The Cafe At The Chanler

We took a day trip from Providence to Newport to walk the Cliff Walk and explore. I made lunch reservations at the Cafe at the Chanler based on researching the area online. This was our first trip out since the COVID shutdown, and our cancelled wedding, so I wanted to make sure it was safe and fun. They had their COVID precautions available on the website, and I was able to reserve an outdoor table with no problem. The service, the food, and the view were all OUTSTANDING! The people were friendly and accommodating, and the proper COVID precautions were adhered to by both staff and guests. Our waiter (I wish I could remember his name!) was so attentive and fun. The food was great, especially dessert! Fresh, high quality, and beautifully plated. Expensive yes, but we had planned on that, and considered our first trip out a special occasion. The view (and the weather) were perfect. The wine list and cocktails were also wonderful. Highly recommend the "Summer Breeze" - my new favorite warm weather cocktail! Would love to stay at the hotel someday, perhaps if we win the lottery! ;) But we'll definitely be back to the Cafe!

My family stopped by the cafe for lunch without a reservation. The hostess informed us that seating for lunch was not possible, but we asked whether we could sit at the bar. “You are more than welcome to seat yourselves at the bar.” The entire place was more than 2/3 empty at 1 pm—we kept thinking that they could not have had reservations for all the empty tables. We sat at a very small hightop and when the waiter/bartender took our order, he said “perhaps you would be more comfortable sitting on the couch.” During the next hour of uncomfortably bending down to a coffee table to eat our lunch, only a handful of guests showed up for a reserved table. The place was still essentially empty when we began to leave. The final tab had all the marks of a meal at a high-end hotel $$$, which we expected. Unexpected was the baffling practice of running an empty dining area and the ungracious treatment. This was the low spot of our lovely Newport visit.