Once upon a time, there was a restaurant in Providence called the XO Cafe. Opened in 1989, it featured farm-to-table cuisine and creative cocktails. It was a trendsetter, and many Rhode Islanders (including me) have fond memories of it. Chef and restaurateur Ben Lloyd took his nostalgia for the spot to the next level by reopening and reimagining the space as XO Bar in 2022. Not only did Lloyd spend nine years as the XO Cafe chef, but he also met his wife while working there, as well as his future business partner, Scott Champagne.
Lloyd, Champagne, and the team did a great job of updating the historic venue, which takes up the first level of the John Updike House, while maintaining some of its period details, including exposed brick above the bar and a giant old-timey photo mural. Without a dedicated kitchen area, they were able to utilize the space to its fullest as a lounge – the long, narrow room features several cozy, comfortable nooks for groups to relax and settle in for the evening, and the bar features 12 seats overlooking the main action: cocktail making. The bartenders encouraged me to go check out the renovated bathroom, where a special button that says “press here” treats patrons to their own private disco ball party.
I started with XO’s signature drink, the Cold Brew Martini. The use of cold brew provides a less bitter taste than espresso – and combined with house-made vanilla vodka, coffee liqueur, hazelnut liqueur, and a splash of Irish Cream – it’s a decadent and delicious choice. You can also request to have it made decaf.
Next up, I took the bartender’s suggestion and tried the Seafoam Margarita from the new fall menu. It was a mix of savory and sweet with blanco tequila, blue curacao, Cynar, and coconut liqueur, topped with coconut foam and sprinkled with salt and toasted coconut. It reminded me of a high-end Blue Hawaiian.
Between sips, I dug into a few of the bar snacks XO Bar offers. They had three types of flavored popcorn on the night I visited – loaded baked potato, sour cream and onion, and movie theater butter – which were all tasty and fun to sample, as was the addicting snack mix loaded with mixed nuts, sesame sticks, hot cajun corn sticks, and toffee peanut clusters. The fresh-baked soft pretzels with delicious beer cheese, and a choice of cheese or pepperoni personal-sized pizza from Billy Manzo (a Certified Master Pizzaiolo of Federal Hill Pizza fame) are great indulgences to complement a fun night out.
If cocktails aren’t your thing, they also offer a wide selection of beers, wines by the glass and bottle, and even some really tasty mocktails, including The Cool Heat, which was very refreshing with cucumber, jalapeño, lemon, agave, and soda water. I rounded off the night with something I wouldn’t usually choose: the Midori Yuzu Sour. If Midori makes you think of sickeningly sweet drinks from your college days, this take on it will make you change your mind. The Midori is blended with gold-flaked yuzu juice, dry pisco, lemon juice, and is topped with whipped egg whites for a truly elevated experience.
Whether you are starting or ending a fun night traipsing through Providence’s culinary scene or just in the mood for some delicious cocktails, XO Bar is definitely worth checking out. Though it was bittersweet bidding a melancholy happy trails to the XO Cafe, its reincarnation is a destination I’ll be happy to return to in the future.
125 North Main Street
250-3606 • TheXOBar.com
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