The Fettuccine Bolognese is a cold weather favorite at Angelo’s in Cumberland. The casual spot has two large, new dining rooms, a full bar and an extensive menu that includes Italian and Greek entrées.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

As you review the list of restaurants which occupied this Dining Out space in 2008, you’ll note many small, neighborhood establishments. With the challenge to so many to spend less in trying economic times, these kinds of spots are bargains.

Here are brief looks at the places which satisfied our cravings so well in the past year.

If going, double check the hours as restaurants cut back during these holiday weeks.

Academica Restaurant, 627 South Main St., Fall River. (508) 677-4663. A well-kept secret outside of the city, but if you enjoy home-style Portuguese food, it’s worth seeking it out. The building doesn’t call to drivers-by. It looks more like a hall than a dining establishment, but there is a reason for that, too. The restaurant is operated by the Associacao Academica de Fall River, a Portuguese cultural association. Casual. Parking lot and street parking. Wheelchair accessible and highchairs. Reservations accepted. AE, D, MC, V. Serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Wines by the glass, half bottle and bottle. $.

Angelo’s, 133 Mendon Rd., Cumberland. (401) 728-3340; angelospalacepizza.com. Angelo’s restaurant has expanded to more than double its original size while keeping prices family friendly. There are two large, new dining rooms, a full bar and a large menu that includes Italian and Greek entrées, appetizers, desserts, salads and more. You won’t spend more than $13.95 for an entrée here. Casual. Wheelchair accessible. Child seats. Reservations for parties of six or more. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking lot. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday; to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Appetizers $5.95 to $8.50. Entrées $7.95 to $13.95. Wines $6.50 to $8 by the glass; $16 to $32 for a bottle. $$.

Antonio’s Trattoria, 1710 Cranston St., Cranston. (401) 943-1932; antoniotrattoria.com. Antonio’s Trattoria is no longer your father’s chicken Parm and veal Marsala place, although both are still on the menu. Antonio’s has been a mainstay in the Knightsville neighborhood for nearly four decades. But people who haven’t been there in a while, at least post-makeover last December in both the dining rooms and on the menu, should be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V. Parking lot. Dinner seven days. Wines by the glass or bottle. $$$.

Aspire, 311 Westminster St., in the Hotel Providence. (401) 521-3333; aspirerestaurant.com. The menu matches the atmosphere — elegant, unhurried, but with a contemporary flair. The choices are both fun and regional: New Bedford-style mussels with chorizo; pan-roasted scallops with potato gnocchi and butternut squash; Maine lobster and shrimp over pappardelle pasta, and Plum Point Rhode Island oysters on the half shell. Dressy. Handicapped accessible. Free valet parking. Child seats. Children’s menu. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DIS, DC, CB. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday; bar menu always available. Appetizers $5 to $21. Entrees $18 to $34. Wines are $6 to $12 by the glass; $24 to $250 for a bottle. $$$.

The Atwood Grill, 1413 Atwood Ave., Johnston. (401) 943-3331; atwoodgrille.com. A neighborhood kind of place where they still serve soup or salad with your entrée. Side dishes, too — pasta or potatoes and vegetables. The portions are huge with an extensive menu that ranges from chicken Marsala, baked scrod, veal Parmesan and fried calamari — to more adventurous fare like Calamari Naples, breaded and served in a balsamic reduction. Casual. Wheelchair accessible. Reservations for eight or more. Child seats. AE, M, V. Parking lot. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday; dinner 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday; from 11:30 a.m. Sunday Appetizers $2.25 to $8.50. Entrees $8.50 to $18.95. Wines $2.50 to $7.50 by the glass; $11.95 to $29 for a bottle. $$.

Blue Grotto Restaurant, 210 Atwells Ave., Providence. (401) 272-9030; bluegrottorestaurant.com. The Blue Grotto is one of those venerable establishments on Federal Hill that everyone knows because it seems to have been around forever. Yet, everything is fresh and new under new owner Mike Danahy. Upscale casual. Reservations taken. Complimentary valet parking. Wheelchair accessible. Children’s seats available. AE, DIS, MC, V. Open for lunch and dinner seven days. $$$.

