This year you have read in this column about many contributors to the state’s successful restaurant community, from chefs and restaurateurs to winemakers and farmers. All can be considered stars of the industry. more

A thriving nightlife scene plays an often under-appreciated role in ensuring a city’s economic health. That’s especially true in a place like Providence, where restaurants are among the leading attractions. more

Bright Night Providence will celebrate its 10th anniversary on New Year’s Eve with a day-long festival starting at noon on Dec. 31. more

Could Weybosett Street be the next Broadway? more

The Procaccianti Group has purchased the 272-guest room Renaissance Providence Hotel from Sage Hospitality, the group announced Thursday. more

Foolproof Brewing Co., New England’s latest addition to the craft brewing scene, has launched its hand-crafted beers in bars across Rhode Island. more

A survey of nearly 17,500 brides from TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com found that Rhode Island is the fifth most-expensive place in the United States to get married. more

Three Rhode Island restaurants – Basil’s Restaurant, Bouchard Restaurant and Inn, and The Spiced Pear – made OpenTable’s list of the Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the United States for 2013. more

While the number of Rhode Islanders who visited Twin River declined 9.1 percent from 2010 to 2012 to 161,726, those who came from Massachusetts increased 8.8 percent to 385,348, helping the Lincoln gaming facility gain less than one-half percent in visitors to 582,662 in the time period. more

“Look at the history in this street,” said chef Jake Rojas, as he looked out the front window of his restaurant, Tallulah on Thames. Even as he admired the scene, he did so with a certain amount of trepidation. Lower Thames Street in Newport was undergoing a repaving operation and like his colleagues from Memorial Boulevard to Wellington Avenue, Rojas was casting a wary eye on the craters and potholes in the pavement before him. more