You’d Never Guess Rhode Island’s Most Famous Stuffies Come From This Humble Roadside Stand
Blink and you might miss it—a tiny, timeworn shack tucked along Park Avenue in Portsmouth, just steps from the water, where locals line up for chowder, clam cakes, and the fiery, bread-crumb-crisped stuffed quahogs Rhode Islanders affectionately call “stuffies.”
This unassuming spot is Flo’s Drive-In at Island Park, the retro sister to Flo’s Clam Shack over in Middletown, and it’s long been a local legend.
Ask any Ocean State native where to find a proper stuffie in the wild, and chances are they’ll send you here. I stumbled upon it one summer afternoon, and with a single bite, I finally understood Rhode Island seafood devotion.
The Roadside Stand Hiding In Plain Sight
Flo’s Drive-In sits steps from Island Park Beach in Portsmouth, operating as the humble, walk-up outpost of the long-running Flo’s brand founded in 1936. Its own menu board and the company’s locations page call out the Island Park drive-in distinctly from the larger Middletown shack.
Most tourists barrel straight to the bigger location, never realizing this Portsmouth gem exists. Locals guard it like a secret handshake, and honestly, I get why.
The weathered wood and hand-painted signs give it that throwback charm no Instagram filter can fake. You order at a window, grab a picnic table, and let the salt breeze do the rest.
Verified Open Right Now
As of October 29, 2025, Flo’s shows active hours for both sites: Middletown’s shack lists daily hours, while the Portsmouth Drive-In runs Thursday–Sunday (seasonal). Recent listings and tourism pages corroborate the drive-in’s current operation; their Facebook feed routinely posts season openings for Portsmouth.
Always check same-day hours before you go. Nothing stings worse than a wasted beach trip because you didn’t peek at their socials first.
I learned that lesson the hard way on a Tuesday in June, staring at locked doors and dreaming of what could have been. Now I’m a compulsive hour-checker.
Order The Signature: Flo’s Fiery Stuffed Quahog
On both the Middletown and Portsmouth menus, you’ll see Flo’s Fiery Stuffed Quahog—the house stuffie—right alongside chowder and clam cakes. The drive-in menu spells it out plainly, and the Middletown menu echoes it, making the stuffie a year-after-year staple, not a fleeting special.
That first bite hit me with smoky heat, briny clam sweetness, and a crunch that made my eyes roll back. The chouriço doesn’t play around here.
Order it solo or build a combo, but whatever you do, don’t skip the stuffie. It’s the whole reason you made the drive.
How Locals Eat Here (And Why Timing Matters)
Regulars pair a stuffie with clear or creamy chowder and a sack of clam cakes; combo boards, soup choices, and à-la-carte fry baskets are posted at the stand. Because the drive-in is compact and seasonal, prime beach days can mean short waits and popular items running low—another reason to go early.
I watched a woman order three stuffies, two chowders, and a mountain of cakes without blinking. That’s the local move.
Arrive before noon on a Saturday and you’ll breeze through. Roll in at two and you might find yourself in a queue behind half of Portsmouth.
What Makes A Rhode Island Stuffy, Anyway?
A true Ocean State stuffie starts with a large quahog shell crammed with chopped clam, aromatics, and a Portuguese-leaning bread mix that often includes chouriço or linguiça for smoky heat. Food writers trace that profile across Rhode Island’s clam shacks and Portuguese-American kitchens, exactly the lineage Flo’s leans into.
The chouriço is non-negotiable. Without it, you’re just eating fancy bread in a shell.
Every family has a recipe, every shack has a secret, but Flo’s nails the balance between spice, salt, and that perfect crispy cap that shatters under your fork.
Middletown vs. Portsmouth: Same Spirit, Different Vibe
The bigger Middletown shack runs daily hours in season and draws heavy tourist traffic; the Portsmouth drive-in feels like a neighborhood stand—picnic-table casual, a few steps from the sand. Both sell the fiery stuffie; the drive-in’s roadside setup is what gives this legend its unassuming charm.
Middletown has parking lot chaos and out-of-state plates everywhere. Portsmouth has locals in flip-flops who know the counter staff by name.
Same stuffie, same recipe, totally different energy. If you want the real humble roadside magic, Portsmouth wins every time.
Plan Your Stop
Aim for Portsmouth (Island Park) if you want the humble roadside stand experience; go Thursday–Sunday and earlier in the day for best selection. If timing or weather doesn’t cooperate, Middletown (4 Wave Ave.) keeps longer hours in season, and both locations post menus and updates online so you can confirm before driving.
I bookmark their Facebook page and check it obsessively before every beach weekend. Call me paranoid, but I refuse to miss stuffie season again.
Pack patience, bring cash just in case, and prepare your taste buds for the best stuffie you’ll ever meet.