Calamari – Unlike other parts of the country, RI calamari is very lightly battered, then fried or sauteed and served with a mix of garlic butter and hot cherry peppers; and it is delicious. In fact, it was recently proposed to make RI-style calamari the state appetizer. I rarely have a bad plate of calamari so you really can’t go wrong at any of the fine restaurants around Rhode Island; but if you want a stand out serving, try ordering it at Pane e Vino in Providence.