Bored of the food scene on Thayer Street? Need a new place to caffeinate as you study? Looking to get off campus and ~explore Providence~ a little bit? Bolt Coffee is one of your best bets.
The Ambiance
Bolt Coffee is located inside the RISD Museum, right down the hill and only a 5-minute walk from Faunce Arch. Bolt Coffee is a cute, quaint, and cozy coffee shop which offers a full drink menu and a light food menu consisting of salads, sandwiches, bowls, and toasts. Furnished with small tables and booths, Bolt is a perfect place to study and meet friends for lunch. On any given day there will be a mix of students, professors, artists, visitors, and locals, which gives the small space a dynamic feel that contrasts with the minimalistic interior design.
The Coffee
Bolt Coffee offers a full coffee menu which features a range of drinks from conventional (lattes, americanos, espressos) to unconventional. My two personal favorites are the Woodsman, a combination of espresso, steamed milk, and pure Vermont maple syrup, and the Nor'Easter, which is local eggnog mixed with espresso and steamed milk. The Vermonster is a creamy latte with a slight hint of maple, which is really nice when contrasted against the robustness of the espresso. The Nor'Easter, on the other hand, is a more sweet and creamy latte with a note of eggnog flavor. Almond milk is available upon request and all drinks can be served hot or iced.
Other Drinks
Don't like coffee? Bolt Coffee also has other drink selections to choose from. This includes their Matcha and Milk (sweetened with honey), apple cider, soda, juice, hot chocolate, and a full range of tea. All of these drinks can be offered hot or iced as well.
Food
Bolt Coffee offers a light food menu which is perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack. The menu consists of a range of toasts from sweet to savory, sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, a parfait, and a daily selection of KNEAD doughnuts and pastries. Some of my personal favorites include the artichoke pesto toast, which is sundried artichoke and tomato pesto, greens, and a soft boiled egg served on warm grain bread, and the Mediterranean salad: toasted chickpeas, pickled onions, cucumbers, and tzatziki dressing served over a bed of spinach. Pictured above is the artichoke pesto toast and the prosciutto sandwich, which is prosciutto with pesto goat cheese spread with sundried tomatoes and arugula on grain bread.
What makes the food at Bolt so delicious is their perfect execution of simple and fresh plates. Simple flavors are perfectly paired to create an intense and captivating flavor profile. All of the ingredients are fresh, including the fresh bread, produce, and cheese.
Getting to Bolt Coffee
Bolt Coffee is located at 224 Benefit St in Providence. To enter the cafe, go through the RISD museum entrance, as it is located in the lobby of the museum. The hours of operation are daily from 7:30 am to 4 pm.
Bolt also has another location downtown. It is inside the Dean Hotel, located on 122 Fountain Street in Providence. The hours of operation are also daily from 7:30 am to 4 pm.
I personally think Bolt Coffee is the perfect place to sit with a book and enjoy a fancy coffee and snack or get some homework done. It is a great escape from the Rock, SciLi, or CIT grind with freshly ground, made-to-order coffee (unlike the large pots of coffee sitting in the library cafes).
#SpoonTip: Brown students get free access to the RISD museum–one of the best museums in the country. So after you down your latte and avocado toast, go and take a look at some of the artwork. Exhibits are always changing and sure to amaze.
Hungry For More?
-Where to Eat if You Only Have One Day in Providence
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-The 25 Best Restaurants in Rhode Island, According to a Local