Fire damages Matunuck Oyster Bar, one of Paste BN's best places to eat in U.S.

Just days away from the Memorial Day weekend, a popular New England restaurant caught fire overnight and sustained major damage, officials said.

The fire broke out during the early morning hours of May 20 to Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, local officials confirmed to Paste BN. The city is about 35 miles south of Providence, the state capital.

A South Kingstown Police Department spokesperson, whose officers assisted with the blaze, said the fire was reported about 3:45 a.m. at the restaurant nestled on a beach road. No injuries were reported, the officer said.

Union Fire District Chief Steve Pinch said firefighters arrived a the establishment just before 4 a.m. and found "a large amount of fire" coming from the 2½-story building, the Providence Journal, part of the Paste BN Network reported.

The fire was initially fueled by a strong wind, but the wind died down within about half an hour, and a dozen responding firefighters had the blaze under control within less than two hours, Pinch said.

Because of the building's location on the waterfront, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management also responded to the scene, the fire department announced in a news release.

The building sustained heavy damage, Pinch said.

"I would think they'd probably have to take the building down and start over," Pinch said.

In a release following the blaze, Pinch said the bar's guests "come throughout New England and beyond to the popular restaurant."

"The Matunuck Oyster Bar is a fixture in the town," Pinch said. "It has a big impact on the town’s economy. It’s tough imagining the summer going on without having the Oyster Bar open. We feel bad for the owners and all the employees who are now out of work. Hopefully, they rebuild and are even better when they reopen."

What caused the Matunuck Oyster Bar fire?

According to the chief, the restaurant was open on the night of May 19.

It was not immediately known what caused the fire or where it started in the building.

The state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire, Pinch said.

Matunuck Oyster Bar named top place to eat by Paste BN

According to USA Today's 2025 Restaurants of the Year list, Matunuck Oyster Bar is one of the top 44 places to eat in America.

The business opened in 2009 as an extension of a local oyster farming business.

In addition to oysters, the restaurant offers lobster rolls, clear-broth Rhode Island chowder as well as sushi, ceviche, tuna tartare tacos and scallops. It also offers an award-winning win list.

Contributing: Gail Ciampa, The Providence Journal

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealu