Dairy-Free in Rhode Island: Recommended Restaurants by City

Last Update in May 2023! We’ve created this ever-growing guide to restaurants, bakeries, cafes, ice cream shops, and stores in Rhode Island that are friendly to dairy-free diners. It’s a collection based on research and reader recommendations (send yours!) that’s divided into restaurants & shops by city (first) and major chains found throughout the state (second). And we’ve started a section for specialty dairy-free foods produced in this state.

We Update Continuously! You can ignore the original date on this post going forward. We update the information below whenever we’re alerted to a new recommendation, change, or closure.

Photo from George’s of Galilee in Narragansett, Rhode Island

Dairy-Free Rhode Island: Recommended Restaurants & Shops

If you eat seafood, you’re going to love this state. Oyster and sushi bars can be found in every town, and Rhode Island’s famous clear broth clam chowder is often dairy free. But even if you aren’t in a fishy mood, you’ll find some great eateries in this guide. We’ve listed these recommendations alphabetically by city and then by the restaurant or shop name. For large chains with locations throughout the state, see the Major Restaurant & Grocery Chains section below. We have dedicated posts with dairy-free details for many of the big guys.

⭐️ = Restaurant is either dairy-free, has a dairy-free menu, has dairy-free labels on their menu(s), or lists top allergens with menu items. (At the time of our last review.)

Barrington

Black Pear Cafe – This is a great local spot for toasts, sandwiches, and salads. They have a few vegan items on the menu, some more that are dairy-free, and most can be custom ordered without dairy. They use artisan breads and bagels from local bakeries. Elizabeth wrote in and said they sometimes have vegan donuts, and currently source their bread from Seven Stars.
Thrive Tribe Cafe ⭐️ – This vegan shop serves arepas, toasts, sandwiches, acai bowls, smoothies, and more. They also cater heavily to gluten-free customers. Elizabeth says this is a great spot, too!

Bristol

Basil & Bunny ⭐️ – This is a plant-based restaurant serving lunch, dinner, and Saturday brunch. They have a big burger menu, but also serve sandwiches, wraps, salads, and desserts.
Jules Ice Cream – They offer some creamy vegan ice cream flavors daily, like cookie dough or cookies ‘n cream, and they have dairy-free sorbet.

Cranston

A&J Bakery – This is a gluten-free and nut-free bakery with dairy-free and vegan options. For dairy-free customers, they have a selection of pies, dessert squares, brownies, quick bread, cookies, cakes, and cupcakes.
B. Good – With the help of their allergen chart, you can order crispy chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, veggie burgers, and fries, and custom order various burgers, salads, and bowls. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.
Blaze Pizza – See our Blaze Pizza Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Crepe Corner – They make dairy-free acai bowls, smoothies, and overnight oats with oat or almond milk, and offer a small selection of sweet and savory vegan crepes. Additional dairy-free breakfast and lunch items are available.
Lucy Juicy – Lattes, smoothies and acai bowls with house-made granola are their specialty. And almost all is or can be ordered dairy-free. But their food menu is also completely plant-based, right down to the vegan cheddar grilled cheese. They also offer vegan donuts.
Pinkberry – See our Pinkberry Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Seven Stars Bakery – Their artisan breads are fermented with natural sourdough starters, and most varieties are dairy-free. Many are vegan, too (just the challah contains egg). They clearly disclose ingredients. They also craft several dairy-free sandwiches, including one vegan option.

Cumberland

Apothica Cafe ⭐️ – This is a vegan coffee shop with an herbal approach to their lattes. They also have a diverse drink menu and a full food menu with bagels, sandwiches, wraps, soup, and desserts. Yes, they also have vegan donuts and dairy-free affogato.

