Oberlin
New American restaurant · Downtown ·
Hand-crafted pastas, local seafood, and seasonal small plates.
Hand-crafted pastas, local seafood, and seasonal small plates.
"If you’re a local, Oberlin is the place to take your annoyingly-trendy-but-you-love-them-anyway friends from New York for dinner when you want to show them that Providence is chic and has good food, too. It’s tucked away in the heart of downtown with an attentive waitstaff that’s happy to help if you’re stuck between dishes or don’t know which vermouth to order. Sit at the bar if dining solo, or grab a table outside when it’s nice out and order a little bit of everything, including some rotating crudos or any other seafood plates. Don’t miss the creamy salt cod brandade with herbs and grilled housemade country bread. The team here is also behind the raw bar Gift Horse, which is next door and a great place to pop over for a drink if you’re waiting for a table. photo credit: Grace Kelly" - Grace Kelly
"A downtown Providence destination was named a finalist for Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Awards, reflecting its stature as an important local dining destination." - Erika Adams
"Serves creative dishes with a focus on fresh fish, set in a stunning venue. Known for its wood-roasted striped bass and unique wine selection." - Pat Doherty
"If you’re a local, Oberlin is the place to take your artsy friends from New York for dinner when you want to show them that Providence is chic and has good food, too. It’s tucked away in the heart of downtown with an attentive waitstaff that’s happy to help if you’re stuck between dishes or don’t know which sake to order. Sit at the bar if dining solo, or grab a table outside when it’s nice out and order a little bit of everything, including some rotating crudos or any other seafood plates. Don’t miss the creamy salt cod brandade with herbs and grilled housemade country bread. They’re also behind the raw bar Gift Horse." - grace kelly
"Chef-owner Benjamin Sukle made a name for himself at his first restaurant, Birch, where he served thoughtful, labor-intensive, New England-by-way-of-Noma dishes. That restaurant closed during the pandemic, but the chef is still at work with Rhode Island seafood and produce at his more casual second restaurant (as well as his new raw bar, Gift Horse). Oberlin’s menu centers around hand-crafted pasta and just-caught local fish, such as fluke and scup. They’re sliced raw and garnished minimally with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, or served whole, grilled or roasted. Sukle’s dishes are designed for sharing, so you’ll want to round out your order with a veg (try the Tokyo turnip Caesar) and a seasonal pasta, like summertime’s lumache with sweet corn, lonza, shishitos, and mint. Oberlin recently moved to a new location a stone’s throw away from its original spot, and Sukle teamed up with co-owner and wine pro Bethany Caliaro to open Gift Horse next door." - Jenna Pelletier
