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VIVO
The Top List of Great Restaurants - Hartford, CT
From traditional fare to inventive cuisine, there's something to please everyone's palate in this city. Here is a list of ten of the best restaurants in Hartford, Connecticut.
by Thomas J. McCabe
Hartford, Connecticut, which is known as the "Insurance capital of the world", is home to many restaurants. From mom and pop pizza shops and casual luncheonettes, to fast- food outlets and four- star bistros, Hartford, Connecticut offers a smorgasbord of culinary delights.
Black- Eyed Sally's
350 Asylum St, Hartford, Ct, 06103
(860)278-7427
Hours:( Lunch: Mon- Fri) 11:30 am- 4:00 pm
( Dinner: Mon- Thurs ) 4:00 pm- 10:00 pm
( Dinner: Friday) 4:00 pm- 11:00 pm
( Dinner: Saturday) 5:00 pm- 11:00 pm
Of all the restaurants in Hartford, Ct, Black- Eyed Sally's certainly is one of the most interesting. Since 1995, Black- Eyed Sally's has been producing some of the best BBQ and cajun food this side of the Mississippi. Doubling as an authentic blues club, this restaurant features regional and national blues acts several nights each week. Large portraits of blues icons line the walls of this slightly- dark joint, providing just the right atmosphere for enjoying some great down- home, napkin- needing BBQ. Appetizers at Black-Eyed Sally's include Louisiana gumbo, deep- fried catfish fingers and fried okra and pickle chips. Authentic Po' Boy and pulled pork sandwiches are stuffed with tasty ingredients. Black- Eyed Sally's is particularly known for its "fall off the bone" Memphis- style pork ribs. These beautiful specimens, which are expertly cooked and seasoned, are available in various sizes and combinations. When paired with their collard greens and mashed sweet potatoes, their ribs are just one of the finest things a carnivore could hope to eat. Other outstanding entrees at Black- Eyed Sally's include Jambalaya, blackened salmon and the 'Piglet Platter'( a delicious sampling of their various pork dishes). Several very good desserts are also served here, try to save room. A very interesting blues- inspired bar area and a seasonal outdoor patio are also featured.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $15.00- $20.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Closed,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Eve- Open
Cavey's Restaurant
45 East Center St, Manchester, Ct,06040
(860)643-2751
Hours:Upstairs( Dinner: Tues- Sat ) 5:30 pm- 9:30 pm
Downstairs ( Dinner: Tues- Sat ) 6:00 pm- 9:30 pm
Cavey's is actually two restaurants, located in the same building. Upstairs, traditional
northern Italian cuisine is served, while the downstairs restaurant offers classical French
cuisine. Since the 1930's, this family- owned and operated eatery has been a destination
spot for hungry Hartford area diners seeking the finest culinary experience available. The
atmosphere and decor at Cavey's downstairs is luxuriously elegant and romantic, while
formally- clad waiters lend an air of professionalism that only accentuates
the overall presentation. The atmosphere upstairs, at the Italian half, is more casual,
in a Saks Fifth Avenue sort of way. In the upstairs dining room, traditional northern Italian favorites are prepared and cooked using only the highest- quality ingredients. Their salads are crisp and dynamic and a broad selection of pasta dishes are featured. Beef and veal Italian specialties, including a fantastic veal picatta are all top- rate. Traditional and inventive chicken and seafood dishes are served in a variety of presentations upstairs. Downstairs, where the setting and atmosphere are markedly more formal, the finest in French cuisine is served. A vast wine list is offered, featuring top varieties from around the world. They are known for their excellent rack of lamb, steak au poivre, duck, salmon and lobster dishes. All of the desserts served at Cavey's are exquisite. Restaurants like this one are hard to find anymore, steeped in tradition and formality, like it belongs in an Audrey Hepburn movie. All of this elegance doesn't come cheaply however. While the prices upstairs are average- moderately high, the prices downstairs are very high. Cavey's is a great place at which to celebrate life's special occasions.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $25.00- $50.00
Holiday Schedule: Holiday hours vary, please
call for information.
