Giusto is an upbeat and buzzy American spot that’s all about the tasting menu—it has all of the quality of a place like Castle Hill, but with flavors and a price tag that are far more accessible. Think dishes like shaved brussels sprout caesar salad (we love that it’s served warm), or their super savory scotch meatball made for sharing. Unlike other fine dining spots, where the service borders on stuffy, the staff here are as friendly as they are knowledgeable.

Some people might refer to Cate Blanchett as mother, but this pizza restaurant run by the Giusto team saves that esteemed title for their heirloom sourdough starter. It deserves the honor—airy and crisp with the right amount of bite, this crust is so good you’ll want to order one of their Roman-style pies, and a second basket of their sourdough bread for the table. Their appetizers are as good as the pizza, whether it's the cacio e pepe garlic knots, tender calamari, or housemade burrata.

Yagi means goat in Japanese, and there are two reasons why that name makes sense for this spot. All the recipes pay homage to the chef's hometown of Guangzhou, nicknamed "Goat City," and these noodles really might be the greatest of all time—or at least the best in Newport. Their dishes take local ingredients, like Aquidneck Farms beef and seasonal vegetables, and combine them with bonito furikake and shio to create dishes that somehow manage to tick every single flavor box.

This spot is named after the centrally-located Brick Alley area, where sailors once spent afternoons at port, and grandparents share memories of rowdy nights from their youth. They have both a pub and a dining room, the latter of which is a nostalgic trip—there’s sports memorabilia, antiques, an old Chevy truck, and a menu filled with burgers, pizzas, and beef short ribs. The dining room is a good move for a family of five, while the pub is casual and a great place to stop for an on-tap beer.

The Red Parrot is a good place to grab a bite while out and about in the middle of the day. They don’t take reservations, but ask for a window seat at the busiest corner in town, where you might see frustrated drivers in Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, and Mazaratis stuck between tipsy pedestrians navigating the crosswalk. The dim interior of this kid-friendly restaurant is lively, with a breeze wafting through open windows that overlook Thames Street and the wharf beyond.

You’ll feel like you’re making your way to the end of the earth as you pull up to the Agassiz Mansion, home of the Castle Hill restaurant, where you’ll be greeted by a valet and guided through the elegant wood-and-leather studded lobby of the hotel to the Aurelia dining room. The prix-fixe, six-course menu starts at $165 per person, but is worth it for things like Rhode Island fluke prepared with rhubarb and wasabi, or venison with white asparagus.

The White Horse Tavern has been in continuous operation for 350 years, or you know, longer than America has officially existed. Some even say they’ve encountered ghosts while eating there. Maybe those wandering spirits just want some company, or maybe they want to get in on the New England farm-to-table dishes like duck scotch eggs and pan-seared scallops with mushroom farro. Whether you prefer the historic feel of the dining room or fresh air on the outdoor patio, make reservations in advance.

Flo's has a rooftop deck where you can enjoy Newport beach-elite vibes in the glass-enclosed space while you sample fried clam strips, fried oysters, fried calamari, and … really any fried seafood. This is the beachy-est spot for great sandwiches, lobster rolls, and local classics like stuffed quahogs (a type of clam that is also the state’s official shellfish), clam cakes using said quahogs, and brothy Rhode Island-style clam chowder.

There’s a lot happening here, but prioritize a table upstairs where you’ll get a more expansive view of the harbor and a pricey-but-excellent meal. While this is the place for classic Newport-style food like local oysters, lobster, and native cod, the steak au poivre or sauteed filet of sole with caramelized onions and fancy French brown butter won’t disappoint either. Whatever you do, don’t miss their signature dessert: the snowball from hell

This is a great spot for a quiet romantic night out, where you should eat ravioli, spaghetti and clams, and tonno puttanesca, while always saving room for the dessert tray. They have a rotating selection of Italian classics—we love the pistachio cake, but if that’s not available, go with the tiramisu or tartufo. And if you went to Rome once and now can’t end a meal without an espresso, this is the place to order one.

Sitting at The Black Pearl, you can almost hear the sailors from old-timey Newport singing and stomping on the floorboards. However, we’re confident the menu is leagues better than anything they were eating in the 1600s. You’ll see fresh fish and a raw bar, fancy pub food like chicken pot pie in a flaky buttered pastry, and a great burger with rosemary onion confit. Tables are first come, first serve, so head here for lunch and grab a spot in the wood-trimmed dining room.

We can’t stress how important it is to come to Perro Salado during the summer and sip a cilantro-jalapeño margarita. Especially if you sit in the shade of the cherry tree that grows through the middle of their patio. This historic home-turned-Mexican restaurant is right in the middle of historic downtown Newport, and often has live music at the kitschy back bar where you should post up and snack on some chips and guac after a day roaming downtown.

When the day is beautiful but the crowds are overwhelming, head to Newport Vineyards, a few short minutes from the beaches and downtown. In addition to the 25+-year-old winery, they also have a seven-barrel brewhouse where Taproot Brewing Company makes small-batch, hop-forward beers. Stop by any night for dinner and try things like New England clam pizza with bacon, gourmet grilled cheeses with apples, cheddar, and maple glazed pork belly, or Taproot beer braised chicken.

You’ll know you’ve found the Corner Cafe by the crowd milling about on the sidewalk from 7am until around two. In addition to the influx of tourists, this is where you’ll find locals meeting with friends for a weekday brunch over fresh-squeezed BYOB mimosas, chatting at the counter about a recent article in Newport This Week, or fueling visiting relatives for the 3.5-mile cliff walk. Everything here is good, like ovos acores, a Portuguese twist on eggs benedict, blue corn breakfast tacos.