Cara

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Table Shaped by the Coast

Cara sits within The Chanler at Cliff Walk, overlooking both the famous Cliff Walk path and the sweep of Easton's Bay. Dim candlelight, soft jazz, a gold-leaf ceiling, and the Atlantic rolling just beyond the glass create an atmosphere that Forbes Travel Guide — which awarded Cara its Five-Star distinction — describes plainly as having "a palpable air of romance." It is, as the guide notes, the only restaurant in Newport offering fine dining in an exquisite waterfront setting.

The Blind Tasting Format

Chef Jacob Jasinski and his team have built something genuinely uncommon: a menuless experience that changes every night. There is no printed card to study in advance. Instead, each course arrives as it leaves the kitchen, one at a time, opening what the restaurant calls "a natural dialogue between chef and guest." What lands on the table depends entirely on what came in that day from local fishermen, farmers, and ranchers — a French-inflected approach to craft anchored in the immediate season and the sea just outside.

Two seatings run Wednesday through Sunday. The five-course blind tasting begins at 5:00 pm ($185 per person), while the eight-course version starts at 8:00 pm ($245 per person). Because of the intimate scale of the room, full prepayment is required at booking, with cancellations accepted up to 72 hours in advance.

Recognition and the Wine List

The accolades here are not incidental. Alongside the Forbes Five-Star rating, Cara holds the AAA Five Diamond distinction and Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence — the latter a particular point of pride given how central the wine program is to the experience. The staff is well-equipped to guide pairings through both tasting menus, making Cara a strong choice for guests who want their glass to keep pace with the kitchen's ambition.

The French fine dining sensibility running through the kitchen ties the whole experience together: rigorous technique, seasonal discipline, and a respect for what the local waters and land actually produce on any given evening.