Gourmet food tour of Providence

Globe correspondents Diane Bair and Pamela Wright recently went on the Providence Riverwalk culinary tour, offered by Newport Gourmet Tours. The company, which also offers culinary tours in Newport, introduced the two-hour-plus tour last September as a fun way to experience one of the country’s culinary hot spots. Check out these awesome images from some of the tour’s top foodie destinations.

The jam-packed, behind-the-scenes walking tour not only took us to some of Providence’s top kitchens to meet chefs and sample signature dishes and drinks, but also included a few cooking and history lessons along the way.

Pictured: the dining area of XO Cafe on Feb. 21.

Located in the historic 1799 John Updike House on North Main Street, XO Cafe, led by executive chef Marty Lyons (pictured), serves contemporary, locavore-focused dishes with creative flourish.

Chef magazine recently called XO Cafe the hippest restaurant in the city while the Providence Phoenix named the cafe as one of Rhode Island’s most romantic restaurants.

Founded by Edward Grace in homage to his grandfather, Charles Hemenway, Hemenway’s Restaurant, now owned by the Newport Restaurant Group, has been a mainstay on the Providence food scene for more than 20 years.

Pictured: chef Steven Long of Hemenway’s Restaurant on Feb. 21.

A chef’s course of scallops at Hemenway’s Restaurant in Providence on Feb. 21.

The large restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and contemporary decor, is a hot spot in downtown Providence, earning high marks for its ultra-fresh seafood.

Pictured: dining area of Hemenway’s Restaurant on Feb. 21.

Providence’s Independence Trail, a 2.5-mile path marked by a green line painted on the sidewalk, passes by many historic sites, highlighting the state capital’s role in the American Revolution. Coincidentally, the trail also runs right in front of the renowned Pot au Feu restaurant.

According to Mike Martini, former chef and co-owner of the tour company, Pot au Feu was Julia Child’s “favorite restaurant in Providence.’’

Pictured: the bar area of Pot au Feu on Feb. 21.

Owner Bob Burke demonstrates flipping a crepe at Pot au Feu on Feb. 21.

A short distance from Pot au Feu, 10 Prime Steak and Sushi offers an entirely different atmosphere. The sleek, contemporary space with bright colors, curvy angles, and a bubble machine above the door, is lively and fun.

Pictured: an outside view of 10 Prime Steak and Sushi on Feb. 21.

Located in a former Federal Reserve Bank, The Dorrance is a grand, opulent space. Much of the original 1902 building remains, including a wall safe, ornate woodwork, marble floors and walls, and elegant stained glass windows.

The restaurant, headed by chef Ben Sukle, is racking up awards, recently named by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the country’s best 50 new restaurants in 2012.

Pictured: an outside view of The Dorrance on Feb. 21.