Persimmon

Beautiful. Elegant. Delicious. Fun.
The new Persimmon is as wonderful as the previous iteration, and the chef and staff have made every effort to make the transition as smooth as possible… In fact, you barely realize that this place uprooted and worked tirelessly to create such a beautiful, detail-​rich and friendly space as possible because the only thing you really notice is the food.
The food. It is as it should be – it’s undeniably delicious. It’s perfect. It’s complex and so very simple. It’s art. It’s perhaps the best meal I have ever eaten in Providence… New England… Anywhere. Again, it’s perfect. However, filling? I can’t say that.
I had 4 plates throughout the evening, everything from vegetable beignets to NY strip. Chef Champe’s version of early-​summer gazpacho was divine — bright, bursting with fresh sunny flavor — was perhaps my favorite dish of the night, but honestly there wasn’t a low point.
Our service was impeccable, as was the cocktail I had to start the evening off. Our suggested wine pairings were exquisite and reasonably priced, which rarely go hand-​in-​hand.
One thing: I think I needed another plate of food. The menu is a mix-​and-​match of vegetables, seafood, meats and pastas… Each category serves as a course of sorts. I wouldn’t liken this to tapas as some of the dishes aren’t really suitable for table sharing, but you will need to order 3 – 4 dishes along with a dessert to fill that belly. Each dish is priced anywhere from $ 6 — $ 30, you be prepared to spend a bundle on this meal –and know that it is well worth the splurge.
I love everything about this version of Persimmon. The location, the atmosphere, the service, and especially the food. As I may have mentioned, it’s perfect.

Food: Food is good, but uninspired and lack of spice. Good quality ingredients.
The portions are really, really small! $ 17 for a tiny appetizer is highway robbery.
The restaurant is just not on the level to get away with such prices. It would be understandable, if the food would be amazing, but the combination of good, but lackluster food, with the tiny portions and high prices makes this only a 3 star establishment for food.
Staff: The bus staff was funny and nice, but our waiter was a strange combination of pushy and condescending, with a lack of focus on details and truly lacking food knowledge.
Barely 3 stars for staff.
Restaurant: Nice interior, but no tablecloth. Good glassware,
Not very cozy, with lack of space between tables.
The guests (at least the night we went) appeared very old and stuffy. Not very relaxed feeling, with a certain amount of peer pressure.
2 Stars
Improvements:
More inspired food combinations, Attention to the more interesting spices. Slightly larger portions. Better waitstaff.

Every aspect of our dinner experience at Persimmon was fantastic! The quality and amount of service from all the staff was perfect. The menu concept and plate portions were spot on. And the quality and freshness of the food really surpassed all expectations from years of hearing how good it was.
I had intended to visit Persimmon while it was in Bristol for years, but never managed to get there. Now that it’s in Providence and I know just how amazing it is, they will be seeing a lot more of me!!! I’m looking forward to it.

I would best describe Persimmons restaurant as «upscale but relaxed, not intimidating.» Most of the menu is as French but in the bar you can order some of the most delicious cocktails in New England. Let me Preface as saying, I am in fact also (nowhere near Chef Champes finesse) professional Chef. That said, when i want to be utterly inspired and blown away with a 0% nonsense, friendly, and perfected and sexy food and service… I DINE HERE!
Persimmon is a modern restaurant serving ingredient– and technique-​driven American cuisine. Chef Champe Speidel combines his unyielding enthusiasm for the craft with a fierce commitment to sourcing the very best ingredients and products from near and afar. The menu changes a little each night to showcase Speidel’s personal culinary vision — and, of course, to keep things novel for his guests. Persimmon is a place that merges flavor, technique and passion, for a creative dining experience that is truly one of a kind.
Serving sizes here are scaled for gourmets, not gourmands, so we had room for two desserts.
Thanks for many wonderful times Chef, I hope to work with you soon!

This review is for the new Providence location, for May 28. I wanted to lick the plates. My friend had the oysters 3 ways, the duck, and the rhubarb dessert; I had the pea soup, the dry-​aged beef, and the chocolate semifreddo. We shared, of course. My friend is French and highly critical when it comes to food (and everything else) and twice I saw him close his eyes in delight. He is now convinced that the food scene in Providence is better than the one in Boston, especially as far as what you get for the money. With two glasses of wine (I was excited to see an Oregon Pinot Noir on the wines by the glass list), the total was $ 110. It was not a completely perfect evening; some minor issues were: the noise level (the hostess did turn down the music, which was thoughtful of her, but it didn’t help much) and the way you can only get one piece of bread at a time. Portion sizes are on the smaller end, but I took my time and savored my food, including three pieces of bread, so I left happy.

