Wildes Grocery is the culmination of 20 years in love with food, drink, & hospitality. After a decade operating restaurants, the shift to special events feels at once stunningly simple and like a high-stakes prism, reflecting values and deliciousness x a thousand, in the most personal and meaningful moments.

I create bar menus that amplify the tone and style of your party. Think local sourcing, scratch ingredients, natural wine, high/low beer offerings, and never taking it all too seriously. Service is safe, warm, over-the-top accommodating, and never stuffy.

Whether it’s buckets of Hi-Life on ice or the grower Champagne bar of my dreams, it’s all worth a chat. Please schedule time with me.

Other services include raw bar, cocktail party snacks or brunch buffets for <50 guests, and planning help. I’m thrilled to recommend and connect you with other incredible local vendors and venues.

And, coming soon: family meal home delivery. Think of this as a space where private chef services and takeout can intersect. We’re in “beta testing” mode - you can join! Let me know you’re interested, love to have you.

Bywater opened in 2015 as a neighborhood eatery & natural wine bar in the waterfront village of Warren, Rhode Island. After 10 challenging, incredible, fun, wild years, I closed the doors at last to pursue creative projects in food & wine, cooking, and being home with my kids more often than not.

Bywater was honored with a Best of Rhode Island in 2015 (“Best Total Package”), a Yelp Top 100 in America during the Covid shutdown, and in 2024 was a James Beard Foundation semi-finalist for Oustanding Restaurant.

XOXO and CHEERS to a decade of weird wine and $1 oysters every Monday. I have loved working in Warren, loved our talented and quirky staff, and loved our neighbors and regulars. It was often magical and I will miss it probably forever.

— Katie

P.S. If you’re an investor or vendor, you can get in touch with me here. Please note that for now, all investments, gift card purchases, and other credits and balances will be carried over to the new Wildes brand & my solo endeavors.

The Bakeshop operated between 2021-2025 with a magnificent rotating staff of pastry chefs, bread wizards, coffee nerds, and the kindest humans I am honored to call friends. Read about it here and here.

The transformation of the old carriage house across the street from Bywater was envisioned and executed by local architect Corey Kallfelz and designer/builder Adam Benoit. You can see still their beautiful work when you visit The Lady Next Door.

Make sure you’re following Katie on Substack & Instagram for your favorite Bakeshop recipes and to see where to get your next cup of coffee.

I started in the hospitality industry at age 19 on Martha’s Vineyard, working mornings at a bed & breakfast to earn my keep (a room under the stairs with a hot plate) and nights as the hostess of a chaotic pizza joint. The past two decades have taught me plenty about what not to do when launching or growing your food or hospitality business as well as all the magical elements that make it come together and launch beautifully. I also know a good bit about building out commercial kitchens, which is handy.

I love working with creative founders and nonprofits; projects that foster community building and growing sustainable food systems; and small operations in need of specific, strategic help with launch or growth. I can assist with branding and voice, social media strategy, menu development, hiring and culture, and more. And I have a network of talented chefs, COOs, brand managers, stylists, builders, front of house folks, and all the other humans you need to get this thing off the ground.

Please schedule a chat or send an email to discuss your project.