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CTbites Staff Picks For Top Eats of 2024 (+Special Guest Eaters)

CTbites Team December 29, 2024

It’s that time of year, when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks, and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. 2024 saw an explosion of restaurateurs and chefs entering the Connecticut culinary scene, and the CTBites team, alongside some special guest reviewers below, did our best to eat it all. There were some clear standouts, restaurants that you’ll find repeated in the “top eats” lists below, and some hidden gems you should add to your dining dance card.

Here are CTbites’ TOP EATS for 2024.

STEPHANIE WEBSTER, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Chef Prasad Collab Dinners, New Canaan

Many of my most memorable meals in 2024 went down in Chef Prasad’s beautiful intimate open kitchen dining space where Chef Prasad partners with some of CT’s most talented chefs to create collaborative menus for 50 guests. The creative melding of flavors & cooking techniques, and the joy that these chefs emanate in this dining room is palpable. I encourage every diner to experience it.

Hachiroku The Loop, New Haven

These guys just won “Best Restaurant in New Haven,” and there are a million reasons why this restaurant group has the chops. Their newest spot is “The Loop,” a Japanese market attached to a new wine bar with a beautifully curated menu and handcrafted wines from small, independent growers. Two items on this menu require a shoutout for both their originality and umami vibes. Their Uni Toast with ikura, caviar, truffle, and uni butter and Uni Carbonara with thick udon noodles, uni, spicy cod & salmon roe play in my mind in the wee hours.

The Eighth Table, Secret Location

This underground pop up dining experience marries a few award winning chefs (I can’t tell) with a secret location revealed 24 hours prior to the event + a “choose your own adventure” cannabis infused dinner with paired cocktails. Names are not used at the event. Everyone gets a number, but I an assure you, friends are made. Everything about this is a party. Get on the waitlist at https://theeighthtable.com

Crust issues, Norwalk

John Nealon’s Crust Issues, known for their totally unique take on pan pizza and other Italian comfort faves, launches a sandwich menu this year, served on their hand made pizza dough. As one of the founders of Fortina back in the day, this guy knows his way around red sauce and what diners REALLY want to eat. He spent months perfecting his dough, and the pizza is some of our favorite in CT…but also don’t miss the sandwiches, served on the same dough. Get involved with that Chicken Parm Sandwich and tell me you’re not going back for more.

Casa Me, Westport

Casa Me recently launched Sunday Brunch. If you don’t live in and around Westport you could miss this spot, but it’s quietly the hardest rez to get in Fairfield County. One of my faves is a brunch item, Pane Dorato, made with Pandoro, the sweet Christmas bread from Verona. The sweet bread is perfect for french toast and he pairs this with cannoli creme, frutti di bosco compote and olive oil maple syrup. It’s what everyone needs on a Sunday morning.

The Essex, Old Saybrook

The Essex recently made the move to exclusively serving tasting menus, but really, why would you want to do it any other way when the food is so damn good. This is my annual b-day dinner, and I’ve never had a dish I didn’t quietly moan over. I recommend the Chef’s Tasting which includes amuse, canapes, 5 courses, pre dessert, dessert and mignardes. From the Yellow Fin Tuna Cru with the punch of Granny Smith apples, soy and togarashi too his Spiced Candied Osso Buco or Duck Tortellini, it’s all fire.

Materia, Bantam

This continues to be one of the most extraordinary dining experiences in CT. It can feel a bit out of the way, but worth the trip, and a stay overnight at NEW The Lost Fox Inn is the perfect way to complete the evening. Materia won Best New Restaurant 2022, Chef Of The Year 2023 and Best Restaurant Litchfield County 2024, and these accolades reflect the passion, details, and technique in everything Chef DiStasi touches. Again, I recommend the Tasting Menu, as you can sample both chef’s extraordinary handmade pasta and sublime protein forward mains.

Rosina’s, Greenwich

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Rosina’s Raviolo al Ouvo with the shaved truffles add-on, is simply one of the best bites you’re going to have in CT. The singular extra large raviolo is delicately stuffed with a perfectly soft egg yolk, ricotta cheese, and finished with shaved white truffle. It’s a huge win. P.S. They also just won “Restaurant Of The Year.”

