Sunday
Mar062011
Shout Out: Best Italian Restaurants in Fairfield County?
If you live in the tri-state area, you eat Italian. The power of pasta is epic. With the breadth of regional Italian cooking, and the celebrity chefs who have elevated it to dizzying heights, you are likely to have a favorite spot where you seek the Italian comfort food you crave.
Where do you go for great Italian - where the ravioli melts in your mouth, the osso bucco is succulent, and the risotto is cooked to perfection?
What are the best Italian Restaurants in Fairfield County?
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CTbites Shout Out
CTbites Shout Out
Reader Comments (47)
Tutti's in Westport. It's BYOB, a little pricey, but you feel like you're in grandma's kitchen. Delicious!!!!
Pasta Nostra when I have the foresight to make a rez & money to burn!
La Taverna in Norwalk for good family friendly fare...I love the orecchiette with mini meatballs!
Also, we like Mikes Ristorante in Norwalk.
I like Lianna's in Fairfield very much.
The Marchetti/Tarantino clan do a great job at Tarantino's in Westport, Columbus Park in Stamford and Applausi in Old Greenwich.
And in Newtown, Sal e Pepe. They use local meat from Butcher's Best.
Don't let the strip mall facade fool you: The food at Osteria Romana in Norwalk is the real deal, featuring authentic Italian fare, made by an affable young Italian chef who actually walks the room and shakes hands with customers at the end of a long night. You'll love the generous portions of homemade pastas that change daily, as well as a nice list of seasonal specials, from fish to veal. You know you're in for a treat when the bread, a chewy, warm homemade focaccia, along with an emerald green Extra Virgin Olive Oil, arrive. There are lots of good reasonably priced wines on the huge chalkboard, available by the glass and the bottle. All this, served up by an eager-to-please, seasoned wait staff. N.B. There's a small bar for a quick bite after the movies.
My favorite Italian restaurants in the area are two of the Siguenza family offerings of Cava Wine Bar in New Canaan and Scena in Darien. The pastas are all house-made, the Bolognese is as good as I have eaten anywhere and the pappardelle with mushrooms is more than fantastic.
The original was in Bridgeport... now it's in Shelton and absolutely worth the trip! They treat you like family, and the entrees range from the traditional to the very inventive (the daily specials).
http://www.lascoglierarestaurant.com/
474 River Rd, Shelton, CT - 06484. (203)-922-1179
Pasta nostra is great in Norwalk. Siena in Stamford is also a good one.
Paci in Southport. I was thrilled to see them get the well-deserved excellent review in Sunday's NYT.
Try Strada 18 in SoNo. David is chef and his food is excellent and very imaginative, Steve makes sure there are interesting wines available and the service is top notch. Have made a dinner of two appetizers on occasion (scallops and the beet salad with golden and red beets - lovely) and they also provide pizza and pasta dishes and sometimes a wonderful osso buco.
IVilla Italia, Stamford. Very good, reasonably priced,.family run place. Good for eat in & take out.
Italia in Norwalk. Good food. Reasonable prices.
I would have to say Tutti's in Westport. I've never had a bad meal there. They waitstaff and family is attentive, and it's like eating at your grandma's place. It reminds me of "Old World" Italian food - nothing too fancy or trying to "one-up" the next place.
Good food run by a great family!
55 Degrees in Fairfield, Tavolini in Bridgeport
Unfortunately, there is none in Fairfield County (although I so wish there were), but my favorite Italian restaurant is Carrabba's. Yes, I know it's a chain and often attached to uncharming shopping malls, but the food there is unbeatable. The slightly spicy Sicilian flare lends everything an extra robust flavor. The warm bread is delicious, the olive oil dipping sauce full of garlic and spices is unbeatable, and the chicken in all the chicken dishes tastes like it was just pulled off an outdoors grill, not to mention the best ever caesar salad that Carrabba's serves up. Yum!
LaTavola in Waterbury is outstanding. It has won best new restaurant in Connecticut Magazine. Their braised beef short ribs are out of this world, as too is their scallops and risotto, and their pomodoro sauce. Love this place.
Carrabba's? Please.
Siena in Stamford and Pasta Nostra in Norwalk. The best 2 by far.
LaZingara in Bethel!!! Although I hesitate to make it more widely known since it's the best kept secret in Bethel.
Pasta Nostra. I crave their mozz and peppers (I ask for anchovies on the side too), the cauliflower with the cumin, "Springtime" when they're making it, the roast chicken with the gnocchi, any and all raviolis, clams oreganata and the best strawberry shortcake I've ever had anywhere. Throw in a terrific wine list with realistic prices and it's heaven. It's a pricey experience, but worth it.
Definitely Pasta Nostra. Hands down. Joe and and Co. are AMAZING as is the food. Paci, Cava, Terra/Mediterraneo/Sole next up. Also, love Da Pietro's.
I went recently in Tutti's in Westport and the food was D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S .... I love the BYOB concept !! I agree with Gina, you feel like in Grandma's kitchen (even if my Grandma is French ;-)
To CTBites : this post is a great idea, I have new Italian restaurant to try now ... thank you !!
Yes, La Zingara in Bethel. Thanks for the reminder, Erika. Great place.
My wife and I love Via Sforza on Westport/Norwalk line. It's our go-to for weeknights if we don't want to go down to SONO. The carafe of Chianti is a MUST! Based on all the other posts, I guess we're going to have to try Pasta Nostra now!
Matt, please go to Pasta Nostra, it is also a deli-deli-delicious restaurant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have never been to Via Sforza and wanted to hear about it before trying this place ... I definitely go soon !!
This restaurant is so appealing from outside (hope it is too inside ;-)
Via Sforza is excellent
MMMMMM So many excellent choices by the readers it's really hard to argue and while I go to Tutti's and Cava and Tarantinos and La Zingara, I personally feel that my 3 favorite Italian Restaurants are #3 Liana's in Fairfield, #2 Pasta Nostra in South Norwalk, and my #1 restaurant in ''Fairfield County'' and I believe worthy of a review by the CT Bites staff is Luca Ristorante in Wilton, Ct. fabulous Italian food with a stellar wine list and great, attentive service, pricy and some might even say a special occasion place but I highly recommend it.