on to out soups — my husband went with the bisque special and I had the tomato soup with goat cheese crostini. For dinner he had a veal porterhouse with garlic mashed and green beans which was unbelievable! I had the braised short rib ravioli and it was excellent. Nuovo cake for dessert was to die for. Great birthday dinner! Highly recommended.

Ten of us had dinner at Café Nuovo on a weekday evening. Although it had been warm during the day, the evening was cool and the outdoor area had not been set up to receive diners. We sat at a long table inside the restaurant.
We began by ordering wines. I was attracted to white and red wines in the $ 36 – 45 range. In both cases, our server talked me up to wines in the low $ 60s. I am now convinced that both of the more expensive wines (a pouilly-​fuissé and an Australian shiraz) were proportionally better than their more modestly priced cousins, but I was slightly put off by the pressure to move up in price.
Our group ordered starters and main courses. At the table, we had many beet salads and at least two plates of local oysters. I ordered the «crispy sushi,» which is described on the menu as containing yellowfin tuna, avocado, «korean chili enoki» and crisp apple. The crispy part of the dish was actually the «crispy rice» at the bottom of the sushi. This was a dish that I ate with a fork and knife. I liked it a lot and definitely recommend it.
Looking at the bottle of shiraz on the table, I selected the boneless beef short rib. This is a $ 31 dish with «Idaho potato pavé, asparagus, organic carrots, red wine bordelaise, parmesan tuile.» There are plenty of dishes that read like this on menus all around the country (and probably the world). I thought that the Café Nuovo version was way above average.
An executive summary of our visit is that the food and drink were remarkably good. The main thing that I found slightly negative was the somewhat pretentious and formal aspect of the service. Toward the end of our stay, the guy to my left started pestering our server about a high-​priced cognac with roman numerals in its name. «Do you really think that a shot of this stuff is worth $ 290?» The server was a bit flustered but finally admitted that he didn’t personally like cognac!
There’s no question that many people come to CN for a special-​ocassional dinner and would feel let down by informal service. I think that Café Nuovo would be perfect for either Donald or Hillary, but I’d probably steer Bernie in the direction of North.

Café Nuovo was one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. From the service, the appetizers, the salads and main dishes, it was second to none. I personally had the Lamb Shank on top of orzo and consider it the best meal I’ve ever had. Highly recommend this restaurant as it seems they are capable of pulling off any type of food. Very Good!

Really enjoyed the food at this restaurant, but the service made our night complete! Our waiter was not only professional but so fun!

I don’t know how we’ve lived in Providence nearly three years and only just checked this place out last night — I’m kicking myself for not trying it long ago. We had a phenomenal dinner with fantastic service. Our server (also certified sommelier) was phenomenal in every aspect of his service. From appetizers to dessert every course was wonderful. Will absolutely be back.

I was soooo excited to eat here, I even browsed the menu before bed the night before.
1^st we got the oysters on the half shell. It was okay. It didn’t taste as fresh as I expected it to.
2^nd I got the beet salad. That was okay too. The shaved greens on the plate were really good and so were the beets. Everything else such as the Brie, thick salt flakes, and thick dressing were unneeded.
3^rd my entrée was «new» salmon with raisin and almond rice and string beans. Can I just say WOW?! I always hate to have my salmon well done in fear of getting it dry but last night it was just perrrrrfect.
Our server was great too. I would’ve given 5 stars for the whole experience if my appetizers were better.
Also, lots of people raved about the bread and oil they bring to the table. I could care less for them. They weren’t even warm.

The food was great, interesting options. Great orrechiette with sugar snap beans and very cool looking artistry on the mousse pot dessert.
1 big point off for not having the menu on the restaurant’s website match the actual (current) menu at the restaurant. Both the appetizer I wanted (dumplings) and the dessert I wanted (bread pudding) were not there — and they were the reason why I chose to go to this restaurant, (And to be clear, I’m not talking about a Unilocal or 3^rd party menu, which I’d be less harsh about since they can’t control that as easily.)
I was in a full-​scale food coma when I left, but definitely happy about the quality of food. My stomach was less of a fan then my palette, but since I ate in a rush, I’ll blame my consumption speed!
John the waiter gets a 5, he was stellar and thoughtful and had a great table-​side manner!

