[Dockside]

Sherwood Diner in Westport, Nicky's in Norwalk (On the way to Calf Pasture Beach), and Swanky Frank's in Norwalk...the original, and bring Tums, but it's worth it.

[BigHouse9]

We used to love going to Bill's Seafood down in Westbrook too. Black Rock Oyster Bar in Bridgeport too although I have a bias as I am friends with the owner.

[Iska]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Best place to buy wine

not in Connecticut- Yankee Spirits is Sturbridge Mass- huge store
best prices-far cheaper then CT

If in northeastern CT- best place by far. Also huge Gin, Vodka section.

I think there's a place in South Hadley, MA that beats anything in CT. It's in a shopping center. Don't remember the name. Might be another place to go to if you live close enough to Springfield.

[uconn99]

Pizza- Modern in New Haven http://www.modernapizza.com/

Brewery- Willimantic Brewing Company http://www.willibrew.com/

City Steam in Hartford http://www.citysteambrewerycafe.com/

Best place to take a date- Max Downtown http://www.maxrestaurantgroup.com/lo...down_index.php

Best wings- Bidwell Tavern- Coventry http://www.bidwelltavern.com/

Best dine and view- Polytechnicclub downtown 20th floor http://www.polytechnicclub.com/

Best seafood- Abbott's in Stonington-Noank http://www.abbotts-lobster.com/

I enjoy leagal seafood and Lenny and Joe's as well.


Others-


Black Eyed Sally's- Hartford http://www.blackeyedsallys.com/
Trumbull Kitchen- Hartford http://www.maxrestaurantgroup.com/lo...s/tk_index.php
Hot Tomato's- Hartford http://www.hottomatos.net/
Vito's by the Park- Hartford http://www.vitosct.com/
Spris- Hartford http://www.spris.cc/ct_index.html
Mayor Mikes- Hartford http://www.mayormikes.com/
Wood -n- Tap- Hartford http://www.woodntap.com/
The Adams Mill- Manchester http://www.theadamsmill.com/

[brattpowered]

I'm from Stamford, and these are my picks for the area:

Duchess in Darien, Pre-remodel
Swanky Frank's, the Norwalk original
American Steakhouse when it was Family Affair
Colony Grill (best pizza!), Stamford
Manero's in Greenwich (RIP)
Nick's Pizza, Stamford
Penny's III, Norwalk
Bull's Head Diner, Stamford

[yankee.peddler]

When I lived in Connecticut, my family used to go to Pasta Fair in Orange. It wasn't exactly an upscale restaurant, but all of the Italian dishes I tried there (particularly the football-sized calzones) were delicious. After that we would sometimes stop at Wentworth's for ice cream in Hamden. I'm surprised my arteries are pumping the way they should be!

[mels]

I forgot about Firehouse Deli in Greenwich. They have the best "wedges," aka grinders to the rest of CT and New England.

[njohnson]

Heres my list of some favorites.

Pizza:
Little Rendezvous - Meriden
Modern Pizza - New Haven
BAR - New Haven

Seafood:
Lenny & Joe's (original) - Westbrook

Wings:
Sliders - New Britain/Plainville
J Timothy's - New Britain/Plainville

Burgers:
Ted's - Meriden

Restaurants:
Barcelona - New Haven/Norwalk
Fratellis - Wallingford
Grants - West Hartford
Agave - Hartford
Roomba - New Haven
Trumbull Kitchen - Hartford
Braza - Hartford
Temple Grill - New Haven

Places to grab a drink (or three):
Wood-N-Tap - West Hartford
Hot Tomatoes - New Haven
Bespoke - New Haven
Archie Moore's - Wallingford
City Steam - Hartford
Eli Cannons - Middletown
First & Last Tavern - Middletown
BAR - New Haven
Rookie's - Cromwell
C.O. Jones - New Haven

[Golden1]

Yeah, I like Hot Tomotoes in Hartford as far as Northern CT restaurants go.

On a slightly different topic...there are some restaurants I used to like a lot but I think changed hands or switched chefs because it's not the same. I used to like the Beach House in Madison. Now it's okay for burgers and the location is great but several years ago the food was top notch.

There's an Italian restaurant in Mystic across from the Whaler's Inn that I used to like a lot (it's near Trader Jack) and it seems to be not as good as it used to be or I hit it at the wrong time twice.

Back on topic...So many good restaurants in New Haven and South of it toward New York. I like the Boxing Cat in Greenwich if it's still around (haven't eaten there in a few years).

The Black Seal in Essex is good as is the Grizwald Inn across the street.

Beyond Northern CT and into Northampton Mass there's just too many to list. That town is full of great restaurants.

Oh, and the Olive Garden in Enfield

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by mels

I forgot about Firehouse Deli in Greenwich. They have the best "wedges," aka grinders to the rest of CT and New England.

Thank you for that. I've told many of my friends here in Connecticut that "wedges" is another terms for grinders/hoagies/subs and they didn't believe me.

I'm originally from Dutchess County, New York, where this was a common word to describe hot sandwiches! It was even more prominent in Putnam and Westchester Counties.