ANDREW DOMINICK, MANAGING EDITOR

Allium Eatery – Michelle Greenfield’s French-ish, seasonal, creative menu is not to be missed. After a CRAZIES nomination for Best Chef, you best make a reservation, because the word is out about this once best kept secret.

The Essex Brasserie – Colt Taylor moving a greatest hits version of his acclaimed Old Saybrook restaurant to Branford makes it just a tad easier to experience his food. It’s all great, but don’t miss the wellington.

Mama Chow – Get the laksa (I always do). Hang onto the residual chili oil and aromatics from the dumplings you had just before your bowl of noodles arrives. Scrape it all inside. Cry from the heat and because it’s just that fucking good.

The cheesesteak at Grigg Street Pizza – I could go on for days about Grigg’s sourdough pizza as it’s one of my favorites in the state, but with my pizza, I can’t not get their dry-aged cheesesteak topped with a homemade American, provolone picante, and aged mozzarella cheese sauce, fire roasted long hots for some spice, and tender white onions and bell peppers, all on their own sourdough baguette. This is the sandwich I constantly dream about.

Crust Issues – A flat mile down the road from me, Crust Issues has become a guilty pleasure, not just for garlic buttery pan pizzas, but for the Friday and Saturday tastings that are just $40 per person where you get a bunch of fun, tasty, experimental snacks, apps, slices, pasta, cutlets, and tres leches cake. It’s a steal of a deal that doesn’t break the bank and you’ll leave happy and ready for bed.

Two places I dined at the most this year in my hometown of Norwalk were SoNo Wood Fired and Taco Guy. Both Bes and Christian are great friends, so I don’t care if this is biased, but Bes makes one of the best Neapolitan pizzas you’ll have in Connecticut; light, perfect char spotting, and he uses quality ingredients all around. SoNo WF, low key, also has one of the area’s best bourbon selections. And at Taco Guy, I’m positive I ate my body weight in tacos (the crispy fish in particular) and his spicy pork queso fundido.

Best burger all year—and you can read about THAT BURGER HERE—was at The Playhouse in New Canaan. Yes, it’s a movie theater, but make it a point to stop in for Luke Venner’s haute version of a thick, beefy pub burger.

And just because I do this every year, here’s one that’s not in Connecticut. The best overall meal I had elsewhere was at Au Pied De Cochon in Montreal. It’s carnage at its finest, in a buzzy, boisterous dining room, with great hospitality. If you haven’t been, or even if you have been, this is a priority meal.

LEEANNE GRIFFIN, CONTRIBUTOR

Fair Haven Oyster Co., New Haven

My only issue with Fair Haven Oyster is that it’s not within walking distance of my house, and that’s a me problem, anyway. This little jewel box on the Quinnipiac River is one of the state’s best gems for fresh seafood and intriguing drinks, and its rotating menu means there’s always a new fun surprise to try: perfect East Coast oysters, impeccable crudos and small plates like roasted littlenecks with gochujang and lime butter. I’m still thinking about a dish of fried dough balls topped with caviar and a touch of honey.

Le Mazet, West Hartford

Anytime friends and colleagues asked me what was new and exciting for Hartford-area restaurants this year, I’d direct them to Le Mazet. The intimate restaurant, with a self-described menu of French comfort fare, took over the former Arethusa cafe on Farmington Avenue in the fall of 2023 and continues serving the celebrated Bantam dairy’s products on its menu, including its artisan cheeses and eight flavors of its prized ice cream.

Part of the beauty of Le Mazet is its wide-ranging menu, where you’d be as comfortable ordering a croque Monsieur, frites and a hot fudge sundae as you would starting with caviar service and Chateaubriand or A5 Japanese Wagyu. Its extensive small plates selection, with steak tartare, smoked salmon rillette and wild mushroom gnocchi, is just as fun to share with a bunch of friends, as is its French wine list, curated by Jacob Studenroth of The Wise Old Dog, a well-loved boutique bottle shop in town.

Studenroth and owner Jared Cohen decided to keep the bottle pricing at about half the cost of what they’d normally be with restaurant markup, in hopes of encouraging guests to “comfortably enjoy and indulge” in bottles with friends and family.

