83 Best Restaurants in Connecticut, USA

Sourcing ingredients from New Mexico to bring the flavors of the southwest to the northeast coast, Geronimo serves hearty flavorful entrees and lunch. If you come for a drink expect the same flavors from the little plates of happy hour snacks you'll sample while you have a cold beer or drinks made from one of the largest selections of tequila on the East Coast. A raised patio overlooks Crown Street, and both the patio and the inside space get lively on nights and weekends.

Come for lunch when shopping along Greenwich Avenue, brunch on Sunday, dinner anytime, or just liquid refreshment, as The Ginger Man has a long, friendly bar and casual seating up front, a cozy dining room with a fireplace in back, and formal dining upstairs via a grand curved staircase. Whether you order a burger and fries, fish-and-chips, or a New York strip with roasted fingerlings, you won't leave hungry—or thirsty.

The trip to Chester, a few miles up Route 9 from Essex, will be a memorable one as husband and wife team Joel and Lani Gargano have converted a turn-of-the-century bank into one of the most sought-after seats in the Connecticut dining scene. Chef Joel has created an Italian-focused menu that draws inspiration from the Italian (Puglia-specifc) tradition of collecting the charred wheat left over when fields were burnt after harvest season to make pasta and bread. This tribute earned Grano Arso (burnt grain in Italian) an overall win as Connecticut Restaurant of the Year in 2019. 

En route to or from the beach—or to or from anywhere, for that matter—stop at this seasonal roadside stand for a bite to eat (burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, grinders, fish-and-chips) or just a summertime treat. Arguably the best ice cream around, whether in a cup, on a cone, or in a milk shake, root beer float, or sundae.

The flavors of Mexico, Latin America, and beyond come to you at Happy Monkey courtesy of world-renowned Michelin star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Inventive small plates and creative cocktails are available at the bar for a quick stop, but a little more time will allow for exploration of a flavor-dense menu made to let the ingredients shine, in portions suitable for sharing.

Just south of the Ridgefield town line on U.S. 7, you'll see a huge ice cream cone on the roadside marking Heibeck's Stand, where you can choose a made-to-order burger or hot dog with a variety of toppings or a sandwich, Philly cheesesteak, lobster roll, taco, salad---even a house-marinated portobello mushroom "burger." Best of all is the ice cream, which is rich, creamy, and deee-licious—in midsummer, try the fresh peach ice cream.

This isn't your typical hotel restaurant: Occupying half of The Study at Yale hotel lobby, this contemporary American eatery has a casually refined decor. The seasonal menu emphasizes the freshest locally sourced ingredients, with highlights like a warm local ricotta appetizer with thyme and truffle on a crostini, lamb cavatelli pasta, and Connecticut grass-fed beef burger.

The post-and-beam buildings of Comstock Ferre & Co., the country's oldest continuously operating seed company (founded in 1820), is now home to a "seed-to-plate" natural foods café. It's open all day for wraps, toasts, soup, salad, juices, coffee, tea, and smoothies. You can also purchase heirloom seeds, groceries, and gardening supplies.

Hoodoo Brown was a Texas cowboy, but this spot tucked away in the Connecticut hills is a far cry from the Lone Star State. It does, however, have some of the best BBQ in Connecticut and the intoxicating aroma hits you the moment you walk through the door; their smoked meats, cornbread, and fixings have attracted praise from Texas Monthly magazine.

This 19th-century country inn overlooking Lake Waramaug is a lovely place for breakfast, alfresco lunch, midafternoon tea, or a European-inspired dinner. The menu features French escargot, Austrian Wiener schnitzel, Swiss rösti potatoes, and Italian veal piccata—as well as American favorites like broiled Atlantic salmon.

Mainly a chophouse, where you might choose a 40-ounce Tomahawk steak, 10-ounce filet mignon, or a double-cut pork chop with a choice of sauce or herbed butter; but the rather extensive menu also includes grilled fish, burgers, and several small plates. 

J.René is a coffee shop and artisanal roaster centered on the concept of coffee as a social beverage and the cafe items are created to complement the beverage experience. It's simple enough to stop in for an espresso (or a double they sometimes refer to as "athlete fuel" for the bicyclists who regularly make pit stops there), but the concept has been as a "third place" for the community, beyond work and home. Their coffee varieties are hand-selected and roasted in partnership with the communities where they are grown. 

Japanese for "by the river," Kawa Ni has become a fixture in weekend plans ever since opening in 2014. The izakaya (think a Japanese pub) meal begins with the basics—fried chicken karaage (Japanese fried chicken), snow peas, and tsukemono (pickled veggies)—and continues on to some of the most creative and memorable high-end ramen, udon, and cocktails you'll find anywhere in the state. Quick bites and relaxing dinners are both recommended.

A modern take on a classic (and classy) French bistro, you'll find the usual French standards on the menu like steak frites, along with international dishes such as Madras lamb curry, Peking duck, and San Francisco cioppino. As for decor, you'll find potted palms, ceiling fans, a partially open kitchen, and floor-to-ceiling windows in the bright, airy dining room.

With a name alluding to the small farming cottages in France’s Provence region, this "rotisserie and bar Américain" is buzzing in West Hartford serving up deceptively simple, delicious French fare meant to be shared, from rotisserie chicken and roasted vegetables to cassoulet, tarts, and beef Bourguignon. Previously a retail space for Bantam's Arethusa Dairy, this bit of old France uses the dairy's butter, ice cream, and bread from nearby Hartford Baking Company. Portraits of the dairy’s cows still hang on the walls, and the ice cream display coolers are now stocked with wine. The cool, marble bar is the place for cocktails and bites, and outdoor tables are always in demand.

This family-owned luncheonette, open since 1895, is recognized as the birthplace of the "hamburger sandwich." Its first-rate burgers are cooked in an old-fashioned cast-iron grill (that dates back to 1898) and served with a spread of cheese, tomato, and onion (the only accepted garnishes) on two pieces of white toast. Add potato salad or chips and a slice of pie, and you're all set!

A cozy French bistro set inside a stone building with low ceilings and closely spaced tables, Luc's takes full advantage of its handy location in Ridgefield's iconic downtown. The place charms patrons with carefully prepared food—salade niçoise, croque monsieur, or the classic steak au poivre with a velvety Roquefort sauce and crispy frites—and low-key, friendly service. There's an extensive wine list, plus a range of aperitifs and single-malt whiskies. Enjoy live jazz on some evenings.