Gay Travel Information – Roberto’s Italian Restaurant – Bristol, Rhode Island
Roberto’s / 450 Hope Street / Bristol, RI / 1-401-254-9732
Roberto’s Italian Restaurant in Bristol, Rhode Island is causally exquisite. Romantic yet bustling. Intimate yet big on presentation.
It is the type restaurant where you can enjoy a fine glass of wine and white tablecloth service while dining by candlelight or a cold beer at the bar.
Where you can enjoy the music of Sinatra or lose yourself in the quiet hum of conversation and laughter.
Roberto’s quaint interior is done to perfection as is it’s food and service.
Roberto’s has been a fixture of beautiful Bristol, Rhode Island for years.
Owner, Robert Vanderhoof, recently moved across the street from it’s original location on Hope Street to a larger, more modern facility.
Voted the #1 Italian Restaurant in the East Bay, Roberto’s is always busy. It is recommended you make reservations prior to your arrival.
My partner Jennifer and I dined at Roberto’s on a recent Friday night. We arrived at 6pm and the restaurant was already packed!
We instantly loved the soft and inviting atmosphere. We were greeted by the friendly hostess and shown to our window seat.
Our hunger became more intense with the aromas that filled the restaurant!
Luckily service was quick and attentive and before we knew it we had a basket of Italian bread, olive dipping oil and drinks, which included a delicious Chardonnay.
Roberto’s is known for their extensive wine list and Italian beer. They offer a large selection of wines from Italy, Australia & California. Wine tasting classes and dinners are also available.
Click HERE for a list of available wines.
After going over the specials with our super friendly waitress, Linda, Jen and I placed our order.
For appetizers we chose the Manzo Croccante (seared beef, caramelized onion, red wine demi-glace, scallions and pasta crisps) and one of the Chef’s specials for the evening, a beet salad (a mix of sugar, candy and golden beets served with mircro arugala, lightly dressed in an orange balsamic vinaigrette, topped with candied walnuts, imported gorgonzola piccante, sunburst tomatoes and mango pearls).
The Manzo Croccante was truly enjoyable and cooked to perfection.
The beet salad, one of my favorite dishes of the evening, and possibly the freshest, most unique salad I have ever tasted, was a fusion of flavor that I will not soon forget. Hopefully Roberto’s will make this dish a regular!
For our entrees I ordered Roberto’s famous lasagna (made with sausage, meatballs, ricotta cheese and tomato sauce) and Jennifer ordered the Seafood Possillipo (served with littlenecks, cod, shrimp and garlic in a light plum tomato sauce over linguine).
Wow. Linda wasn’t kidding when she said, “Wait until you see the size of the lasagna!” The serving size was beyond generous and, as a proud Italian, I can tell you that the sauce was absolutely delicious.
The lasagna was overflowing with meat and oozing cheese. It could easily feed two people. The chefs deserve a hug for this creation! 😉
The same with Jennifer’s Seafood Possillipo. The shrimp were big and tender as were the five littlenecks and cod. The tomato broth flavored with garlic left Jen with, as she says, a “garlic afterglow” of delight!
Not wanting the good food experience to end, we, of course, had to try dessert!
I chose the Italian Lemon Cake and Jen chose the Cheesecake with chocolate sauce. Both we very good, with the Italian Lemon Cake winning out by just a bit.
After our last bites of dessert, we sat back in our chair, looked at each other, smiled and said, “Now that was perfect.”
HOURS:
- Roberto’s is open Sunday-Thursday 5pm-9pm and Friday & Saturday 5pm-9:30pm
MENUS:
BANQUETS:
- Roberto’s can accommodate up to 45 people in their banquet room. For more information please call 401-254-9732.
EVENTS:
GAY & LESBIAN FACTOR: I was pleased when Roberto’s chef told me that he was an “Out proud gay chef!” Right away that makes Roberto’s extra special here at Gay Travel Information, however, that wouldn’t have mattered nearly as much if the ambiance and service weren’t just as welcoming, and I am happy to say — it was. Roberto’s would make the perfect, romantic spot for you and your significant other. Why not enjoy Bristol’s beautiful waterfront and eclectic shops first? My partner and I live in the East Bay (Warren) and find the area to be very gay friendly. There may not be the nightlife options that Providence provides, but luckily Providence is only 10 miles away, so we get the best of both worlds! 😉 Roberto’s should be applauded for their delicious food and fine service and, yes, the fact that one of the chefs is an out gay man should also be noted and supported! 🙂 It goes without saying that I am “OUTING” Roberto’s as LGBT friendly and worthy of our business.
There is so much to love about Roberto’s Italian Restaurant. The location. The ambiance. The service, but it all comes down to – THE FOOD!
Chefs, Christopher Ferreira and Matthew Odett really take typical Italian food to the next level.
Experience it for yourself! You won’t be disappointed.
Desiree Sousa
Owner
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