Esquire
The Best New Restaurants in America, 2024
“The mighty Pawcatuck flows under the Broad Street Bridge and past the twinkling patio lights of River Bar, James Wayman and Aaron Laipply’s new spot in an old space. Rare is the restaurant whose food matches the comfort and pleasure of a slow-rolling waterway. Settle in with a dozen oysters and littlenecks from nearby Ninigret Pond and consider following up with a lobster roll or a burger—a “Classic Burger” halfway to smashed and made with the meat of locally raised (but fundamentally Tuscan) Chianina cattle.”
by Jeff Gordinier, Joshua David Stein, Omar Mamoon and Amethyst Ganaway
The Patch
This RI Eatery Is Among Esquire’s Best New Restaurants In America
“River Bar in Westerly has made Esquire’s exclusive 2024 list of the Best New Restaurants in America, which was released Tuesday.
The list of 35 restaurants includes eateries that punch above their price point, are romantic enough for date night, or just a great place for a boozy, delicious night out with friends, Esquire said.”
by Jimmy Bentley
Eater
This Small-Batch Soy Sauce Makes Every Meal Better
“In fact, I was picking up a pizza at Nana’s Mystic, a local organic bakery and pizza shop, when I first saw Moromi products on a store shelf. I was instantly intrigued. Founded by a married couple (a chemist and an author), and award-winning chef James Wayman in Mystic, the company makes its soy sauce in small batches. I soon learned that Moromi and Nana’s are owned by the same chef and that the bakery — along with Wayman’s name’s other restaurant, River Bar — use the products to add both flavor and umami to their sourdough pizza and baked goods.”
by Tanya Edwards
The Day
A roundup of our recent dining reviews
“Everything they make and serve at River Bar has its own twist and personality. Like the made-to-order chocolate chip cookies, with dark chocolate, brown butter, koji, and bay leaves. They are innovatively prepared, very tasty, and not your grandmother’s cookie recipe. For their warm fudge brownies, they use rye flour, and in their olive oil cake, Campari. Those desserts are a nod to their sister operation, the two Nana’s, one in Mystic and the other in Westerly.”
by Ann Baldelli
Boston Globe
Three new restaurants in R.I. for when you’re trying to stay cool this summer
“The team behind Nana’s Bakery & Pizza has taken over the former Bridge Restaurant space along the Pawcatuck River, where they recently opened as a seafood-focused eatery emphasizing local catches. Some of their menu’s biggest highlights include lobster lettuce wraps, tuna tostada, and their sourdough plate. The building, which has a deck overlooking the river, has had a storied history serving as multiple restaurants. Bridge closed suddenly earlier this year, but it was previously Three Fish and Up River. James Wayman and Aaron Laipply opened Nana’s in Mystic, Connecticut, in 2020, and it has since earned national fame. The duo then opened their second location on High Street in Westerly in 2022. 37 Main St., Westerly, R.I.”
by Alexa Gagosz
Providence Journal
New restaurants on the menu in Bristol and Westerly, along with dinner and rebrands
“The River Bar has opened at 37 Main St. in Westerly. The owners are James Wayman and Aaron Laipply. It's a lovely setting over the Pawcatuck River that most recently housed the Bridge restaurant. Their menu is full of local ingredients from nearby farmers and producers.”
by Gail Ciampa
The Westerly Sun
River Bar on track for spring opening at former Bridge restaurant
“The team behind Nana’s Bakery & Pizza has taken over the former Bridge Restaurant and plans to have a new seafood-focused dining destination up and running later this spring. Aaron Laipply and James Wayman were at the 37 Main St. location Saturday afternoon, sizing up the space and doing some initial preparation. “This is one of the most beautiful locations in this region,” Laipply said. “You can sit by the open windows and have fresh air coming in right off the water and enjoy that local seafood.”
The plan, Laipply said, is to open the space sometime in May as River Bar after some modest renovations to the 200-seat restaurant and a completely new menu.”
by Ryan Blessing