EAT
Chowder
Hour
Clam chowder isn’ t always white in these parts.
NEW ENGLAND COLOR: White BROTH: Milk- or cream-based, rich and robust. INGREDIENTS: Clams, potatoes, onions and, depending on whom you ask, salt pork( perhaps some crushed oyster crackers for added thickness). ORIGIN: Though Native Americans had been longtime consumers of clams and French fishing villages were developing fish chowder recipes as early as the sixteenth century, the New England chowder we know and love today didn’ t gain major traction until its addition to many Boston( and later Maine) menus in the early 1800s.
RI-STYLE
COLOR: Clear BROTH: Clam juice-based, thin and light. INGREDIENTS: Quahogs, bacon or pork, onions, potatoes and butter. ORIGIN: Why, Little Rhody, of course. More specifically, clear chowder’ s( said to be one of the earliest forms of chowder) roots can be traced back to the state’ s southern coast.
SEAFOOD STAPLES
Pronounced clam cakes and“ chowdah,” the classic combo appears on many local menus— but these spots do it best, along with other Rhode Island favorites.
MANHATTAN COLOR: Red BROTH: Tomato paste-based with chunks of tomatoes for good measure. INGREDIENTS: Clams and tomatoes plus an array of veggies like potatoes, onions, peppers, celery, carrots and / or garlic for added flavor. ORIGIN: Also Rhode Island, believe it or not. Many sources attribute its creation to Rhode Island’ s Portuguese fishing communities who were known both for their traditional tomato-based stews and their frequent travels to New York City’ s Fulton Fish Market during the mid-1800s.
Did you know?
The quahog is the official shellfish of Rhode Island.
Clam Cakes & Chowder
NORTH / CENTRAL
LEN’ S SEAFOOD, HOT DOG AND ICE CREAM HAVEN, PAWTUCKET This shack has been serving tourists and locals alike with its large menu for nearly twenty years and offers the perfect taste of a New England summer. lenshotdoghaven. com
EAST
BLOUNT CLAM SHACK, WARREN Served with Blount’ s special housemade sauce, clam cakes pair perfectly with any of this spot’ s chowders— from the thick and creamy New England to the veggie-heavy Manhattan red. You can also take that and more home from their market location, also in Warren. blountretail. com
FLO’ S CLAM SHACK, MIDDLETOWN( DINE-IN); PORTSMOUTH( DRIVE-IN) Flo’ s Clam Shack has been famous since 1936 for the original owner’ s idea to fry clams, a stroke of culinary genius that started in Rhode Island and never left. For a bite of history and a taste of what Vanity Fair writes is the“ best beach treat,” this is the place to be. flosclamshacks. com
SOUTH
AUNT CARRIE’ S, NARRAGANSETT Legend has it that the founder, Aunt Carrie herself, invented the clam cake using her own corn fritter recipe … whether true or not, the iconic, family-owned institution still has more than a century of clam cake-and-chowdermaking to back it up. auntcarriesri. com
IGGY’ S, NARRAGANSETT AND WARWICK Picking up a half-dozen doughy clam cakes and your choice of New England( white), Manhattan( red) or Rhode Island( clear) chowder styles from either of Iggy’ s seaside walk-up windows is a Rhode Island summer pastime. iggysri. com
SALTY’ S CLAM SHACK, WESTERLY Fresh out of the water, trek on up to this little shack for twists on classic staples. You can taste the sweet and saltiness of clams right through the batter. Grab a quick bite before a flick at the Misquamicut Drive-In. facebook. com / saltysclamshack
6 YOUR GUIDE TO SUMMER IN RHODE ISLAND 2025