Dutch S.
Google
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 When in Providence, make THIS your travel destination! Fortunately, while shopping for clothing, someone suggested this place to me and I thought it was a restaurant. I really wasn’t in the mood for a sit down meal, so I was delighted when I walked in the front door and saw that it was a huge Italian marketplace!!! Any food you can possibly want they have, and they’ve prepared it all for you; from chicken cacciatore to homemade gnocchi, cooked with eggplant, cheese, lasagna, and Baba au Rum to fresh baked breads made ON THE PREMISES, “VENDA” has it all!!!
There’s even a small charming cafe area in the corner serving Cappuccinos, fresh Cannolis and a variety of fresh Gelato. It’s there that local politicians and neighborhood regulars talk about the events of the day. To be honest, this was one of the highlights to my day trip to the area, the staff and the locals give this place its palpable heart and soul!!!
What also impressed me was all of the artful interior design elements to the store just look above at the ceilings edge and you’ll see all kinds of tin and metal orders that have been made using the artistry of some of the older Italian masters! Add to this mix the fact that they play opera and let me tell you, outside of Little Italy in the Bronx and Brooklyn THIS is the most dynamic Italian culinary destination. I’ve seen in my life! This is the real deal. I understand that in the summer, they have many umbrella table set up and that it is quite a social scene. Their wall of fame in the back features a who’s who of big shots who have been here or honored by its wonderful owners over the years!
BRAVO to the Constantino Family for bringing it and then some! C’ent Anni+++ as a former food writer I can say that this is so worth a special trip! And, if you run into Mikey D. at the cafe, tell him his friend from NYC says hi! ❤️ 🤍 💚
Grade: A++++++