Destination Narragansett: Some of the best restaurants that capture the essence of summer

In Narragansett, restaurants capture the essence of summer living and dining with their casual appeal, great views of the water, accessibility to incredibly fresh seafood and proximity to farms and their seasonal produce.

They serve clam cakes, chowder, swordfish and yellowfin tuna. They get the blender going for frozen margaritas and serve fine wine by the glass and ice-cold draft beers.

Yet for some, dining in Narragansett is a mystery. They enjoy the beaches and then head home to their familiar surroundings. Today, you'll find out what you've been missing.

This is not meant to be an inclusive guide to all you'll find in Narragansett. There are plenty more spots to explore including restaurants for breakfast and lounges for enjoying drinks. But these clam shacks, neighborhood favorites, fine dining restaurants and ice cream shops will get the novice Narragansett diner started on their delicious journey.

Monahan’s Clam Shack by the Sea, 190 Ocean Road, has it all from the setting on the seawall to the most excellent fried seafood to the ice cream shop to the liquor cart that will quench your thirst. It also has a cute clam logo. The lines start early and the parking is limited but it's worth the effort for clean flavors, fast service and those picnic tables with a killer view and water breezes. Earlier this month, they opened a Charlestown outpost at 5402 Post Road, called Monahan's Clam Shack by the Cove.

Crazy Burger, a longtime local favorite, just got some national attention when it made Yelp's Top 100 Burgers in America list back in May. Yelpers loved theGoofy Gorgonzola Burger, the plant-based burgers and the Mahi Mahi Taco Taco Burger. The restaurant, which opened in 1995 and is at 144 Boon St., has an outside patio.

The Coastal Cabin Restaurant, 925 Boston Neck Road, is a hidden gem, also on scenic Route 1A, open for dinner. You'll find Happy Hour half-priced appetizers daily from 4-6 p.m. The choices include crab cakes, meatballs and beef carpaccio as well as steamed mussels, pistachio-crusted shrimp skewers and smoked salmon and crab dip, plus fried caprese. They also have weekend brunch starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. That menu includes a housemade maple sausage sandwich, open-faced smoked salmon, fish and chips, and fried chicken and waffle.

The Coast Guard House, 40 Ocean Road, is the iconic dining destination sitting high above Narragansett Bay that was built in 1888 as a Coast Guard station. Not that the restaurant needs any introduction. It's been the place to go for special occasions and a casual drink for generations of Rhode Islanders. After the building was devastated by Sandy in 2012, a renovated restaurant emerged, one that captures views of the sea from almost every seat. Patios and decks were added outside. The food and drinks, and especially the wines, are always worthy of the setting.

Chair 5 Restaurant is in the Break Hotel at 1208 Ocean Road and it's named after a lifeguard chair and locals gathering spot on Narragansett Town Beach. They have a rooftop lounge where you can sip on a cocktail and look out on ocean views. The menu includes seafood such as fish and chips and a seafood platter; Italian specialties of Chicken Parmigiana; and also salads, burgers and charcuterie boards.

Sea Craft is the new kid on the block and opened last summer in The Shore House, a boutique hotel at 113 Ocean Road. Everything is shiny and new including an outdoor dining patio that affords waterfront views. The menu boasts seafood and Italian specialties including a polenta appetizer. Sea Craft is sister restaurant to the popular Locanda on Tower Hill Road in South Kingstown.

If there is a pecking order to Narragansett dining, Aunt Carrie's is the dean, 103 years there at 1240 Ocean Road. The restaurant/clam shack is a James Beard Foundation America's Classics winner for offering a taste of its place. It's home to many fine pies and an ice cream shack across the road. There's a bonus here. How many clam shacks have a dining room? The weather doesn't mean a thing when you crave your platter of seafood. In short, Aunt Carrie's is a treasured member of the family.

Twin Willows, 865 Boston Neck Road, is a local favorite, family-owned for just shy of 40 years. It's an inviting, family-friendly spot to stop on Scenic Route 1A near the Bonnet Shores Beach Club. There are clam cakes, stuffies, sandwiches including lobster rolls, as well as pasta and seafood specialties.

It's been a bonus summer for the many who love dining at Spain of Narragansett, 1144 Ocean Road, for their Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. The owners announced the restaurant was for sale earlier this year but when no deal was struck, they opened the doors for another summer of their elegant Shrimp & Saffron Rice Paella and other specialties including baked stuffed lobster served in their dining room and on their patio.

Destination Warren: An abundance of food and drink options you don't want to miss

Trio, 15 Kingstown Road, is part of the most excellent Newport Restaurant Group and that means you can't go wrong having a meal here. The menu is full of seafood, Italian specialties and even pizza. They have a raw bar and iconic dishes including stuffies and calamari. They have a nice patio, elevated off the sidewalk for al fresco dining.

Jimmy’s Port Side Restaurant, 321 Great Island Road, was established in 1956 and is still a local favorite for fresh seafood. The seasonal restaurant is across the street from the Block Island Ferry. They've added an outdoor patio and bar.

George's of Galilee, 250 Sand Hill Cove Road, is front and center on Sandy Brine Beach, in the Point Judith air serving fresh seafood and handcrafted cocktails. In fact, they have a beach tiki bar located on their own private beach. A second outdoor tiki bar carries the Charlie O's sign, a homage to the now-gone local restaurant and watering hole. You can sip and sit there while waiting for a table. Inside, the theme is beach house casual.

There's Wednesday night karaoke at Buster Krab's Burger Shack & Beach Bar, 265 Great Island Road. There's also plenty of seafood, frozen drinks, fish tacos, poke bowls and summer salads and wraps.

At Champlin's Seafood Deck, 256 Great Island Road, you can eat a whole lobster dinner in your swimsuit as the spot is as casual as they come and sometimes that's exactly what you want in summer. It's located at the entrance to Galilee Harbor and all the fresh fish that comes in on the boats. They've been feeding Rhode Islanders for just shy of seven decades. They offer all three kinds of clam chowder. Champlin's is one of the few spots you can have a personal clam bake with lobster, steamers, mussels and linguica. Want to cook at home? They have a market, too.

Right next to Champlin’s on the breachway is The Sweet Spot, 256 Great Island Road, which offers divine ice cream with an equally divine water view. You might even think you are sitting on the water when you eat on the patio. It opens early, at 6:30 a.m., with breakfast pastries and egg sandwiches, seven days a week. That makes it the perfect place to stop before boarding the Block Island Ferry or heading to the beach. But don't miss that it is a real ice cream parlor with incredibly natural flavors, too.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: From clam shacks to fine dining: Best restaurants in Narragansett RI