The shoreline’s best restaurants have been selected by Jane and Michael Stern who are contributing editors at Gourmet magazine. Authors of more than 40 books on food and contemporary culture, their latest is 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late.
Bee & Thistle Inn - 100 Lyme St., Old Lyme. An old-money hostelry dating back to the mid-18th century where you will dine on such culinary treasures as blueberry braised duck and johnnycake cobbler. 860-434-1667
Rosemary & Sage - 1080 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Here is expertly crafted cuisine of the Mediterranean (with an Italian accent), accompanied by fine wines from around the world. 860-388-1166
Cafe Routier - 1353 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. The name means “truck stop,” but the food you will eat in this restaurant is four-star fare with continental charm. 860-399-8700
Elizabeth’s Cafe - 885 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Elizabeth’s is a magnet for serious foodies who love house specialties that range from Maine blueberry pancakes to chicken saltimbocca. 203-245-0250
Flanders Fish Market - 22 Chesterfield Rd., East Lyme. An edible education in great ways with shellfish. Note especially the bisques! 860-739-8866
Friends and Company - 11 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Healthful, alternative meals that include herb-molasses bread, apple fritters and salads supplemented by seed trays from which you choose a selection of
nuts, fruits, and other garnishes. 203-245-0462
Old Lyme Inn - 85 Lyme St., Old Lyme. An historic 18th-century hostelry known for elegant comfort food. 860-434-2600
Lenny’s Indian Head - 205 S. Montowese St., Branford. Lenny’s is a timeworn neighborhood dining room, and lively bar, serving seafood with a soulful Italian flair. 203-488-1500
Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale - 86 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Eat-in-the-rough heaven, including fried clams, lobster rolls and hot dogs along with luxurious onion rings and French fries. 860-669-0767
1301 Boston Post Rd., Madison. 203-245-7289
Whitfield’s - 25 Whitfield St., Guilford. Here’s a menu of endless delight – especially at Sunday brunch – in a beautiful eatery overlooking the Guilford
town green. 203-458-1300
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Bee & Thistle Inn - 100 Lyme St., Old Lyme. An old-money hostelry dating back to the mid-18th century where you will dine on such culinary treasures as blueberry braised duck and johnnycake cobbler. 860-434-1667
Rosemary & Sage - 1080 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Here is expertly crafted cuisine of the Mediterranean (with an Italian accent), accompanied by fine wines from around the world. 860-388-1166
Cafe Allegre - 725 Boston Post Rd., Madison. An elegant dining room with a broad continental menu and a high-spirited Italian accent. 203-245-7773
Copper Beech Inn - 46 Main St., Ivoryton. Whether you are looking for a place to propose marriage or to celebrate years of nuptial bliss, the Copper Beech Inn is all about dinner a deux. 860-767-0330
Darbar India - 1070 Main St., Branford. Savor a wide range of curries, tandoori oven specialties, and subcontinental vegetarian meals with dreamy subcontinental ambience. 203-481-8994
Elizabeth’s Cafe - 885 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Elizabeth’s is a magnet for serious foodies who love house specialties that range from Maine blueberry pancakes to chicken saltimbocca. 203-245-0250
Griswold Inn - 36 Main St., Essex. Open for business since 1776, the “Griz” offers the best in local provender and a glorious Sunday hunt breakfast. 860-767-0481
Le Petit Cafe - 225 Montowese St., Branford. This small jewel of a restaurant offers a menu of big French flavors. 203-483-9791
Old Lyme Inn - 85 Lyme St., Old Lyme. An historic 18th-century hostelry known for elegant comfort food. 860-434-2600
Terra Mar Grille at the Saybrook Point Inn & Spa - 2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook. Terra Mar’s farm-to-chef menu ranges from local organic eggs at breakfast to seared Stonington scallops at supper and a Connecticut cheese plate for dessert. 800-243-0212
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Bill’s Seafood - 548 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Where better to encounter the bounty of North Atlantic waters than at an outdoor table at Bill’s by the sea? 860-399-7224
Black Seal - 15 Main St., Essex. Large portions of excellent seafood enhanced by live music on weekends. 860-767-0233
Chowder Pot III - 560 East Main St., Branford. CPIII is renowned for its chowders and bisque, delicious deep-fried everything, and reasonable prices. 203-481-2356
Flanders Fish Market - 22 Chesterfield Rd., East Lyme. An edible education in great ways with shellfish. Note especially the bisques! 860-739-8866
