36 Hours in Providence, Rhode Island: Things to Do and See

Arriving early should help you snag one of Irregardless’s five tables, where locals line up for fluffy biscuit sandwiches that may come with just strawberry butter ($5) or thick maple bacon, egg and cheese ($12) and hash browns ($5). Two years on, co-owner James Dean is still amazed he was able to turn his impromptu pandemic pop-up into a permanent, glorified greasy spoon. He says he finds ongoing inspiration in his grandmother’s cookie recipe and tight-knit community (a recent bake sale with several other restaurants raised more than $10,000 for local nonprofits Amos House and Dorcas International).

Located a block off Broadway on the portrait wall at Alcove, a feminist cultural center that opened in January. Thirty-two newly commissioned paintings by local artists are part of the center’s first-ever exhibition, “Founders and Inventors Who Shaped Our World” (through mid-2027), which includes Rhode Island residents such as Mary T. Welsh and Gertrude I. Johnson, founders of Johnson & Wales University, and inventors such as Alice Parker, who invented the gas stove in 1919. The center’s biographical library documents the lives of more than 2,000 people. Underappreciated scientists, innovators and thinkers. Khamry Varfley, curator and public programs manager, said the niche is rooted in the belief that “if you can see it, you can be it.” Admission is free, with additional admission available to paying members.

The spirit of Murano is hidden in Little Italy, and it’s still very much alive in the hands of master glassblower and alumnus of the world-famous Simon Pierce Glassware Company, Benjamin Giguere. Opened in 2017, Gather Glass offers one-hour classes in the ancient craft of glassblowing (from $75). After you’ve selected your object, such as a large drinking glass, a vase or a mushroom, and one of 20 mottled colors, there’s a brief walkthrough and suddenly you’re like a true craftsman holding a long blowpipe, shaping and stretching the glass and taking your time. It all starts with gathering, the glowing droplets collected from a 2,000-degree furnace, and ends with shaping your piece with a New York Times newspaper glove before knocking it off the blowpipe. Cool down with a cup of ice cream at the newly opened Gather Cafe and Ice Cream Bar next door. (Yes, there are ice cream making classes, too.)

About a 10-minute walk south is the Olneyville neighborhood, home to Troop, a global restaurant and popular brunch spot. There’s a lot to visually digest before you sit down to eat—a giant mural of female hip-hop artists, bar stools built from skateboard decks, and a “totally alive” hand gesture painted on the wall. Premier League football matches may be shown live, and there may be open mic events, burlesque shows or DJ sets in the evenings. Order the Passion Fruit Mocktail ($9) and the Vegan Banh Mi ($18), which comes with fried tofu, spicy mayo and a delicious chili-based cashew sauce. After you’ve finished brunch and wandered into Bruno Mars, head across the courtyard to Riffraff, a bookstore, bar, café and gallery. You may leave with a series of great recommendations from owner Ottavia De Luca.

A weekend isn’t enough time to try all the restaurants locals think they’ll never leave Providence (the first part of Broadway Nix). But with the opening of Track 15, an 18,000-square-foot food court in the restored 1898 Grand Central Terminal, opening in 2025, you’ll be able to sample seven different local vendors in one lucky seat. First up is Little Chaska’s chicken curry ($19) and sweet and crunchy cauliflower ($10). At Dolores, order the shrimp tacos ($6) made with Mexican heirloom corn. There, There may be best known for its burgers, but the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich ($12.50) is the way to go. After dinner, walk to the waterfront to watch 80 fire pits burn on the river at the WaterFire, celebrating its 30th anniversary, passing the torch to the public and providing 500 spaces for the lighting ceremony.

Drive 5 minutes to Federal Hill to quickly line up at Pastiche Fine Desserts for a fork battle over a slice of tiramisu ($8.95), then walk a block to LOMA, a gateway to 1970s Latin America and a 2026 James Beard Best New Bar finalist. If you have to wait at the bar for a banquet or a seat (the bar’s co-owner and beverage director Leishla Maldonado will provide a fun bartending experience), Latin Jazz will make it fun to get up and dance to boogaloo pop and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Order #17, an American white cocktail ($15) in which gin is infused with nance (a fruit native to Central America). The No. 15 is a Mesoamerican-style Old Fashioned ($15) that mixes café de tortilla quemada, or “burnt tortilla coffee,” with tequila.