SALTY Restaurant and Wine Bar in Jamestown has evolved from local pop-up to permanent fixture, and The Chanler at the Cliff Walk in Newport unveils a new dining destination and seasonal food programming
Newport County in the summer is dazzling and luxurious – sailing, harbor cruises, beaches, shopping at boutiques, and al fresco dining are all on the itinerary. This summer, county residents have two new dining opportunities to enjoy, one in the heart of downtown Jamestown, the other perched over the iconic Cliff Walk.
Locals can experience a European-style eatery in Jamestown by dining at SALTY Restaurant and Wine Bar. SALTY started as a pop-up dinner experience in February, taking over The Village Hearth Bakery and Café a couple of nights a month. To transform the bakery into an upscale-casual restaurant and wine bar, owners Noah and Alex Cain strip and completely change the décor and atmosphere of the space after The Village Hearth closes in the afternoon. At 10 p.m., the end of the dinner service, SALTY is packed away, and the bakery returns exactly as it was before, ready for coffee and pastries in the morning.
The Cains were directly inspired by their experience in Europe while crafting the theme of SALTY – from menu concept to hospitality. “We always stumbled upon these little gems,” Noah Cain remembers. “We wanted to create something, particularly for the Jamestown community, where you could drop in, get a drink or light bite, or even stay for a few hours,” Alex Cain adds. SALTY draws on the idea of Spanish tapas – smaller, shareable plates – and the French way of tasting a multitude of courses throughout the night. Their menu has a distinct “coastal Mediterranean” flair, drawing on recipes and flavors from Southern France, Italy, Spain, and Northern Africa.
Despite these exotic flavors, the dishes are locally and seasonally inspired by what is available and fresh from nearby farms, prompting a rotating menu. “If I’m in the food industry, I feel partly responsible to be a part of the system, delivering local food to local people,” Noah Cain affirms. The Cains’ goal is to source as close to 100 percent local ingredients as possible. Local vendors are listed at the bottom of the menu, from Jamestown’s Windmist Farm and Aquidneck Island’s Garman Farm to Narragansett Bay Lobsters. For June, diners can find bites like fluffy focaccia bread with salt cod brandade, and larger shareables include radishes with smoked bluefish butter, scallops a la plancha with Tunisian salsa verde, and lamb merguez with white beans in broth and garlic oil.
SALTY is now a permanent fixture in the community. Dinner service is available Thursdays through Saturdays from 5-10 p.m., with the potential to add Wednesday night dinner services in July. Summer seating is available indoors or outside on the deck; sitting beneath fairy lights, guests can look over the blooming garden while dining in the balmy outdoors. Cooling treats made special for the summer months (necessary for outdoor diners) include a new co*cktail menu of Mediterranean-inspired drinks – developed by SALTY’s Kim Torres, a Johnson and Wales graduate student and SALTY’s bar program lead – an extensive wine menu that now includes rosé and sparkling choices, as well as new seasonal desserts like poached rhubarb crumble with rose water and homemade whipped cream. Interested diners can book a table on SALTY’s new website, Google, or Tock.
On the opposite side of the bay, in Newport, tourists and locals seeking a summery “staycation” will delight in The Chanler’s new restaurant and summer food programming. The Living Room is the hotel’s new gastronomic experience. Plush couches and vintage accents transport diners to the glitz and elegance of the Gilded Age. At The Living Room, guests can graze on the hotel’s own private-label caviar, oysters, charcuterie, and crisp goat cheese croquettes, or dine on a personal plate like warm kombu roasted beats or a petite croque madame with quail’s eggs. During their respite, guests are invited to indulge in playful, summery co*cktails, including The Butterfly Effect (Empress gin, Earl Grey syrup, lemon, egg white), NPT Trolley (Tito’s, pamplemousse liqueur, elderflower, grapefruit, lime juice), and The Cliff Walk (Maker’s Mark bourbon, maple honey syrup, apple-yuzu nectar, black walnut bitters).
Seasonal programming at The Chanler this summer includes the Ca’del Bosco Wine Garden and a gelato cart pop-up. The wine garden will be open Thursday through Sundays all summer to September 2, from 1-6 p.m. There, guests can relax beneath umbrellas in Adirondack chairs, sipping on wine and Italian spritzers while snacking on authentic Italian pizza and enjoying ocean views. Set in the wine garden, guests of the hotel can cool off with The Chanler’s pop-up custom Italian gelato cart. There will be a rotating selection of flavors throughout the summer, so diners – native or tourist – should keep returning for more ocean views and a sweet treat worthy of the Amalfi coast.
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