A drastic shift in Newport’s food and beverage scene has been brewing since 2020. Not all of it has been for the better. But there’s some very good news coming out of the Fifth Ward.
Among a homogenized collection of tourist-driven concepts operating under corporate umbrellas, a handful of independent ventures have quietly emerged over the past decade with a different mission. Look closely and a clear theme appears: young culinary professionals aren’t just chasing quick profits — they’re rebuilding community.
Kevin and Nikki Garabedian are part of that new generation. On March 1, the couple will open Ocean & Fifth Cafe , a breakfast and lunch cafe located in the former Sig’s building — a property they recently purchased in its entirety, including the adjacent dry-cleaning structure across the lot.
For longtime locals, the address carries weight.
Kevin, born and raised in Newport, met Nikki — a western Massachusetts native — eight years ago while working at The Pelham. The two later moved to Massachusetts, built a successful real estate company flipping homes, and quietly saved toward a shared goal: returning to Newport to open a restaurant of their own.
“We dove head first into it and found we worked really well together,” Nikki said. “We had big dreams with the end goal of moving back to Newport. Kevin’s dream was always to have a restaurant, and I grew up working in them and loved the atmosphere. But you can’t just do that on a whim.”
Ocean & Fifth Cafe aims to recreate something many locals feel has been fading — a true neighborhood gathering place.
Open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the 50-seat cafe (including seasonal outdoor space) will feature an elevated daytime menu. A France-educated in-house baker will produce breads and confections, while two Rogers High School culinary alumni — both Johnson & Wales graduates — will helm the kitchen.
“I took that class 20 years ago myself,” Kevin said.
The menu will go beyond the standard breakfast fare. Expect upscale morning and midday offerings, pressed juices, smoothies, specialty coffee drinks featuring Down East Coffee, a bagel bar with house-made flavored cream cheeses, and creative handhelds. Guests will order at the counter, with food delivered to the table — casual, but polished.
The Garabedians are also fostering a collaborative kitchen culture. Chefs and baristas will be encouraged to develop their own dishes and drinks.
“We want them to put together things they’re proud of and grow with us,” Nikki said. “We want Ocean & Fifth Cafe to become part of them because they helped create it.”
The couple transformed the former Kings Lens art space into a warm, wood-accented dining room, crediting much of the build-out to local finish carpenter Charles Cooper of Rusted Wood.
Looking ahead, they plan to host guest chef pop-ups and community-driven events — tapping back into the artistic and collaborative energy long associated with the neighborhood.
The name Ocean & Fifth Cafe is a nod to the intersection that defines Newport’s Fifth Ward — and its identity.
Opening March 1 gives the couple just under two weeks before the Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The AOH Pipe and Drum Band will perform on opening day, adding a fitting hometown touch.
“As a kid, Sig’s was where we’d go to watch the parade,” Kevin said. “This area means everything to me.”
Inspired by Boston’s North End, old-school Newport camaraderie, and a belief that restaurants should serve more than food, the Garabedians are stepping into a space rich with history.
They’re not easing into it.
“We’re aiming to be the best.”
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