City Steam Brewery Cafe
942 Main St, Hartford, Ct,06103
(860)525-1600
Hours: ( Mon- Thurs ) 11:30 am- 10:30 pm
( Fri- Sat ) 11:30 am- 12:00 am
( Sunday ) 4:00 pm- 10:00 pm
This huge restaurant, with an honest- to- goodness brewery on the premises, is one of the most exciting eateries in Hartford. Located in a historic brownstone building next door to Capital Community College, City Steam is comprised of seven levels, with each offering excellent dining and entertainment options. Especially popular with younger people, City Steam features an upscale pool room, an outdoor beer garden and the Brew Ha Ha Comedy Club, which books standup comedians on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Live musical entertainment, including Celtic jam sessions, or DJ's, are featured most nights, with no cover charge. While their fifteen barrel brew house produces twelve handcrafted styles of lagers and ales, their eclectic food menu features a wide spectrum of culinary delights. For lunch, City Steam serves some of the best burgers in the city, as well as favorites such as macaroni and cheese, beer- braised pot roast, fish and chips, reuben panini's and stone- baked pizzas. Dinner offerings at City Steam include baby- back ribs, fresh- sesame ahi, peppercorn steak and shrimp scampi. In addition to their outstanding restaurant and brewery, City Steam features a beautiful banquet area and several function rooms, available for all types of private parties.
Estimated cost per person for dinner = $20.00- $25.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Closed,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Closed, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Eve- Open
Coach's Sports Bar and Grille
187 Allyn St, Hartford, Ct, 06103
(860)524-8888
Hours:( Sun- Thurs ) 11:30 am- 1:00 am
( Fri- Sat ) 11:30 am- close
Reopened in the Fall of 2006 after a lengthy renovation, Coach's is a large, airy restaurant located next to Hartford's railroad station. A large bar area is usually filled with friendly people eager to talk about UCONN basketball. With over twenty five television sets, pool tables, video games and a basketball- toss machine, there is plenty to do at Coach's. What sets Coach's apart from other sports bars and makes it a great restaurant, is their food. Caesar, spinach and cobb salads, quesadillas, calamari and homemade onion rings are tasty starters. Coach's is renowned locally for their many varieties of chicken wings. If you like chicken wings, you'll love Coach's. Excellent burgers, reubens, club sandwiches and patty melts are served with a mound of golden french fries. Other favorites at Coach's are BBQ ribs, grilled chicken, pasta dishes and grilled steak. Their piled- high plates of multi- colored nachos are dressed with jalapeno peppers, olives, chili and melted cheese. Coach's also features some very good desserts. The staff members at Coach's are usually quite friendly and service is fast and efficient.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $15.00- $20.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Closed,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Closed, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Eve- Open
Max Downtown
CityPlace, 185 Asylum St, Hartford, Ct, 06103
(860)522-2530
Hours: ( Lunch: Mon- Fri ) 11:30 am- 4:00 pm
( Dinner: Mon- Fri ) 4:00 pm- 10:30 pm
( Dinner Saturday ) 4:00 pm- 11:30 pm
( Dinner Sunday)
4:00 pm- 9:00 pm
In the Hartford, Ct area, the name Max Downtown is synonymous with fine food, impeccable service and great atmosphere. Housed on the ground floor of the 38 story CityPlace building, across from the Hartford Civic Center, Max Downtown offers a diverse menu of traditional and contemporary American favorites. High ceilings, a relaxing color scheme and huge windows set a tone of 'formal elegance meets power lunch'. This restaurant has been rated "Excellent" by Zagat's Survey, has earned six Reader's Choice awards from Connecticut Magazine and four stars from the Hartford Courant. Max Downtown's innovative lunch menu features appetizers such as a silky, flavorful shrimp bisque and Maryland lump crab cake.. Main plate salads, including a delightful Asian beef salad and a dynamic "Hollywood" cobb salad are fresh and bountiful. House sandwiches include a Kobe steak sandwich served with truffle fries and a buttermilk chicken wrap served with sweet potato fries. Delicious luncheon entrees such as parmesan- crusted chicken, max- a- penne pasta and sauteed bay scallops are very popular menu items, as are chophouse classics like steak au poivre and filet mignon. An outstanding luncheon feature at Max Downtown