Break out of the College Hill bubble and take in what the Ocean State has to offer by paying a visit to the annual Rhode Island Seafood Festival at India Point Park.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of enjoying bites of fresh seafood, handcrafted drinks, and live music, all sourced from local Ocean State and southern New England vendors.Â
I sampled three stalls, including Five O Five Fusion, Matunuck Oyster Bar, and CC’s Chips.
Here are my favorites, ranked from buss (spectacular, give me 14 of them right now) to pass (thank you, next):Â Â
1. Lobster bao buns (Five O Five Fusion)Â Â
2. Toasted and buttered lobster roll (CC’s Chips) Â
3. Shucker’s dozen raw oysters (Matunuck Oyster Bar) Â
4. Mango sticky rice (Five O Five Fusion)Â Â
5. Clam cakes (CC’s Chips)
The lobster bao buns stole the show with a mound of lobster claw meat slathered in a savory umami sauce and stuffed in a soft, fluffy bao bun. Every bite had the perfect ratio of bun to lobster—truly delectable. My second favorite was the toasted and buttered lobster roll which was absolutely worth the 30-minute wait in line. There’s just something about a warm roll that makes it infinitely better than a cold one… probably all that buttery goodness. Yum! Pro tip: grab a few extra napkins because it does get messy!
Multiple vendors were serving large selections of seafood, including lobster, oysters, fish, jumbo shrimp, and littleneck clams. Many, many options, and many more important eating decisions to make!
If you aren’t in the mood for seafood, do not fret! There are plenty of options for everyone’s hunger needs. Joe’s Snack Shack crafts some classic burgers and hot dogs fresh off the grill, Little Fish has an assortment of tacos to choose from, and Scotti’s Salumeria cooks multiple varieties of homemade pasta. If none of that tickles your fancy and you’re more in the mood for a sweet treat, I recommend stopping by Sweet Bees Donuts, Atomic Blonde Ice Cream, or the classic RI staple, Del’s Frozen Lemonade.
Not only was there great food and drink, but the live music was wonderful, adding to the buzzing atmosphere of the seafood-loving locals. Although I wasn’t listening intently to each artist, I did pick up on a few favorite tunes, including some Taylor Swift covers. We were surprised to hear *Back to December* in the context of a seafood festival, but it was a nice listen nevertheless.
After you’ve eaten your way through the vendors, enjoyed the ambiance, and are on your way out, make sure to snag a bag of rainbow-colored kettle corn from Mooseman’s Kettle Corn for a snack later. Because who doesn’t love multicolored puffs of deliciousness?
Cost-wise, everything was on the pricier side, including the $10 entry fee, so be ready to soak in your experience while you’re there!