City: Mystic, CT

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (860) 536-3452

Address: 30 Williams Ave.

Description: Sea Swirl of Mystic could be categorized under road food or seafood, but although their hot dogs, ice cream, and hamburgers are excellent, their seafood is what brings people back time and time again. Owned by the Blaney family, the Swirl has been around for almost three decades, serving amazing fried whole belly clams and excellent clam fritters. Taking no sides, they serve both kinds of clam chowder, the southern New England broth chowder (which they unfortunately call Rhode Island—it’s Connecticut clam chowder, guys) and the milk chowder more commonly called New England. Their specialty is fried seafood, and items like fried oysters and fried scallops are done in a secret way that make them better than the typical shack. Sit at a picnic table on the deck by the shack and watch the sun set over Mystic.