Federal Hill is Providence's Little Italy, with so many restaurants, Italian markets and gelato shops lining its main street, Atwells Avenue, that it's hard to know where to go. When people ask me, "What's the best Italian restaurant on the Hill?" I give them this list. To say which is the best depends on what you're in the mood for and what you want to spend. Fortunately, the several-block Atwells Avenue restaurant strip is short enough that you can park and stroll, looking at posted menus as you go.Zooma is youthful and high-energy, with a lively bar scene and fold-back windows that open to the sidewalk in good weather. Siena (shown at left) is the current foodie-favorite, with warm Tuscan contemporary decor and food. By contrast, just a few doors away are two Old World classics: the Old Canteen (shown at right, above) and the Blue Grotto.
Mediterraneo is a see-and-be-seen place, with sidewalk dining in good weather. Camille's is just off of Atwells on Bradford St., and it's the original Italian on the Hill, once called the Roman Garden. Big on ornate style, Camille's is ever-popular with Providence power players. At the other end of the dining spectrum is homey Casa Christine, one street over from Atwells on Spruce Street. Christine's is no-frills, no Web site, no credit cards, no seating after 7:30 p.m., and BYOB. Owner Christine Calise rules the dining room, while husband Bill cooks his red-sauce classics in the kitchen.Where to go for Italian on the Hill? It all depends on what you're in the mood for.
If you want to sample the menus at more than 30 restaurants on the Hill, you can purchase a $30 ticket to the annual Federal Hill Stroll, Tues., June 10 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets online.