East Greenwich

Back To Basics Natural Foods – This local grocery store has a good selection of the latest vegan items, and they’re known for having a lot of gluten-free foods, too.
Knead Doughnuts – This traditional doughnut shop offers yeast-raised and cake vegan donut flavors daily. They come in rotating flavors that mimic their “regular” doughnuts, like jelly-filled, passion fruit, vanilla glazed, brioche, and more.
Pizza Heaven – You can order a dairy-free pizza with Daiya cheese alternative on their vegan or gluten-free crust.
Scrumptions – You can custom order dairy-free and vegan cakes or cupcakes (gluten-free is also available) in a handful of flavors.

East Providence

MidiCi Pizza – Their signature Neapolitan dough is light, thin, soft, and chewy, with a high crust, and it’s dairy-free. It’s made purely with a special Neapolitan flour, water, sea salt, and yeast. They also offer dairy-free cheese alternative and vegan sausage, and have several custom order salad options.

Kingston

Insomnia Cookies – This sweet chain offers a few flavors of vegan cookies year round, like Birthday Cake and Double Chocolate Chunk. But they also bake up seasonal vegan flavors throughout the year.
Providence Bagel – This small local chain of bagel shops offers vegan cream cheese, and most of their bagel sandwich menu can be ordered dairy free.
RI Donut Guys – They don’t make them in house, but this donut shop offers vegan gluten-free donuts made by The Donut Shack.

Lincoln

Lincoln Creamery – They frequently offer Dole Whip in their soft serve section, and usually have a few dairy-free creamy ice creams in the scoop section.

Matunuck

Daddy’s Bread ⭐️ – This is a seasonal dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan bread kiosk that offers 19 rotating flavors. Every loaf is handmade, from scratch, with simple ingredients.

Middletown

Diego’s Barrio Cantina – Their menu is littered with a good smattering of vegan options, including nachos and salad bowls. But they have many more dairy-free choices, including street tacos and burritos.
Flat Waves Food Shack – They offer a big array of vegan acai and pitaya bowls, and several options for dairy-free tacos, poke bowls, other rice bowls, and salads.
Nature’s Goodness Natural Food Store – This small local grocery and supplement store has been around for decades. It’s a good spot to find higher quality dairy alternatives and special diet products.
Plant City X ⭐️ – They’re open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and their specialties include froyo parfaits, burgers, and “chik” sandwiches and nuggets with an array of sauces. This is a vegan establishment.
Sprout and Lentil ⭐️ – Burgers are the specialty at this vegan kitchen. But they also serve soups, salads, and offer several freshly baked goodies, like cinnamon rolls, cookies, cupcakes, and pop tarts.
The Power of Juice ⭐️ – This all-vegan shop presses organic raw juices and nut milks, and makes a selection of healthy treats, gluten-free juice pulp muffins, and raw food snacks.

Narragansett

Crazy Burger Cafe & Juice Bar – This quirky little restaurant offers a big menu of options, including several vegan burgers served in a tortilla, smoothies made with almond or soy milk, a wide range of juices, and even vegan carrot cake for dessert. Many of their other menu items can be made dairy-free, on request.
Gansett Poke – Even if you’re not a fan of raw fish, you’ll enjoy the mostly dairy-free, build-your-own bowl options at this cafe. They offer tofu, chicken, cooked shrimp, and hard-boiled eggs as alternate proteins.
George’s of Galilee – This waterfront seafood restaurant has many dairy-free menu items, some obvious, but a few surprises. They have a raw bar, surf and turf options, fish tacos, award-winning clam chowder (they use a clear broth), fish and chips, and even fried scallops. They have dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan labels on their menu.
Nana’s Ice Cream & Gelato Cafe – They have a few locations in town, and offer scoops of dairy-free and vegan ice cream in flavors like Birthday Cake, Cookie Dough, and Oreo. They also have dairy-free gelato.
SoCo Vedge ⭐️ – This is a local vegan meal delivery service providing three different dishes each week.

