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Providence, like many American cities, is a great place to forgo the familiar national fast-food chains in favor of strictly local flavors. In addition to such well-known New England specialties as clam chowder, lobster rolls and grinder sandwiches, be sure to sample the following indigenous delicacies when in Providence:

— Coffee milk: The official state drink of Rhode Island is made by mixing a particular kind of thick, sweet, coffee-flavored syrup (preferably of the Autocrat brand, www.autocrat.com) with cold milk. Put coffee milk in a blender with ice cream and you get what Rhode Islanders call a coffee cabinet. (Note: If you order "regular coffee" in Rhode Island, you're likely to get filtered coffee liberally dosed with milk and sugar.)

— Del's Frozen Lemonade: This beloved brand of lemon ice (www.dels.com) has been produced in the town of Cranston, R.I., since the 1940s, and the slushy, sweet-and-sour beverage holds a special place in the hearts of most Rhode Islanders. Look for it during the summer months at dozens of franchises around the state.

— NY System Hot Wieners: Despite the name, this Rhode Island snack has nothing to do with New York City. Small wieners — not tied into links but cut from a continuous sausage — are loaded onto steamed buns with mustard, meat sauce, celery salt and chopped onion. You might also hear locals refer to hot dogs as "gaggers," "bellybusters," "destroyers" or "soggies" (after the Saugy brand produced in Rhode Island since 1869).

— Stuffies: A perennial regional favorite made with local clams known as quahogs, which are chopped, mixed with spices and bread stuffing and baked in the shell. Also look for deep-fried dough balls with chopped clams inside, locally known as clam cakes.