Our Favorite Restaurants
We like to be surprised when we eat out. After all, if you already know
what you like and expect exactly that every time you dine, there are
a host of chain outfits that fill the need.
On the other hand, if you're a bit adventurous you'll discover all manner
of wonderful places. The restaurants listed here are not fancy, sometimes
quirky, but always a delight. Be aware, however, that our taste runs to
the spicy and we'll try just about anything. Also keep in mind that places
such as these often have a short shelf life, the restaurant business being
the gamble it is. Some may no longer be in business.
Central Connecticut area
- Afghanistan House (Hartford, CT)
- Hey, this stuff is pretty good! But the tea is too sweet.
- Black-Eyed Sally's (Hartford, CT)
- Very good Cajun food with live blues most weekends.
- Bombay (Hartford, CT)
- Traditional Indian with an extensive menu.
- Capriccio's (Hartford, CT)
- Traditional Italian with a bit of atmosphere.
- Concetta's (Bloomfield, CT)
- Traditional small Italian place with great white clam sauce.
- Costa Del Sol (Hartford, CT)
- Featuring a large menu of traditional Portugese fare.
- Coyote Flaco (Hartford, CT)
- Excellent homemade Mexican specialties, eat in or take out.
- East-West Grill (Hartford, CT)
- An excellent Laotian-Thai place in a diner on New Park Avenue.
- Effie's Place (West Hartford, CT)
- A nice family place, very unassuming atmosphere. Very good Greek specialties.
- Elizabeth's (Rocky Hill, CT)
- The chef's Brazilian, his wife is Portugese and the food is a hearty Northern Italian.
- Fat Cat Cafe (Avon, CT)
- Not inexpensive but their eclectic menu and superb preparation is well worth a trip.
- First And Last Tavern (Hartford, CT)
- Great pizza and traditional Italian food.
- Harry's Pizza (West Hartford, CT)
- Thin-crust New Haven-style pizza.
- Harvest Cafe (Weatogue Section, Simsbury, CT)
- Excellent breakfast and lunch with a full line of homemade baked goods.
- Hot Tomato's (Hartford, CT)
- Trendy Italian with LOTS of garlic, in the old train station.
- Inside Scoop (Southington, CT)
- Our favorite ice-cream shop, owned and operated by Cindy and Al, two old friends of ours.
- Italian Corner (Poquonock, CT)
- Traditional Italian in a cozy, friendly atmosphere.
- Lena's First and Last (Hartford, CT)
- Great pizza and Italian soup in a VERY informal cosmopolitan setting
- Little Mark's (Vernon, CT)
- Good barbecue, but it's small
- Max's Oyster Bar (West Hartford, CT)
- Central Connecticut's best upscale seafood spot.
- Pazzo's (Glastonbury, CT)
- Nice Italian cafe-deli with outdoor dining in the summer.
- Sofia's (Warehouse Pt, CT)
- A nice family Italian place just off I-95 north of Hartford.
- Tapa's (Elmwood, CT)
- Fabulous mediterranean food in the most unlikely location. It's small and always busy.
- Timothy's (Hartford, CT)
- An eclectic menu with many vegetarian items in a funky old house near Trinity College.
- Verdolini's (Avon, CT)
- Large portions of Italian and American specialties
Elsewhere
- Abbott's (Noank, CT)
- Steamed lobster at its best, but busy on weekends.
- The Barbecue Wagon (Jct I-91, VT 103)
- Every summer a guy sets up a stand just off the exit (head west)
and serves remarkably good barbecue.
- Chef Wayne's Big Mamou (Springfield, MA)
- The best Cajun, bar none. But you'll probably have to wait (outside).
- Kitchen Little (Mystic, CT)
- Outstanding breakfasts at Flo's TINY place.
- Diana (Groton, CT)
- When you have that yen for Lebanese food.
- Ferrandi's French (Amsterdam, NY)
- An excellent French bistro just northeast of Amsterdam.
- Fazio's (York Village, ME)
- It's hard to find (207-363-7019 for directions) but it's one of
New England's finest Italian places. The pasta is homemade
every day!
- Fernando's (Southwick, MA)
- A nice, homey northern Italian spot just north of a great farm stand.
- Lake Webb House (Weld, ME)
- A B&B with a summer-only bakery that has the best muffins I've ever tasted.
Real muffins, not the cakey kind you get elsewhere.
- Laura's Kitchen (York, ME)
- A slice of England, just off I-95, Exit 2. Breakfast and lunch only.
- Lloyd's (Bethlehem, NH)
- Good stop for lunch with excellent indian pudding.
- Millview Restaurant (Hillsboro, NH)
- Everything is homemade at this small dinette in an old house
on Main Street.
- Pizza Palace (Groton, CT)
- Your standard pizza joint but in food per dollar, it's unbeatable.
- The Putney Diner (Putney, VT)
- Real down-home cooking with superb pot roast on Sunday.
- Roma Cafe (Portland, ME)
- A very elegant, gourmet restaurant in an old home on Congress St.
- Sail Inn (Hartford, CT)
- The best place to eat on Route 1 north of Rockland. It's
just south of the Bucksport bridge.
- Sea Dog Brewery (Bangor, ME)
- Lively, casual spot by the river with an eclectic menu. Also in
Portland, South Portland, and Topsham.
- Sea Swirl (Mystic, CT, NY)
- Just east of town in a converted Carvel; terrific fried clams.
- Symeon's (Utica, NY)
- One of the best Greek places we've seen.
- Wood's Pit BBQ (Bantam, CT)
- Excellent North Carolina barbecue and Tex-Mex with an iron pig outside
Special Florida Section
I spent several years visiting my parents on the west coast of Florida.
Amid the bland franchise outfits that cater to the seniors, I did find
some good places to eat.
- Althea's (Miami Ave, Venice, FL)
- The best place in downtown Venice. Eclectic menu and excellent
breakfasts.
- Briandi's (US 41, Nokomis, FL)
- Friendly Italian joint run by Buffalo natives. The best place
for wings.
- Carraba's (Sarasota and elsewhere)
- A chain operation now owned by Outback Steakhouse. Much better
Italian food than you might expect from a high-volume outfit.
- Galileo's (Stickney Point Road, Sarasota, FL)
- One of the best Italian places I've ever been to. Very adventurous
menu, highly recommended.
- Jams (Cape Haze, FL)
- This small Italian place is on the road to Boca Grande.
- Lloys's Harvest (Routes 39 and 60, Plant City, FL)
- A roadside shack where during strawberry season (February and March) you'll
get a strawberry shortcake that's a meal by itself.
- Mel's Diner (Venice and elsewhere)
- A west coast Florida chain that serves traditional diner-style food in
a retro-50's atmosphere.
- Tom's (Shamrock Ave, Venice, FL)
- A quiet homestyle place that's not as crowded during the season as the
places on US 41.
- Valenti's (W Venice Ave, Venice, FL)
- A nice Italian spot with the best bakery in the area.
Tell us
about your favorites!
