Like everyone else, I spend hours each day scrolling through Instagram. I love seeing the pictures of cute dogs, the tropical vacation pics, the mirror selfies – but what I love seeing the most is delicious food (obviously). In fact, when I scroll through our feed on Insta, it is almost entirely food pics. Of course, we designed it that way! We’re used to seeing amazing plates on the gram that make our stomachs’ growl. But every once in a while, I’ll stop my scrolling because one food pic looks too good to be true. And that’s how I discovered The Vig.
The Vig is a premier sports bar and restaurant specializing in upscale American comfort food and hand crafted cocktails. Located inside the Hilton next to the Dunkin Donuts Center, its in the perfect location for dinner in the city, drinks after dinner on The Hill, or celebrations after a game or concert at the Dunk.
The inside of the Vig makes it one of the most unique places in Providence right now. As soon as you walk in, you feel as though you’re in a 1950’s elite, upscale sports bar about to place a bet with the local bookie. The interior is gorgeous, and the bar chairs are the comfiest you’ve ever sat in – no stools here. Inside the dining room, “The Cheater’s Den”, hang pictures of the sports industry’s most infamous figures: steroid users, sore losers, fighters, gamblers, gangsters and more. The Vig glorifies these dirty players in a lighthearted, entertaining way that is very fitting for Providence and its history.
Right of the bat, we knew we found a new PVD gem when we first saw their cocktail menu. These drinks were not typical, ordinary or dull; each had a mixture of many ingredients that came together beautifully. Take a look at some of our favorites.
And now let’s cut to what really matters – the food. Chef Guy Charles turns bar classics into gourmet specials, with ALL items made right in house. For example, the Bacon Caramel Popcorn and homemade Potato Chip & Onion Dip put an amazing spin on some simple snacks and made them out.of.this.WORLD! I could not stop snacking.
Next up, we had the Little Boy Blue Cheese Plate. When General Manager Don Poissant recommended this, we were both a bit weary because we’re not fans of blue cheese. However, he assured this was no ordinary blue cheese. We gave it a shot and he was so right. The exceptional thing about this cheeseboard is the portion of cheese they give you for such a reasonable price. Also, the fig jam was so tasty.
Being the foodies that we are, we decided to split three entrees: The Duck Confit Grilled Cheese with red onion marmalade,brie & pullman toast (the picture from Instagram that inspired us to come dine here); The Vig Bacon Double Cheeseburger with brown sugar bacon (unreal), pickles made in house, bourbon onions, secret toast on a brioche bun, and; The Bookmaker’s Toast – six ounce filet mignon on a garlic crostini with caramelized onions, mushrooms and a sunny side egg. The funny thing about the Bookmaker’s Toast is that it’s inspired by an old infamous bookie on The Hill who would always order his steak on a piece of toast and topped with an egg. Well, it certainly worked for us too. PS – the fries were TO DIE for.
This food was so good. The Duck Confit Grilled Cheese lived up to all the hype; the burger was the best we’ve had in a while; and the Bookermaker’s Toast was unbelievable. Guys, you need to eat here. Okay, ON TO DESSERT! We indulged in the Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Sandwiches, the Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée, and the White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie. We’ve never seen a sports bar do dessert like these guys.
Overall, our experience here was unforgettable. PDR Inc. (The owner of The Vig, and also Public and Centro) and their team have done such an incredible job with the theme and ambiance of The Vig, and Executive Chef Guy Charles took “bar food” to a whole new level. We would suggest this bar for anyone that’s over the average bar to watch the game, to anyone looking for a new place in the city to get drinks, and to anyone looking for amazing food – The Vig really has something for everyone.
Cheers!
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