College Livin’: Thayer Street Eats Part 1

Alritey, so from here on out (i.e. for the next couple of posts), I’m going to embark on an EPIC PROVIDENCE ADVENTURE.

And I know you want to come along; let’s get started, shall we? :D

In case you didn’t know, Providence is probably best described as a college town. And I mean no offense by it (seriously, what’s wrong with being surrounded by prestigious schools?) but almost all of the people roaming the streets either goes to or is employed by RISD, Johnson & Wales, Brown University, Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, or Providence College.

Whew. That’s a lot of schools.

RISD buildings

Now with all these college kids milling around, you’d think that there be an area chock full o’ amazing food at student prices, right?

Well, it turns out there is!

If you walk up through the RISD campus…

a RISD quad

And past Brown University…

You’ll arrive at a strip of eateries, move theaters, convenience stores and apparel stores; welcome to Thayer Street!

I’d say that during my 5 day stay in Providence, Thayer Street was the most frequently visited destination; there are just so many places to choose from, my friends and I would usually end up here when we wanted to eat. It’s pretty much THE eating street for local college kids. It also didn’t hurt that most of the places I Yelped were in this area; I found myself taking a roundabout route through this street just so I could check prospective meal places.

They day arrived in Providence, my friend took me to Thayer for a midnight snack (it’s the college lifestyle, y’know?). The first place that I ate at here also happens to be one of the most popular: the Nice Slice pizzeria.

a door that shakes your hand when you enter

The first thing you notice when you walk inside, and maybe even from the the sidewalk, is Shepard Fairey‘s characteristic artwork all along the walls. Don’t know who Shepard Fairey is? Don’t worry, I didn’t either; he’s a graphic artist and a RISD alum, most famous for designing the Obama campaign poster, although he’s well-known for his other pieces as well.

tabletop

Once you get over the fascinating murals that decorate the walls and the tables, your attention is drawn immediately to the pizzas. BECAUSE THEY SMELL SO GOOD. AND LOOK SO GOOD. AND THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM.

As far as pizzerias go, Nice Slice is definitely… Nice! And nice as in healthy – sad to say, these pies will not get up and open the door for you on your way out. But still, all of the pizzas here are made with whole-wheat flour, with a variety of vegetarian options. They’ve also got a separate vegan menu, for those who don’t eat any animal products, as well as gluten-free pizzas for those who can’t tolerate wheat.

They’ve also got a huge variety of sodas for anyone who not only want something to wash down their pizza, but also simultaneously look cool drinking from a glass bottle.

drink the rainbow!

Sad to say, I didn’t take any pictures of the actual slices I ate (mostly because the 2 times we went there were both past midnight, and nighttime photography is just not flattering for food). But I could TELL you about it! FUN!

The first night, I went traditional with a Margherita; it was delicious, with plops of ooey mozzarella instead of rubbery sheets of cheese, a sweet tomato sauce, and the best bites were the ones with large strips of basil. Mm, mmm, mmmm! The 2nd night, I got one of their specialty pizzas called Cranberry Picnic, with baby spinach, dried cranberries, feta, and sliced almonds. Sounds a little bizarre? Well, I can confidently say that this was one of the best pizzas I’ve eaten in my ENTIRE life, and I ate the slice cold(ish)! It was a beautiful combination of salty, sweet, and tangy, with the almonds giving it an added crunch. But the best parts of both pizzas were the CRUSTS; they were beautifully cracker-thin, holding up to the ingredients but shattering with each bite in the crust bit. So. Goooood.

I almost wish I had gone back more often, just so I could try more of their flavors. My friend said she goes here almost everyday, and if I lived in Providence, I would too; I guess for now I can only ogle at their menu, dreaming about what their heavenly pizzas might taste like…

Or you guys can visit Providence for me, and just ship over a slice. Or an entire pie. Whichever one you prefer. :)

But even if you don’t feel like sending pizza via snail mail, Nice Slice is definitely a must-visit if you’re ever in the Providence area; do yourself a favor and stop by to grab yourself a slice!

Nice Slice
267 Thayer Street
Providence, RI 02906