Durk's Bar-B-Q

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Blackstone Valley Culinary News – March 29, 2022

Harvest Kitchen
2 Bayley Street, Pawtucket, RI  02860
401-335-3766
farmfreshri.org/programs/harvest-kitchen/

Harvest Kitchen is welcoming spring with their new and expanded Spring Menu.  Check out the fresh, local ingredients they use to create healthy options for you!

Brewology
9 Cedar Swamp Road, Smithfield  02917
401-642-7111
facebook.com/brewologyri

New restaurant alert!  Brewology is open – serving coffee (iced and hot coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, mochaccinos, chai teas, as well as smoothies, protein shakes and more) and breakfast from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (bagels, sandwiches, acai bowls and pastries made fresh on site).  On Thursday, Friday and Saturday they’ll remain open until 1 a.m. serving specialty martinis, cocktails, wine and beer, as well as light bites and desserts.  There will be occasional entertainment too.  Check out the relaxing lounge space HERE.  

Davenport’s Bar and Grille
1925 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence  02914
401-438-3381
davenportsri.com

Did you know????   Davenport’s has partnered with Providence Performing Arts Center for a Show Shuttle Dinner/Show Package program.  When you sign up for a Show Shuttle package, you receive your choice of Orchestra or 1^st Dress Balcony seating for each show in the package, dinner(salad, entrée, non-alcoholic beverages, dessert, tax and tip) and round-trip transportation from the restaurant to the theatre and back.  After the show, Davenport’s will also offer coffee, tea and pastries at PPAC!  Click HERE for more information.  

Boundary Kitchen & Bar
67 Garrity Street, Pawtucket  02861
401-725-4260
boundarykitchenbar.com

Boundary has some great SPECIALS planned for Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week.  And check out this picture of their Stone Pie – stone oven pizza, hand-tossed with a custom crust.  It looks delicious!  And it’s available gluten-free too!

Here are some upcoming events to mark on your calendar: 

Mapleville Farm
544 Victory Highway, Mapleville, RI  02839
401-568-0544
MaplevilleFarm.com

Tuesday, April 12 –  Last day to order and pay for your Easter order from Mapleville Farm.  They have the most delicious homemade breads, pastries and desserts that you’ll want for the holiday.  Check out their MENU.  Orders need to be placed and paid for by April 12 and order pick up is Saturday, April 16 from 9 am to 6 pm.  

Tavolo Wine Bar and Tuscan Grille
970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI  02917
401-349-4979
tavolowinebar.com/Smithfield

Sunday, April 17 – Tavolo invites you for a stress-free Easter Sunday dinner at their Smithfield and Warwick locations.  They’ll be serving their full dinner menu as well as some specials – open 12 noon to 8 pm.  You can book your reservations online or call 401-349-4979.  

Parma Ristorante
266 Putnam Pike, Smithfield  02917
401-349-0079]
Parmaristorante.com

Sunday, April 17 – Parma will be open for Easter Sunday for a Brunch Buffet from 11 am to 2 pm and dinner service with Easter Specials from 3 pm to 8 pm.  Reserve your table by calling the number above.  

A & W Root Beer
460 Putnam Pike, Smithfield, RI  02828
401-949-9892
awrestaurants.com/aw-smithfield-ri

Tuesday, April 19 – A & W Drive-In will start their Cruise Nights – every Tuesday – staring April 19.  Great food, root beer made on-site and classic cars – a great combination for a fun evening!

Johnny’s Victory Diner
2731 Victory Highway, Burrillville, RI  02830
401-765-2661
johnnysvictorydiner.com

Friday, May 6 – Johnny’s begins their BBQ Season with outdoor seating and live music.  Plan to visit and try the #1 BBQ in Rhode Island according to Food and Wine magazine in September 2020.   

Mapleville Farm
544 Victory Highway, Mapleville, RI  02839
401-568-0544
MaplevilleFarm.com

Sunday, May 8 – Mother’s Day Garden Tea and Luncheon.  Enjoy soup, salad, sandwiches, pastries, candies, and tea in their perennial garden.  Seatings are at 11 am and 1:30 pm.  This is a very popular event, so don’t wait to get your tickets.  Click HERE for tickets and more information. 

East Providence’s Miller’s Famous Sandwiches Seeking Franchise Partners

For 50 years, Miller’s Famous Sandwiches has remained a dining institution in and around East Providence, Rhode Island. Today, with the third generation of family owners at the helm, Miller’s has officially launched its franchise opportunity and is ready to introduce its signature Roast Beef and variety of other mouthwatering sandwich options to throngs of new customers.

With two flagship stores already satisfying customers of all demographics in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Miller’s intends to expand its footprint across the East Coast. President Gwendolyn Graham hopes to see approximately 5-7 restaurants open up over the next few years in an area that extends from the Northeast down to Florida.