Broadway Bistro, 205 Broadway, Providence. (401) 331-2450; broadwaybistrori.com. The menu for this new West Side restaurant may be small, but it offers an impressive range of seasonal dishes — watermelon soup, Thai beef salad, ribs and grits among the appetizer choices; a deconstructed pot pie, Baja fish tacos, seven-spice tuna, a lamb rack with house gnocchi, a duck leg salad with duck-fat fries, local cod cakes, and risotto primavera among the entrees — with just about everything on land and sea covered in some way. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Reservations for six or more. AE, MC, V. On-street parking. Dinner every day. $$.

Café Andiamo, 235 Greenville Ave., Johnston. (401) 349-4333. An excellent celebration of Italian food served in a small setting. Reservations a must. Casual. Not wheelchair accessible. AE, MC, V. Children’s seats. Parking in small lot or on street; valet parking. Wednesday to Saturday dinner 6 p.m. to “whenever” Tuesday to Saturday Appetizers $7.99 to $10.99. Entrees $17.99 to $23.99. Bring your own wine; no corking fee. $$$.

Citron Wine Bar & Bistro, 5 Memorial Blvd., Providence. (401) 621-9463; citronri.com. Citron’s location is a gateway to Waterplace Park affording a front-row seat to some of the colorful passersby who are drawn to WaterFire. It also serves a fine meal at reasonable prices, even more reasonable if you share some of the imaginatively created appetizers or order the Burger Acting Badly. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. One highchair. Reservations accepted. AE, MC, V. Discount validation for Union Station Plaza Garage and Union Station Plaza Parking Lot. Lunch Monday-Friday; dinner 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Saturday. Brunch Sunday. $$$.

The Cuban Revolution, 60 Valley St., Providence. (401) 632-0649; thecubanrevolution.com. The Valley Street restaurant has a dining room that’s nearly two stories tall. The menu is exactly the same as at the Aborn Street location Downcity with dishes like the Havana Platter with tender, moist slices of roast pork marinated in mojo. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking in courtyard behind the restaurant and across the street. Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$. A large selection of beers, cocktails and wines, many from Latin America. $.

Doherty’s East Ave. Irish Pub, 342 East Ave., Pawtucket. myspace.com/dohertyseastave; (401) 725-1800. Here within the smallish confines of a neighborhood bar there are 155 beers offered, 42 of them on draft. And they change each month to offer seasonal selections and new options. The menu includes meaty Buffalo wings, lightly battered fried fish, and spicy Buffalo crinkle fries. Very casual. Free parking lot. No reservations. Serves lunch, dinner and late-night menu until midnight daily; breakfast Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. AE, MC, V. Appetizers $3.49 to $12.99; burgers and sandwiches $7.99-$8.79; entrees $10.99-$19.99. Beers $2.75 to $15. $.

DownCity @ 50 Weybosset, 50 Weybosset St., Providence. (401) 331-9217; downcityfood.com. Despite all the changes from its days as a diner, co-owners Abby Cabral and Rico Conforti have not only kept DownCity’s signature meatloaf in all its glory, but the menu includes a world-traveling sample of everything from baked New England sea scallops to Spanish tapas to Korean barbecue flank steak skewers to country French veal stew and lamb shish kabob. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Reservations. Child seats. AE, MC, V, DIS. Free valet parking Thursday-Saturday nights. Lunch Monday-Friday; dinner daily; late-night casual menu to midnight Friday-Saturday; brunch Saturday and Sunday. $$$.

Edgewood Café, 1864 Broad St., Cranston. (401) 383-5550; edgewoodcafe.com. Chef-owner John Walsh, who operated the Bookstore Café on Providence’s East Side for a decade, opened this quaint restaurant in a storefront. The café has pizza, ribs, seafood and much more. BYOB. Casual. Call-ahead seating. Child seats. Wheelchair accessible. MC, V. On-street parking. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appetizers $2.95 to $7.95. Pizzas $7.95 to $8.95. Entrees $8.95 to $17.95. Bring your own wine; $2 cork fee. $$.

