Adesso: Eclectic, Italian-influenced "California Cafe" with a 1980's decorative flair. You probably can't afford it - make a reservation for when your parents visit.
@ Ease Café: Rising out of the ashes of the beloved Ocean's, @ Ease still serves Ocean's coffee, as well as bagels, pastries and sandwiches; they promise Thai food is also in the works.
Andréas: A wide range of Greek fare, with everything from value-priced gyros and souvlakis to larger dinners.
Antonio's/Gordito Burrito: A late-night fixture. Its reasonably priced pizza is laden with unusual items such as avocado, eggplant and tortellini. A wide variety of Mexican food is also available in adjoining Gordito Burrito.
Asian Paradise: This pan-Asian restaurant, like many pan-Asian restaurants, is sub-par. You can definitely do better.
Au Bon Pain: Sure, it's a chain, but it's reliable and tasty.
Bagel Gourmet Olé: The stepchild of the original Brook Street bagel shop offers a curious but irresistible combination of fresh-made Mexican fare like ham quesadillas and dependable bagels.
Ben & Jerry's: You get three free scoops on your birthday, and Free Cone Day in April is always a social highlight of the spring semester.
Cold Stone Creamery: Drooool. Incredibly expensive but intensely filling, the New York-based ice cream chain made the move to Providence this summer and took the town by storm. Remember, kids, mix-ins are a sometimes food.
Crêperie: Tucked away on Fones Alley behind ABP, this French spin-off serves fresh crepes, wraps and smoothies. The atmosphere is always lively.
Dunkin' Donuts: Open 5 a.m. to 2 a.m., you'll never catch Dunkin' sleeping. Late nights, you can get a dozen donuts for $2.
East Side Pockets: East Side's falafel is legendary. Swallow your worry and get pockets with "everything." Friendly service, late hours and cheap prices.Geoff's on Thayer: First-timers at Geoff's will be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sandwich diversity. Once names like the Buddy Cianci and the Frigid Bitch have been deciphered, the sandwiches are generous and rich.
J&J's Candy Bar: One-stop shop for a good old-fashioned sugar high. Fudge and homemade candies share space with an impressive, colorful array of gummies, jelly beans and M&Ms.
Johnny Rockets: The popular wannabe-1950s burger joint on the corner of Meeting and Thayer streets. They sing. And the music that blares outside will forever color your memory of Thayer.
Kabob and Curry: True to its name, Kabob offers traditional Indian cuisine at reasonable prices. Selections are drawn primarily from North India, with a smattering of specialties from throughout the country. Gulab jamun for dessert, yum.
Kartabar: Not the place for an intimate conversation (quarters are a bit cramped and the acoustics are terrible), but the martinis are the best on Thayer, and the appetizers are delicious, too.
La Luna: Relatively new and untried, La Luna is already expanding. Upstairs is an upscale eatery with an impressive array of suggestively-named martinis. Downstairs is still shuttered, having very recently been biker hangout Wings to Go, but rumor has it stromboli will be involved.
Liquid Lounge: Dark and kind of sketchy, with a mostly townie crowd and some good live DJs. The East Side Neighborhood Association doesn't like it, but we can't tell if that's an endorsement.
Metro Mart: Upstart convenience store doesn't have Store 24's selection, but it's a block closer to the Main Green.
Meeting Street Café: A Meeting Street sandwich is big enough for two meals, so bring a friend. A plate-sized Meeting Street cookie can easily satisfy four and beat anything Grandma can bake.
The Nice Slice: We admit, we mocked it for taking on Antonio's, but the tiny joint has good traffic and decent pizza. Tasty thin crusts are better on fresh pies than reheated slices.
Paragon/Viva: Whether you enjoy weekly trips to the dance floor and restaurant or distance yourself from black-clad, Euro-loving "Viva kids," chances are you can agree that Paragon's food is among the tastiest and most consistent in quality that Thayer Street has to offer.
Providence Byblos: This eatery has already lasted longer in its location than the ill-fated Pizza Grille did - but that's not saying much. The home of "Mama's Falafel," Byblos wraps french fries into its chicken shawarma.
Roba Dolce: The (Smoothie) King has left the building. Its soon-to-be replacement, Roba Dolce, bills itself as "An Italian Cafe Experience." It also has an oddly placed exclamation point in its name. That's all we know.
Shanghai: Another recent addition to the Thayer Street Food Court, this joint is half classy pseudo-bar, half mall take-out joint, with the same good-enough food served on both sides.
Spike's Junkyard Dogs: Many vegetarians have rediscovered their carnivorous roots after spending time at Spike's. But the veggie dogs are good, too.
Spiritus Fermenti: The only liquor store on Brown's campus. Overpriced, but you're paying for proximity. On your 21st birthday, you'll get a fat discount and a teeny bottle of champagne.
Starbucks: As always, a hidden gem. Usually crowded, and a good place for Thayer Street people-watching opportunities.
Store 24: The convenience store with a name it can't live up to - local law shuts its doors just shy of 2 a.m. It does have all your party needs - limes, ping pong balls, soda.
Subway: The newcomer was psychotically anticipated by Herald Executive Editor Chris Hatfield, who did, in fact, eat the first sandwich there last spring.
Sushi Express: Don't feel like walking to Wickenden? Hole-in-the-wall Express has passable, quick sushi, made when you order it. So far, no health code violations.
Tealuxe: Not a coffee person? Tealuxe has more tea than any sane person would ever be able to tell the difference between, and wi-fi, too.
Unknown Name: A man inside the building that once was Sura said Wednesday he was considering naming the new restaurant "Spats" but was open to suggestions. He said the establishment on Angell Street would have American, Greek and Chinese influences. Stay tuned.
Via Via IV: Mob rumors abound about this stock Italian restaurant, which clings to its Meeting Street location with uncommon ferocity in the face of the looming LiSci.
