An all-in-one home-sweet-home kind of experience at Main Street Ristorante and Gift Shoppe, in Newport, NY!
For nearly thirty years, Main Street Ristorante & Gift Shoppe has filled bellies and homes with deliciousness and the ‘perfect’ décor, drawing people from all over to be a part of this unique small-town dining and shopping experience.
I had the pleasure of visiting Main Street Ristorante & Gift Shoppe a month or so ago when two of my writing buddies, Andrea and Nina, invited me to come along for a lunch date.
I was so pleasantly surprised with all the decor for sale that I ended up buying ‘the perfect hutch’ while we waited for our deliciousness to be served.
Although we didn’t have to wait long for owners Ryan and Kim Defaria to cook up our meals fresh and serve them piping hot, I did get a chance to look around. I loved it so much I brought my husband, David, back a few weeks later.
We always take home some homemade cookies
and something I realized, “I have to have.”
Kim describes their two-person operation is like no other. And she is correct. “It’s an afternoon destination pleasing to those who like quiet surroundings and home-cooked meals,” she explained. The ambience offers “casual dining in a country setting with a primitive and antique shop onsite like no other,” she added.
Kim and Ryan’s passion for cooking is reflected in the menu, which offers daily specials and an array of desserts that provide fare with a bit of a different flare, things you won’t always find in other restaurants. They offer an Italian-American menu, which includes beer and wine (bonus!). ‘Fan Favorites’ include Chicken Salad with Bacon and Cranberry, Chicken Riggies, Honey Mustard Chicken, Lasagna, Beer Batter Fish Fry, Baked Haddock, homemade soups, sauces, and pies.
its on the Specials Board!
Although the restaurant began welcoming diners and shoppers back in December, 1995, Kim and Ryan’s story begins even earlier, to the days when Kim was attending Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. The two met while working in a Rhode Island restaurant, and have been together ever since.
Their passion for good food and antiques and décor has lasted through the years. “Ryan and I currently run the restaurant and gift shop alone,” Kim said. “(We) love primitives and antiques. We shop hop and love honoring the ways of the past in our present home and shop.”
For the last three decades, the Ristorante and Gift Shoppe has become the type of place where “the best of meals are always small celebrations of good food and the freshest ingredients, and of friends and conversations,” Kim said. “Every meal is delicately prepared to become a happy occasion!”
Right about now your belly may be grumbling and you might be thinking about what to do for lunch. You should listen to your body and take the trip to Newport and check out Kim and Ryan’s wonderland of yumminess and quality home décor.
While they currently are open Wednesday through Saturday, be warned. After April 26, 2025 your opportunity to sample their menu comes to an end. Ryan and Kim have decided to close the restaurant portion of their business and dedicate the space exclusively to a gift shop.
“We have so many wonderful memories of the past twenty-nine plus years,” Kim mused. “The people we have met, the friends we have made, the life we have shared. We are blessed.”
The shop will close temporarily while it undergoes renovations and a complete rebranding. “Our business name will be Olde Post Primitives. After some renovations, revamping, and lots of shopping we will reopen,” Kim said.
The new name pays homage to the history of the building, but I will leave that morsel for the preview blog near summer’s end, when I plan to cover their grand opening.
In a day and age when small businesses struggle to survive, where privately owned restaurants are overshadowed by big chains, and unique décor is a Google-search away, how did Ryan and Kim manage to maintain a successful business for so long? What can they say to others hoping to become entrepreneurs?
“Our advice would be: Be thankful for each new day. Greet everyone with a smile. Work hard. Never dip into the till,” and, Kim added. “Put the day’s receipts all into the bank.”
Most importantly, Kim said, “Don’t forget your why—why you opened the business. We wanted to be that place where the best of meals are always small celebrations of good food and freshest ingredients, and of friends and conversations. Where every meal is delicately prepared to become a happy occasion! Pair that with a large primitive gift shop and antiques and it’s the best of both worlds.”
Owning a successful business isn’t always about the business, though. And Kim was ready to over guidance on that as well. On a personal level, Kim advised, “Take time for yourself.”
With only a month and a half to go, make sure the time you take for yourself includes popping into Main Street Ristorante and Gift Shoppe, located at 7431 Main Street, Route 28, in Newport. Their hours of operation are Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays are hopping, but they are always quick to accommodate everyone. If you don’t find parking on the street, check out the lot behind the store.
Be sure to like and follow their Facebook page for updates and announcements so you do not miss out on the fun!
Janina Grey 