Hail Seitan at AS220, Friday the 13th

Photo by Jef Nickerson

Remember all that hoo ha about eating at AS220? Neither do I.

This Friday, AS220 unveils their new Empire Street dining experience on Empire Street with a $6.66 buffet.

From AS220:

We are pleased to announce the official return of food to AS220 beginning Friday, November 6th and our grand opening celebration, featuring a $6.66 buffet, on Friday, November 13th. Please come by, welcome our new restaurant manager, Guy Michaud, and sample the restaurant’s opening menu, featuring such delicious offerings as spinach, roasted sweet potato, and walnut empanadas and chili prima pasta, pulled pork, parsnips, local rapini and Atwells Gold cheese. Our menu is sensitive to all food allergies and dietary restrictions; vegans and vegetarians can take comfort that almost all of the items can be easily adjusted to meet their needs by our full time vegan chef, Justin Earsing. Notably, the menu is also highly affordable from top to bottom, with offerings ranging from a mere dollar to just eight dollars.

AS220’s new food offerings, like all of its programs, is highly mission driven and reflects the founding principles of the non-profit organization. First and foremost, we want everyone who walks through the doors of AS220 to feel welcome and have access to the programs and benefits therein, regardless of financial constraints or other limitations, and a healthy meal and comfortable gathering place is among these. For this reason we aimed to create a restaurant that always has affordable options on the menu to further our food & drink space as the meeting place, the social “melting pot” and the forum for new ideas and collaboration we have always sought to provide.

In light of our mission to support local artists and entrepreneurs, we look to our local New England farms and food artisans to provide the quality ingredients for our cuisine. All of our menu items are created using the freshest local ingredients available and as the seasons change our daily specials and menu also change to reflect what is in season. Constant creativity in the kitchen means you can always be excited about what we are offering even if you make AS220 your source for both lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, enjoying nearly a half dozen daily specials. The restaurant will also provide occasions for local food artisans to get the word out about what they do, represent their creations in person and retail their products in our restaurant and bar area. We hope the lively food culture of our great state will take root at Empire Street and that Rhode Island “foodies” will take an active role in helping to develop the direction and future programming around food at AS220.

AS220’s restaurant also provides three six month positions at a time for youth involved in the Broad Street Studio program and/or the RI Training School’s culinary arts program. Broad Street provides free arts instruction and professional development to youth aged 14-21 with a focus on those in or recently released from state care. Our hope is that these kitchen training positions will allow youth to gain economic independence and also allow them to gain valuable work experience that will increase their opportunities in the larger community.

We are confident that you will come for the food and also return for the food, but we also hope your experience will be enriched by the knowledge that in addition to supporting local farms, food artisans, and our youth program, every purchase in the restaurant financially supports AS220’s not-for-profit work in Rhode Island. All earnings from our food offerings directly support the organization’s ability to offer unjuried, uncensored, all ages exhibitions and performances, stay true to our open booking policies, offer accessible arts education and much more. Please visit us at AS220 to learn more.

The Restaurant at AS220
115 Empire St., Providence, RI 02903
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11-10, Fri-Sat 11-11
Phone: 401-831-FOOD (3663)