Aldo's Restaurant — Restaurant in New Shoreham

The other day, having bought clams for steaming, I thought I might pick up a crusty loaf of bread to soak up the sauce. A google search for bakeries led me to Aldo's. I stopped by and purchased a "fresh baked loaf." Though the 6 dollar price tag made me hesitate, I went for it.

The first sign of trouble came when I poked at the top of the plastic-wrapped loaf. To my surprise, my finger easily punctured the "crust" and entered into the interior, which did not spring back at all. Later, to my alarm, when I cut into the bread, my dull knife slid through with no resistance. I had initially planned to toast the slices, but that was before I realized that this bread didn't slice, but rather disintegrated into dry crumbs. Imagine a coffee cake whose maker, intending it for display, omitted sugar, eggs, and spices. If, weeks later, you mistakenly cut into such a creation, it would likely yield a more pleasant texture than the sad crumbs that spread over my table. Still, I held onto a misguided hope and used the remaining chunks to soak up the sauce, but they quickly dissolved into an unappetizing sludge at the bottom of the pan.

I thought to myself, I can give Aldo's another chance. So I returned two days later to sample their ice cream. While the second experience was not quite as disastrous as the first, I found myself stuck with a cloyingly sweet, overly gooey mess labeled "pistachio" but in which I could find no flavor of any nut.

While I recognize that prices on the island reflect both the means of wealthy vacationers and the necessity of importing most ingredients, six dollars is unreasonable for even the best loaves of bread. Take a moment to consider that six dollars is more than half the minimum hourly wage in Rhode Island. That islanders are left with few if any alternatives in the search for daily bread is a sad reflection of Block Island's...

Aldo's hates babies! DO NOT go here if you have a family.

Was visiting Block Island walking around town and the wife gets hungry, so we stop at Aldo's so she can get some pizza. Beautiful 8-week old baby daughter happens to get hungry at the same time, so to be polite to soften the cries, I sat in the empty patio area (Thursday late afternoon, again no one in sight) to feed her while wife goes in to order.

White haired Karen storms out and asks if we are ordering. "yes, wife is inside ordering pizza." She says we have to leave if we aren't sitting to eat..."take out is for take out!" Yes, I know that...I'm fortunate enough to be a customer for many restaurants and even more fortunate to not be a lifetime restaurant curmudgeon. Usually the restaurants I go to have a place for customers to sit while they wait for food. Guess not here.

Baby and I leave. Wait 20 more minutes for wife to get pizza.

Tl;Dr - if you love your family, DO NOT...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you’re looking for authentic Italian food with a warm, family feel, Aldo’s on Block Island is a must-visit. The atmosphere is welcoming and family-oriented, and the restaurant is run by a wonderful family who treats you like one of their own—they make you feel like they’ve missed you every time you walk through the door.

The food is incredible—like dining on Federal Hill in Providence without ever leaving the island. Every dish is flavorful, comforting, and made with love. We’ve been bringing our family here for years, and Aldo’s has truly become part of our tradition.

That said, it’s also the perfect spot for a date night. They’ve created an intimate setting for couples as well. Whether you’re visiting with family or for a romantic evening, Aldo’s always delivers. Highly recommend making it part of your Block Island experience!

— Five stars all the...