Even hard-core vegetarians have a hard time leaving Newport without craving seafood, what with shellfish and lobster shacks at almost every turn. Those who heed the call will fare quite nicely at The Mooring (Sayer’s Wharf, 401/846-2260, www.mooringrestaurant.com, , 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Thu.; 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Fri.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun.), particularly if they’re able to nab a table with a view of the harbor and sunset. No one’s breaking the culinary sound barrier in the kitchen, but it’s a great place to dig into a plate of fresh fried clams or seafood pie—or sample the impressively lengthy wine list.

Bar culture had to begin somewhere in this country, and The White Horse Tavern (26 Marlborough St., 401/849-3600, www.whitehorsetavern.us, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–3 p.m. Sun.; 5:30 p.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Sun., $29–48) may just be where. Opened in 1687 by the father of a pirate, the tavern features clapboard walls and huge ceiling beams typical of original 17th-century architecture—but its menu (from grilled bruschetta to maple-glazed salmon) is surprisingly here-and-now.

The globally inspired, luxury-laden New England dishes that fly from the kitchen at The Spiced Pear (in the Chanler Hotel, 117 Memorial Blvd., 401/847-2244, www.spicedpear.com, 7:30–10:30 a.m. and 11:30–2:30 p.m. daily; 6–9 p.m. Sun–Thu.; 6–9:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., $27–43) make such an impression, you could hear a fork drop throughout the elegant dining room as they’re served. The butter-poached lobster with Israeli couscous is a must-try, and the fondue for two (with melted white chocolate and Godiva liqueur) is alone worth the hefty bill.

Loud and jovial, the candlelit tavern area’s the place to be in The Black Pearl (Bannisters Wharf, 401/846-5264, www.blackpearlnewport.com, lunch and dinner daily, $8–30)—the abutting more formal dining room is notoriously overpriced for similar fare. Here’s the spot to order up a bowl of the killer chowder (loaded with dill) and get your lobster fix; the two and a half pounders come boiled and unadorned except by butter and a lemon wedge.

An institution in the region, the Newport Creamery (Newport Mall, 181 Bellevue Ave., 401/846-6332, www.newportcreamery.com, 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.–Thu.; 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat., $4–10) chain manages to capture the hearts of even staunchly anti-fast-food diners. The burgers and fries are decent enough, but it’s the Awful-Awful (as in, awful thick, awful good) frappe (the New England version of a shake)—in flavors like mocha and Oreo—that have kept this ice cream joint on the map.