Crush Wine Bar, West Hartford

I admit I wondered if West Hartford Center needed another wine bar, but I’m so happy to be proven wrong. Crush is setting itself apart by flexing its muscle beyond cheese and charcuterie, offering up memorable plates like chamomile-cured duck prosciutto with pink peppercorn butter, charred broccoli with curried acorn squash puree and Marcona almonds and Calabrian sausage over heirloom polenta and pepper ragu. (We also loved a ridiculously addictive snack of fried corn nuts with chipotle and citrus zest.) Couple that with a something-for-everyone wine list, including affordable and approachable “table wines” and off-the-beaten-path reserve selections, and you’ve got a great night out.

GIOIA, New Haven

Gioia made a splash on Wooster Street last year with its multi-use building featuring a restaurant, bar, market and gelato counter. Then it turned up the heat with its new rooftop in June, cementing its spot as a New Haven destination. The rooftop features its own distinct food and beverage menu, which rotates seasonally from crudos and spritzes in summer to its current “Joy-Ah” holiday offerings like baked mac and cheese, cranberry ricotta cheesecake and a buttered rum-tini.

It’s, uh, ballsy (if you will) to add meatballs to your menu in the heart of New Haven’s Little Italy, but Gioia’s version is arguably one of its best offerings, with a spicy tomato sauce, Greek yogurt and pickled jalapeño. I don’t know what other magic they put in those things, but they’re heavenly, and by the end of our first rooftop visit in June, my friend had all but bullied co-owner and chef Avi Szapiro into sharing a version of the recipe. (His calls for more than 20 pounds of meat for more than 300 pieces.)

The meatballs have also topped their excellent “Wooster Square” pies – another unique way to stand apart from the thin-crust apizza coming out of coal-fired ovens literally across the street.

If you get there while the holiday season is still happening, I’d also urge you to try their clam dip garlic bread, which is exactly as tasty as it sounds. Avi, we might be coming for that recipe next.

Blossom Cafe, Simsbury

Three words: Japanese souffle pancakes. There’s plenty more to love at this serene new Asian-fusion cafe in Simsbury, but it’s one of – if not the only (?) – spots in the state serving the thick, fluffy and jiggly pancakes you’ve almost certainly seen on social media.

The souffle pancakes, listed as hottokeki on the menu, are available Thursday through Sunday. Co-owner Amanda Liu said it took her about six months to perfect the recipe, which features beaten egg whites to achieve the signature airy and fluffy texture. Flavors rotate seasonally, with mainstays like strawberry cream, matcha and Biscoff, and a new winter addition of “hot cocoa” pancakes with a creamy chocolate topping and mini marshmallows.

Liu and Albert Zhang traveled through Asia last summer and fell in love with the cafe cultures in the countries they visited, coming back home to Connecticut inspired by what they’d seen. The couple decided to launch their own cafe concept, creating a “brunch sanctuary” with a mix of traditional American breakfast and lunch fare and Asian dishes, pulling inspiration from Chinese, Japanese and Korean flavors. Other standouts include a crispy chicken katsu sando with a side of lotus root chips and kaarage and waffles, with marinated, cornstarch-battered Japanese fried chicken.

Julien’s Farm Store, Granby

This rural farm spot is almost cinematically lovely. The small cafe and bakery on the property of an equestrian center opened last summer under the direction of French-born Julien Tessier, a professional pastry chef who moved to America to marry his partner, a horse trainer. Visitors line up well ahead of its 8 a.m. opening for first dibs on treats like croissants, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, muffins, breads and whatever else the team is inspired to bake – and on weekends, there’s a rush for breakfast sandwiches on biscuits, with a Sunday brisket offering. Tessier also maintains a large garden on the property, growing his own vegetables, fruits and herbs along with rows of exquisite flowers.

AMY S. WHITE, CONTRIBUTOR

As a teacher, restaurant server, and writer, let me preface this by saying I didn’t get out to eat as much this year as I typically would; I have been a little busy. That said, as I looked back over my food photos (phone always eats first!) from the year, whether they made it into a social media post or not, I spotted a pattern emerging. Eating out less meant having to be choosier both with my restaurants and my ordering. This year it seems I was really into three things on my dining adventures – duck, seafood, and dessert. So here are my Top Eats from 2024, all of which fall into those three categories. At least I’m predictable!

