Fine dining and "best places" are not mutually exclusive. Oberlin, Gracie's, or Persimmons are probably the only restaurants in Providence that would be categorized as fine dining. The real question is what type of experience are you looking for? Any particular cuisine? Do you want a tasting menu?

That's the exact way I feel every time I see a musical at PPAC. Comedy shows are usually fine. But I've left each musical frustrated because I could not tell what the hell was going on.

We do this all the time. It's so convenient for early morning flights. We usually take an uber to the hotel the night before or take the train up, grab dinner somewhere in Boston, and then uber to the hotel.

The public transportation options from Boston were amazing. We lived right next to North Station. Feel like going to Portland? Amtrak is right there and gets you there quicker than driving. Provincetown? The fast ferry is a short walk away and avoids all that Cape traffic.

I did that same commute until I moved from Boston to RI a few years back. The train isn't bad. Look into the Amtrak pass, if they still have it. I've taken both Amtrak and the commuter rail. Both are a lot easier than driving. Amtrak is generally more pleasant and has a cafe car for coffee or drinks.

Providence is slightly cheaper than Boston, but not enough to justify the move. There's not as much to do here. What I miss the most about Boston is that the food scene is much better there. And my wife misses the shopping in Boston. We tend to go away for a weekend every other month or so just so we can do shopping and eat better meals. There are some good restaurants here, but most of them are just okay. Compared to Boston, RI's dining scene is lacking in both diversity and quality.

I say this all the time. 100% the best bagel in RI is at Rebelle. But you will absolutely get down voted for saying it. Bagel Gourmet is okay. Providence Bagel is okay. Neither of them come close to Rebelle. But the stories about the owner are definitely concerning. And for some reason they just never figured out workflow.

It's a lot easier for MA based Lyft/Uber drivers to pick up riders on the way back. RI based drivers usually won't be able to pick up passengers until they reach the RI border. I actually stopped taking rideshares to Logan because I feel terrible for how inconvenient it is to the driver. Depending on the time of day, they may be stuck driving for 90 minutes back to RI without earning a dime.

Robert Andreozzi (Pizza Marvin - Providence). Sherry Pocknet (Sly Fox Den Too - Charlestown) Milena Pagán (Little Sister - Providence, RI)

I haven't been to Sly Fox Den Too, but Andreozzi and Pagan are both surprising nominations. I can't say it's common to see a Pizza chef nominated for a James Beard award. But Pizza Marvin has some fantastic pizza, so congrats to Andreozzi. I'm mostly shocked to hear Little Sister nominated for anything, since they have been sold out of food every time I've tried eating there.

Edit: My wife attempted to eat lunch at Little Sister today. Not surprisingly, they were sold out of pretty much everything. The only item they had was chicken, which was served undercooked.

Burnt ends are basically impossible to find here. It's a damn shame.

The wings at Commonwealth are alright. But I'd pass on their ribs or brisket. Each time I've tried they've been dry and underseasoned.

I actually really miss Rebelle. By far the best bagels in RI. I moved out of Providence right around the time that all of the drama started going down there. Bagel Ole and Providence Bagel are both good, but really not in the same ballpark as Rebelle.