Hartford Restaurants and Dining

(Hartford, Connecticut - CT, USA)



The cuisine served up in many of the restaurants and eateries around Hartford reflects the city's sizeable Italian community. Pasta dishes and homemade pizzas regularly make an appearance on local dining menus, and this is particularly so within the South End area of Connecticut's capital.

Those planning an evening of dining in the South End district, directly south of downtown Hartford, will find the biggest selection of restaurants lining the parallel thoroughfares of both Franklin Avenue and Wethersfield Avenue. The South End is often now referred to as Hartford's Little Italy, due to its abundance of Italian eateries.

Head along Franklin Avenue and you will soon reach Carbone's Ristorante, which is known for its mouthwatering calamari and salads, and the Casa Mia Ristorante, where specialties include linguine with fresh clams and broiled swordfish. On the adjacent Wethersfield Avenue, highlights include the Kashmir Restaurant and its spicy chicken vindaloo, and the Casona Restaurant, with its Latin American dishes and salsa dancing. Close by and still on Wethersfield Avenue is the Spanish-influenced Costa Del Sol Restaurante, where the house paella, octopus and sea bass dishes are really quite special.


Where to Eat

In downtown Hartford, there are plenty more restaurants worth looking out for, being close to Bushnell Park and the Hartford Stage theater. Main Street, Asylum Street and Trumbull Street are where the biggest assortment of dining venues stand, such as Morton's the Steakhouse on State House Square (just off Main Street), where filet mignon with bacon-wrapped scallops and grilled shrimps is one dish to look out for.

Just up the road is the City Steam Brewery Cafe, with casual dining and hearty American pub grub suiting shoppers looking for some sustenance. Popular dishes here include fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, and seared ahi tuna, all of which are accompanied by a good choice of hand-crafted beers on tap.

Park Street, located on the southern side of downtown Hartford, is another dining hotspot, where restaurants stand within relatively close proximity to Pope Park and the Park Plaza Shopping Center. The Bean Pot, the Caribe Restaurant, Pitta Gourmet and the Saravanda Cafe Lounge are all located here.

To the north of Hartford city center, Albany Avenue is known for its West Indian / Caribbean vibe, with restaurants, eateries and bakeries here often being reflective of this culture. For those who favor fast-food dining, there is also a McDonald's based here, along with KFC and Dunkin' Donuts.