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College is a time to expand your horizons and try new things. What’s better than trying new food? Food is one of my favorite ways to connect with people and gain new experiences that open me up to other cultures I might not have interacted with before. Here’s some amazing international food shops and restaurants near campus:
Restaurants:
The International Pocket Cafe is located in the URI Emporium and serves Mediterranean and Middle Eastern salads, pockets and rolls. Their menu is halal-friendly and offers a wide variety of foods that are tasty and allow for new experiences through food. (And on a personal note, I think they have the best baklava in the state.)
Caliente is one of my personal favorites in the Emporium, and its menu includes both build-your-own bowls, burritos, and pre-set items. There’s also the added items like Jarritos and other Mexican-based sodas.
Simply Thai is another food joint in the Emporium, but to be totally honest, one I haven’t been to yet. According to Yelp, which gives it a solid ⅘ stars over 54 reviews, Simply Thai offers free wifi, many vegetarian options and offers take-out.
Krazy Fusion Cafe is another favorite of mine in the Emporium that specializes in Korean food. While the price has changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the food is quality and the helping sizes are generous. It’s the second location on campus that serves boba tea, but has a larger variety of flavors of both tea and the boba pearls themselves.
Tong – D2 is also located in the South County Commons, near the local movie theater, and while its hours of operation are in a pretty small window, 4 PM – 9 PM according to their Yelp page, it’s food is well worth it. There’s vegetarian and vegan options, as well as an option for delivery. While it’s mostly Thai, they’ve expanded their menu to include more Eastern Asian dishes. Unfortunately, it’s closed for renovations at the moment, but when it reopens, make sure to check it out!
Sa-Tang, an Asian restaurant located in Wakefield, and is something that’s been on my radar for a while now for its unique style. It’s not afraid to create new dishes, as with it’s Siam Spaghetti, or boldly present traditional dishes, like Takoyaki Balls. With 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, Sa-Tang, in my opinion, is one of the best go-to spots you can find.
As I’m typing this little mini-review, I’m waiting for my order from this place to arrive via DoorDash. That is how good this place is. It’s very accommodating for those who don’t like spice and those who can’t go without spice and has one of the best cashew-nut dishes I’ve ever tasted. Right in the Wakefield-Peacedale area, Luk Thai is a short 10-minute-drive from campus and is one the best little joints around.
New Dragon is a Chinese restaurant in Narragansett, and it’s one of the best restaurants in the county (in my opinion). In addition to the standard Chinese food, this place also serves sushi and has a second level that’s recently been renovated and opened as a nightclub.
Established in Wakefield, Neapolis specializes in food from Naples, Italy. Their website lays out their selections as freshly-made pasta, gelato, and cheese. They also buy their dairy and vegetable stock from local vendors, so when you get the chance, go check them out!
Markets:
Pinoy Lane Food Mart is one of, if not the, only place in RI where you can get halo-halo, a delicious Filipino dessert containing crushed ice, evaporated milk, coconut, a mango puree, and more that’s super popular with travel bloggers and food writers. While there’s a lot of freezers, much of the food is made on-demand, including sigsig, a traditional Filipino pork dish and the halo-halo.
Seabra Foods has some of the widest varieties as far as international shops go. It has produced from all over Central and South America, as well as imported goods from the Iberian Peninsula and the islands around the peninsula. It’s one of the best places I’ve found where you can get fresh food for Hispanic and Latino dishes. And Seabra isn’t just a Rhody shop: they have 16 locations spread around New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida. Our local location is in Cumberland, so a bit of a drive, but it’s well worth it.
Located in Providence, this shop is another Chinese market but with a wide variety of fresh fish. Inside is well-organized with exotic fruits, teas, and freshly-made buns of all varieties. It’s like a miniature supermarket and I think it could even compete with big-brand supermarkets if the owners open more locations!
The Chinese American Minimarket has ⅘ stars on Yelp and offers more than just Chinese food, but a wide variety of Eastern Asian foods. Located in Cranston, it is a bit of ways away from campus, but with an amazing variety of food offered, the pros far outweigh the cons.
Asiana Food Market located in East Providence, which is a bit far from campus, sells foods from all around eastern Asia. This includes fresh produce, sweet treats, and cultural staples like kimchi and bulgogi.
While it’s hard to find a lot of international places in South County, college really is a place to expand your horizons. It’s time to try new foods and explore the area around you, and I’m glad to share some of my favourite spots to start your journey! It’s in this journey that we remember to support our local businesses and boost local economies, especially through minority-owned businesses.
Hi folks! I’m AJ (he/him/his) and I major in Global Language and Area Studies (GLAS) – Japanese with a minor in Chinese moving into my senior year. The summer 
of 2022 is my first term with the InsideRec blog, but you might have seen me working in the Rams’ Den grill before. I’m a bit of a homebody but I’m trying to get out into the world and experience life to its fullest. I’m dedicated to cross-cultural, linguistic education, and being a good example for my younger siblings. I hope to bring a unique background to our URI social media team!
I’m from a military family, though I mostly hail from little Rhody. URI’s always been on my continued-education map in several different tempting areas of study, but when my mom started working with the University of Rhode Island, the deal was sealed!