Olivia Culpo: Model or Foodie? Inside Her New Restaurant, Back 40

Actress, model, and former Miss USA 2012 (who represented Rhode Island!), Olivia Culpo, surely never forgets about her hometown of Providence! She is very proud of where she comes from and visits her home frequently—especially now during the holidays you can be sure to catch her around town. Last week, her family spent their Thanksgiving at the Culpo’s new, family-owned restaurant, Back 40, in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. I had the opportunity to experience the greatness of this restaurant just days before for dinner!

The moment you pull into the parking lot, you will automatically see from the outside that it has a barn-style to it. It is painted bright red and has a long patio decorated with rocking chairs. When you step inside the restaurant, you will see cow prints and cowbells—inevitably feeling a country-vibe. Serving American comfort food, Back 40 has an extensive menu with many delicious options that vary from burgers and ribs, to mac and cheese and fried chicken! For appetizers, I had the Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Old Bay Tots. The Brussel sprouts had roasted red peppers and crispy bacon in them, while the tater tots were served with two different smooth cheese sauces. Both were absolutely mouthwatering! For my main dish, I ordered the Back Mac, which is mac and cheese topped with Ritz Cracker crumbs, and let me tell you, it was amazing! It is most certainly not just any regular comfort food—it is trendy comfort food packed with lots of quality ingredients. For dessert, I tried Allie’s Donut Bread Pudding, which if you are a local, you know Allie’s Donuts are the best, so you cannot go wrong with that!

Back 40 is definitely a must-try restaurant if you are in the Rhode Island area… and if not, then you have to make the trip here just to try it! While I only experienced the dinner scene, they also have a nice lunch menu worth trying. Hey, maybe you will even run into Olivia Culpo herself!