Greater City Providence

Providence’s own Koreatown

Teriyaki House

Photo © AndyMrrs

Los Angeles has their Koreatown neighborhood, a 2.7 square mile area of 124,000 people where 23% of the population is Korean. Of course, being Rhode Island, our burgeoning Korean district is a little more diminutive.

Sura recently opened on Westminster Street and opening soon across the street in the space where Bowl & Board used to be is Teriyaki & Korean House by the owners of Formerly Solomon’s on Benefit.

OK, so two restaurants perhaps do not a Koreatown make, but I’d settle for half as many ice cream stores in Icecreamtown.

Jef Nickerson

Jef is Greater City Providence's co-founder, editor, and publisher. He grew up on Cape Cod and lived in Boston; Portland, Maine; and New York before settling in Providence. In addition to urbanism, Jef is interested in art, design, and ice cream. Please feel free to contact Jef if you have any question or comments about Greater City Providence.

15 comments

  • As those of us in the know know, the real Rhode Island Koreatown is on Warren Street in East Providence. Again, it’s two stores, but Asiana is a great grocery, and the restaurant across the street is incredible and friendly.

  • Yes, we would need a Korean market to have a true Koreatown. RISD actually runs a shuttle out to East Providence for its Korean students to go to that market, so, there could be a demand for that Downcity.

  • Solomon’s was awesome and used spice really well, nice to see them give Sura some competition. Competition will be good in lowering prices.

    As nice as it would be to see an ice cream store, I don’t see it happening in this area because ice cream needs plenty of foot traffic. The ice cream place on Atwells is usually empty as a lot of people drive by, but few stop in.

  • Warren Ave in East P has Sun and Moon (great!) across from a Korean grocery. So there’s that.

  • The ice cream place on Atwells does not serve proper ice cream.

  • I kind of agree though on the ice cream front, it would need to probably be more than just ice cream. It would be awesome if Small Point served ice cream, and not vegan (sorry, I just can’t get down with that).

  • The ice cream place on Atwells is terrible. I went there once. Won’t be going back. I’m surprised Newport Creamery doesn’t open a shop downtown, even if it’s just for ice cream. I think it’d do well. Their ice cream is good.

  • Newport Creamery is the worst crap in the history of crap. I’d rather eat vegan ice ‘cream.’

  • > Solomon’s was awesome and used spice really well, nice to see
    > them give Sura some competition. Competition will be good in
    > lowering prices.

    Solomon’s was good (and always packed when I was there) but I fear for two of the same restaurant across the street from one another downtown. Is there enough demand?

    If anything, maybe competition will improve the breed. I’ve heard very mixed reviews of the downtown Sura.

  • I think it’s a larger trend! Look at Thayer, the most frequent home of Mama Kim’s Korean Food Truck & the delicious new Soban Korean Eatery, with my favorite: tofu & seafood stew as good as what I used to get in NYC.

  • There’s a Mexican place (Viva Mexico) opening at the Mercantile Block next to The Stable on Washington Street for you burrito lovers.

    Wouldn’t mind an in-out sandwich shop like Geoff’s or a quick slice pizza window downtown either. This might be happening at the New New New Old Parkade Garage retail on Wash.?

  • Did Cilantro close downtown? (Not that I’m arguing that it’s the definition of “decent” desired here)