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Practically hidden away in a brick courtyard of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, CAV is a wonderfully whimsical gem of a restaurant that offers a diverse menu and elegantly imaginative décor. It's not often that an eatery's ambiance can fully reflect the city or town in which it's found, but Providence itself is such a quirky, hybrid location that it feels serendipitously appropriate for CAV to be found here of all places.  

The atmosphere inside is warm and inviting, with almost all its furnishings garnered from mutually vintage and unique sources- taking the old and making it new again. The huge bar was taken from a now-defunct 1890’s New York City tavern, the rugs and wall hangings from various Asian and African countries – so numerous that CAV once found itself featured in Architectural Digest for the collection’s size – and its dining cabinet discovered in a Vermont apothecary. 

CAV’s fare is a perfectly eclectic match for its environment, with offerings ranging from artichoke risotto to smoked salmon platters and sesame-encrusted tuna with wasabi aioli. Whether there for brunch, lunch, or dinner, sharing dishes like this with a few friends under twinkling chandeliers and the occasional disco ball hanging overhead is the kind of experience I wish I could have every day. Then again, the rest of Providence is just outside CAV's doors.