If you’re like me, you might’ve spent the whole summer internet-stalking a coffee shop based in Rhode Island. Maybe I’ve become too coffee-obsessed, but part of what excited me about going back to school this fall was the prospect of taking a day trip down to Rhode Island to try the coveted The Nitro Bar.
Yes, it may seem a little absurd to do an entire day trip just to get coffee when Boston has its own food scene, but let me tell you, it was worth it.
The Nitro Bar is a viral coffee shop with two locations in Newport and Providence, Rhode Island. I’ve been able to try their Providence location and one of the Newport locations.
Any cafe that goes viral can be a gamble, and I had high expectations going into my first experience. However, if it’s any indication of how much I enjoyed it, I made the trip down to Rhode Island two weekends in a row just for Nitro Bar.
The overall atmosphere and experience made it a 10/10 for me. I went with some friends both times, and we all had a great time. The fall weather was perfect, and it was a great escape from the city. It was some of the best coffee and matcha I’ve had, so I would say it was definitely worth the hype and the trip.
The Providence location is located in a cute neighborhood, right next door to a bike shop. They also had some outdoor seating, but it was so busy that we ended up sitting on a nearby stoop to eat. The Newport location we went to was near the water and located on a street filled with all kinds of shopping. It was all the New England coastal vibes I’ve ever wanted.
Now onto the drinks and food!
I tried the maple sea salt latte, one of their seasonal fall drinks, and it was delicious. They were sold out of the whipped foam that typically goes on top, but it was still great. It wasn’t too overpowering or sweet, which I liked. I also tried their cherry vanilla matcha. As a newer matcha fan, I loved it; it was perfectly sweet, but not too strong. The flavors paired very well, and it was the perfect amount of sweet and refreshing.
As for the food, I tried the egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel, the pesto smash, and the lemon butter bar. While the egg and cheese sandwich was very good, it was nothing special. But the pesto smash was by far my favorite savory food item. It had avocado, egg, tomato, cheese, and pesto on sourdough. It was the breakfast sandwich of my dreams. I split the lemon butter bar with my friends, and we all loved it. It wasn’t too sweet and had a light, pastry-like texture.
Overall, the cafe experience, the drinks, and the food all made my two trips down to Rhode Island worth it, and I understand why this coffee shop has gone so viral. It was a perfect day trip activity, and I had so much fun exploring some new places in New England.
This is a great way to spend a day with some friends!
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