Le Mazet’s (West Hartford) Duck Cassoulet – To make this complicated dish in the traditional way, completely from scratch, can take up to three days. Days!!! So when I saw it on the menu at this chic French bistro in West Hartford center, I nearly ran there. The hearty stew, made with duck confit, bacon, Northern beans, and cabbage, was delivered in a beautiful enameled cast iron pot with a ladle, clearly meant for sharing. I didn’t. And I’m not sorry. It was my top bite of 2024, (if not my top food photo), defining comfort food at its absolute best.

Fire by Forge’s (Hartford) Arroz con Pato – Duck with rice. It sounds so simple. But this FxF version consists of a perfectly seared duck breast served over Peruvian fried rice that has vegetables and duck confit mixed into it, with the whole dish finished with guava gastrique, aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili pepper) sauce, and chive oil. Savory, sweet, saucy, and just slightly acidic, every bite made me want more.

2 Hopewell’s (Glastonbury) Scallops with Corn Risotto and Asparagus – This dish was simply summer on a plate. The scallops, sweet and oh-so-tender, were flawlessly seared and sat gently nestled over a bed of creamy risotto with fresh corn. Snappy asparagus stalks reminded me how much I love spring produce.

Bill’s Seafood’s (Westbrook) Lobster Roll – Like my mother, I am a sucker for a lobster roll. Unlike her and her Massachusetts self, I prefer mine the CT way – hot with lots of real melted butter. This may be a contentious statement but I don’t think there is such thing as a bad lobster roll, that’s how much I love them. This year’s best was had at good ol’ Bill’s right near the singing bridge, where a sneaky seagull almost stole a bite of mine.

Treva’s (West Hartford) Honey Budino – The French have crème brulee. The Spanish have flan. And the Italians have budino. Thank goodness for the Italians at Treva. Their honey budino was my favorite dessert of the year. Local honey infused the velvety custard with so much flavor, and the honeycomb tuile was just such a nice touch.

The Charles’ (Wethersfield) Martha Washington Cake – Valrhona dark chocolate. Cocoa caramel mousse. Chocolate ganache. Mocha sauce. Coffee ice cream. A sprinkle of crunchy chocolate balls. American folklore has it that our first president’s wife was known to entertain guests with her famous chocolate cake. All I know is I’m glad I left room for dessert on this particular visit to The Charles. And I don’t even like cake all that much.

NOAH SCHWARTZ @laissezfare, CONTRIBUTOR

I’ve lived in Fairfield County for a while now and certainly have my favorite haunts. I had some fantastic experiences at those establishments in 2024 but was also fortunate to enjoy exceptional meals at five restaurants that I visited for the first time.

Tavern on State, New Haven

Okay, so I was a little late to the party on this one. It’s a tiny restaurant with huge hype, and I was shocked that it exceeded my own lofty expectations. My wife and I enjoyed a rare meal where everything was basically perfect. The ambience was intimate yet energetic. The cocktails dead on point. The service warm yet intentional.

The opening salvo was…beets. Yeah. But the dish was a revelation—I’m not sure another one could beat it, root as you may. Like J.Lo and Ben, octopus and potatoes are a perfect match on paper, but often the relationship doesn’t quite work out. Here, the succulent marine mollusk and petite tubers were bound together in harmony by a sauce whose spice and texture were perfectly pitched. Speaking of texture, the chicken liver agnolotti had delicately soft yet toothsome pasta with just the right level of offally kick.

My wife’s sea bream must have been swimmingly good, because I didn’t really get to taste it. And the burger…well, don’t get me started on the burger. I am partial to a great smashburger (like Hamburger America in the city), but this was one of the best non-smashburgers I’ve had in a long time. Truly a work of art, with architecture that did not falter despite the odds, harmonizing textures (yeah, I guess that’s an obsession of mine) and exactly the right toppings. To finish, it was olive oil cake—a dessert so simple on its face, but one that is rarely revelatory. This one was.