Newport

A Market Natural Foods – This local grocery has lots of dairy-free products and even several vegan pre-made entrees and some vegan baked goods.
Ben & Jerry’s – See our Ben & Jerry’s Dairy-Free Guide for full details.
Pasta Beach – They don’t offer dairy-free cheese at this Italian restaurant, but they are friendly toward food allergies and make almost everything in house. They have several dairy-free small bites, antipasti, soup, and salads Several pasta dishes can also be made dairy-free, and I don’t think they would look at you funny if you ordered one of their traditional pizzas without cheese.
Root ⭐️ – Enjoy everything on the menu at this plant-based juice bar and cafe. They serve smoothies, acai bowls, toasts, grain bowls, breakfast bowls, sandwiches and more for breakfast and lunch.
Sweet Magnolia Soups – This is a soup pick up and delivery company that offers several dairy-free varieties on order. They deliver in Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth.

New Shoreham

Los Gatitos Restaurante / Yellow Kittens – They offer Daiya dairy-free cheese, so much of their menu can be ordered without dairy. They serve classic Mexican food fare, with nachos, tacos, and burritos.
Persephone’s Kitchen – You can pop in for breakfast, when they offer a some sweet and savory vegan toasts, bowls, and smoothies. For lattes, they have soy, oat, almond, and coconut milks.

North Providence

Providence Bagel – This small local chain of bagel shops offers vegan cream cheese, and most of their bagel sandwich menu can be ordered dairy free.

Pawtucket

Ja Patty – This food truck specializes in Jamaican patties, and they offer a vegan curry patty and a vegan apple pie dessert patty. The jerk chicken and curry veggie rice bowls are dairy free as well. And for catering purposes, with enough notice, they can make any patty dairy-free by substituting the vegan dough.
Rasoi ⭐️ – This local Indian restaurant is quite friendly to special diet diners. Their menu is labeled for dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan items, and includes many options. Most of their vegetarian menu is vegan-friendly, and they offer several dairy-free chicken and seafood dishes.
Wildflour Vegan Bakery & Juice Bar ⭐️ – The biggest problem with this bright and modern café is deciding what to get! On the sweet side, they have breakfast pastries, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and more, with many gluten-free options. They also serve a rainbow of smoothies and juices, healthy lattes, milkshakes, and a petite lunch menu of soups and breads. If you’re on the go, they have prepackaged parfaits, puddings, granola, and meals. They also bake custom cakes and take special orders.

