A step back in time. We ate in, sausage pasta, gnocchi, cucumber salad, tiramisu all home made. If we were staying in town we would have definitely taken advantage of the deli and bakery items for take home.
Great food and setting. We will be back.
Old World Renewed. There are several groceries on Federal Hill and Tony's is my favorite one for cheese by the pound. As another reviewer pointed out, it's also the least pretentious of the lot. I often enjoy their Italian grinder and a Coke while watching TV RAI in their small dining area. This place has an old world family run feel and it takes me back to childhood with all of the old European adults carrying on in the background about I don't know what while I stuff my face. Incidentally the "Italian Grinder" is of course the Rhode Island term, but at Tony's it is not a big sloppy sangwich with Oscar Mayer cold cuts. Here it's a refined and beautiful object with crispy crust but soft Italian roll filled with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella and just enough balsamic and EVOO to make the sandwich a true work of art. Stop in and try it for yourself.
Budget Gourmet. Tony's is great - awesome sandwiches to eat on premises or take to go, as well as other prepared foods (salads, pastas, etc.), in addition to gourmet Italian provisions to help you raise the bar in your home kitchen.
All of this without the stupid pretentiousness, the hustle and bustle, or the long wait of Costantino's - but with essentially the same quality of products from the home country.
Tony's takes the Italian grinder to a new level with a bit of balsamic vinegar drizzled into the bread, adding more of a complex bite to this standard offering. Their eggplant parmesan is wonderful - the eggplant is completely tender, and the guys behind the counter ask you how much tomato sauce or cheese you want.
Their bread has the perfect crusty exterior and soft interior - so you can soak up the sauce, without losing the crunch. (And it isn't so overly crunchy that you cut the roof of your mouth). The woman who works the register is friendly, and she offers basic Italian language lessons (usually relating to addition and subtraction as you pay for your food).
This has definitely become my regular spot for lunch on Federal Hill - you can get a filling and tasty meal for less than $10 every day, and find something fun to take with you for later on. (Today, it was fresh medjool dates.) I can't say enough about Tony's.
311 Atwells Ave - Providence
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes