If you’re planning a night out, why not bolt on a meal as well? Below we’ve featured 10 of the best restaurants in Hartford, Connecticut.
1. Banana Brasil
Banana Brasil is a restaurant founded in 1998 that aims to bring authentic Brazilian cooking to its customers. The restaurant is represented in four locations across the United States, with one in Hartford, Connecticut. Customers can enjoy a selection of Brazilian food, drinks and desserts right in the state of Connecticut.
Check out Banana Brasil’s generous buffet and grill, offering large portions of perfectly prepared meats including round steak, sirloin, chicken thigh and breast and much more. For an even more authentic experience, add a serving of pastel or coxinha, popular dishes in Brazil that have made their way onto Banana Brasil’s menu.
See what else Banana Brasil has to offer!
2. Salute
With a talented culinary team in the kitchen led by executive chef David Caudill, guests can look forward to every meal they have at Salute. The restaurant, bar and lounge serve up genuine Italian fare and are committed to every detail of the customer experience. The intricate details that make up the interior of the restaurant help set the tone for your evening out at Salute.
Owners Jimmy Cosgrove, Andy Rizzo and chef Caudill have spent countless hours putting together a menu that will wow any guest. Salute is open for lunch and dinner service, and of course, welcomes any guests to stay back for a drink or two at their bar or lounge. Start with a classic Caesar salad or Salute’s crab cakes, before choosing between the different pasta dishes available at Salute, such as the ragu bolognese, pomodoro and chicken gnocchi.
Contact Salute for more details!
3. Bear’s Smokehouse
Bear’s Smokehouse is a meat lover’s paradise, a restaurant that specializes in perfecting the art of the smokehouse and BBQ grill. The restaurant has countless accolades for its restaurant ambience, food truck service, and the quality of its food.
Any fan of BBQ should plan a trip to Bear’s Smokehouse, at any one of its multiple locations nationwide, including one in Hartford, Connecticut. The restaurant welcomes families, couples and entire sports teams—no matter how larger your party, Bear’s Smokehouse is committed to ensuring that no one leaves unsatisfied. They’ve put in extra care and effort in designing a delicious mac & cheese (topped with meat), as well as baby back ribs and different meat combo platters that can be customized to your group’s cravings.
Speak to Bear’s Smokehouse for more information!
4. Agave Grill
Situated in Hartford, Connecticut, Agave Grill is a grill house that takes inspiration for its food offerings from Mexican cuisine—from its flavor palette, ingredients, and tequila. Winning a recommendation from Restaurant Guru in 2021 for best restaurant, Agave Grill is a family-friendly restaurant decorated with an interior sense that mimics the beauty and color that its menu aims to deliver.
Agave Grill is open for brunch and brunch at its restaurant location from Mondays to Saturdays. Customers should also look into their catering service, for the next time you plan to hold a party at home. Explore all there is to learn about Mexican cuisine by starting things off with a chicken adobo burrito or chimichangas, and don’t forget to leave before trying one of their specialty tacos.
Plan a visit to Agave Grill today!
5. J Restaurant | Bar
J Restaurant | Bar is a restaurant located in Hartford, Connecticut. Customers rave about the wonderful atmosphere in the venue, an appropriate location to have a date, meet with family or friends, and even host a party or event. The interior decor is appropriately modern and chic, and the restaurant event has a number of enclosed patio areas that can be had by a larger party for a more private occasion.
Your dining experience at J Restaurant | Bar begins with one of their first plates, and with choices like crab cakes, bruschetta and tuna sashimi, it’s hard to make a wrong choice. J Restaurant | Bar prides itself on its main dishes, with a menu featuring classics like roasted salmon, filet mignon, as well as chicken Francais and sausage carbonara.
Connect with J Restaurant | Bar!
6. Trumbull Kitchen
Co-owners Richard Rosenthal and Chris Torla came together to create Trumbull Kitchen, a restaurant situated in Hartford, Connecticut that presents customers with menu options from around the world. Guests will love the energetic vibe of eating alongside equally impressed customers on a dining floor that was designed for community dining.
Trumbull Kitchen welcomes singles, couples and larger parties alike—they won’t shy away from putting tables together to make more room for your party. Customers can enjoy their food at Trumbull Kitchen, or have it delivered or taken out for a more private experience at home. As advertised, their menu goes around the world, with inclusions like Mexican queso fundito (tortilla chips with chorizo), Japanese volcano maki, Korean steamed buns and Thai chicken salad.
Learn more about Trumbull Kitchen here.
7. Feng Chophouse
Hartford, Connecticut is home to Feng Chophouse, a restaurant that prides itself on the quality of its ingredients, the hospitality of its waitstaff and the skill of its chefs. Their menu is an Asian-fusion mix of dishes that hail from different corners of the Asian continent, arranged and executed by the owner and chef John Chen and his talented team.
Customers will want to know that Feng Chophouse is a sister company of the acclaimed Ginza Restaurant Group, a number of restaurants known for their prowess and ingenuity with food. Try their pork belly appetizer, miso soup or any one of their masterfully created entrees, from their Chilean seabass to braised short rib. Don’t forget to ask about Feng Chophouse’ daily sushi offerings!
Look here for more information on Feng Chophouse!
8. Republic at the Linden
Whether you’re looking for a night out on the town or for delicious food to be brought to your doorstep, Republic at the Linden is the solution that you are looking for. Located on Capitol Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut, the gastropub is a friendly, familiar location to pick up food and drinks. They welcome guests from Wednesdays to Sundays for dinner and drinks in their vintage-designed dining hall.
Speak to Republic at the Linden for special dining arrangements. The restaurant can accommodate personal parties, birthdays, weddings and corporate events. Alongside their wide variety of drinks that make them a great place to hold a party or gathering, the gastropub boasts a drink-friendly menu to go along with your favorite draft beer or cocktail! Share a plate of patatas bravas – fingerling potatoes – or chicken wings, or skip the sharing and dive into a serving for one of Argentinian steak or mushroom and pancetta linguini.
Take a look at what else Republic at the Linden can provide!
9. Banh Meee
Banh Meee is a simple, casual restaurant that serves classic and Vietnamese-inspired dishes in Hartford, Connecticut. Owner Dung (G) Tran started the restaurant out as a food truck and the love for Banh Meee’s Vietnamese fares has grown and allowed them to open their store up on Capital Avenue where they have been serving locals since 2018.
Go with Banh Meee for an evening out, home delivery or catering for your next party or event. Rely on them when you need a fixing of genuine, delicious Vietnamese pho. Learn about their bun bo hue (rice vermicelli with a serving of meat – or their original dishes like their daikon bowl or spicy crispy chicken sandwich.
Let Banh Meee take care of your craving for Vietnamese food!
10. The Russell
Hartford, Connecticut is home to The Russell, a cozy restaurant representing Caribbean culture in its family-friendly atmosphere and delicious food and drinks. Seat yourself at the bar and share a drink with friends or The Russell’s friendly bartenders, or find a table to sit down in The Russell’s moody, dimly-lit atmosphere.
Join The Russell at one of its famous vents, like their Saxy Sunday Jazz Brunches or Reggae Thursday evenings. Their downtown Hartford location serves up Caribbean specialties like jerk chicken, oxtail, escovitch fish and vegan one-pot rasta pasta for the vegans. Remember to try one of their delicious desserts, like their red velvet layer cake or mango sorbet, before you leave.
Enjoy a meal at The Russell the next time you’re in Hartford, Connecticut!