Frankie’s - 359 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Hearty seafood dinners in a comfortable dining room warmed by a fireplace when the weather turns cool. 860-399-5524
Guilford Mooring - 505 Old Whitfield St., Guilford. Seafood with a Mediterranean accent in a native granite building constructed in 1836. 203-458-2921
Harbour Seal Family Grille - 110 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Greet the day here with house-made corned beef hash, or wind it up with supper of chicken pot pie, meat loaf, or whole belly clams. 860-669-1269
Lenny’s Indian Head - 205 S. Montowese St., Branford. Lenny’s is a timeworn neighborhood dining room, and lively bar, serving seafood with a soulful Italian flair. 203-488-1500
Liv’s Oyster Bar - 166 Main St., Old Saybrook. Oysters rule at Liv’s, at their best raw or fried and served in concert with chipotle aioli. 860-395-5577
Westbrook Lobster House - 346 Main St., Westbrook. This friendly Yankee seafood house serves whole steamed lobsters, lobster rolls, and a swell seafood pie baked with Ritz cracker crumbs. 860-664-9464
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Ashley’s - 1016 Main St., Branford (and other locations). New England eats more ice cream than any other region. It’s places like Ashley’s that explain why. 203-481-5558
Bishop’s Orchards - 1355 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. The ultimate farm stand, also a source of stupendous chocolate chip banana bread, wicked-good apple pies, and fresh-pressed cider to die for. 203-453-2338
Carousel Shop - 75-81 Hartford Ave., Old Lyme. A summery ice cream stand at Sound View Beach. 860-434-3908
Clam Castle - 1324 Boston Post Rd., Madison. This vintage roadside drive-in is a fair-weather destination for those who crave such al fresco shoreline delights as chowder and whole-belly fried clams. 203-245-4911
Cranberries Catering & Cafe - 3 Linden Ave., Branford. You can sit down for breakfast or lunch at one of a handful of tables, but Cranberries also is a good choice for take-out meals. 203-488-8865
Edd’s Place - 478 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. The water view is magical, as are the creamy lobster bisque, the hot buttered lobster roll and the chocoholic Boston cream pie. 860-399-5901
Johnny Ad’s - 910 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. The little seafood restaurant with the big ocean taste” serves lobster rolls, hot or cold as well as classic fried clams. 860-388-4032
Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale - 86 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Eat-in-the-rough heaven, including fried clams, lobster rolls and hot dogs along with luxurious onion rings and French fries. 860-669-0767
1301 Boston Post Rd., Madison. 203-245-7289
The Place - 891 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. A summer-only picnic where you sit outdoors and feast on roasted clams, lobsters and corn-on-the-cob. Bring your own wine or beer. 203-453-9276
Stony Creek Market - 178 Thimble Island Rd., Branford. Dine on an outdoor deck with a water view or stop by for breakfast or lunch to go. 203-488-0145
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Assaggio “A Taste” - 168 Montowese St. Branford. Here’s some culinary stylin’ of modern dishes with Italian soul. 203-483-5426
Cafe Routier - 1353 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. The name means “truck stop,” but the food you will eat in this restaurant is four-star fare with continental charm. 860-399-8700
Boom Wine Bar & Grill - 90 Halls Rd., Old Lyme Marketplace, Old Lyme. You don’t have to be an oenophile to appreciate Boom’s sirloin steak with Cabernet Sauvignon veal sauce, but if you do like wine with lunch or supper, the list here is going to make you very happy. 203-458-1300
Whitfield’s - 25 Whitfield St., Guilford. Here’s a menu of endless delight – especially at Sunday brunch – in a beautiful eatery overlooking the Guilford
town green. 203-458-1300
Foe, An American Bistro - 1114 Main St., Branford. Chef Alfonso Laderosa presides over an American bistro with a creative menu that ranges from sweet potato ginger bisque to seafood succotash. 203-483-5896
Pazzo Italian Cafe - 730 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. The cuisine is Italian with a wild twist of invention such as goat cheese ravioli with veal meatballs. 860-399-4444
Quattro’s Restaurant - 16 Water St., Guilford. Great Italian food, nicely priced: a shoreline favorite since 1996. 203-453-6575
Stone House Restaurant - 506 Whitfield St., Guilford. On the water at Guilford Point, the Stone House has been a dining landmark for decades: for seafood, steak, and a casual menu at the bar. 203-458-3700
Tiberio’s - 1395 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Contemporary, high-end Italian food in an inconspicuous location off Rt. 1. 860-388-2459
Zhang’s - Zhang’s pan-Asian menu offers a wide choice of exotic meals from sushi to kung pao chicken and from crab Rangoon to Malaysian shrimp and squid.
