Best, Unique, & Historic Restaurants & Foods

Food, Glorious Food!
CT’s Best, Unique, & Historic Restaurants & Food

It’s completely ridiculous how much time and effort I’ve put into creating this page. I won’t burden you with my woes, but suffice it to say that this has been 15 years in the making. There’s a lot here, and restaurants are always opening and closing – more the latter since the pandemic – so please bear with me. I’ve finally settled on what to include (and what not to include) and I’m comfortable with the major sections below. Let’s eat!

Roadfood’s “Eat Before You Die” lists
1,000 Places to See Before You Die in the USA list
CTMQ’s Unique & Historic Restaurants & Food
CTMQ’s CT Restaurant Tour of the World
Olde Timey Soda Makers
Classic Diners & True Taverns

Roadfood’s Eat Before You Die Lists

Jane and Michael Stern used to both live in Connecticut when they were married. They’ve pumped out a mini library of food travel books and owing to them being locals, I decided to try to eat all of their recommended items in two of their books: 2009’s 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late and 2017’s An Eater’s Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America. I went through both books and pulled out the Connecticut entries. And here they are.

*Repeated 2009 & 2017 entries.

Breakfast Items

Tastease Doughnuts, Hartford
Bantam Bread Company Dirt Bomb, Litchfield
Speedy Donuts Glazed Cruller, Norwalk
Gail’s on the Common Pancakes, Ridgefield (Closed)
Laurel Diner Hash & Hash Browns, Southbury
Lakeside Diner Pancakes & Donuts, Stamford
Kitchen Little Portuguese Omelet, Stonington
Neil’s Donut and Bake Shop Wallingford
*Coffee An’ Doughnuts, Westport
*Dottie’s Diner Doughnuts, Woodbury

Lunch & Dinner Items

*Pizzeria Laurentano Pizza, Bethel (Closed)
Sycamore Drive-In Cheeseburger & Root Beer, Bethel
Lenny’s Zuppa d’Clams, Branford
Gluten-Free Oasis Punta Cana & Cheese Bread, Brookfield
*Blackie’s Deep-Fried Hot Dog, Cheshire
Lobster Landing Lobster Roll, Clinton
Westbrook Lobster Lobster Roll, Clinton
*Harry’s Place Cheeseburger, Colchester
Beth and Her Alley Deli Pierogies, Danbury (Closed)
Big Ed’s Hot Dog, Danbury (Closed)
JK’s Hot Weiner, Danbury
Karl Ehmer Quality Meat Products Summer Sausage Sandwich, Danbury
Stanziato’s Roasted Cauliflower Pizza & Winter Salad, Danbury
Roseland Apizza Shrimp Oreganato Pizza, Derby
Flanders Fish Market Clam Chowder, East Lyme
Five-O Chili Hot Dog, Fairfield
*Rawley’s Deep-Fried Hot Dog, Fairfield
Super Duper Weenie Deep-Fried Hot Dog, Fairfield
Super Duper Weenie Fries, Fairfield
*Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough Clam Chowder, Groton
*Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough Shore Dinner, Groton
Polish National Home Polish Plate, Hartford
Rosco’s Big Dog Steamed Cheeseburger, Hartford (Closed)
Rosco’s Big Dog Hot Dog, Hartford (Closed)
*Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale Fried Clams, Madison
Lake Zoar Drive-In Hot Dog, Monroe
Mr. Mac’s Canteen Chili Dog, Monroe
Shady Glen Cheeseburger, Manchester
K. Lamay’s Steamed Cheeseburger, Meriden
The Lunchbox Steamed Cheeseburger, Meriden
*Ted’s Steamed Cheeseburger, Meriden
Guida’s Hot Dog, Middlefield
*O’Rourke’s Diner Steamed Cheeseburger, Middletown
Al’s Hot Dog Stand Relish Foot-Long Hot Dog, Naugatuck
Capitol Lunch Chili Dog, New Britain
Staropolska Polish Plate, New Britain
*Louis’ Lunch Cheeseburger, New Haven
*Modern Apizza, New Haven
*Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven
*Sally’s Apizza, New Haven
Kamp Dog Kamp Hot Dog & Frito Pie, New London
*Clamp’s Hamburger Stand, New Milford
Doogie’s Foot-long Hot Dog, Newington
*Carminuccio’s Pizza, Newtown
Custy’s Lobstermania, North Stonington (Closed)
Letizia’s Pepperoni Pizza, Norwalk
Swanky Franks Fries, Norwalk (Closed)
Johnny Ad’s Lobster Roll, Old Saybrook
Top Dog Hot Dog, Portland
Chez Lenard Hot Dog, Ridgefield
Mamie’s, Roxbury (Closed)
Carolyn’s Weenie Wagon Hot Dog, Seymour (Closed)
Denmo’s Relish Foot-Long Hot Dog, Southbury
*Colony Grill Pizza, Stamford
Sea Swirl Fried Clams, Stonington
Windmill Restaurant Brats & Kielbasa, Stratford
Shiek’s Deep-Fried Hot Dog, Torrington (Closed)
Zuppardi’s Apizza White Clam Pizza, West Haven
Wethersfield Pizza House Italian Chicken Grinder, Wethersfield
Wave Hill Breads Pain de Campagne, Wilton
*Dottie’s Diner Chicken Pot Pie, Woodbury

