The Square Peg

A generations old recipe for meatballs.

Carrot cake made especially for you by mom.

And two hands-on owners who greet you the moment you walk in.

There are many reasons to feel at home at The Square Peg.  

Located on the corner of Water and Miller Streets, just a block from the ocean in Warren, Rhode Island, The Square Peg is a cozy nook where you can grab a seat at the bar or settle in at a table in the dining room.   Owners Amy and Joel Cary set out to make a spot where the atmosphere is as important as the food they serve. 

"We put just as much focus into the atmosphere and the space as we do into the food and the hospitality. It's everything from the lighting to the music. I think we just want people to walk around knowing that they've had a good time and feeling like while they did leave home, it feels like home to them."

And to Amy and Joel it is like home, because they've created an atmosphere where their staff and customers feel more like family.  

"This town, and I think as well as our staff, are like our family to us. Everyone around town knows our kids.  Our families just been a big part of it."

When it came to the menu, the pair decided to keep things simple and tasty.

"Our focus is really keeping things fresh and classic. We're never chasing the latest trends. We're not big fans of trends and our model is to keep things simple, consistent and good."

So Phantom tasted it all in search of THE PERFECT MEAL.

The appetizer section of the Square Peg menu is lined with all of Phantom's favorite things. From big trays of shareable nachos loaded up with shredded chicken, cheese, jalapenos, salsa and sour cream to the addictively delicious Bang Bang Shrimp.  

"Bang bang is a creamy, spicy, sweet sauce we Panko crust shrimp, deep fry them, they come out and we toss them in a bowl.  They're served really hot, so you get the hot, you get the crunchy from the Panko. You get the creamy, sweet and spicy sauces. They're great."  

But the app that's a must order at The Square Peg is their housemade mozzarella sticks.  

"People go crazy for them because they're not like your standard store bought mozzarella sticks.   These things are like huge mozzarella pieces.  When you pull them apart they expand for like three feet there's cheese and we dip them in our marinara sauce we make here.  They're phenomenal. Just ultra cheesey.  Ultra gooey.  Mozzarella sticks like you've never had them before."

Square Peg also offers tons of tacos like The Street Taco loaded up with slow braised chicken, chopped onion and cilantro in a chili lime sauce, and this one stuffed with that sweet bang bang shrimp.  But it's the fish tacos where the kitchen truly shines.

"We try to keep it very simple. But very fresh. We get fresh haddock in everyday. Fresh produce. We Panko crust the haddock. We use a simple shredded cabbage and tomato on top. Then we have our own secret sauce, we call it chile lime sauce. It comes on a warm flour tortilla. We've had people from California come in and say this is the best fish taco I've had outside of California."  

The handheld options continue with a selection of sandwiches.  There's the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich topped with housemade pickles and slaw or for a seaside spin on a deli classic, try the Riverside Reuben.

"Basically it's panko crusted haddock, melted Swiss Cheese, cole slaw and our house thousand island dressing on a grilled marble rye.  So it's like a reuben and a fish sandwich combined into one."  

And for a burger you won't believe, order the PBR. 

"The PBR acronym stands for Pickles, Bacon, and Ranch.  The pickles themselves are deep fried pickle. Then we have a couple slices of bacon on top and a house made ranch dressing. You're going to get the crunch of the hot fried pickles. You're gonna get the saltiness of the bacon. It has American cheese on it. But then you also get the coolness of that Ranch dressing."

The entree section of the menu includes all of the comfort food favorites you know and love.   There are big bowls of Mac and Cheese...and heartwarming Fisherman's Stew served with crusty bread for dipping. But nothing beats a big ol' plate of meatballs.   

"We serve those in a cast iron skillet.  We smother them with sauce. Put Parmesan cheese on top. Throw it in the oven. And serve it with bread. That's it"

And when dessert finally rolls around, there's only one sweet you need to know- and that's Joel's mother's carrot cake

"The carrot cake is mammoth pieces. It a New York style carrot cake. It has a cream cheese frosting. Everything's made from scratch by my mother, she lives right next door, but she comes over and uses the kitchen here. Every day we have fresh desserts."

Mozzarella Sticks. Fish Tacos. A PBR Burger. Meatballs and some Carrot Cake make for the PERFECT MEAL at The Square Peg.