European Café & Restaurant, 645 Douglas Pike (Route 7), Smithfield. (401) 349-4200; europeancaferi.com. Languish over a Greek Mezza Platter and its sampler portions of the tender, marinated strips of gyro meat, slices of Greek sausage with a sweet finish that evokes orange, the mini keftedes meatballs with familiar spices, and the stuffed grape leaves. Or choose Italian specialties. Or drop in early for breakfast. Casual, reservations, parking lot, wheelchair accessible. High Chairs. AE, D, MC, V. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Appetizers $7.99-$12.99; entrees $8.99-$19.99. Wines by the glass and by the bottle. Full liquor license. $$.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 1 West Exchange St., Providence, (401) 533-9000; flemingssteakhouse.com. Fleming’s is both a wine bar and a steak house offering 100 wine choices by the glass. Forty are chosen by the local wine managers to reflect regional tastes. Beyond that, Fleming’s offers the big steaks and à la carte side dishes that are the signature of all steak houses, but it’s the fine appetizers and desserts that are most memorable. This is where the kitchen’s creativity, under executive chef Michael Civali, shines. Upscale. Reservations. Valet parking $6. Wheelchair accessible. Highchairs. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Dinner served Monday through Saturday. $$$$.

Harbourside Lobstermania, 38 Water St., East Greenwich. (401) 884-6363; harboursideri.com. Eat waterside and enjoy the view. There’s nothing startling about the extensive menu — fish and chips, fried clams, fried scallops, a baked seafood platter; shrimp, either fried or baked stuffed, and, of course, several lobster dishes. But everything is served fresh and prepared with care. There also are several steak and chicken dishes on the menu. Casual. Handicapped accessible to downstairs dining room. Reservations. Children’s seats. AE, MC, V, DIS, DC. Parking lot and free valet parking. Currently closed for renovations but open for private parties. $$.

Heritage Tap, 266 Grand Ave., Pawtucket, (401) 725-8245. This neighborhood spot has beer on tap, burgers on the menu and a specials board which should draw your attention. Casual. Street parking. Reservations. Highchairs. Not wheelchair accessible. D, MC, V. Open Tuesday-Thursday 4-10 p.m.; Friday 3-10 p.m.; Saturday noon-10 p.m. Appetizers $1.75-$8.95; sandwiches $6.95-$8.50; entrees $8.95-$14.95. Daily specials. Full liquor license. $.

The Liberty Elm, 777 Elmwood Ave., Providence. (401) 467-0777; libertyelmdiner.com. From all-day breakfast to performances by local musicians on Sunday for brunch, the diner and coffeehouse is all about being part of its neighborhood by the Roger Williams Park Zoo. Very casual. Parking lot and street parking. Wheelchair access ramp in the back. Highchairs. MC, V. Serving 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Monday. Breakfast items from $1.75 to $7.95; lunch from $3.50-$8.95. $.

Little Chopsticks, 495 Smith St., Providence. (401) 273-0049. The restaurant has been a Smith Street landmark for more than a generation and now has a new owner with an extensive menu. You can’t miss with the 20-piece Pu Pu Platter and other familiar dishes. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Children’s seats. M, V. Parking lot. Open seven days. No alcohol served, but you can bring your own wine or beer. $.

Local 121, 121 Washington St., Providence. (401) 274-2121; local121.com. Local 121’s name stands for both the restaurant’s goal to cook with “local” ingredients and its address at 121 Washington St. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Reservations. Child seats. AE, MC, V. Free valet parking; also two-hour free validated parking at the Civic Center Garage on Washington Street. Lunch Monday-Saturday; dinner seven days. $$$.

Marchetti’s Restaurant, 1463 Park Ave., Cranston. (401) 943-7649; marchettis.com. Marchetti’s features good food and reasonable prices with enormous portions, too. The Italian Cioppino — a house specialty with a huge mound of linguine smothered with a wide array of seafood — could easily feed two hungry diners. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DC. Parking lot. Open daily for lunch and supper. $$.