The food at café Nuovo is not only among the best in providence, but I’d say top 10 on the east coast. The dishes are quality, fresh, and unique. I went here for Valentine’s Day with my husband (also for our cheat meal from our diets) and everything from the service, to the bread on the table, to the views were amazing. I got the crispy sushi appetizer which is just an explosion of flavor and textures, I highly recommend it. Visually, it does not look like traditional sushi, but the flavored are amazing. We both got the stuffed rigatoni entrée which is really indescribable. A veal and prosciutto meat mixture is individually piped into vertically standing rigantonis and baked with mozzarella, carmelized onions, and a to. Of other topping I don’t know the names of, but it is a foodgasm in your mouth!

Two part review, first part is about our wedding there and the second about our dining experiences.
1– We were looking for a wedding venue that was as far from cookie cutter wedding venues as we could get. Don’t be fooled, Café Nuovo does their fair share of events and they are certainly too notch from our experiences with our own as well as other events we have attended.
Both Sean (manager) and the owner Dimitri were superb in their roles in helping us walk through menus, pricing, schematics up until the day of as well as the big day itself. The staff was exceptional as well and friends and family raved about the food and service. Sean even recommended vendors for various needs and vendors and staff did a great job of turning the rotunda into a beautiful setting. I highly recommend this place for any important functions if you are looking for phenomenal food and service.
2– We have visited both during the summer (non waterfire night) on the patio as well as in the winter during restaurant week. Each and every time, the food is something to be remembered. The beef tips over risotto are delicious, they melt in your mouth and are accompanied with a homemade herb butter that packs in more flavor. The Boneless Beef Short Rib is also slowly cooked to melt in your mouth. The desserts are truly a work of art and I have yet to dine anywhere else within the area that can deliver something so beautiful and unique that you don’t want to stick a fork in it. Once you do, it’s just as memorable in your mouth as it is in its art form. The lemon cheesecake that I had was accompanied with raspberries, some sort of blackberry sauce and crispy wafers.
Everything is always on point and delicious and we are very excited to spend our anniversaries where we got married!

Downtown Providence is home to many wonderful restaurants, but let’s face it, there are just a handful open for weekday lunch service. Which is why Café Nuovo is my go-​to venue for business lunches.
Beyond the beautiful, bright, classic dining room, Café Nuovo shines at serving a vast menu of brilliantly prepared entrees, with something to please every palate. Staff are Incredibly professional and helpful, and I have enjoyed getting to know them on my frequent visits.
Steak, seafood, pasta – this place has it all, and everything is exceedingly excellent! One of the biggest pleasures I have in sharing Café Nuovo with out-​of-​town guests here on business is the AMAZING desserts. Art, really! The Pot-​O-​Mouse, with its decadent design nod to Providence’s Waterfire, is definitely a «must-​get!»
Speaking of Waterfire, Café Nuovo is THE HOTSPOT for dinner reservations on Watefire night. Sitting outdoors alongside the fire-​lit river is something everyone must experience. Reservations must be made well in advance, but so worth the planning and effort.
Yeah, can’t say enough about this spot. Consistently excellent dining and great for people watching during lunch service. If you’re enamored with the local scene, you’re likely to see the «Who’s Who» of Providence business and political leaders dining next to you. So, consider it «dinner and a show.»

I could go on and on about how spectacular this place was.
The service: one of the best waiter experiences that I’ve had in a very long time. I have a number of food allergies and always note it on OpenTable when I make reservations, and the waiter knew and asked our table who was the allergy sufferer and had already checked on all of my allergens. So above and beyond and I can’t express how much that means from someone who can die from eating the wrong thing. He was also fun and awesome to interact with throughout, and described the specials in extreme detail that showed how much he cared. Thank you Ken– I hope someone from your establishment reads this so you can get extra kudos!
The drinks: the wine list is a novel but the choices are stellar. Also a decent list of specialty cocktails and craft beers. I opted for a Sauvignon Blanc they had on special that came recommended and was stellar. My friend had a white burgundy wine that was spectacular.
The food: last but not least! A nice bread basket and assorted olive dish came out first, followed by the apps we ordered! We got the calamari + shrimp as well as polenta fries. Holy polenta fries– these things were unreal. I could’ve eaten just those the entire time. The calamari + shrimp was standard but good, not the best I’ve had though. For my entrée I ordered the scallops risotto. It was a light lemony risotto with probably 8 scallops on the plate which was generous. Perfectly cooked scallops also!
I can’t wait to come back to Providence just so I can come to this place.

