Coffee people know the first sip sets the tone, and August is arriving with a strong pour. Across this month’s magazines, Rhode Island roasters, neighborhood cafés, and statewide coffee stops get their turn in the spotlight, with plenty beyond the mug once the day gets moving. Today’s newsletter adds functional drinks, young filmmakers, local food, books, and one Newport restaurant celebrating its first year with very persuasive happy-hour pricing. The month is still new, but it already has excellent taste.

The smell of coffee is officially in the air, and all four of our August issues are ready to help you follow it across the state. Inside each magazine, the new Coffee Digest introduces the roasters behind some of Rhode Island’s freshest cups, then maps out a statewide coffee trail for mornings that deserve better than the usual drive-through order.

Beyond the beans, Providence Monthly makes a case for borrowing a little resort life with a guide to pool hopping, The Bay heads to Warren for a closer look at Warren Fest as the community celebration turns 10, Hey Rhody brings wave-chasing energy home with surf-inspired decor from Middletown, and So Rhode Island checks in on the fresh new menu at Weekapaug. Add in plenty of local stories, summer detours, and reasons to keep a copy within reach, and August is looking very well caffeinated.

From vitamin-packed Super Seltzer and small-batch Luluna kombucha to Fully Rooted’s produce-heavy juices, Rhode Island makers are giving the functional beverage trend a distinctly local pour. These wellness-minded drinks promise hydration, probiotics, adaptogens, and plenty of flavor without making the fridge feel like a supplement aisle. Read more online.

Presented by Farm Fresh RI

By August, Rhode Island's farms, fisheries, and food producers are at the height of the season, and there's no better place to experience that abundance than Farm Fresh Rhode Island's annual Local Food Fest. Returning to Castle Hill Inn on August 11, this beloved summer event brings together some of the state’s most talented chefs, farmers, fishers, and beverage makers for an unforgettable evening celebrating local food.

From 4-8pm, guests will gather on the Chalet Patio and Lawn overlooking Narragansett Bay, where more than 20 chef-farmer collaborations showcase the freshest ingredients of the season. Each tasting dish tells a story of Rhode Island’s vibrant food community, with acclaimed local chefs transforming peak-season harvests and freshly caught seafood into one-of-a-kind creations.

The experience begins with a champagne toast and local raw bar before guests explore tasting stations, meet the farmers and producers behind the ingredients, and enjoy local beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. Live music and stunning sunset views create the perfect backdrop for a summer evening by the sea.

More than just a food festival, Local Food Fest is a celebration of the people and partnerships that make Rhode Island’s food system thrive. Guests have the opportunity to connect directly with the chefs, farmers, and fishers whose work is featured throughout the evening, gaining a deeper appreciation for the local food community that sustains the Ocean State.

A raffle and silent auction featuring local experiences and products add to the festivities, with all proceeds supporting Farm Fresh RI’s work to strengthen a more equitable, accessible, and resilient local food system.

If you’re looking for a delicious way to spend a summer evening, this one’s worth circling on the calendar. Learn more online at farmfreshri.org.

A new generation of Ocean State filmmakers is turning local theaters, nightclubs, beaches, mills, and neighborhoods into the backdrop for stories made close to home. From URI-trained cinematographers and award-winning shorts to a Bristol-shot feature described as “made in Bristol for Bristol,” these rising creatives are building the next chapter of Rhode Island film one frame at a time. Read more online.

Little Clam is turning one with a season of playful specials, including August happy hours with $1 oysters and bar bites, monthly burgers, and Adult Happy Meals arriving in September with drinks and surprise gifts. The Wayfinder Newport restaurant keeps the celebration going into fall with rotating three-course dinners and plenty of reasons to come back hungry. Read more online.

Symposium Books shares six new and notable reads for August, spanning Indigenous family history, queer vampire drama, Antarctic mystery, botanical art, and stories shaped by grief, memory, and survival. Consider it a downtown Providence bookseller’s guide to what should be waiting on the nightstand next. Read more online.

Stillhouse Cove in its evening colors.

Photo by @tomwojick

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