Rhode Island
Cafe Alma, a new Portuguese restaurant and café, is opening in East Providence – The Boston Globe
The restaurant occupies the former Silva’s Seafood Market space, which has been closed for years, and had later become a Brazilian takeout restaurant. The building was first constructed in 1920, and after a full renovation, the only original elements are the decades-old tin ceilings, which are now painted dark blue.
The owner, chef Kevin Matos, and his family have long owned Matos Bakery in Pawtucket and previously owned JC’s Butcher Shop in West Warwick, where he specialized in sausages that were hand cut, seasoned, and smoked in house. Matos Bakery, which has been in business for more than two decades, started after Matos’s parents immigrated to the US from Portugal. They worked in factories before opening the bakery. Matos remembers sleeping on bags of flour at the bakery at night as a kid while they worked.
Matos attended Johnson & Wales University and went on to work in other restaurants, including Nicks on Broadway for a short stint. He staged at Aldrea, a Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant in New York City, and worked at a French fine dining establishment in Boston.
When Cafe Alma opens, it’ll be split between a café and the dining room with about 30 seats.
Music will be part of the experience, said Matos. Think: low-volume sets on the weekends – so diners can still have a conversation – with occasional piano or violin performances.
The menu won’t be strictly traditional. “This will be New England Portuguese,” said Matos, who said the menu reflects how Portuguese cooking has evolved in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts, two hubs for Portuguese populations.
The opening menu will include smoked chourico wings; bacalhau, a Portuguese term for codfish that has been dried and salted; smoked piri piri quail; polvo a plancha (grilled octopus) with molho cru (a fish sauce) or cebolada com pimentos; and duck fat confit potatoes. He’s building out a bread program, and plans to serve pizzas with a Portuguese twist. They’ll be in the middle of a Neapolitan and New Haven style pie, cooking in 5 minutes, with a spicy tomato sauce.
Eventually, the restaurant will also double as a gallery space, featuring rotating work from local artists. Artists won’t be charged to show their work, said Matos, and customers will be able to purchase their work right at the restaurant.
Matos also has a series of long-term ideas to turn the Portuguese corridor and Warren Avenue into a cultural destination. He’s planning community events and block parties with neighboring businesses, quarterly wine clubs, ticketed chef collaborations that will be run by his general manager Billy Panzella (formerly of Dune Brothers), and a chef’s tasting menu booked weeks in advance, where each guest receives a one-of-a-kind experience. Expanding outside of East Providence isn’t off the table either.
“We’ve got to focus here and push this place to succeed,” said Matos. “And then I definitely want to open our own place in Boston or New York.”
The cafe will have an array of espresso drinks. The bar program is still being ironed out, but it will lean heavily into Portuguese wine, particularly the lesser-seen bottles, and feature smoked cocktails, and a Portuguese-influenced Old Fashioned using aged brandy.
One wine, which is aged in clay, reminds him of when he was a kid and his father would drink from clay cups.
“I remember tasting that clay, and then I drank that wine and I was literally just teleported back when I was a little kid,” said Matos. Both of his parents have moved back to Portugal, but have been in Rhode Island, anticipating his opening. “That’s what I love about food. It just transports you.”
This story first appeared in The Food Club, a free weekly email newsletter about Rhode Island food and dining. Already a member of the club? Check your inbox for more news, recipes, and features in the latest newsletter. Not a member yet? If you’d like to receive it via e-mail each Thursday, you can sign up here.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.
Rhode Island
Flight restrictions over World Cup sites: Unpermitted drones could be destroyed if they fly in certain areas – The Boston Globe
The drone restriction is centered around the soccer practice field adjacent to Beirne football stadium at Bryant University, and the Graduate by Hilton Providence hotel, which are being used by Team Ghana.
“The FAA exempts drone operations that directly support national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting or search-and-rescue missions,” Breitenfeldt said. “Commercial operators with a valid statement of work must submit requests at least 72 hours before operating within a restricted area to allow for coordination and approval.”
According to the notice, The Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Justice may seize, damage, or even destroy drones that they deep to be a credible safety or security threat.
Providence law enforcement is handling safety efforts on the ground.
“This is unlike any event Providence has hosted in terms of duration and international reach, but our police, fire, emergency management, and city teams have been preparing extensively,” said Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez in a press release.
The PVD FanZone at Station Park, between the Providence Place Mall and train station, will host fans from around the world. According to the press release, the city will have a layered security plan throughout the FanZone and surrounding downtown area and police presence throughout the district. A mobile command center will be located nearby where the public can seek help.
There will be four staffed entryways with security screening, and alcohol service will end 30 minutes prior to the FanZone’s closing each night.
Guests will not be allowed to bring coolers or outside food and drinks, drones, or weapons of any kind, according to the press release.
Carlos Muñoz can be reached at carlos.munoz@globe.com. Follow him @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.
2026 Day of Portugal Festival and Parade dates, lineup and more
Rhode Island’s Day of Portugal — June 5-7 in Providence: live music, food, dance & family fun; parade
Maria João “MJ” Albuquerque Martins and John Furtado will serve as the grand marshals of the 2026 RI Day of Portugal Parade.
