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When asked which restaurants Connecticut Magazine missed in our 2026 top restaurants list readers heeded the call.
Overall, it seems we didn’t miss too many places, as there were several nominations for restaurants that had already made the list and some that weren’t open when we published our list in December 2025. Based on our reader’s submissions, we missed 15 restaurants across the state, including two that weren’t open when we compiled our list.
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Our biggest takeaway from this? Despite featuring a number of Italian dining locales on our list, we missed a few and it seems our readers are big fans of Italian spots.
Here’s what readers had to say:
La Foresta Restaurant & Wine Bar
“You miss the same restaurant every year for Best Wine List, and that is La Foresta in Killingworth. Yes, it’s tucked away in a town with no downtown business district, and I would imagine most people have never heard of it — I suppose that may well apply to the town as much as to the restaurant — but the wine list far exceeds most every other list I’ve run across. It’s certainly better than all the lists you mention year in and year out,” according to one reader.
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La Foresta Restaurant & Wine Bar opened in 2014 in Killingworth and boasts having 1,600 wine selections and more than 10,000 wine bottles, according to its website. The menu features Italian dishes, burgers and seafood tower.
The restaurant is located at 163 Route 81 in Killingworth and can be reached at 860-663-1155.
Gisella’s Ristorante
“Gisella’s is a family-owned home style cooking Italian restaurant in Danbury, Conn. The food is excellent, the portions are huge, and the staff is delightful. They run specials Tuesday through Friday which are outstanding. It can get crowded and noisy and reservations are recommended. Try the pizza and try the broccoli sauce on the pastas. Both are fabulous,” a reader commented.
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Gisella’s Ristorante has been dishing up Italian recipes since 2018, according to its website. The menu features soups, salads, grinders, pizzas and a variety of Italian entrees.
The restaurant is located at 4 Starr St. in Danbury and can be reached at 203-456-6595.
Applausi Osteria
“My wife and I have had dinners over the past 20 years in Applausi. The Italian food is simple yet exceptionally well prepared. The menu is short and yet includes a variety of pastas, an excellent branzino and always innovative specials. Applausi has a very professional and friendly staff lead by the manager, Beppe. Without any exceptions, always had a superb dinner,” a reader commented.
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Applausi Osteria is one of a handful of restaurants owned by the Marchetti family and has been open since 1994. The manager, who our reader mentioned, Beppe Cornacchia, is also a co-owner of the restaurant and has been working there since 2002, according to its website. The menu includes soups, salads, homemade pasta, Italian entrees and more.
The restaurant is located at 199 Sound Beach Ave. in Greenwich and can be reached at 203-637-4447.
Mix Prime
Mix Prime Steakhouse has locations in Woodbury and Danbury with both locations offering the restaurant’s “40 Day Prime Aged Beef.” In addition to offering steak, burgers and seafood, which can be found at both locations, the Woodbury spot also offers a selection of sushi.
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The Danbury location is located at 40 Mill Plain Road and can be reached at 203-825-4444.
The Woodbury location is located at 757 Main St. South and can be reached at 203-586-1788.
Market Place Kitchen & Bar
Market Place Kitchen & Bar has six locations in the state, offering a rotating seasonal menu featuring local ingredients, according to its website. Given that the menu is rotating, it’s a good idea to check ahead to see what it will be offering. However, diners can expect to find a mix of dining options on the menu, including fried pickles, burrata, short ribs, and seafood as well as brunch and dessert menus.
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The Avon location is located at 336 W Main Street and can be reached at 860-470-3641.
The Danbury location is located at 33 Mill Plain Road and can be reached at 203-616-5836.
The Newington location is located at 3331 Berlin Turnpike and can be reached at 860-909-9001.
The Newtown location is located at 32 Church Hill Road and can be reached at 203-491-2993.
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The Shelton location is located at 811 Bridgeport Ave. and can be reached at 203-538-5524.
