Bristol's New Restaurants Are Moving Into Rooms You Already Know

Most of the restaurant news in Bristol this year has happened at addresses that were already restaurants. The former Baba Sushi on Thames Street is now East Landing. The old Bristol Oyster Bar space is Don Taco & Tequila. Tong Phoon has a new name, Quito's is waiting on new owners, and Le Central has closed after two decades. Walk downtown this fall and the storefronts look much like they always have. What has changed is who is cooking in them, and nearly all of the new operators come from within an hour's drive.

Five Bristol addresses, five different stories

Line up this year's changes and they all share one feature: no new building, and almost always a new team stepping into a dining room the town already knows.

EastBayRI reported in May on a spring of "a lot of activity (and in some cases a lot of inactivity)" downtown. By October, most of that activity had turned into open dining rooms. The rest of this post looks at who moved in, which spaces are still in between, and why the same thing keeps happening in the towns around Bristol.

The newcomers came from just down the road

East Landing started as a popular food truck based in Narragansett, and the Thames Street space is its first brick-and-mortar location. The early menu preview that EastBayRI described leaned on comfort food, including braised short rib over cornbread pudding and a grilled cheese made with brie, arugula and hot honey. A July EastBayRI story gave July 25 as the planned opening, and the restaurant at 205 Thames Street was taking reservations in mid-October. Different online listings show different hours, so call ahead or check the restaurant's own channels before you plan a weeknight dinner around it.

Don Taco & Tequila is the second chapter for a familiar name. Owner Adolfo Escoto runs Nacho Mamma's and Spaghetti Lane in Barrington, and EastBayRI pointed out that fans of the Nacho Mamma's that used to be on State Street would be getting back a version of an old favorite, with cocktails added. The Bristol Town Council approved the liquor-license transfer and victualling license on April 22, and Escoto was aiming for June. Discover Newport now lists the restaurant at 448 Hope Street. The menu centers on nachos, tacos, margaritas and sangria. Hours vary between listings here too.

The Phanta's Thai Cuisine is the quietest change on the list. It is the Thames Street restaurant formerly known as Tong Phoon, and according to EastBayRI, regulars should not expect any changes beyond the name. Thai noodles and curries are still on the menu.

All three are local hands taking over local rooms. A Narragansett truck, a Barrington restaurateur and a renamed neighborhood Thai spot cover a lot of what changed in downtown Bristol's dining in 2026.

The rooms still waiting for their next chapter

Not every space has been filled yet, and the two biggest open questions involve two of the town's longest-running restaurants.

Le Central closed on Sept. 3. The Providence Journal wrote that for 20 years the bistro "brought the taste of Paris to Bristol," pairing French bistro cooking with American hospitality across brunch, lunch and dinner. Rhode Island Monthly credits chef Jesse James with more than twenty years of ownership. No successor for the space has been announced.

411 Thames Street is the one to watch this month. Quito's dates to 1954, and in May EastBayRI noted that it usually reopens for the season in March but showed no signs of activity this spring. In September, EastBayRI reported that the waterfront spot has new owners and a new name: Q's Waterfront by O.M.G. Hospitality professionals Frank Martucci, Adam "Opie" Oppenheimer and Anthony Guaetta lead the group. They plan a seafood-forward New England menu with a broad range of non-seafood dishes and a creative beverage program.

The opening depends on licensing. The Bristol Town Council's September 16 agenda lists a transfer of the Class BV liquor license to Serve Up Hospitality, LLC, doing business as Q's Waterfront by O.M.G., along with an expansion of the licensed premises. According to a MeetingWatch summary of the Oct. 7 meeting, the hearing on that transfer and the related food and entertainment licenses was continued to the council's October 28 meeting. The owners have said they will open once state and local licenses are in place, with "later this fall" as the target.

A short drive north, Warren shows the same pattern

The best-known example of a returning team is in Warren. Kingfish opened in the former Bywater space on State Street, run by chef Luke Mersfelder and beverage director Britt Simons. The Boston Globe reported that the couple had their first official date in that room and later held their wedding there, and that Mersfelder once ran its kitchen as executive chef.

According to the Globe, the menu features rotating oysters from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, salads topped with local fish, and steaks and a burger sourced from The Rhody Butcher. There is also a chicken cutlet with braised greens and cherry peppers, which Mersfelder told the Globe "really tells the story of my hometown."

The practical details come from Rhode Island Monthly's October roundup. Kingfish is walk-in only, opens at 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, and offers $2 shucks on Mondays. With no reservations, arriving close to opening is the simplest way to get a seat.

Barrington and Tiverton are refilling old rooms too

Look beyond Bristol and the same approach shows up across the East Bay, with familiar rooms getting new owners or a renovation.

• Barrington Creamery is coming in 2027 to 296 County Road, the former Newport Creamery. The Blount family bought it and plans a menu of classic creamery favorites, some lighter options and a few Blount dishes, according to a town post quoted by Rhode Island Monthly.
• The Boat House in Tiverton closed after dinner service on October 3 for renovations and plans to reopen in spring 2027. It will have a refreshed dining room and bar, a new outdoor bar on the North Patio overlooking Mount Hope Bay, and more seating with a new awning on the South Patio.
• Aldeia Coffeehouse in Barrington is the one entirely new idea on this list. Maggie Mulvena, founder of Feast & Fettle, opened it as a Portuguese-inspired cafe with coffee, pastries, sandwiches, European pantry goods and ceramics. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Tuesdays.

Of these, only the Barrington coffeehouse is a brand-new concept. The creamery is a beloved name returning under local owners, and the Boat House is the same restaurant getting a bigger patio.

Your East Bay dining list for the next few weeks

1. Try East Landing at 205 Thames Street, after checking that day's hours directly with the restaurant.
2. Stop by Don Taco & Tequila at 448 Hope Street. Listed hours differ, so confirm before you go.
3. Plan a Monday walk-in at Kingfish in Warren if $2 oysters sound like your kind of night.
4. Follow the Bristol Town Council's October 28 meeting, where the Q's Waterfront license hearing is scheduled to continue.
5. Save Boat House patio plans for spring 2027 and Barrington Creamery for its 2027 opening.

If you're curious about how Bristol and the rest of the East Bay keep changing, from who takes over a beloved storefront to what that means for your own street, I'm always happy to talk it through. Reach out to Holly Bellucci whenever you'd like a local perspective. Let's Connect.