25 Essential Connecticut Tables
From coastal enclaves to downtown institutions, these are the restaurants defining the dining conversation across Connecticut.
Romanacci - Norwalk
Norwalk
Relaxed Italian kitchen featuring gourmet pizza, plus focaccia panini, salads & pastries.
Puerto Vallarta - Orange
West Haven
Festive stop for familiar Mexican cooking with tableside preps, flavored margaritas & happy hour.
Puerto Vallarta Stamford
Stamford
an everyday essential favorite for readers tracking Connecticut's most persuasive restaurant rooms, anchored by a Beam Score of 91.0.
Taco Island Mexican Cantina
Norwalk, Connecticut
Service options: Delivery, Onsite services, Takeout, Dine-in. Highlights: Fast service, Serves local specialty. Popular for: Lunch, Dinner.
Puerto Vallarta Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Warm, colorful stop with wall murals offering Mexican grub such as tacos plus beer & margaritas.
Est Est Est Pizza & Restaurant
New Haven, Connecticut
Pizza & calzones since 1973, served in a small, corner space with brick walls & wooden furnishings.
Restaurant Bricco
Hartford, Connecticut
Popular destination for creative Italian fare accented by a vibrant bar scene & a seasonal patio.
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Norwalk, Connecticut
Outpost of upmarket steakhouse chain known for sizzling, butter-topped beef in an elegant setting.
Modern Apizza
New Haven, Connecticut
Brick-oven, thin-crust pizzas & a few Italian classics served in a roomy, unadorned space.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
West Haven, Connecticut
Identifies as Asian-owned. Service options: Onsite services, Dine-in. Highlights: Fast service, Great cocktails, Live music, Sports. Popular for: Lunch, Dinner.
Romanacci of Fairfield
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Relaxed Italian kitchen featuring gourmet pizza, plus focaccia panini, salads & pastries.
bartaco
Stamford, Connecticut
Light-filled taqueria with a beach theme, open kitchen, lengthy bar & DJ spinning on weekends.
McKinney & Doyle Corner Bakery & Fine Foods Cafe
Danbury, Connecticut
Longtime bakery offering breads, cookies, sandwiches & other fare in a comfy, brick-walled space.
Smashburger
New London, Connecticut
Counter-serve chain featuring signature smashed burgers, plus sides & shakes.
Captain Daniel Packer Inne
Groton, Connecticut
Old colonial inn housing an English pub with a bustling bar area & refined upstairs dining room.
Salute
Hartford, Connecticut
Trendy Italian restaurant with an upscale menu of pastas (gluten-free available) & grilled dishes.
Kashi
Stamford, Connecticut
Innovative sushi rolls, hibachi & teriyaki in buzzy, illuminated digs with a sake bar.
The Cooked Goose
Groton, Connecticut
American breakfast & lunch staples & housemade baked goods in quaint digs with outdoor seating.
When Pigs Fly
New London, Connecticut
Quaint eatery with porch seats serving breakfast & lunch comfort foods from omelets to sandwiches.
Zuppardi's Apizza
West Haven, Connecticut
Family-run pizzeria with standout baby clam pies in a cozy space decorated with family photos.
Rowayton Seafood
Norwalk, Connecticut
Chic eatery with seafood dishes sourced from the fish market next door, plus river & marina views.
Smokin' With Chris
Southington, Connecticut
BBQ spot with eclectic apps & ribs in wood-paneled digs, with live music several nights a week.
Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe
Danbury, Connecticut
Hot & cold Italian sandwiches headline at this no-frills outlet of a local chain founded in 1922.
HORNET'S NEST Breakfast - Lunch - Catering
New Haven, Connecticut
Unassuming family-run deli serving a menu of breakfast, sandwiches, wraps & salads.
La Stella
Norwich, Connecticut
New York-style pies, pasta, gyros & grinders in a quaint dining room with TVs & chandeliers.