Jump to content

Restaurant in Peerless


AriPVD

Recommended Posts

Hello all. As you know, I am marketing the corner restaurant space in the Peerless Building. I am opening this topic to suggestions for what type of restaurant you all would like to see in this prominent site. Specific restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island or other places would be helpful. Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch. Post away!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 121
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Hello all. As you know, I am marketing the corner restaurant space in the Peerless Building. I am opening this topic to suggestions for what type of restaurant you all would like to see in this prominent site. Specific restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island or other places would be helpful. Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch. Post away!

i don't have any specific suggestions other than something that will have some outdoor tables.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the first question is what segment are you looking for:

Fine Dining?

Family?

Lunch?

etc.

Is the point to stay within the "theme" of Westminster which is to have a trendy upscale place? Maybe you could get Al Forno to move. I have always thought that was an odd place for them, although I'm sure they like the parking situation there.

Maybe you could talk Emeril into opening right next to the JWU campus?

For a more family style (I guess pricing wise) place, how about a Not Your Average Joe's? I've always wondered why they don't have a Providence location. It would certainly bring some traffic to the street, although not necessarily the kind of traffic that would shop at DWR, for instance.

What about DownCity? Where are they going now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe not for this spot, but I'd like to see a Downcity Fellini's. It would also be nice to have a place that did a good old fashioned American Breakfast, eggs, bacon, pancakes and all that, at least on weekends (Hotel Providence would surely provide patrons).

Downcity Diner would fit well there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a more family style (I guess pricing wise) place, how about a Not Your Average Joe's? I've always wondered why they don't have a Providence location. It would certainly bring some traffic to the street, although not necessarily the kind of traffic that would shop at DWR, for instance.

I like Not Your Average Joe's but think it may not be the right fit for Westminster. Westminster I picture as having a non-chain dining place (though NYAJ's is a small regional chain). I think if this spot is looking to be the dining anchor of Westminster, then it needs to have wide appeal (perhaps there are other smaller spots for a more targeted ethnic place, which I certainly would like to see as well), which NYAJ's fits. Hell, maybe NYAJ's is the right place. I just kind of picture NYAJ's as being in GTECH or Waterplace or Westin (or E@B). I sort of lump it in with Cheesecake Factory and Joe's American, though I think it's a step above those.

How big is this space Ari? Can you give us examples of local restaurants that are currently in the same footprint?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all. As you know, I am marketing the corner restaurant space in the Peerless Building. I am opening this topic to suggestions for what type of restaurant you all would like to see in this prominent site. Specific restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island or other places would be helpful. Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch. Post away!

Took a look at the Washington Square Tavern in Brookline. Here is a link to a sample menu

Washington Square Tavern Menu

And the description from city search

Editorial Rating: Recommended

The Scene

Facing the square after which it's named, this beloved neighborhood bistro is a magnet for in-the-know foodies and area thirty-somethings. With communal tables, dark woods and tall bookshelves, the restaurant yields a mildly Irish vibe. With no separation between the bar and dining areas, the room can get quite noisy. An impressive drink selection includes inventive house concoctions (pear martinis) and a well-chosen wine list. Harried waiters do their best to keep everyone happy.

The Food

Loyal customers keep returning for the kitchen's modern comfort fare, dished out at Brookline, not Boston, prices. The ever-changing menu includes seasonal salads (baby arugula with sweet pecans, goat cheese and red wine vinaigrette) and homemade soups (English pea with cr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've already PM'ed Ari my suggestion, which is "Caffe Adulis" Ethiopian of New Haven, CT and Manhattan. It has a warm, sleek, Euro-bistro, loft-like feel.

I haven't been thrilled with the suggestions so far. For what may become the accessible restaurant of Westminster, I was hoping for something a little new and different for the area.

On the comments already:

- NYAJ: I agree it feels better for the mall...

- Downcity: Great place, would love to see it reopen, not there...

- Washington Sq Tavern: Great place as well, but yet another "New American" for Providence, the 5th at least in downtown?

Now Dali is another story. That would be a wonderful addition. A slick Tapas place unlike any other in the area.

- Garris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've already PM'ed Ari my suggestion, which is "Caffe Adulis" Ethiopian of New Haven, CT and Manhattan. It has a warm, sleek, Euro-bistro, loft-like feel.

I haven't been thrilled with the suggestions so far. For what may become the accessible restaurant of Westminster, I was hoping for something a little new and different for the area.

On the comments already:

- NYAJ: I agree it feels better for the mall...