is their 'Plate of the day'.Monday through Friday, a different 'special plate' is featured, at a very reasonable price. Plates of the day include Kobe beef burger, seafood paella, Mediterranean grilled lamb tabbouleh and Max's fish and chips. Some of the great dinner entrees served at Max Downtown include mushroom stuffed rack of lamb, horseradish- crusted salmon, braised short rib osso buco and Moroccan spiced chicken. Some of Max's outstanding dinnertime chophouse classics are a 'cowboy cut' beef rib chop, an herb- marinated veal chop and steak a' la Max. The dessert menu at Max Downtown is every bit as impressive as their lunch and dinner menus. Bananas Foster, frozen Meyer lemon souffle, a creme brulee trio and Max's cheesecake are just some of the wonderful treats here. A tavern menu and an after drink menu are also featured. With the Fall 2006 addition of a new piano bar, Max Downtown features live piano music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Combined with their impressive wine list, featuring top varieties from around the world and an extensive selection of 'designer' martinis, Max Downtown consistently provides a truly memorable dining experience. All things considered, Max Downtown is Hartford, Connecticut'svery best restaurant.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $30.00- $50.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Closed,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Closed, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Day- Closed
Morton's Steakhouse
30 Statehouse Square, Hartford, Ct, 06103
(860)724-0044
Hours: (Dinner Mon- Sat): 5:30 pm- 11:00 pm
(Dinner Sunday) 5:00 pm- 10:00 pm
With over seventy locations throughout the US and abroad, Morton's Steakhouse offers consistently fine food and excellent service at each restaurant. Although they specialize in serving the finest cuts of beef, Morton's also serves wonderful seafood, such as whole Maine lobster.Chicken, lamb and salmon dishes are also featured.Situated in the middle of Hartford's financial district, this formal, wood- finished restaurant fairly exudes corporate largesse, perhaps due to the large number of expense account meals consumed there each day. Diners should be forewarned that prices at Morton's are high. Very high. Of course, the quality of the food, creative
presentation and impeccable service make the hefty price tags somewhat easier to justify. The menu at Morton's, which is the same at all locations, features six garden fresh salads and over a dozen appetizers. An exciting wine list, featuring over two hundred varieties from around the world is also featured here. Their a' la carte menu, which reads like a carnivore's dream, includes favorites such as prime rib, double- cut filet mignon and porterhouse steaks, New York strip and ribeye steaks. To accent the entrees, several delicious potato and vegetable side dishes are available. Standout desserts here include several souffles, key lime pie and a fantastic hot upside- down apple pie. With amenities such as valet parking and their signature tableside menu presentation, Morton's Steakhouse is without a doubt, one of Hartford, Connecticut's truly great restaurants.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $50.00- $60.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Closed,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Open, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Eve- Open
Morty and Ming's( Located at the Hilton Hartford)
315 Trumbull St, Hartford, Ct,06103
(860)240-7222
Hours:( Mon- Thurs) 6:30 am- 10:00 pm
(Friday) 6:30 am- 11:00 pm
( Saturday) 7:00 am- 11:00 pm
( Sunday ) 7:00 am- 10:00 pm
This bright and cheerful concept restaurant located in the luxurious Hilton Hartford, offers the best of two worlds. The best of authentic Hong Kong Chinese cuisine and traditional New York deli food are served here, all in one restaurant. Vibrant colors and modern furnishings abound at this fun eatery. Although Morty and Ming's is located inside the Hilton Hartford Hotel, prices are actually quite reasonable. One of the best things about eating at Morty and Ming's is that you get the opportunity to eat different types of food at the same time. Some of the great menu items available here are; chopped liver, matzo ball soup, overstuffed pastrami, corned beef and brisket sandwiches, Ming's egg roll, coconut shrimp, hot and sour soup, pork fried rice, General Tso's chicken and Coney Island hot dogs. Morty and Ming's is definitely one of Hartford's great restaurants.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $15.00- $20.00
Holiday Schedule: Open 365 days a year.