What I loved most about the food is that there was no over-reliance on sweetness (which I find to be a common crutch in many very good restaurants in the U.S.) and every ingredient was carefully considered and left to shine.

Esh, Fairfield

This is a restaurant so stylish it almost seems like it was air-lifted from New York or London and dropped next to Fairfield Metro station. In fact, for the opening, most of the staff was transplanted from the owners’ restaurant in NYC to ensure quality control. Luckily, the food and cocktails hold up their end of the bargain, so there’s a lot of substance here, too.

Aside from the pretty much mandatory meze dips + house-made flatbread, favorites from our most recent meals included the crispy artichoke with a redolent remoulade, the Moroccan Cigars (no tobacco is involved, but wagyu beef, leeks, baharat and harissa meld together seamlessly inside a crispy casing) and the coal-baked knafe. The latter must be one of the most delectable desserts in the state and I could literally eat a whole one if nobody were looking. It’s crispy and creamy (courtesy of Kataifi cheese and fior di latte), crunchy (pistachio) and sweet (cretan honey), with a floral foil of lavender gelato. Just get it. Or order two…

Taproot Next Door, Norwalk

Chef Jeff Taibe is no stranger to the local restaurant scene, being brother of Bill and former chef at Kawa-Ni, before opening Taproot—first in Bethel and now in Norwalk. (Okay, that as a lot of info for one sentence.) Anyway, the newer space at Norwalk is yuge, so it made sense when he launched a separate dining space with a separate menu, focusing more on Southeast Asian flavors (he spent time in Singapore, both as a baseball player and a chef). It’s called Next Door, and boy is it worth knocking.

It's hard to go wrong here, but a few highlights have been the green papaya salad, pretty much all the skewers (especially the pork collar satay, smoked pork jowl and head-on prawn), hot oil pork dumplings, pig’s cheek rendang and a zingy dessert of yuzu with brown butter and shortbread crust (a must-order if you like citrusy desserts). The crafty cocktails are a good match for the cuisine and very prettily presented.

Tip for 2025: He is about to open a new place called Bar Bushido in Norwalk, which will be a bit more casual and harken back to a concept he tried out while in Bethel. It will be izakaya-esque with hand rolls in the back…and who knows what else. You can follow along at @barbushido.

Mil Sabores, Blackrock

I had a few great meals at this new, permanent home for Mil Sabores, which serves up mouthwatering Mexican and Venezuelan dishes. The build-out of the location was done with care, and while bright and a bit daring, it works, with the anchor being the long mural behind the bar. It’s a real family affair, and a place that’s as much about the feeling as it is about the food. On our first visit, one of the owners was delivering plates and we chatted with him informally. There’s no hint of pretention and everything feels genuine.

A sleeper on the menu is the pataconcitos. You get three green plantain cups filled with steak, shrimp and pulled pork (plus lots of complementary extras inside each) and it’s a great way to try a lot without over-filling. To whit, the cachapas are a mouthful, but downright delicious—I liked the carne asada a lot. But it’s really all about the Birria. That’s what their reputation was built on, and they do not disappoint. The Quesitaco Combo is a no-brainer, and the dipping consommé is divine. Tres leches cake is a must for dessert.

It’s like a party in here when it’s busy, so RSVP soon.

Strega, Milford

This should be on your radar if you have not yet been. Take an ahbeetz break and sink your teeth into the pillowy dough of classic Neapolitan pizzas at this refined Italian haven (that also opened in New Haven in June). I am a bit of a Neapolitan afficionado, and these are some of the best you’ll get in the state (and probably the tri-state area for that matter). Mortadella & Pistachio is 🤌, the Diavola is on the money and the straight-up Margherita is almost obligatory for purists like yours truly. But it’s a big menu beyond the pizzas and much of it is worthwhile, like the eggplant appetizer (melanzana ripiena), the gnocchi (cacio e pepe was adored by the table), the short ribs…and if you can handle more bread, the focaccia with lardo is prettay-prettay-prettay good.

