Kevin and Nikki Garabedian have revitalized a Newport address that holds nostalgia for many locals.
On March 1, the couple opened Ocean & Fifth Cafe, a breakfast and lunch spot in the former Sig’s building, which they recently purchased.
Both graduates of Johnson & Wales University, Kevin Garabedian grew up in Newport and met Nikki, a western Massachusetts native, eight years ago while working at The Pelham.
The couple later relocated to Massachusetts, where they built a successful real estate business while saving up to eventually return to Newport to open their own restaurant.
“We dove headfirst into it,” Nikki Garabedian said. “Kevin’s dream was always to have a restaurant, and I grew up in that atmosphere.”
As many longtime diners and independent coffee shops have closed in recent years, Ocean & Fifth Cafe aims to revive the concept. The 50-seat cafe features an elevated daytime menu, including offerings from an in-house baker educated in France.
The name Ocean & Fifth Cafe pays homage to the intersection that defines Newport’s Fifth Ward, the area where Kevin Garabedian would go to watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“This area means everything to me,” he said.