The Red Plate
253 Asylum St, Hartford, Ct,06103
(860)524-8635
Hours: ( Mon-Thurs ) 11:00 am- 1:00 am
( Fri- Sat ) 11:00 am- 2:00 am
The Red Plate is located in the center of Hartford's entertainment district, across from the Hartford Civic Center. Primarily known for its New York style pizza and signature cheesecake, this eatery is very popular with local diners and employees of other nearby restaurants, who congegrate there regularly. Their small, but well- stocked bar area is a favorite happy hour and late night destination for many area residents. The food served here is a tasty mix of fresh salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, specialty dinners and their thin- crust pizzas. The Red Plate's lunch menu features six different salads, soup of the day, sandwiches such as a stir- fry veggie, eggplant parmigiana, meatball and sausage and assorted calzones and strombolis. Creative pasta dishes and pizza slices are also available during lunch service. For dinner, the Red Plate serves appetizers such as steamed mussels, bruschetta and Caprese salad. Pasta dishes include macaroni and cheese( in a 5- cheese sauce), fettucine Alfredo and lasagna. Dinner entrees feature herb- roasted chicken, sauteed shrimp, grilled beef tenderloin and Applewood- smoked sea bass. Specialty pizzas baked at the Red Plate include Lasagna pie, BBQ chicken pie( with BBQ sauce, grilled chicken and cheese) and Meat and Potatoes pie( with grilled chicken, potatoes and basil). Their famous cheesecake, which is cylindrically- shaped, has a bold, delicious flavor that complements any meal enjoyed at this excellent downtown Hartford restaurant.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $15.00- $20.00
Holiday Schedule: New Years Day- Open,
Valentines Day- Open, Easter- Closed, Thanksgiving-
Closed, Christmas Eve- Open, Christmas Day-
Closed, New Years Eve- Open
Sorrento Ristorante
371 Franklin Ave, Hartford, Ct, 06114
(860)296-2490
Hours: ( Lunch Mon- Fri ) 11:30 am- 2:00 pm
( Dinner Mon- Thurs ) 5:00 pm- 9:00 pm
( Dinner Fri- Sat ) 5:00 pm- 10:30 pm
Located at the corner of Preston Street, in the center of Hartford's 'Little Italy' section, Sorrento Ristorante has been serving delicious, authentic Italian food for over twenty years. An extensive menu of beef, chicken, veal, sausage and seafood Italian specialties here are augmented by an
impressive selection of pasta dishes. The staff members at Sorrento are very friendly and provide excellent service. The brick- walled dining room here is warm and comfortable, almost like eating at a favorite relative's house. Great starters include their jumbo shrimp cocktail and baked oysters Sorrento. Among the many fine entrees at Sorrento are; filet mignon, roast chicken Sorrento, tenderloin porcini and an outstanding chicken parmigiana. A nice dessert menu, including some wonderful spumoni is featured, as well as espresso and specialty coffees.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $25.00- $30.00
Holiday Schedule: Closed on major holidays.
Vivo-Hartford Marriott- Downtown
200 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, Ct,06103
(860)249-8000 (860)760-2333
Hours: ( Lunch Mon- Fri ) 11:30 am- 2:00 pm
( Bar Menu ) ( Mon- Fri ) 2:00 pm- 5:00 pm
( Bar Menu ) ( Sat- Sun ) 12:00 pm- 5:00 pm
( Dinner Mon- Sat ) 5:30 pm- 10:00 pm
( Dinner Sunday ) 5:30 pm- 9:00 pm
Vivo describes itself as a "grand trattoria". While that description is accurate, Vivo is also a fresh
and dynamic, top-of-the-line gourmet restaurant. Located in the new in 2005 Hartford Marriott
Downtown Hotel, Vivo serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. For a truly excellent dining experience anytime, day or night, Vivo fits the bill. Serving Italian, California and Mediterranean cuisines, Vivo's extensive menu offers a well- balanced selection of items sure to please even the most discerning palate. For lunch, a variety of fresh garden salads, including a great arugula salad, panini sandwiches, pasta dishes and pizzas are available. While breakfast and lunch service at Vivo are certainly above- average, it is their dinner service that sets Vivo apart from most Hartford area restaurants. A large selection of creative 'small plates', or appetizers, are featured, including Idaho trout with butternut squash and sweet corn, littleneck
clams with chorizo sausage and seared beef tenderloin carpaccio. 'Big plates', or entrees include pistachio- crusted salmon with beets, dry- rubbed rotisserie pork loin, poached Maine lobster with sweet potato and glazed duck breast with swiss chard and raisins. Dessert offerings at Vivo are exquisite. A mascarpone- stuffed pear with almond custard, cookies and cream tiramisu and a roasted apple and pear pizza are just some of the decadent desserts offered here. A wide selection of after dinner drinks, such as cappucino, espresso, lattes and specialty coffees are also served. With its 20 foot ceilings and open kitchen, Vivo is a clean, spacious, family- friendly restaurant that offers consistently excellent dining experiences.
Estimated cost per person for dinner= $30.00- $35.00
Holiday Schedule: Vivo is open 365 days a year.
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