Providence

Aleppo Sweets ⭐️ – This is actually a cafe that serves a Mediterranean menu. A large portion of their menu is dairy-free (it is labeled), including many small plates, kabobs, and falafel. Their are also some vegan items, including vegan baklava.
Augusta St. Kitchen ⭐️ – This bakery and catering company focuses on healthy, whole food cuisine using local and organic ingredients. Their menus are labeled for dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, grain-free, and vegan options, and are heavily dairy-free. They have a daily selection of savory dishes, breads, and sweet treats, including doughnuts, cupcakes, and more. They also take custom orders.
Beatnic ⭐️ – Formerly known as by Chloe, this plant-based restaurant chain serves a healthy vegan array of burgers, sandwiches, salads, pastas, and smoothies, with pancakes on the weekend. They’re open for lunch, dinner, and dessert, which includes house-made ice cream (also sold by the pint), cookies, cupcakes, and other pastries.
Ben & Jerry’s – See our Ben & Jerry’s Dairy-Free Guide for full details.
B. Good – With the help of their allergen chart, you can order crispy chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, veggie burgers, and fries, and custom order various burgers, salads, and bowls. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.
Blue State Coffee – This New England coffee chain doesn’t charge extra for dairy-free milk (almond, oat, or soy) in their coffee drinks, and they have a good selection of eats on their petite food menu. Choices include bagels with some unique spread options, sandwiches (vegan cheese is available), oatmeal, and smoothies.
Double Zero ⭐️ – Like all Matthew Kenney creations, this restaurant is plant-based. Their menu centers around pizza cooked in a custom built wood burning oven. But they also serve small plates, including house tree-nut cheeses and vegan desserts. It’s inside Plant City.
Eastside Marketplace – This local grocery store has a good selection of special diet foods, a large kosher food department, and they make prepared foods with many dairy-free and vegan options.
Flatbread Company – This gourmet flatbread pizza chain supports local and organic farming, and is special diet friendly. They offer dairy-free cheese, have vegan pizza on the menu, and can make many of their pizzas dairy free. They also offer a gluten-free vegan pizza crust, and we’ve been told that their regular house dough and most of their toppings are dairy-free. They also have build-your-own salad options.
Green Line Apothecary – This vintage soda fountain veers from tradition with some vegan options. You can order dairy-free coconut milk ice cream scoops, shakes, or floats.
Hometown Cafe & Poke Bar – This is a popular spot for poke and acai bowls, which are dairy-free. They also offer avocado and hummus toasts, but be sure to check that the bread they are currently using is made without milk.
I Love Milkshakes – Their milkshake menu is dairy-full, but they offer a full acai menu with many dairy-free acai bowls, smoothies, and “guilt-free shakes.”
Insomnia Cookies – This sweet chain offers a few flavors of vegan cookies year round, like Birthday Cake and Double Chocolate Chunk. But they also bake up seasonal vegan flavors throughout the year.
Julian’s – They serve late breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with vegan options throughout their menu. They have vegan hash complete with dairy-free pepper jack, vegan french toast, vegan benedict, vegan steak & cheese sandwiches, and so much more. Many additional items can be ordered dairy-free.
Knead Doughnuts – This traditional doughnut shop offers yeast-raised and cake vegan donut flavors daily. They come in rotating flavors that mimic their “regular” doughnuts, like jelly-filled, passion fruit, vanilla glazed, brioche, and more.
Kow Kow – They make bubble waffle cones and fill them with ice cream – and they offer vegan and gluten-free options!
Like No Udder ⭐️ – This purely dairy-free ice cream shop swirls soy-based soft serve and scoops 12 hard packed flavors (made with a cashew, coconut, or peanut base). Eight of the flavors are permanent and four rotate regularly. You can order it in a cup, in a cone, with toppings (yes, salted caramel sauce and coconut whip, too!), in a milkshake (made with coconut, soy or almond milk), on a float, or blended into a “blizzard.” They also offer vegan baked goods, candy bars, and some other retail items. In addition to their shop, they have a food truck selling soft serve, shakes, and other cool drinks and treats.
