RI Shellfish Company

Rhode Island Shellfish Co.

Seriously Fresh Fish - From the Shore to Your Door

By Jennifer Coates

When Peter Caswell, the founder and owner of Rhode Island Shellfish Co., chose the catchphrase “Seriously Fresh Fish” to describe his West Warwick-based business, he wasn’t messing around. He wasn’t lying either. RI Shellfish Co. literally uses seafood straight off the docks, fresh out of the waters of the Atlantic. “Shore to Door” is their motto! Everything that Caswell sells, and everything he serves, is harvested or caught fresh every day. This is a promise he makes . . . and one that he keeps.

RI Shellfish Co. was incorporated in 2016, soon becoming the realization of a passion and love that its owner Peter Caswell had had since he first began cooking the generation’s-old recipes of his cherished mother, Annie. As a lifetime Rhode Islander who spent much of his early life digging quahogs off the state’s bountiful coast, it was only natural that the culinary journey he started at the side of his mother would take him to this now popular take-out eatery in the city. In 2016, Peter received a USDA Grant of Inspection and built a commercial kitchen which he affectionately named “Annie’s Kitchen,” after his late mother. Thus was born RI Shellfish Co. Today, RI Shellfish Co. is visited by loyal fans and newcomers alike. All come for Peter’s outstanding fresh shellfish and for his prepared dishes which, like the seafood and shellfish they are made of, are prepared fresh to go (though have no fear, many of these dishes are available frozen so you can keep them at home to satisfy your cravings at a later date!)

Peter’s specialty: anything to do with his favorite, locallysourced quahogs. Caswell has long felt that Rhode Island’s lowly quahog has taken a proverbial “back seat” to the increasingly popular oyster. It has become one of Caswell’s personal missions to revitalize the quahog and to showcase its many varied preparations, including his famous “Stuffies.”

When they first opened Rhode Island, Peter wanted to make a “true” Rhode Island Stuffie that represented the way that good seafood was made years ago. Using a recipe handed down from generation to generation, they set out on a journey to bring these Stuffies to market for the consumer to enjoy just Caswell remembered growing up here in the Ocean State.

They begin by hand shucking only the best local quahogs and grinding the meat to the perfect consistency. Next step involves combining the quahog meat with their very own pork sausage, delicious local vegetables, crackers, and spices. Using only the perfect size quahog shells, they stuff each one by hand with their perfectly seasoned stuffing. From there, each Stuffie is vacuum packed to ensure the freshest product reaches you, the consumer. In Peter Caswell’s words, “At Rhode Island Shellfish Company we pride ourselves in continuing this great seafood legacy that is ingrained in local tradition, and hope you enjoy our product.”

Peter’s famous Stuffies join a diverse and crowd-pleasing array of other shellfish options that are available for take-out. These include his famous crunchy, golden-brown Fish & Chips, its creamy New England Clam Chowder, indulgent Lobster Mac & Cheese, Fried Whole Belly Clams, Baked Scrod, a spicy Cajun Shrimp dinner and Clam Cakes. Don’t forget the delicately fried Pt. Judith Calamari served with banana peppers, sliced olives, and butter wine sauce (no wonder calamari is the “state appetizer” of Rhode Island!) There are also tacos at this seafood haven ~ Cajun Shrimp Taco, Blackened Cajun Cod Taco, and Beer Battered Fish Taco.

If this isn’t enough to wet your palate, try RI Shellfish’s Lobster Roll ~ Local fresh lobster meat mixed with celery, onion, and a light tarragon mayonnaise dressing, served on a buttery toasted roll. All these dishes are accompanied by hand-cut fries and Caswell’s house-made coleslaw.

For those who want to enjoy the “home delivery” option at RI Shellfish Co., you will find endless possibilities on the website where photographs take you on a visual journey of the freshest seafood and prepared dishes – delivered right to your home (“shore to door!”) This is an absolutely irresistible option for those who want to WOW their guests when entertaining this summer – the seafood, including Fresh Market Cod Fish, Ahi Tuna, Fresh Swordfish, Salmon, Little Necks, Mussels, Steamers, Scallops, remains true to its promise that this is “Seriously Fresh Fish”!

The prepared meals are equally as enticing (and easy)~ Lobster Bisque, Bacon-wrapped Scallops, Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, Crab stuffed Jumbo Shrimp, Snail Salad, Clams Casino, Crab-stuffed Lobster Tail, Lobster & Scallop Pot Pie. And there is even more ~ when you explore the website, you will see it all right before your eyes.

Rhode Island Shellfish Co. serves up a tasty take-out menu on Fridays and Saturdays from 3:00pm – 8:00pm. Home delivery is available SIX days a week (Monday through Saturday) Call 401744-0311 or order online at www.rishellfish.com. (Their home delivery menu is different from their take-out menu, so take note!) RI Shellfish Co. is located at 1670 Main Street in West Warwick. You can find them on Facebook (RI Shellfish) and Instagram (RI Shellfish Co).