Rhode Island Specialties
Del's frozen lemonade
Great Grandfather DeLucia made the earliest Del’s Frozen Lemonade in 1840 in Naples, Italy and his son brought the recipe to America at the turn of the century. The business became official in 1948 at a roadside stand in Cranston and now these thirst quenching beverages are sold all over the state. Keep an eye out for a Del's truck at many of Rhode Island's beaches during the Summer.
clam cakes
Located in Narragansett, Aunt Carrie’s has been frying up these tasty golden treats for nearly a century. As legend has it, Carrie Cooper invented the clam cake back in the early 1900's by adding fresh clams to her corn fritter recipe.
johnnycakes
The settlers of New England learned how to make johnnycakes from the local Pawtuxet Indians, who showed the starving Pilgrims how to grind and use corn for eating. The simplest recipes call for nothing but cornmeal, boiling water, and a little salt. Rhode Islanders take their johnnycakes so seriously that they hold baking and eating contests every year. The Historic Gray's Grist Mill has been continuously grinding for 360 years and provides the perfect johnnycake meal to make them.
"Stuffies"
Quahogs, or hard-shell clams, are shellfish that inhabit the mud flats along the eastern seaboard from Canada to Florida. They are prized as a human food and constitute one of Rhode Island's most important fisheries, with Narragansett Bay once supplying 25 percent of the nation's supply of quahogs. One of the state's best stuffed quahog's, also known as "Stuffies", comes from Amaral's Fish & Chips in Warren. Made fresh daily with onions, crushed pepper flakes, toasted italian bread & served with a lemon wedge.
fried calamari
In 2012, nearly 50% of the East Coast’s squid quota (23.5 million pounds) was caught in the state, with much of it in Point Judith. The typical Rhode Island way of preparing is to bread and pan-fry cut rings and tentacles, then served with hot peppers and a garlic-butter sauce. Some of the best spots to try them out are Hemenways in Providence, George's of Galilee in Narragansett, & Marchetti's Restaurant in Cranston.
clear clam chowder
In contrast to the thicker traditional creamy New England clam chowder, the Granite State version is clear and mixed with onions, potatoes, celery, & bacon. Some local favorites to enjoy this chowder and other seafood treats are Iggy's Doughboys & Chowder House in Warwick, Flo's Clam Shack in Middletown, & Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingston.