Newport Restaurant Group Donates $81K for Food Insecurity from Gift Cards – Readies for Easter

Seven organizations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts receive support to fight Food Insecurity

Newport Restaurant Group (NRG), an award-winning collection of unique restaurants and hospitality venues located throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that it has donated $81,314 to local nonprofits as a result of its annual, year-round gift card program, surpassing last year’s total. Through the program, $2.00 from every gift card purchase is donated to area nonprofits fighting food insecurity. Since the program’s inception in 2019, more than $366,000 has been distributed to local agencies.

“We are grateful to once again partner with so many incredible organizations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts that are doing essential work in our communities,” said Mick Lamond, President & CEO, Newport Restaurant Group. “Each year, this program grows because our guests continue to show up for their neighbors in meaningful ways. It is incredibly rewarding to see that generosity translate into real support for organizations addressing food insecurity, and we are proud to play a small part in helping strengthen the communities we serve.”

The 2025 recipients include:

“For eight years, the patrons and employee-owners of the Newport Restaurant Group have helped us stock our Food Pantry and Mobile Food Pantry, deliver food to homebound seniors, and help make our onsite meals possible, providing fresh and nutritious food to our community,” says Heather Hole Strout, Executive Director of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. “Thanks to the generosity from the gift card campaign, we can sustain hunger relief programs that will provide over 1.4 million meals this year. Support like this helps us expand our programming, too, like our new Saturday Food Pantry and Breakfast. We are so grateful for our longtime partnership with our friends at Newport Restaurant Group and what it helps us provide for Newport County residents.” 

In addition to the financial support, NRG employee owners volunteer with these organizations throughout the year in a variety of ways, from collecting non-perishable food items for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to preparing and serving dinners at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, to harvesting surplus fruits and vegetables at local farms that are distributed to hunger relief agencies through a partnership with Hope’s Harvest.

The 2026 gift card program is ongoing, and gift cards can be purchased at any NRG property or online at www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.

Photos (courtesy of Newport Restaurant Group):

Newport Restaurant Group Select Restaurant Easter Holiday Menus and Catering Options

Iron Works, located at 697 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, will offer Easter specials on Sunday along with its regular dine-in menu from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Starters will include Roasted Carrot Curry Soup with crème fraiche and brown butter croutons and Wood Grilled Lamb Lollipops with rosemary and roasted garlic marinade, roasted red pepper chickpea puree, fresh herb preserved lemon yogurt, and a balsamic port reduction. Brunch items include Short Rib Hash with poached eggs, potatoes, pulled short rib, peppers, onions, asparagus, scallion, pea greens, brown butter hollandaise and sourdough; Cast Iron French Toast Skillet with challah bread, mixed berry cream, whipped sweetened mascarpone ricotta, and Vermont maple syrup; and two slices of Avocado Toast with everything seasoning, radish, pickled shallot, feta cheese, and pea greens with poached eggs or smoked salmon available as an addition. Featured entreéswill include Pan Roasted Scallops with butter poached lobster, cauliflower puree, crispy potato, braised kale, pancetta, fresh herb beurre blanc, and carrot agrodolce and North Country Baked Ham with golden raisin sauce, leek and potato gratin, and wood grilled asparagus.

To view the full menu and make reservations, please visit www.ironworkswarwick.com.  

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, located at 1 Sayer’s Wharf in Newport, will offer its full menu from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. as well as Easter specials on Sunday. Starters will include sixDressed Oysters with calamansi crema, dill oil, and sturgeon caviar and Lobster Quiche with asparagus, spring onion, and hollandaise. Entrée choices include Braised Lamb Mafalde: Hopkins Farm lamb leg, Maria’s mafalde pasta, shaved spring vegetables, and pecorino cheese, and a Whole Dorade: grilled whole fish with Morita cream sauce, pickled shallot, blistered tomato, and fresh herbs. For dessert, guests can enjoy Carrot Cake with brown butter-cream cheese frosting, carrot caramel, and toasted walnuts.

To view the full menu and make reservations, please visit www.mooringrestaurant.com.

22 Bowen’s, located at Bowen’s Wharf in Newport, will offer Easter specials from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in addition to its full steakhouse menu. Specials include Stuffed Artichokes with pecorino Romano and spinach stuffing and lemon-thyme aioli; Hopkins Farm Braised Lamb Shank with mushroom fricassee pickled ramp greens, and mint & ramp gremolata; Whole Roasted Black Sea Bass with miso glaze, baby bok choy, wakame salad, and cherry blossom shoyu; and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Pie with strawberry gelato.

To view the full menu and make reservations, please visit www.22bowens.com.

The Boat House Restaurant, located at 227 Schooner Drive in Tiverton, will offer a selection of Easter specials in addition to its regular menu from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Special dishes include Deviled Eggs & Caviar featuring whipped yolks with chive, sturgeon caviar, and golden shoestring potatoes; Hopkins Farm Roasted Leg of Lamb with herb roasted fingerling potatoes, honey glazed carrots, and lamb jus; Pan Seared Karen Elizabeth Scallops with spring pea and mascarpone risotto, crispy prosciutto, and Allen Farm pea greens; and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Pie with crème fraîche gelato.

For more information and to make a reservation, please visit www.boathousetiverton.com.

Wooden Pin Baking Company, located at 1037 Middletown Avenue in Middletown, has Easter dessert offerings available for pickup. Orders must be placed 48 hours in advance and are available for pickup daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Final pickup is on Saturday, April 4 at 12:00 p.m. Easter offerings include Carrot Cake: moist carrot cake with pineapple, finished with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut; Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie: sweet-tart filling in a flaky crust, topped with oat streusel; and Take and Bake Cinnamon Rolls: soft, buttery spirals with brown sugar and cinnamon with vanilla icing.

For more information, please visit www.woodenpin.com.

About Newport Restaurant Group:

Newport Restaurant Group’s award-winning portfolio of restaurants include Castle Hill Inn, The Mooring, 22 Bowen’s, Bar ‘Cino, La Vecina, and Smoke House all located in Newport; J.T. Commons in Middletown; Celeste in Narragansett; the Boat House in Tiverton; Waterman Grille and Hemenway’s, both located in Providence; Avvio Ristorante located at Garden City Center in Cranston; Iron Works in Warwick; Papa Razzi in Wellesley, MA; and Bar ‘Cino in Brookline, Watertown, and Westwood, MA.

Newport Restaurant Group’s mission is to provide the highest quality culinary experience in unique, service-oriented atmospheres and to create each menu with a creative, thoughtful, and responsible approach. Newport Restaurant Group is proudly 100% employee owned. For more information, please visit www.newportrestaurantgroup.com.