“People love Miller’s and we’re excited to begin providing our unique product and services to customers in other communities across the country,” says Graham. “Franchise expansion doesn’t mean that we’ll cease to be family-owned, however. It just means that each new franchise owner and all of their customers become family, too. This is why our guiding philosophy has always been and always will be ‘Family Serving Family.’”

The first Miller’s restaurant was opened in East Providence, Rhode Island in 1972. Since that time, the brand has become a local icon on the foodservice scene, offering one of the best tasting, authentic roast beef sandwiches on the market. The roast beef is slow roasted every night, overnight – resulting in the most tender and tasty sandwiches. Other mouthwatering sandwich options include: Pastrami, French Dip, Reubens, Thanksgiving (Turkey), Chicken, Lobster, BBQ Pulled Pork, Ham, Corned Beef, and New England style Lobster Roll.

Remarkably, Miller’s cooks 12,000 pounds (that’s 6 TONS!) of its signature slow roasted roast beef each month and sells over 8,000 sandwiches each week.

Freshly-made sides include: crinkle cut fries, onion rings, baked beans, homemade slaw, clam strips, and more.

As for the restaurant design? Every Miller’s location is based off of the look and feel of the original restaurant that was opened nearly a half-century ago. Details such as community tables, swivel stools, and warm wood tones are just a few of the ways that Miller’s recreates this atmosphere. An open-kitchen concept allows customers the ability to watch their food being made, while giving them a better understanding of the craft, quality, freshness, and love that goes into Miller’s products.

“At Miller’s, we understand that in the quick-moving world that we are currently living in, today, sometimes it’s nice to just take a step back and get back to basics,” says Graham. “Our home-cooked menu options, our freshly prepared meals, and our comfortable dining atmosphere constantly bring customers coming back to feel that nostalgic feeling that comes with being ‘home.’”

She adds, “It’s a bit of the past continuing to the present – when quality meant something special.”

Today, armed with a refreshed brand identity, Miller’s is seeking franchise partners who understand family, understand quality, and understand what it takes to be successful no matter what the economic climate looks like.

Including a franchise fee of $40,000, the initial investment range for a Miller’s restaurant is between $396,000 and $818,000.

A typical franchise location sits approximately 1,500 to 2,200 square feet and is located in a strip center, is free standing, or is found on a pad site in a shopping center. Most Miller’s employ 20-25 full- and part-time employees.

Open Air Saturdays Returns Bigger and Better to Providence in 2022

InDowncity partners with local businesses for downtown-wide six event summer series with live music, outdoor dining and drinks, marketplaces, and family-friendly activities

Beginning May 7, InDowncity is bringing back the popular event series “Open Air Saturdays” to downtown Providence. From May through October, guests can enjoy programming across the city on the first Saturday of each month. The family-friendly event will run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on May 7, June 4, July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, and Oct. 1.

Each Open Air Saturdays event will feature live music performances, a rotating line-up of food trucks, two beer gardens, two marketplaces, outdoor games and activities, ample outdoor dining at local restaurants and more. Attendees are encouraged to make a day of it, visiting multiple locations throughout downtown: Grant’s Block, Aborn Street, Union Street, Biltmore Park, and the BankNewport City Center.

During Open Air Saturdays, the Grant’s Block location (on the corner of Union Street and Westminster Street) will feature live traditional music from around the world programmed by Providence World Music, as well as the return of Long Live Beerworks’ beer garden and a variety of visiting food vendors.

On Aborn Street (between Washington Street and Westminster Street) Rosalina will offer outdoor drinks, Italian street foods, and outdoor bocce. On the same block, Durk’s Bar-B-Q will program live rock and roll performances while serving drinks at an outdoor bar and offering a selection of smoked meats and barbeque.

Kin Southern Table + Bar will curate the “Kin Marketplace,” a market on Union Street—between Washington Street and Worcester Street—that highlights various BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and women-owned businesses. Attendees can enjoy outdoor seating with food and drink by Kin, and a mix of R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae, and Afro Beats by local DJs.

At Biltmore Park, Trinity Beer Garden will serve local craft beer and select cocktails. Attendees can enjoy live music, a maker marketplace, outdoor games, and the exclusive opportunity to order food delivery from Reiners. Trinity Beer Garden is both family-friendly and dog-friendly. Next door, the BankNewport Skating Center will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. for roller skating.

“InDowncity is thrilled to expand our footprint this season as we welcome so many new partners to the Open Air Saturday program,” said Joanna Levitt, Director of Commercial Leasing and Marketing for Cornish Associates and InDowncity. “This season, guests can plan an entire day of strolling the various event locations, taking in unique programming at each.”

Further announcements–including lists of food vendors, musical artists, and retail vendors–will be released as the event dates near. For regular updates, visit www.indowncity.com/news/open-air-saturdays-2022 and follow @indowncitypvd on Instagram.