Beyond Pizza: RI Chow for the Discerning Teenager

I’m not gonna lie.

It’s a bit of a relief that the days of marching a toddler up and down the sidewalk outside a restaurant while my dinner got cold are behind me. But articles about kid and baby-friendly local restaurants still fill me with nostalgia.

With Kid #1, this wasn’t an issue. We brought her pretty much everywhere we wanted, and she sat there like a little, bald-headed adult, coloring and chatting and not disturbing. But when Kid #2 arrived, it all changed. Through a combination of the actual kid being much more active, and just…more typical, and the chemistry between the two of them together, it was pretty much over for a while. We tried to keep going out to eat, increasingly finding ourselves only in pizza places or restaurants where the cake-and-pie-go-round. But they wore us out, and The Takeout Era began.

With the end of The Takeout Era came The Chipotle and Pizza Era. Sure, they’d go to wherever their parents said they were going, but they voiced their preference for Chipotle (and the like) early and often. And then behave themselves (or not). And we often just defaulted to pizza and mall food, and…yeah.

And now, they have evolved. They’ll eat just about anywhere and love what they’re eating. There is considerable overlap between the places we love, but there are a few restaurants that have a special status with these teen palates and that should be shared. Here, in no particular order, are a few of Boychild’s (closing in on 17) and his peers’, preferred destinations–legitimately great foods that the youths love too.

• For burgers, they can’t get enough of Stanley’s. A Central Falls institution since 1932, you can still get a delicious burger for $1.99 (not a typo). This is important when you have males with large appetites. Not a gourmet, 3-Ring Circus burger–it’s just a straight-up good burger in a diner atmosphere. The last time I was there with Kid #2 and his friend, three separate people asked about the soccer jerseys they were wearing, two said that they had gone to the same school, and all wished the boys luck this season.

  

• Tallulah’s Taqueria is the taco destination of every Rhode Islander with taste buds. Every visit involves some swooning over what you are eating. There is nothing not to love on the menu. Boychild prefers a plain quesadilla and a churro. Always a churro. The first time he had this churro, he dreamed about it for days. Then Mom can get one of her very favorite beverages–a fantastic agua fresca (or my favorite: basil limeade) with a shot of Mezcal in it if she is so inclined. Winning.
• At the moment, this child and his buddies would eat every meal at Baja’s on Thayer St. SO much better than the “old” Baja’s (a narrow, bowling lane-like space just up the street that served one of everything). They love this place more than I do, but it is awfully good.

• Teenage males love nothing more than a huge breakfast on a weekend morning, and my own Boychild loves diners almost more than any other type of joint. His favorite is Liberty Lunch. In the heart of Pawtucket, near the gigantic St. Cecilia’s Church and just off Newport Ave., Liberty Lunch has been around a lot longer than this kid has, and it will probably be there for him to take his kids someday. Although there is a full breakfast and lunch menu, it’s all about the breakfast there for us. Easy on the wallet and the kindest staff in town–it’s a real favorite for chocolate chip pancakes and the Hungry Man Breakfast. 
• The first time Kid #2 tried a Gastros bratwurst, he declared it the greatest thing he has eaten in his life (he has said this about only two other things: homemade Colombian empanadas that cannot be bought, and a certain grilled cheese detailed below). Since then, he gets the occasional bacon cheddarwurst whenever he can. This is tricky, as the Gastros cart is always on the move and one needs to pay attention or miss out. Often found at Long Live Brewery on weekends, check their Instagram to keep up with their comings and goings (and their complete, off the hook charcuterie selection). 
• Brass Monkey is the unicorn of restaurants for my son and a gem in Rhode Island’s food royalty crown. If the rabid soccer-watching crowd and the overall vibe weren’t already enough, the food is absolutely sick (his words). The first time he came home from Brass Monkey, I had to hear about the life-changing pulled pork grilled cheese for months until I got there myself. The boy did not exaggerate. The lobster grilled cheese was also fantastic. The menu is way beyond grilled cheese, though, and everything is fresh and delicious.

This list is not at all exhaustive, and not at all objective (favorite sushi, clam cakes, and cheesesteaks are for another day). There is a light at the culinary tunnel, parents. Wayward kids do find their way back to fantastic food.