Desserts

*Dr. Mike’s Ice Cream, Bethel
Timothy’s Ice Cream, Bridgeport
Bridgewater Chocolate Chocolate Truffle, Brookfield & West Hartford
Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream, Griswold
Shady Glen Dairy Store Ice Cream, Manchester
Dr. Mike’s Ice Cream, Monroe (Closed)
Doogie’s Fried Dough/Doughboy, Newington
We-Li-Kit Ice Cream, Pomfret
*Big Dipper Ice Cream Factory Ice Cream, Prospect
*Ridgefield Ice Cream Shop Ice Cream, Ridgefield
Beardsley Cider Mill Crumb Top Apple Pie, Shelton
Dottie’s Diner Donut Bread Pudding, Woodbury

1,000 places to see in the United States Before You Die List

Patricia Schultz has made a name for herself – if she is an actual human – publishing these “1,000 Places” travel guides. She clearly has an army of helpers, as her Connecticut entries are on point and not just the run-of-the-mill usuals. This is her list of restaurants.

Golden Lamb Buttery, Brooklyn (Closed)
Restaurant L&E, Chester (Closed)
Griswold Inn, Essex
Thomas Henkelmann Restaurant, Greenwich
Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, Groton
Blue Oar, Haddam
Max Downtown, Hartford
West Street Grill, Litchfield
Lenny and Joe’s Fish Tale, Madison
Winvian Farm, Morris
Frank Pepe’s, New Haven
Sally’s Apizza, New Haven
Libby’s Italian Pastry Shop, New Haven
Louis’ Lunch, New Haven
Match, Norwalk
Bee and Thistle Inn, Old Lyme (Closed)
Chez Lenard, Ridgefield
Bernard’s, Ridgefield
Noah’s, Stonington
Mayflower Inn, Washington
Good News Cafe, Woodbury

Unique & Historic Restaurants & Food

This is another one of my infamous mish-mosh lists where I stick everything restaurant/food related that doesn’t really fit anywhere else. If you don’t see something here that you expect, it might be above. If you have anything I should add here, just let me know!