The Woodbury location is located at 641 Main St. South and can be reached at 203-586-1215.
Massi Co.
Massi Co. in Westport received a few reader nominations, and while it wasn’t featured in 2026 list, food critic Erik Ofgang reviewed it last year after it opened and sang its praises — so we didn’t entirely miss it. In his review, Ofgang described the Neapolitan-style pizza as “beautiful” and highlighted the house made pastas. The menu includes a variety of pizzas, pastas as well as black cod and pork chops. Ofgang described it as “a new and delicious player in the Connecticut pizza and Italian food world.”
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It is located at 90 Post Road East and can be reached at 203-557-6198.
Doppio
Since 2011, Doppio has been offering Italian cuisine in Greenwich featuring fresh and local ingredients, according to its website. The menu includes a variety of pizzas, pastas and appetizers.
It is located at 41 East Elm St. and can be reached at 203-340-9470.
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Anchor Social
New American cuisine is served up in Milford at Anchor Social. The restaurant is located near Anchor Beach and aims to craft “favorites with a fresh twist,” according to its website. The menu features charcuterie, a raw bar, brunch offerings, burgers and steaks.
It is located at 141 Merwin Ave. and can be reached at 475-327-7030.
Clubhouse Provisions
Located on Litchfield’s Stonybrook Golf, Clubhouse Provisions boasts a newly renovated interior. While the website states the restaurant offers modern American cuisine, the menu shows more of a French and Korean influence, which includes items like wings, smash burgers and kimchi fried rice.
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It is located at 263 Milton Road and can be reached at 860-567-9977.
Spitz Mediterranean Street Food
Spitz Mediterranean Street Food wasn’t included on our list since it only opened in June of this year. The restaurant recently joined West Hartford’s dining lineup and its menu features gyros, falafel, wraps and more as well as gluten-free and vegan options, according to its website.
It is located at 138 Park Road and can be reached at 860-245-9905.
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L’Orcio
This Italian spot in New Haven was featured in the 2025 list. Since 2003, chef Francesco d’Amuri and his wife Alison De Renzi have been serving handmade pastas and traditional Italian dishes, according to L’Orcio’s website. While it is located in New Haven, the menu does not feature pizza — instead it has items such as an olive plate, a lemon shrimp dish and branzino.
It is located at 806 State St. and can be reached at 203-777-6670.
Baldanza at the Schoolhouse
This Wilton restaurant is owned by the Baldanza family and has been offering locally sourced Italian and American dishes, according to its website. The chef has previously appeared on the Food Network. The menu has pasta, burgers, brunch offerings and more.
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It is located at 34 Cannon Road and can be reached at 203-309-5777.
Country Cow Deli
In Fairfield the Country Cow Deli offers up sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, according to its website. The menu features egg plates, bagels, burgers, salads and a number of deli sandwiches.
It is located at 2505 Black Rock Turnpike and can be reached at 203-371-0303.
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Prime BGR
Like its name suggests, Prime BGR is all about the burgers. The New Haven spot doesn’t just grill up a hamburger though, it focuses on gourmet hamburgers, according to its website. The menu features salads, sandwiches and burgers with honey truffle sauce, tobacco onions and more.
It is located at 172 Temple St. and can be reached at 203-782-1616.
Thali by Chef Prasad
Also opening after the list was published is Thali by Chef Prasad, which was reintroduced to diners by the chef in July. Previous iterations of his restaurant have been featured on our lists in the past as the original location opened in 2000. The New Canaan Indian restaurant is headed by award-winning chef Prasad Chirnomula who has been dishing up traditional Indian recipes for more than 25 years. The menu at the new restaurant features a number of dishes, including various curries, biryani and dishes that are completed when served at the table.
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It is located at 62 Main St. and can be reached at 203-242-0200.
Editor’s Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity. Submissions nominating a restaurant that came directly from the restaurant’s social media account or the owners have been omitted.