Nice Slice Pizzeria – They have an entire menu of vegan pizzas, and even offer vegan buffalo and ranch sauces. You can also order a meaty pizza with dairy-free cheese and sauces.
Olive del Mondo ⭐️ – This mini mart specializes in olive oils and vinegars, but they also carry a store full of vegan pantry items and regional foods.
Pasta Beach – They don’t offer dairy-free cheese at this Italian restaurant, but they are friendly toward food allergies and make almost everything in house. They have several dairy-free small bites, antipasti, soup, and salads Several pasta dishes can also be made dairy-free, and I don’t think they would look at you funny if you ordered one of their traditional pizzas without cheese.
P.F. Chang’s – See our P.F. Chang’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
PiANTA ⭐️ – Their all-vegan menu includes a range of wraps, sandwiches, small plates, bowls, and pastas. They also offers some house desserts.
Pinkberry – See our Pinkberry Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Plant City ⭐️ – This isn’t just a restaurant. It’s an entire vegan food hall with four restaurants and three bars. And it was all created by famed chef Matthew Kenney. The options include a burger bistro and bar, a build your own sandwich and smoothie counter serve, a plant-based pizzeria and wine bar, a Mexican restaurant and bar, a coffee shop, and a full bakery with pastries, cookies, cakes by the slice, and whole cakes.
Pokemoto ⭐️ – Enjoy their poke bowls with a range of dairy-free sauces, and get dairy-free Dole Whip for dessert!
Pokeworks – All of their signature poke bowls, and pretty much all of their menu is dairy-free, including the Dole Whip for dessert! They offer raw, cooked, and vegan proteins.
Providence Bagel – This small local chain of bagel shops offers vegan cream cheese, and most of their bagel sandwich menu can be ordered dairy free.
PVDonuts – Their daily, hand-crafted menu includes vegan brioche-style donuts in seasonal flavors, like filled carrot cake in spring.
Rebelle Artisan Bagels – All of their bagels are dairy-free and vegan (except the egg bagel), and they have made in house dairy-free cashew cream cheese (also vegan) and lox. They also offer bagel sandwiches, with vegan options, some other dairy-free deli items, and vegan cookies.
Rory’s Market & Kitchen – The grocery side is filled with dairy alternatives and dairy-free brands, while the “kitchen” side caters to all types of special diet needs. They have smoothies, sandwiches, salads, wraps, and more, with dairy-free and vegan items woven throughout. They even offer vegan cheese on some items.
Saladworks – Pretty much their entire menu contains dairy, but they offer an interactive allergen menu that tells you how to custom order most items without dairy (or other special diet needs). You can choose between salads, warm grain bowls, wraps, and a few other items. They offer a good handful of dairy-free dressings, and do have gluten-free and vegan options.
Seven Stars Bakery – Their artisan breads are fermented with natural sourdough starters, and most varieties are dairy-free. Many are vegan, too (just the challah contains egg). They clearly disclose ingredients. They also craft several dairy-free sandwiches, including one vegan option.
Tallulah’s Taqueria – More than half of their tacos are dairy-free, and most of the rest are dairy-free if you simply omit the cheese or crema. They have a couple of vegan taco options, too.
The Glow Cafe & Juice Bar ⭐️ – Everything is vegan at this local cafe. Aside from juices, smoothies, and acai bowls, they’re known for their Jamaican Vegan Patties.
Trattoria Zooma – Their menu includes vegan pizzas, vodka rigatoni, primavera, and risotto. They have some additional dairy-free entrees, and several dishes can be custom ordered without dairy.
Veggie Fun ⭐️ – Most Asian restaurants have ample dairy-free options, but it’s always fun to find one with absolutely no dairy on site. And this Pan-Asian spot is completely vegan. Their cuisine is heavy in favorite Chinese and Japanese dishes.
White Electric Coffee – This employee-owned co-op shop offers oat, soy, and almond milk for lattes and serves vegan brownies, vegan pop tarts, and bagels with vegan cream cheese, Earth balance, jam, peanut butter, or hummus (gluten-free bagels available). They also have bagel sandwiches and salads.