The Marketplace Café in Nordstrom’s at Providence Place, (401) 621-3111. With dramatic views of the city, this casual restaurant in a corner of the store’s third floor has an extensive menu that includes everything from light-lunch sandwiches and salad plates to a choice of three pizzas and such filling dinnertime fare as roasted vegetables with chicken or salmon and several pasta dishes. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Children’s menu. AE, MC, V, DIS, Nordstrom. Mall parking starts at $1 for three hours. Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Salads $8.95 to $10.50. Sandwiches $8.75 to $9.25. Entrees $8.25 to $11.25. Tea, coffee, soft drinks only. $.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, 11 Dorrance St., Providence. (401) 351-4500. McCormick & Schmick’s prides itself on the fact that its menu changes twice daily, but most changes have to do with the varieties of fresh oysters and clams and the waters from which certain fish were taken. While the emphasis is on seafood, there are plenty of meat choices as well, from filet mignon to a 20-ounce porterhouse to chicken stir fry and even linguine Bolognese. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, M, V, DC, DIS. Valet parking $2 for three hours. Breakfast, lunch, dinner daily. $$$$.

Mill’s Tavern, 101 North Main St., Providence. (401) 272-3331; millstavernrestaurant.com. Though the restaurant has been open for six years, it still looks and feels as sensational as it did in March 2002, when it was the latest creation of one of Providence’s star chefs and restaurateurs, Jaime D’Oliveira. Upscale casual. Reservations accepted. Complimentary valet or on-street parking. Wheelchair accessible. Booster seats available. AE, DC, DIS, MC, V. Dinner nightly. Extensive wine list, about 300 bottles. By-the-glass wines. $$$$.

Murphy’s Deli & Bar, 100 Fountain St., Providence. (401) 621-8467. To its long tradition of overstuffed sandwiches and burgers, Murphy’s has added a boatload of new appetizer and entrée items — also generously proportioned and reasonably priced — that make it a dining destination even if you’re not going to a show Downcity. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DIS, DC. Parking on-street or in nearby lots. Lunch and dinner Sunday-Saturday. Breakfast Saturday-Sunday. $$.

Pizzico Ristorante, 762 Hope St., Providence. (401) 421-4114; pizzicoristorante.com. At this cozy, fun neighborhood spot on the city’s Eastside, the entrée menu is quite large, with lots of very appealing choices including seafood options, chicken and beef selections, and a wide variety of pasta dishes, including stuffed versions. From pasta Bolognese, with a hearty veal sauce, to ricotta gnocchi to mushroom tortellini. Casually upscale. Reservations. On-street parking. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Wheelchair accessible. Highchairs. Dinner served seven nights 5-9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; until 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Appetizers $9.99-$15.99; entrées $15.99-$34.99. Extensive wine list. $$.

Rick’s Roadhouse, 370 Richmond St., Providence. (401) 272-7675; ricksroadhouseri.com. There are no pretensions at Rick’s Roadhouse, even though its backers — John Elkhay, Rick and Cheryl Bready — are the team that brought you Ten Prime Steak & Sushi and the Chinese Laundry. Ribs, appetizers and beer make for a winning menu. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Children’s seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V. On-street and designated parking; 99-cent valet parking Thursday-Saturday. Serves lunch and dinner seven days a week. Wines are served, but a better fit would be one of the many beers or cocktails. $$.

Sardella’s Italian Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd., Newport. (401) 849-6312; sardellas.com. Sardella’s has been attracting crowds because of its tasty Italian favorites prepared by chef Kevin Fitzgerald and generous portions and reasonable prices for its entrees since 1980. The more exotic entrees include Marsala chicken, shrimp scampi, veal scaloppine and sautéed chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Reservations. High chairs and children’s menu. AE, MC, V, DIS. Two-hour validated parking at Bellevue Gardens Shopping Center across the street. Dinner seven day a week. $$$.

The Seaplane Diner, 307 Allens Ave., Providence. (401) 941-9547. Here the food is all comforting and familiar (eggs, pancakes and omelets for breakfast; meatloaf, burgers, fried chicken and roasted turkey for lunch). The prices are a bargain, the atmosphere friendly and the service fast. Very casual. Free parking in lot. Three steps to get in –– not wheelchair accessible. Highchairs. AE, D, MC, V. Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also late-night dining Friday and Saturday 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. $.

