Newport Restaurant Group Has Planned Cranston Site

A new restaurant will replace the former Applebee's building in Cranston's Garden City Center.

Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Dining Out

Gouache-painted illustration of a building under construction, featuring exposed steel beams and wood framing, representing new retail development. — Newport Restaurant Group will expand its presence in Cranston's Garden City Center by opening a new restaurant at the former Applebee's site. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Newport Restaurant Group has announced plans to open a new restaurant at the site of a former Applebee's in Cranston. The previous structure at Garden City Center was demolished in late 2025 following a fire.

Why it matters

The development marks the group's second location within Garden City Center, further expanding its footprint in the retail complex. This project replaces a site that was a total loss after investigators linked a fire to a leaking gas line.

This project represents the 19th restaurant for Newport Restaurant Group and their second location within Garden City Center. The site was cleared for development after the former Applebee's building was demolished in late 2025.

The players

Newport Restaurant Group

This is a hospitality company that owns and operates a variety of dining establishments throughout the region.

Garden City Center

This is a prominent open-air shopping and dining destination located in Cranston.

Applebee's

This is a national casual dining restaurant chain that recently established a new branch in the Chapel View area.

The details

The upcoming venue will occupy the space where the previous restaurant stood before it was destroyed by a fire caused by a gas line leak. Newport Restaurant Group already manages Avvio Ristorante within the same Cranston retail hub.

Avvio Ristorante opened in Garden City Center in 2016.
The former Applebee's building was torn down in late 2025.
A new Applebee's location opened in Chapel View earlier in 2026.
Newport Restaurant Group announced the project on October 13, 2026.

Culture Shift

This project aligns with the ongoing retail redevelopment of Garden City Center in Cranston. The move reflects a broader trend of commercial densification where established hospitality groups replace shuttered legacy chains to maintain center occupancy.

Residents of Cranston can expect a new dining option to eventually replace the empty lot left by the demolished building. This development brings a familiar operator back to Garden City Center, potentially increasing traffic and dining availability in the area.

The takeaway

The addition of a 19th restaurant by this group signals continued growth for the Cranston hospitality market. Shoppers at Garden City Center should anticipate a new venue to fill the vacancy created by the previous fire-damaged property.