Midway Pizza & Restaurant, Ashford
The Place, Guilford
Augie and Ray’s Drive-In Restaurant, East Hartford
The Landing Zone, Harwinton (Closed)
The Griswold Inn, Essex
Mystic Pizza, Groton
The Corner Tavern, Naugatuck
Mory’s, New Haven
Richter’s Cafe, New Haven (Closed)
SoNo Brewhouse, Norwalk (Closed)
Monkey Farm Cafe, Old Saybrook
Pizza Works, Old Saybrook
The Vanilla Bean Café, Pomfret
Travelers Food and Books, Union
The White Horse Country Pub, Washington
1754 House, Woodbury
Mrs. Bridges’ Pantry, Woodstock (Closed)

Unique and Interesting Food

Garlic Ice Cream, Bethlehem
David Glass Cheesecake, Bloomfield (Closed)
Wings at Dew Drop Inn, Derby
A Wiener in Mianus, Greenwich
Mystic Shagbark Syrup, Groton
Fried Cheese, Shady Glen Dairy Store, Manchester
Tomato Pie, Ernie’s Pizzeria, New Haven
La Madeline au Truffe, Chocopologie Café, Norwalk
Dirt Wings, J. Timothy’s, Plainville
Le Wind of Change, Miya’s Sushi, New Haven
Red Potato & Pickle Pizzas, Willington Pizza House, Willington

Connecticut Restaurant Tour of the World

This was a really great idea I had many moons ago that fell apart in execution; entirely my fault. But it still sort of lives in a different format. Sort of. We’ll see. Just not the easiest thing for me to write about. Here’s the long-winded Intro. And here are the restaurants, alphabetical by country/ethnicity.

Afghanistan: Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan, West Hartford
Albania: Albanian Festival, Waterbury
Argentina: Aby’s Bakery, West Hartford
Austria: Austrian Donau Club, New Britain
Bosnia: NY-NY Pizza, Hartford
Brazil: TBD
China: Song, West Hartford
Colombia, Saoco, West Haven
Cuba: Soul de Cuba Cafe, New Haven
El Salvador: TBD
England: Gruel Brittania Fairfield
England (Tea): Tea Roses Tea Room, Cromwell (Closed)
Dominican Republic: Caribe Restaurant, West Hartford
Ethiopia/Eritrea: Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant, New Haven
French Canada: Chez Ben, Manchester
Germany: East Side Restaurant, New Britain
Ghana/West Africa: Sidibe African Restaurant, East Hartford
Greece: TBD
Guatemala: Aurora’s Bakery & Restaurant
Hippie: It’s Only Natural, Middletown
Hungary: Goulash Place, Danbury
India (South): Naatiya Indian Restaurant, Bloomfield
India (North): TBD
Iraq: Dunya Market, Waterbury
Ireland: TBD
Jamaica: People’s Choice, Norwalk
Jewish Pt. 1: Crown Market, West Hartford
Korea: Seoul Restaurant, New Haven
Lebanon: Mezza Bar & Grill, Orange
Malaysia: TBD
Mexico: Casa Villa, Stamford
‘Murica: Charcoal Chef, Woodbury
Pakistan: Rasham, South Windsor
Peru: Cora Cora, West Hartford
Philippines: Zul Cafe and Grill, Norwalk
Puerto Rico: Criollisimo Restaurant, New Britain
Poland: Baltic, Berlin
Portugal: O’Camelo, Hartford
Russia: TBD
Scotland: Scottish Dave’s Pub, Clinton
Soul Food: Mama Mary’s Soul Food, New Haven
Turkey: Saray Turkish Restaurant, West Haven
Vietnam: TBD
Tibet: Tibetan Kitchen, Middletown
Venezuela: Valencia Luncheria, Norwalk

Olde Timey Soda Makers & Bottlers

I never was much of a soda drinker, as it was only consumed as a “treat” in my childhood home. Maybe at weekend lunches or football games. But my wife Hoang was a different sort. The girl loved her Diet Coke. Then one day in 2015 or so, she decided she drank too much of it and stopped cold turkey. And that was that. We rarely have any soda in the house these days, but when we do, it’s usually from one of Connecticut’s small companies. Let’s visit them and see what’s stirring.

Castle Beverages, Ansonia
Foxon Park Beverages, East Haven
Hosmer Mountain Soda, Manchester and Windham
Avery’s Beverages, New Britain

CTMQ’s Food & Drink