Also in Milford, Café Melba in Milford well worth a visit. We also had wonderful meals at Bar Rosina’s (as per uzshe) in Greenwich and Hachiroku in New Haven, both of which I was so glad to see win big awards and this year’s CRAZIES. And Kawa-Ni is our Old Faithful, reliably delivering high notes, no matter what we decide to order.

I also continue to love Navaratna in Stamford (a 100% vegetarian Indian restaurant). While it’s not much to look at, it more than makes up for it in tastiness. It’s also certified Kosher, so a good option if that’s a consideration for you. Another wonderful Indian restaurant that’s newer to the scene is Athithi in Wilton, which I intend to visit again soon, as our table was pretty much blown away by all the dishes we ordered.

2024 was a year of intense pizza R&D for me, and I discovered so many new places that I absolutely love…and you should too ;-) I won’t mention them all here, but do yourself a flavor and try…

One, or all, of the self-appointed “3 Kings” of CT pizza, aka the brothers who run Fuoco Apizza (Cheshire), Christos (Wallingford) and Luna Woodfired Pizza (Naugatuck). All three are excellent and distinct from each other. Christo’s dill pickle pizza (“Pickle My Pie”) remains a revelation. It sounds weird, but it’s brilliant…believe me.
Norwalk brought two worthy new pizza contenders to the scene this year:

Crust Issues is run by mad genius Jonathan (formerly of Fortina and Taco Daddy) who marches and makes dough to the beat of his own drum. The pan-baked, thin-ish, rectangular pies are defining their own style (a mix of his favorite types of pizza). As of late, Friday and Saturday nights have evolved into what is the best-value tasting menu in the land. $40 all-in for about four courses, with wine and beer included. DM them for reservations, and be quick!
SoNo Wood Fired is next door to Taproot (and Next Door) and is overseen by pizza maestro Bes, whose Neapolitan pies are seriously impressive (in the same league as Strega and Zeneli in New Haven). He cooks more than pizza in the wood-burning oven, and it’s a must-visit if in the area. Also a great spot for bourbon fans.

Grigg Street Pizza in Greenwich remains one of the best pizzerias around, serving up their own brand of New York-ish sourdough pizza, by the slice or by the pie. Just go if you’re in the area…and don’t miss the cheesesteak sandwich either (probably the best this side of Philly).
Good Old Days in Newtown continued to delight in 2024, and I always try to stop by when driving through.

Outside of Connecticut, I visited Javier Ramirez’s La Natural in Miami, which may be my favorite pizza place in the U.S. right now. I can’t wait to return. Also in Miami, Peruvian restaurant Maty’s is off the hook.

Other top meals of the year were enjoyed at Atomix (a special birthday dinner with my brother)in NYC; Thistle while I was in Oregon’s wine country for work; plus Bonci Pizzarium, Trattoria da Cesare, Santa Palato, Roscioli and Pizzeria Elementare (soooo good!) in Rome. Here’s to more great meals in 2025

JEFF “JFOOD” SCHLESINGER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Best Restaurants

Gioia (New Haven) is spectacular in every aspect. The space is beautiful, the staff is knowledgeable and efficient, and the food is beyond great. Add to that the two owners, who are both incredible people, and you have it all. The three that need special mention are the salmon over a gazpacho sauce, the meatballs and the chicken parmesan. One night as we were finishing, I was approached by the Executive Chef, offering a couple of cannolis. They rival anything I have ever eaten, anywhere.

Community Table (New Preston) is one of those places that just exudes perfection. Located in rural area between Litchfield and Kent, the non-descript building is reminiscent of a 1700s tavern in so many aspects. You enter the tavern (feels like you should be wearing a three-point hat) and can dine there in one of the few other rooms, all adorned with wooden beams. The menu changes often and each reflects the bounty of the seasons. I was able to savor Italian Bolognese, French Bistro chicken presse, South American crudo and delicious salads.

Best Pizza – In 2024 I searched central CT for fantastic pizza. My favorites were:

· Zuppardi’s (West Haven) pizza perfection. After a few visits to this iconic West Haven pizzeria, I understand why Zuppardi’s is part of the discussion of the best pizza in the state. Whether it is their pepperoni or their clam pizza, there is nothing that is not perfect, a great testament to the New Haven apizza royalty

· Roseland (Derby) is also in the discussion for the best. As you move geographically away from New Haven, Roseland is one of the best. Located in a residential neighborhood, this converted house serves one of the best bar-style pies I have ever eaten.