455 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. 860-388-3999
44 Boston Post Rd., Madison. 203-245-3300
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Ayuthai - 2279 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. While dinner at this citadel of Thai cuisine is reasonable priced ($10-15), lunch of such exotica as Sambal chicken or Pad Ped Beef is a steal at $7.95. 203-453-2988
Cafe Grounded - 20 Church St., Guilford. Three meals a day, casual atmosphere, and an open patio: life is good! 203-453-6400
Cuckoo’s Nest - 1712 Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Fun, right-priced southwestern fare on a lovely shaded patio. 860-399-9060
Fiore Pizza - 210 Main St., Old Saybrook. The menu of this family-friendly restaurant includes fine pizza as well as such Italian-kitchen standbys as veal parmesan, plain and fancy pastas, and seafood spiced with brio. 860-388-2699
Friends and Company - 11 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Healthful, alternative meals that include herb-molasses bread, apple fritters and salads supplemented by seed trays from which you choose a selection of
nuts, fruits, and other garnishes. 203-245-0462
Grand Apizza Shoreline - 9 E. Main St., Clinton. New Haven-style pizza with thin, chewy crust sets this place apart from the chains. 860-669-1204
Malone’s - 56 Academy St., Madison. This quiet little restaurant/bar frequented by locals offers big steaks and a terrific beer selection. 203-245-6161
Old Schoolhouse Deli - 268 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Sandwiches and salads as well as hot dishes make this the go-to place for lunch to go. 203-245-3354
The Shack - 324 Flanders Rd., East Lyme. For stick to the ribs food at wallet-friendly prices, you can’t beat The Shack, a favorite breakfast stop for locals and travelers alike. 860-739-8898
TNT Seafood & Grill - 269 E. Main St., Branford. Friendly service and a menu of fried and grilled seafood have made this no-nonsense eatery a shoreline favorite for over 30 years. 203-481-4452
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Anna’s Temptations - 1004 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. Have a casual, contemporary salad or sandwich in a merry old country store surrounded by antiques. 203-453-1046
Donovan’s Reef - 1212 Main St., Branford. Downtown Branford’s grand old Yale Lock building is now a destination for lunch, supper, and weekend brunch. 203-488-5573
Hanami Japanese Sushi & Hibachi Steak House - 114 E. Main St., Clinton. Hanami chefs are masters of two Japanese culinary disciplines: cutting and rolling out cool, beautiful sushi and fire-cooking steaks and shrimp with dramatic flair. 860-664-9268
Luigi’s - 1295 Boston Post Rd., Old Saybrook. Luigi’s homey Italian fare ranges from pizza and grinders to cannelloni Florentine and mussels on pasta. 860-388-9190
Mango’s Bar & Grille - 988 Main St., Branford. Mango’s calls its cooking Branforibbean, meaning a taste of Cuba and the islands on the Connecticut shore. 203-483-7700
Maritime Grille - 2548 Boston Post Rd., Guilford. This friendly grill along Route 1 offers a menu of creative Americana as well as some of the best live music along the shoreline. 203-453-0774
Nellie Green’s - 50 Maple St., Branford. A great place for leisurely breakfast, lunch or supper on the patio by the water. 203-483-8400
SBC Restaurant - 850 W. Main St., Branford. A brewery featuring 27 kinds of beer as well as a broad menu of steaks, brick-oven pizzas, and great big salads. 203-481-BREW
Time Out Taverne - 100 New Haven Rd., Durham. A friendly gathering place for cocktails at the mahogany bar or al fresco meals on the patio. 860-349-1721
Water’s Edge - 1525 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. Here’s a 9am to 3pm Sunday brunch to win your heart: gorgeous cheeses, pastries, pastas, and carved-to-order roasts along with a raw bar, a crepe bar, and an
omelet station. 860-577-3521
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