- Downcity: Great place, would love to see it reopen, not there...

- Washington Sq Tavern: Great place as well, but yet another "New American" for Providence, the 5th at least in downtown?

Now Dali is another story. That would be a wonderful addition. A slick Tapas place unlike any other in the area.

- Garris

I would love to see an Eritrean/Ethiopian restaurant in Providence (though 180 degrees from sleek, I still mourn the closing of Fasika). Likewise, I agree that downtown has a number of New American type places... but none at Washington Squarish prices. I think that represents a gap in the Providence dining scene, which if filled could both serve the neighborhood and be a draw to those around the city.

I suggested a Washington Square type place because it met Ari's specs.

Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch.
Not sure that a sleek Eritrean restaurant fits that bill. Which raises the larger question of what type of place do you want for that space and Westminster as a whole? Do you want a unique destination restaurant that brings people into the city from burbs and which the neighborhood will use occasionally? Or do you want a place that will entice some people from outside of downcity but will also function as a neighborhood hangout?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In short, I think Downcity will benefit tremendously from an influx of ethnic eateries, from Eritrean to Chinese to Mexican to Russian. It should be the cosmopoltian culinary center of Providence.

With that said, I think something neighborhood-centric and cozy with "New American" fare is probably spot on for the Peerless corner. It should be a place that residents feel comfortable going to several nights a week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all. As you know, I am marketing the corner restaurant space in the Peerless Building. I am opening this topic to suggestions for what type of restaurant you all would like to see in this prominent site. Specific restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island or other places would be helpful. Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch. Post away!

Perhaps you could get one of our favorite restaurants on Broadway to move downcity. How about a Ken's Steak House which serves brunch.

http://www.kenssteakhouse.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all. As you know, I am marketing the corner restaurant space in the Peerless Building. I am opening this topic to suggestions for what type of restaurant you all would like to see in this prominent site. Specific restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island or other places would be helpful. Our ideal restaurant is something neighborhood-y, cozy, serves some good cocktails and a mean weekend brunch. Post away!

I like the German idea. there hasn't been one in the Providence area in ages. Both in nearby Mass.

But my first choice would be a restaurant similar to "David's Pot Belly" that existed on South Main street years ago. It had a large bar with a great choice of beers. It served omelets all day. Their meals were based on traditional New England fare. Almost like Durgan Park in Boston. Rich soups and hearty meals that made you feel at home. Lobster, pot roast, etc were available. But they were truly known for the omelets. You were greeted by a large friendly pot belly stove at the entrance. I think we need a restaurant down city that can transition from a great family restaurant during the day to a hip upbeat night time restaurant that could cater to the new neighborhood now forming down city.

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple ideas...

How about a Belgian restaurant along the lines of Monk's () or Rembrandt's () or Bridgid's in Philly? Amazing beers, something different from French or new American, homey, yum. Good belgian restaurants in NYC too in the meatpacking district

My wish list for Prov also includes a great seafood place like Quito's or Evelyn's. No McSchmormacks or Big Fish. Fresh basic seafood a la clam shack. Horton's is just too far.

Could you lure Chris Schlesinger of East Coast Grill/Back Eddy fame? When I was living in Somerville in the early 90s, he had a bbq place right next to East Coast Grill. Sooo goooood.

And I like garris's cafe adulis idea. Providence needs ethiopian food, and I prefer food I can eat with my hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I think some of you have made some great suggestions, I think that anything that doesn't stand out as a restaurant will not do well on Westminster. That essentially means the chopping block for any steakhouse, chain, or Italian restaurant. They are too easy to come by in RI nowadays. Also, we need to get out of the habit of looking at Boston for inspiration. People from MA , and specifically Boston metro, will come to PVD to view things like Waterfire, fly out of our airport, and take in a show @ PPAC. They will come here if it is deemed unique or convenient. We all know that the latter , as of now, is not convenient. A sit down restaurant on this stretch needs to have experience with operating in a "non-traditional" area. It needs to have food that is not easily accessible in the entire region...maybe offering an attraction or two. The Ethiopian concept is definitely unique, but Ethiopia still conjures up images of starvation and UNICEF in my book. While that may be ignorant, I think a lot of New Englanders probably get that impression just thinking about the word...another deal killer....So I did a little research and came up with this!

There is nothing like this in all of NE. The location in NY is in a remote non-traditional area. The concept of Moroccan and Egyptian food conjures up "exotic" images and the restaurant offers an attraction. It's formal, elegant, and not overly expensive.I think it could work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.