Follow us on social media:
Why restaurant prices are so high, and what’s next
A perfect storm of rising food prices and labor rates has hit restaurants the past two years, forcing menu price hikes. We speak with two owners about what may happen next. (Scripps News)
Scripps News
Looking for the perfect date night spot? OpenTable has a suggestion.
OpenTable recently released its ranking of the top 100 romantic restaurants of 2025 just in time for Valentine’s Day, and two places in Connecticut made the list.
The online booking service bases its annual ranking on over 10 million verified diner reviews, assessing metrics like diner ratings, the percentage of five star reviews, the percentage of reservations made in advance and the number of direct searches. In the list of 100 ranked restaurants, both White Horse Tavern in Newport and Boat House Waterfront Dining in Tiverton made the list.
Here’s how to dine at OpenTable’s most romantic restaurants in the state for Valentine’s Day.
Newport’s White Horse Tavern is not just a romantic restaurant, but also a historic one filled with cozy 17th-century achitecture. In fact, White Horse is the oldest standing restaurant in the country, originally opening its doors in 1673.
White Horse Tavern embraces its identity as a classic New England destination, serving sophisticated local fare sourced from Rhode Island’s farms and waters since its opening. While the tavern might be old, the culinary team strives to create a fresh, contemporary experience.
Menu items include New England classics like bacon wrapped scallops, clam chowder and lobster ravioli, in addition to a full raw bar and fresh catch of the day. To accompany the food, White Horse has an extensive wine list with options from all over the world.
The tavern is open for dinner from 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4-9 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Reservations are recommended to be made two to four weeks in advance. Valentine’s Day is already fully booked, but there is still availability in the surrounding days.
Location: 26 Marlborough St., Newport
Located on a cliff over Mt. Hope Bay, Boat House Waterfront Dining is a scenic waterfront restaurant serving up locally-inspired cuisine and creative craft cocktails. The seafood-focused menu includes local favorites like fish and chips, crab cakes and lobster rolls.
With a view of the water from almost every seat in the restaurant, guests at Boat House can enjoy a view of the sinking sunset and passing sailboats with their meal, making the location perfect for a romantic dinner.
Boat House Waterfront Dining is open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Reservations for sometime near Valentine’s Day can be made on OpenTable.
Location: 227 Schooner Dr., Tiverton
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Two people are dead and another person seriously hurt after a crash involving two vehicles on the highway in Warwick Saturday.
Rhode Island State Police said the crash happened around 1:34 p.m. on the ramp from Route 113 West to I-95 South.
According to police, a Hyundai SUV that was driving in the middle lane of the highway started to drift to the right, crossed the first lane, and then crossed onto the on-ramp lane. The car struck the guardrail twice before driving through the grass median.
The Hyundai then struck the driver’s side of a Mercedes SUV that was on the ramp, causing the Mercedes to roll over and come to a rest. The impact sent the Hyundai over the guardrail and down an embankment.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 73-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
A woman who was in the Mercedes was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition.
State police said all lanes of traffic were reopened by 4:30 p.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Follow us on social media:
A federal judge on Friday tossed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit aiming to force Rhode Island to hand over its voter information as part of the Trump administration’s push to acquire voter data from several states.
Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy wrote that federal law does not allow the DOJ “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here,” siding with Rhode Island election officials. She added that the DOJ did not provide evidence to suggest that Rhode Island violated election law.
McElroy, a Trump appointee, wrote that she sided with the similar decision in Oregon. That decision ruled that the DOJ was not entitled to unredacted voter registration lists.
“Absent from the demand are any factual allegations suggesting that Rhode Island may be violating the list maintenance requirements,” she said in her ruling.
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore (D) praised McElroy’s decision. He said in a statement that the Trump administration “seems to have no problem taking actions that are clear Constitutional overreaches, regularly meddling in responsibilities that are the rights of the states.”
“Today’s decision affirms our position: the United States Department of Justice has no legal right to – or need for – the personally-identifiable information in our voter file,” he said. “Voter list maintenance is a responsibility entrusted to the states, and I remain confident in the steps we take here in Rhode Island to keep our list as accurate as possible.”
The Hill reached out to the DOJ for comment.
The DOJ called for the voter lists as it investigated Rhode Island’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which allowed Americans to register to vote when they apply for a driver’s license.
The DOJ sued at least 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C., in December demanding their respective voter data. This data includes birth dates, names and partial Social Security numbers.
At least 12 states have given or said they will give the DOJ their voter registration lists, according to a tracker operated by the Brennan Center for Justice.
The department stated after it lost a similar suit against Massachusetts earlier this month that it had “sweeping powers” to access the voter data and that, if states fail to comply, courts have a “limited, albeit vital, role” in directing election officers on behalf of the administration to produce the records. The DOJ cited the Civil Rights Act as being intended to unearth alleged election law violations.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com
George County High School senior killed in Highway 26 crash, MHP says
Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for April 18, 2026
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for April 18, 2026
Gallery: Huskers Run-Rule No. 12 USC to Take Series
IN RESPONSE: Cortez Masto lands bill would keep the proceeds in Nevada
New Hampshire grapples with nuclear waste storage – Valley News
Nearby shooting interrupts 13-year-old’s birthday party in Paterson; 1 killed, 3 injured