· Luna (Naugatuck) is part of the self-proclaimed Three Kings of Pizza, but in my visits, it is head and shoulders above the other two. Located just off route 8, Luna serves one of the best pizzas in the state.

· Little Rendezvous (Meriden) bakes all its pies in a coal fired oven that was delivered in 1888, yup approaching 150 years in service. At times, the wait is over three hours, as each pie is made by the owner, he does not rush, he has a great product and will not sacrifice the quality.

· Vincenzo’s (Waterbury) Talk about a place you would drive by 99% of the time, and then if you did stop, looking for a spot to park would remind you of Wooster St. But with a small dining area and an extremely busy take-out window, the pizza is top notch.

· Domenick & Pia (Waterbury) – It always makes me smile when you see the matriarch preparing the sauce as she has cooked for 50 years. This slice shop in downtown Waterbury offers slices like 1980, quality like forever and a very loyal clientele.

Other Great Dishes:

Esh – Their Charcoal Butterfly Branzino is unbelievable. Boneless, succulent and charred all in one bite.

BLDG – Their NE Fish & Chips is like none other since they use skate, instead of cod. Big, poofy fish and some great steak fries, please take me back for more.

Union League Café – When you think of a duck dish that is tender, juicy, and served with some great accompaniment, that is the duck you want placed in front of you.

Café Melba – There are chicken sandwiches and then there is perfection in chicken sandwiches. Dan Kardos nails the latter with the best chicken sandwich in the state.

JAMES GRIBBON, CONTRIBUTOR

Shipwright’s Daughter, Mystic

Completely unsurprisingly good breakfast-Not many James Beard and CRAzies award winners are open breakfast through dinner, but get here early and you’ll score breakfast which lives up to their reputation.

Le Mazet, West Hartford

Rotisserie chicken - Served family style with roasted vegetables and potatoes, each individual bite was top notch. Best followed up with their Ice Cream Sando with Arethusa vanilla ice cream on a Hartford Baking Co. croissant.

Wildcat, Hamden

A wide variety of very well executed and creative dishes, along with one of the better bar programs in Connecticut.

Parchados en la Fonda, Bridgeport

Stellar Colombian restaurant, and more upscale than your usual bandeja paisa joint. Get the canastas three ways.

Strega, New Haven

Five course prix fixe dinner -My new go-to at the new second location of Strega, ideally paired with their exceptional wine choices.

Gioia, New Haven

Starting a new Italian restaurant on Wooster Street is a tough order, but Gioia knocked it out of the park. Fire roasted entrees, Sicilian style “Wooster Square” pies, gelato, and a killer cocktail program both indoors and on their rooftop deck are all worth the trip. Try the caccio e pepe gnocchi.

Happy Monkey, Greenwich

Mexican influenced dining and cocktails from world famous chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. His first restaurant in Connecticut.

Ore Hill, Kent

The upstairs fine dining sister restaurant to Swyft tavern, this price fixe only concept where you’ll eat in the converted rooms of an 18th century home is ideal for a special night out.

RAENAH FARINA @stamfordfoodie

Raviolo- Bar Rosinas (Greenwich)

There’s a reason this has been on my top eats before (& will likely continue to be) number one in my heart always.

Sallys x Hoodoo Pizza Collab (Stamford)

Every time these 2 power houses (& 2 of my closest friends *humble brag*) collab, its guarenteed to be on my top eats

The Stamford Foodie Burrito- Chicho’s Cocina (Stamford)

We collaborated on creating this burrito and it made both my heart and my belly very happy. Chicho’s graciously donated a portion of the profits from this burrito to filling in the blanks!

Money Bags- Cafe Silvium (Stamford)

An off menu classic that is an explosion of flavor in your mouth. every. single. time.

Crookie- Raphael’s Bakery (Greenwich)

We knew this family-owned and run bakery would be one of our forever favorites by the smells and smiles we were greeting with when we walked into the door. and of course- you can’t go wrong with half croissant half chocolate chip cookie!