Sophia’s Tuscan Grille, 1729 Warwick Ave., Warwick. (401) 732-6656; sophiastuscangrille.com. Sophia’s is a pleasant place, painted a sunny yellow and serving specialties including baked stuffed mushrooms, Mediterranean cod, veal saltimbocca and crème brûlée. Casual. Wheelchair accessible. Children’s seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking lot. Dinner Wednesday-Saturday. Breakfast Sunday. Bring-your-own-wine — $2 per-person corkage fee. $$$.

Stanley’s Famous Hamburgers, 371 Richmond St., Providence. (401) 270-9292; stanleyshamburgers.com. The all-American menu of burgers, fries and shakes makes walking into the new Stanley’s feel like being embraced by a big, happy hug. This is where teens can have an inexpensive date, families treat themselves to a dinner out and office pals enjoy a break from the usual sandwich shop. Club-goers can satisfy their late-night hungry horrors until 2 a.m. every day but Monday and Tuesday. Casual. No reservations. Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. High chairs. AE, D, MC, V. Open every day for lunch and dinner. $.

Thai Excursion, 137 Kilvert St., Warwick. (401) 921-5582; thaiexcursionri.com. Here near the airport, the menu is extensive with a wide variety of sauces that range in taste from very mild to hot, hotter and hottest. There also are various curry dishes — red, green, yellow, Massa- man, Panang and Pik Khing — that add zest to chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, even duck. Casual. Handi- capped accessible. Child seats. Reser- vations. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking lot. Open for lunch and dinner Monday- Friday and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. Take out. A large selection of beers, martinis and cocktails offered; wines by the glass. $$.

Top of the Bay, 898 Oakland Beach Ave., Warwick. (401) 921-3663; topofthebayrestaurant.com. Top of the Bay’s fare is a mix of seafood (stuffed quahogs, scallops, scrod, a seafood platter), burgers and sandwiches, Italian (fettuccine Alfredo, pasta primavera, chicken Parmesan) and meats (black Angus sirloin, veal Francaise) or a combination (surf and turf, ocean rib-eye steak). While not terribly adventurous fare, it’s well-prepared food with generous portions. Casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats and children’s menu. Reservations for six or more. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking lot. Serving dinner only for the winter season and closed Monday. $$$.

United BBQ, 146 Ives St., Providence. (401) 751-9000; unitedbbq.com. Superior take-out with ribs, pulled pork and chicken all with their own distinctive rubs for maximum flavor. A dozen seats to sit and dine. Small parking lot and street parking. Wheelchair accessible. No highchairs. MC, V. Open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Ribs and barbecue $2-$21; sides $1.25-$12; sandwiches $5.99; desserts $1.50-$2.75. BYOB. $$.

Walter’s Ristorante d’Italia, 286 Atwells Ave., Providence. (401) 273-2652; waltersonfederalhill.com. With its dark red walls, damask wall coverings and huge mirrors, it could easily be a film set for a romantic interlude between Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in some long-ago Italian movie. But Walter Potenza maintains a careful hand in the kitchen that has been his trademark as much as the terracotta clay pots he uses in traditional cooking. And it’s all at surprisingly reasonable prices. Dressy. Handicapped accessible. Reservations. Child seats. AE, MC, V, DIS. Free valet parking. Dinner Tuesday-Saturday. $$$.

The West Deck, 1 Waite’s Wharf, Newport. (401) 847-3610; westdeck.com. You might not know it to look at The West Deck from the outside, but this unpretentious-looking little restaurant at the end of Waite’s Wharf has for many years been one of the hottest spots on the harbor front. Some of the more intriguing main courses include a roasted half duck with a roasted garlic demi-glacé, pan-roasted salmon topped with lump crabmeat, salmon caviar and beurre blanc, sesame mahi-mahi with coconut curry and banana chutney, mushroom ravioli with spinach, fennel, asparagus and white truffle oil and pasta carbonara with peas and ham topped with a small fillet. Dressy casual. Handicapped accessible. Child seats. Reservations. AE, MC, V, DIS. Parking in paid lot opposite. Call for

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