Martins, a longtime RI Day of Portugal volunteer, will be recognized for “her lifelong dedication to preserving and uplifting Portuguese culture in Rhode Island,” according to RI Day of Portugal officials.
Furtado will be recognized for his “lifelong dedication to volunteerism, cultural preservation, and service to the Portuguese‑American community.”
“This year we honor two of the most humble and hardworking individuals who have supported not only RI Day of Portugal, but many Portuguese organizations across Rhode Island,” said James Ferreira, president of the RI Day of Portugal Committee.
“These are the people who roll up their sleeves, the ones in the kitchen, cleaning up, setting up, and making things happen,” he added. “They represent the true spirit of service and community, and I’m deeply grateful for their dedication.”
The 49th Annual Rhode Island Day of Portugal Parade will step off Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. from the Rhode Island State House. It will proceed to Smith Street Terrace, Canal Street, Memorial Boulevard and South Water Street, and end at 195 District Park.
From Clube Juventude Lusitana to RI Day of Portugal, Martins’ leadership, cultural preservation and community impact
Martins, a native of Maputo, Mozambique, has dedicated her life to preserving and promoting Portuguese culture in Rhode Island through leadership, education and the arts.
“Maria João’s lifelong commitment to service, cultural preservation, and community pride embodies the spirit of Portugal — resilient, vibrant, and deeply rooted in tradition,” according to RI Day of Portugal officials.
Martins joined the Clube Juventude Lusitana at age seven, later mentoring students and strengthening its cultural programs.
After studying at the University of Coimbra, she returned to Rhode Island and served the organization in multiple roles, including secretary, public relations officer and interim director of its Portuguese school, where she led a successful transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A recognized photographer, Maria João has earned several awards, including honors from the Pawtucket Annual Mayor’s Calendar.
For more than 15 years, she has volunteered with the Rhode Island Day of Portugal, serving as art and culture coordinator and organizing exhibits across the state. Her 2025 exhibit at the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket marked the first presentation of Portuguese history and culture at the Smithsonian-affiliated site.
Martins said she was grateful and honored to serve as grand marshal.
“Thank you to the RI Day of Portugal directors, members, and the community for this meaningful recognition,” Martins said. “Let us continue to stay united through our roots and traditions, preserving our heritage for future generations.”
Furtado honored for ‘quiet dedication, cultural pride, and a heart that leads through action’
Born in Pawtucket, Furtado has spent more than 40 years dedicated to community service and preserving Portuguese traditions in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
“Those who know him speak of a man with a big heart, a gentle spirit, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people and traditions he serves,” RI Day of Portugal officials said, noting that he has never sought recognition for his efforts.
“His service has always been rooted in sincerity and a genuine desire to give back,” they added. “His lifelong commitment to service reflects the very best of our community — quiet dedication, cultural pride, and a heart that leads through action.”
A second-generation Portuguese American, Furtado began volunteering at age 15 at churches and cultural organizations, including St. Anthony’s Church, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Rhode Island and the Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England in Fall River.
He has also supported several Portuguese clubs, including the Pawtucket Social Club and Clube Juventude Lusitana, earning a reputation for reliability and quiet dedication.
In addition to his volunteer work, the Lincoln High School graduate built a lifelong career in construction, starting at age 16.
“Thank you to RI Day of Portugal, and thank you to the community,” said Furtado after learning he would be co-grand marshal of the 2026 RI Day of Portugal Parade. “I’m grateful to be part of your families, and I hope our culture continues to grow for generations to come.”
BRISTOL, R.I. (WJAR) — A bill that puts restrictions on self-checkout lanes is headed to the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
The legislation would require grocery stores to have one staffed checkout lane for every three self-checkouts.
The bill was passed by the Rhode Island Senate on May 21.
Senate President Valarie Lawson said it is to help cashiers, as well as customers who may struggle with checking out their groceries, and Rep. Megan Cotter said the bill is about both cashier and customer protection.
Coastal ABC’s Cate Hanewich spoke with customers about the bill. (WJAR)
However, Scott Bromberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association, sees the bill in a different way.
Bromberg said he does not want limitations on self-checkout, and that consumers want the fast-shopping experience that self-checkout has to offer.
“The way modern consumers shop has changed, and they want a faster checkout,” he said.
However, Cotter claims that consumers want staffed registers.
Bristol resident Alan Gorbutt agrees and said he does not like self-checkout.
“I like the old-fashioned way. Just go to the regular checkout, seeing the regular lady with the happy smile. I get my groceries that way,” Gorbutt said.
Shopper Christine Auserwald said she will go between the two options but has a preference.
“I prefer manual checkout, but if the lines are too long, I do go to self-checkout,” Auserwald said.
Other customers said they only use self-checkout.
“More convenient, I’m mostly, in and out,” one shopper said.
Bromberg also voiced concern that the bill only limits grocery stores.
Customers using the self-checkout lanes. (WJAR)
“Right now, self-checkout is everywhere you can think of. It’s in hardware stores. It’s in pharmacies, dollars stores, craft stores, discount stores. And we just don’t understand why it only applies to grocery stores,” Bromberg said.
However, Cotter said the bill also includes retail stores Target and Walmart.
If passed, Rhode Island would be the first state in the country to have a statewide restriction on self-checkout.
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