Let me first say how excited I was to try this restaurant after hearing such great reviews. The ambiance was great, the menu was very diverse (chicken, beef, fish and pasta) and at first glance it seemed to be very inexpensive. Our server greeted us quickly and shared the concept for the restaurant, «it’s a tasting menu, if it helps you, think tapas but different». She explained the portions are small so people usually order 3 or 4, which quickly brings the price of a meal to $ 40-​$ 60. They also serve homemade bread, the bread server had a basket an approached our table of six people and given our reservation wasn’t until 8:30pm we all were looking forward to something to eat. Unfortunately the basket was to serve the entire restaurant not just our table and we each ended up with what I can only equate to a croûton (disappointment one) we asked if we could have 2 croutons but were denied. Our first course arrived after about 20 minutes, again we were told the portions were small and they weren’t kidding. I must say the 2 bite portion I had was delicious but very small. Our next course arrived about 40 minutes later again small but delicious. I don’t think the issue for me was the portion size but if you are doing a tasting menu the time between courses needs to be a lot shorter. Overall I was disappointed, for two of us it was $ 127 for 2 dishes each and 2 drinks. I wish them well but don’t think I will be back.

The perfection of Persimmon has come to Providence and now on a grander scale.
If you enjoyed the ride down to Bristol to one of Rhode Island’s most romantic dining spots then you are going to flip for Persimmon in Providence.
With its larger digs Persimmon has successfully kept the feeling of an intimate dining spot while equally able to handle larger parties also.
While I have only as of yet been able to join them for brunch I can assure you that the roots of this restaurant run deep and are fed with impeccable service that is on point without ever making you feel like the waiter is a stalker.
The Brunch?
Bloody Mary with chili vodka was bLoody marvelous.
The vegetable beignet were crisp pillows of savory wonder atop an aioli that carried them perfectly.
My English muffin with griddled ham and poached egg was perfectly balanced gooey yolk, salty ham and crunchy muffin, every bite was a moment of delight.
To round out Brunch we finished it with a warm vanilla donut and a French press.
There has never been for me a more perfectly paced, balanced and presented Brunch experience in Providence… not bad for their first day.
Dinner?
You better believe I’m coming back with my favorite dining companion, the lady who introduced me to Persimmon, my SHG.
Eat Well Providence and take time to enjoy the experience of dining out.

We have been to the bristol location and because we live in providence, we couldn’t wait to try their new location. Ambiance was great. I like their move away from the boring white table cloths. It’s much more chic now for sure. Everything started off very well. They were great about keeping our waters full all night (no easy feat because my fiancé drinks an absurd amount of water). First two courses came out and were phenomenal. Really just delicious (shellfish salad, garden salad, and asparagus). Then the main course, the steak and the venison tartare, took almost 45 min to come out! I thought my fiancé was going to start gnawing on the table. I saw our waitress realize we didn’t have food and about 15 minutes later she came over and apologized for the wait– she noticed I had an empty wine glass and asked if I wanted another. I said yes. She then went to another (larger party) table and cleared theirs later, got them more bread, opened a bottle of wine, served everyone, got a decanter, etc. needless to say, our entrees came out and 20 min later I still didn’t have the wine I ordered. Especially since we had been waiting SO long for our entrees, I would have thought I could at least enjoy my wine with my meal. I finally asked another server about it and she walked up to the bar and came back with it two seconds later so the wine had clearly just been sitting there. Between the less than great service and the long wait time, I think we’ll try other places before coming back. I can’t tell if the lower prices will mean worse service, but the servers we’ve had in bristol were always absolutely perfect. The food gets 5 stars, the service brings this down to 3.

Casual and elegant atmosphere with the food being anything but casual. Best New American restaurant on the east side of Providence. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Checked out Persimmon tonight. Ambiance, food preparation, quality of ingredients, fresh flavors and presentation were all impeccable. Service was good although the waiter confessed to still learning the menu.
The downfall for me was portion size. Too small, even-​considering they state it’s tapas size portions. Just as I was getting into a dish, it was gone. Wanted a few more bites especially with the vegetable salad which was unique and delicious.
If they increase the portion size just a bit, this place will be pretty close to perfection.