Richmond

Celebrated ⭐️ – You can have your cake and eat it too at this all-vegan dessert shop. They offer treats like cookie dough, cookies, and cupcakes in their shop and do bake custom order cakes.

Riverside

Blount Clam Shack – Unfortunately, the batter for their fried items does contain milk. But they do offer a dairy-free red clam chowder, entree salads with lobster, and some sides.

Rumford

Seven Stars Bakery – Their artisan breads are fermented with natural sourdough starters, and most varieties are dairy-free. Many are vegan, too (just the challah contains egg). They clearly disclose ingredients. They also craft several dairy-free sandwiches, including one vegan option.

Smithfield

Blackie’s – This “neighborhood eatery” offers vegan cheese and dairy-free sour cream for pizzas, nachos, and other menu items. In fact, they offer an eclectic and modern array of dishes with several dairy-free options. Their menu is also littered with gluten-free options, and they cater to keto and vegan diets, too.
Juice Bar & Co ⭐️ – They use oat milk or almond milk for their smoothies and plant-based purium protein for their shakes at this all-vegan cafe. But they also offer all types of house-made energy bites, toasts, coconut yogurt parfaits, cookies, and more.

Tiverton

Bajah’s Cat Cafe – Kitty fans will be happy to know that they offer almond and oat milk for their coffee drinks and also sell vegan donuts.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes – This expanding franchise makes dairy-free burgers with a range of protein, bun, sauce, and topping options. They have a detailed allergen chart to help you order. They also offer vegan, paleo, and gluten-free options.
The Donut Shack ⭐️ – Mark your calendar. This vegan, top allergen-free baker is open via pop-up on select Saturdays throughout the year.

Warren

Blount Clam Shack – Unfortunately, the batter for their fried items does contain milk. But they do offer a dairy-free red clam chowder, entree salads with lobster, and some sides.

Warwick

Not Your Average Joe’s – David Crowley of Cooking Chat recommended this cozy, neighborhood-style restaurant chain for food allergy friendliness. “The staff at Not Your Average Joe’s takes a lot of care to get the order straight and work with you to come up with something that can be enjoyed safely.” Their menu is creative and eclectic, with a good handful of dairy-free salads and warm ups. Their Culinary Director says they can also custom prepare sandwiches, burgers, and select steak and seafood dishes without dairy.
Pinkberry – See our Pinkberry Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Plant City X ⭐️ – They’re open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and their specialties include froyo parfaits, burgers, and “chik” sandwiches and nuggets with an array of sauces. This is a vegan establishment.
Smokey Bones – This Eastern chain has been recommended by a few readers for their volume of dairy-free options. It’s a sit-down BBQ restaurant with ample meats and sides, custom burgers, and other mains to choose from. In the past, they’ve had a spotty allergen chart, so be sure to verify “safe” options with the staff.

Westerly

High Tide Juice Co. – All of their smoothies and smoothie bowls were dairy-free, at last check, and everything on their petite savory menu an be ordered without dairy, since they offer vegan cheese. They make wraps and quesadillas.
Misquamicut Sandwich Company ⭐️ – This deli goes above and beyond for special diet guests. There menu is labeled for dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan guests, right down to the breads they use. They offer Udi’s bread and Maria & Ricardo’s wraps for gluten-free, but most of their wheat breads and wraps are vegan. And they have Daiya dairy-free cheese for sandwiches (including vegan grilled cheese!). They have several dairy-free sandwich, bagel sandwich, and salad options.
Pompelmo Gelato – They have some dairy-free sorbettos, and also make vegan floats, rootbeer floats, and pops. This is a seasonal gelateria.

Photo from by Chloe in Providence, Rhode Island

Restaurant & Grocery Chains found throughout Rhode Island

Some recommended restaurant and store chains are getting too big for our city listing britches. They have many locations, or are rapidly growing, and you might stumble across them in a number of towns in this state. Click on them for more dairy-free details.

Chipotle Mexican Grill – See our Chipotle Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Panera Bread – See our Panera Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Uno Pizzeria & Grill – See our Uno’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.

Photo from by Chloe in Providence, Rhode Island

Local Dairy-Free Food & Drink Producers in Rhode Island

These dairy-free friendly companies don’t have their own retail location, but are in Rhode Island. So you have a good chance of finding their products at grocery stores, restaurants, and/or other shops in this state. Keep an eye out!

Barrett’s Garden – They make natural, unique, dairy-free cashew cheeses in creamy spreads and alternative varieties like ricotta and parmesan.
Paleonola – This is a local dairy-free, grain-free granola company.
Sweet Tree Creamery – This local dairy-free ice cream maker sells pints to stores and scoopable gallons to many local ice cream shops. Keep an eye out!

Photo from Celebrated in Warwick, Rhode Island

This Guide is Continuously Updated with Recommendations

We welcome you to recommend other dairy-free friendly restaurants. Leave a comment or contact us and tell us why you like a certain restaurant. Restaurant owners and employees are also invited to reach out and let us know how you welcome dairy-free customers.

Please kindly let us know in the comments if any of these restaurants close. We want to keep this list current for you, but aren’t always notified when a restaurant closes. Let us know and we will quickly update!

This Guide is for Informational Purposes Only

Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that they can accommodate your situation.

There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.

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