I had such a wonderful Birthday dinner here! They have a beautiful wine list and the tomato and corn soup was super flavorful and fresh. My waiter was very sweet and attentive, and the prices are exactly as they should be. The beef tips were so tender and everything tasted farm to table. Wonderful dining experience!

We had a great dining experience celebrating our fifth anniversary this past weekend. The service was great and the food was beautifully presented and tasted delicious. The desserts were to die for! I highly recommend Café Nuovo. It’s worth the drive from Massachusetts and convenient with valet parking.

A classy contemporary restaurant that I can’t get enough of.
Every time we’ve gone over the past 4 or 5 years has been a memorable food event. Last night I had the angus steak and I believe it was Parmesan risotto. They put some kind of mushroomy gravy on the steak. I’d like to take a bath in it. We had the beet salad to start, which was a simple dish they made out of this world. My husband had the lamb shank, and enjoyed it immensely. Oh and bring your appetite, they have great portion sizes.
The waitstaff has always been flawless too as well as the hostess who deals with throngs of people asking for the outside deck seating overlooking the river during waterfires at the last minute with poise and grace. She never seems frustrated by the question despite the fact that she must get asked that question 1000x a night.
Speaking of that if you can swing a reservation sitting outside on the deck in general and especially during waterfires it is a very special experience not to be missed. Plan early if you want to do this. Reserve seats months in advance.
Enjoy your meal!

Dining at Café Nuovo for my husband and me is a prince and princess experience. The warmth of the owner, manager, and assistants as well as the entire waitstaff is so very heartwarming. This past Saturday, we were fortunate that our wedding anniversary fell on a Waterfire evening so our experience with our Nuovo family was even more special. Food is always prepared to perfection from appetizer through dessert. Thank you, once again, dear Nuovo family for your countless efforts and superb service, and for making this anniversary a remarkable one.

Great food, service was good as well.
Been in RI a long time and hard for a restaurant to stay relevant… And we’ll they do it. Super modern twist on classics. Restaurant is tight in a NYC kinda way but not too loud as the ceiling height is good.
Thinking about it… GO! And get dessert… OHHH get dessert.

We (15 of us) took mom to Café Nuovo on Mother’s Day to celebrate Mother’s Day and her 85^th birthday two weeks early. We chose Nuovo because it is where she wanted to be taken and you don’t argue with mom on her 85^th birthday (even when it is two weeks early)!
Café Nuovo is a very nice venue overlooking the Providence River with excellent food. Portions are average in size but above average in quality (though one of our party felt they use too much salt — but you will never get 16 of us to totally agree!). I had the tuna that I very much enjoyed Another hit as the scallop and shrimp combo. It was a bit strange that the featured «Special» was a item straight off the menu. On the other hand it caught my eye and I ordered it!
Service was a bit slow (it was a busy day) and some of the food arrived late but the servers were very pleasant. Also the bathroom was very nice! The only downers were that there was no lunch menu (we were there at noon) and one other thing which may or may not have been the valet parker’s fault was that they returned our car with a flat tire (that we discovered less than a block out of the parking lot). Finally I think Café Nuovo is fairly priced for a high end restaurant.

Had a great meal right up until the experience was ruined by the rude parking attendant. The restaurant is fabulous but unfortunately they don’t have their own parking during the daytime.
There were plenty of parking spaces available and I had to send out a contract before leaving the lot. The parking attendant rudely pushed me out! Unless they get their own parking, I won’t be back. I don’t need to be hassled after what I spent on lunch and then the $ 6.00 to park for an hour.
P. S. The steak tips Risotto is to die for but you’ll have to find a place on the street to park…

Pretty solid choice here! Some of the best service I have had in a long time. And while my Jumbo Crab Risotto was IMO, too runny there was no shortage of seafood in the dish. Local fresh Oysters and Clams on the half shell made for a wonderful start as was the RI style Fried Calamari. We shared 3 desserts that were artfully plated. Not usually my choice but the Caramel Bread Pudding was Rock’n!