Highly anticipated opening of Persimmon Providence did not disappoint — from the walk through their signature persimmon door to the sorbet finish!
Cool grays and dark walnut finishes welcome you while white wainscoting elevate the ceilings and persimmon accents dot the landscape.
The redone Rue de L’espoir has been divided into a bar side and a dining side. We snuck in right at opening and secured a bar seat, but peeking into the dining room I know I’ll return if only to sit at the chefs counter and watch Champe Speidel at work!
The menu has changed from their Bristol location’s and is now broken down by category of food. Plates are small and shareable.
We opted for wine and as with their previous location, their list is well curated.
Our first nibbles were of Jonah crab on white asparagus and a highly recommended pasta dish whose name I unfortunately cannot recall! All I can tell you is — we ordered this dish first and come dessert time we ordered it again it was just that flavorful! Small purses of handmade pasta filled with citrus scented cheese.
Our next 3 dishes were seared foie gras, sirloin steak, and scallops.
— since it was opening day I will be lenient and say that had these come out when hot and fresh I’m sure they would have been well touted.
Our mango passion fruit sorbet was the perfect finish to a very enjoyable night.
Service was a bit slow as the waitstaff adjusted to their new roles. The menu wasn’t explained to us (as in how many dishes should we order if these are all small plates?) and there was a significant delay between our starters and the rest of the meal.
I’m certain Persimmon Providence will fill the void left by its predecessor. As the first true fine dining in the Wickendon neighborhood and highly anticipated as it has been, I think once they find their rhythm they will be great.
I’ll be back for brunch.

I visited Persimmon yesterday. They have beautifully renovated the space and added a bar. The cocktail menu included about 4 – 5 signature drinks plus a bartender’s choice, and the wine list had a nice selection of reds and whites. The menu did not currently have the 5 course tasting and they mentioned they are getting situated in their new space before adding those.
We started with the green vegetable beignets. They were warm, deliciously fried, flavorful and accompanied by a bright aioli. We then moved on to the steak and the bolognese. The steak was well marbled and rich and the bolognese was the perfect size.
We didn’t have a reservation and grabbed seats at the bar. It was only the second night but the staff was friendly and accommodating and the food just as good as I remembered it in Bristol.

Perfect night.
Exquisite food, service and setting.
Get the tasting menu.
Unfortunately I was driving, so I had to go careful on the matching wine.
Also, super unfortunately, I live several 1,000 miles away.
Food cooked and presented with skill, ingenuity, fun and love.
A class act.

We finally tried the super chef tasting menu, which included 17 meals, 2.5 hours of dining, and the unbuttoning of my suit jacket by the end of the meal. I have to say, this was one of the best meals I’ve ever had and you will not be disappointed. My only recommendation is be wary of the pâté desserts and the fois grois dishes, they are quite intense.

My fiancé and I have been eyeing this place ever since we discovered it (probably 3 – 4 years ago). We have been dying to go, but never had a good enough excuse! So finally, we decided to go to celebrate «a year until our wedding.»
We both love food and consider ourselves «foodies,» so we figured this was the perfect place seeing as we live in Bristol — super easy to get to (now it’s in Providence!).
Looking at the menu, we discovered so many interesting appetizers and entrees and just couldn’t decide, so we ended up going with the Chef’s tasting with the wine pairing. Let me just say ah-​mazing. A bit on the pricy side ($ 230 in total excluding tip) but SO worth it. Every plate was delicious as well as eye-​catching and the wine they paired along with everything was perfect.
We’ll definitely be coming back!

I have been putting off this review for a while because I really do not know what to write. We came here for restaurant week. I have heard so many raving reviews I was expecting this place to really knock my socks off. I was impressed with the presentation but something about this place did not take me to those orgasmic levels everyone was telling me about.
The food is so beautifully plated. Literally the Chef makes art on your dinner plate. However the plates are very small. So if you come here make sure to get an app, dinner, and dessert or you will leave hungry. The food was all prepared perfectly. The fish has a crispy crust that was sublime. My beef was rocking my tastebuds. Some negatives were the rosemary chocolates they tasted way too strong.
The service was ok. The hostess was welcoming. However I did get the vibe that the servers are used to a older clientele and as a younger person there for restaurant week we did not get treated the same way. Also when we were leaving we had to wait for our coats for a while. Overall good experience that I would suggest to anyone who wants a nice night out.

