Fork, Twirl, Eat, Repeat

Italian families take their food very seriously, especially when it comes to dishes that their beloved matriarchs have perfected. Take pasta, for example.

Everyone’s nonni makes the best from-scratch pasta, and we’re not here to argue that, but here are eight restaurants whose house-made pasta dishes are rich in family tradition, and sure to earn even your nonni’s seal of approval.
Luigi’s Restaurant and Gourmet Express and Pat’s Italian Restaurant, both in Johnston, do right by the area’s Italian neighbors. Costantino’s Venda Bar & Ristorante in the heart of Providence’s Federal Hill is like a no-passport-needed trip to the old country. Trattoria Romana provides authentic pasta with the atmosphere to match to both its Lincoln and Wakefield locations. Pasta Beach, located in Providence and Newport, brings in chefs from Italy to keep the fresh menu red, white, and green.

Heading south from the city, La Masseria in East Greenwich draws from the farmhouse traditions of Italy’s Puglia region. Frankie’s Italian Bistro in North Kingstown shares the same commitment to freshness and family as its sister restaurant, Pat’s Italian. In Westerly, Casa Della Luce blends old world and new, with a mix of fresh-made pasta alongside American bistro classics.