We have been meaning to go to Persimmon for a while. We heard a rave review about their food by a friend of ours who has a much more sophisticated palate than mine. She says «must try» and I say «will do.» Luckily for 2 people, I managed to get a same day reservation for the evening. I had never been to this side of town but it’s really neat! Little stores by the water. As soon as I step outside the car, I can smell the saltiness in the air. The street dividers are painted red white and blue. I turn the corner and there was this little innocuous unassuming sign that says «Persimmon.»
You step in and you encounter an ambience fitting of this type of restaurant. The area is slightly dim with modern décor. Light fixtures that are creatively designed and table cloths that are ironed flat. There is real OCD to be seen here but it set the mood for the evening to start.
As many of you know, the restaurant’s chef is a James Beard nominated master cook. If you don’t know what James Beard Awards are, shame on you. Go look it up as my attendings would say. You have two choices of ordering styles. There’s the 5 course chef selected menu or you can order a la carte. I am always up for surprises and I wanted to be told to try new things so I opted for the 5 course menu. I should have known that it’s never just 5 courses. We were given 3 small amuse bouches to kick off the night followed by 5 courses of amazing food. Each dish had been carefully crafted to consider the local ingredients, what is in season and only the freshest produce was used to prepare each. While each complimented one another, they were as different from each other to really allow you to explore the technical mastery that this chef has developed.
This place is truly and experience and as I understand, each time the dishes in the 5 course tasting menu is different. We took a stroll by the water afterwards and it really topped off the evening. This is easily one of my favorites in Rhode Island and I encourage you all to give it a try!

Awesome place. You will dine at another restaurant like it… well maybe you will but not very often.
The flavor combinations and designs are equisite. Portion sizes are great, and I left there feeling satisfied.
I read all the reviews on Unilocal and TripAdvisor and thought that I needed to experience this place.
You can visit Blithewold by day (since you are already in Bristol) and enjoy a memorable meal at Persimmon at night (again in Bristol).
The ride up from Newport is enjoyable with a nice scenic view.
Prix fixe meal style available along with a Chef Choice too.
You must go here. I need to go back. I wish i didn’t live hours away.
Enjoy!

For the last couple of months I have held off on sharing my experience at Persimmon because I wanted to craft a review that would do Persimmon justice, but the fact is I cannot.
My dinner at Persimmon on Aug. 5, 2014 was far and away the best meal I have ever had. The restaurant boasts an intimate interior, a gorgeous bar and fabulous wine list, and — most importantly — incredible food. Our party of four shared four unique appetizers, four unique entrees and two unique desserts. We passed our plates like a game of roulette, drooling over each and every bite. The presentation of each dish was artfully and thoughtfully prepared, and while the portions appeared small, each dish was incredibly rich, decadent and filling.
I highly recommend the octopus, beef tartare and foie gras appetizers. For entrees, the duck breast was incredible as was the lamb three ways. My husband really enjoyed his lamb chop, too. The peanut butter dessert was phenomenal and we loved the crunch from the peanuts. We also enjoyed our ‘safer’ choices like the fluke, broccoli soup, and chocolate cake, but I think the more adventurous dishes are where Persimmon really shines.
For those who are unfamiliar with Bristol or are unsure how to dress, Bristol is a very seasonal (summer) town and at most places you can get away with shorts or jeans, a tee and flip flops. Though Persimmon does not have a dress code (at least not one that I could find) I would suggest upscale/​modern casual. For men, a jacket is not out of the question but is not necessarily required either. Both men in our parties opted for one with a nice crisp button-​down shirt and khaki pants. For women, a nice dress with sandals or flats or blouse and pants would be fine. While I did wear them, I felt a bit overdressed in heels, and I typically wear them daily to work. When in doubt, I feel it’s better to be overdressed.
I can think of no better place than Persimmon to spend a fancy night out or to celebrate one of life’s milestones. I can’t wait to return during my annual visit next summer.

Tip: Come on a weeknight. My gf made the reservation the same day.
I feel pretty silly writing a review for this place because it was AMAAAAAZin’! My partner took me here for my birthday and it was honestly the best meal I have ever had! The décor inside was lovely; each picture/​painting represented the restaurant’s namesake: persimmon – nice touch. Even the bathroom was beautiful! And the food, OMG, the FOOD!!! So good!
We both chose the 5-​course tasting menu; it was priced out at $ 69 per person, which is more than fair considering the exceptional service, presentation and taste. Dinning at Persimmon is truly an experience, they treat you like a King!
See my pictures for visuals of our courses. For more details on the food see Lisa R’s review of our meal.