We were here for a private event, but the food was still from the menu for dinner, and the hors d'oeuvres were available on the menu too. As a result we were able to taste a number of their starters, a real winner was the crab rangoon tart there. For dinner we ordered tasting sizes of the pasta alla vodka and beef bolognese. I really like the thoughtfulness of having smaller plates be an option, for whatever reason you want it for. Also, they used campanelle pasta, rather than your standard noodles. Some real awareness of the right pasta pairing for the sauce evidenced for you. The only quibble there was the lack of seasoning in the sauce, but there was salt on the table to bring that up. The service is wicked friendly and attentive. The ambiance is certainly bohemian, with mismatched furniture and faux foliage hanging from the ceiling. The biggest ding is accessibility. One of the people at the event was in a motorized chair, and in order for them to move about or get to the restroom was a production. The tables and chairs are tightly packed, so I'd imagine someone on crutches or a walker would also have difficulty of movement. The menu changes as local ingredients come in or out of season. The current menu is available on their website. It is not large, so you know they're doing a few things and doing them right. I can recommend checking this place out. read more

La Belle Aurore - Beef bolognese, tasting size - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

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I am in love with this little spot! I would describe it as upscale cozy or low key lux. It is a quaint spot decorated like an old country dining room. Flowers and lights hang from the ceiling, while vintage looking signs, art, and decor adorn the walls. Instead of starched white tablecloths there are a variety of soft, colorful, patterned ones to welcome you over. Although you get that nice homey feeling, the food is definitely levels up from my own home cooking. Farm to table style food, meaning the ingredients are fresh, the menu is small, but mighty, and there is a lot of love put into the preparation. They even make their own delicious hot sauce! I have had the pleasure of dining here for brunch and dinner. This would be a great date spot! Not a severe intimidating environment and you all will have an excellent meal. It is a small operation, so I will say that preparation of such delicious things does take some time. Therefore, I recommend a reservation and a loose agenda. I highly recommend this little spot! If your 2025 resolution is to try or find something new, then this is it! read more

I went here for my first time on a Saturday night when guest chef Anna Brown was hosting. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and the staff was very welcoming. While browsing the menu, Anna came out to greet our party and ask if we had any questions with the menu- this is a kind of service that you don't usually expect nowadays. The food was outstanding and the waitstaff was attentive to our party throughout the event. The menu was eclectic and original and the presentation was out of this world. Everyone at the table got different things and we all left with clean plates. I think we all agreed that this was one of the best meals we've had. I understand that this was a unique event, but this was an amazing reflection of La Belle Aurore and the care that they put into food and atmosphere. I'd recommend to anyone looking for some awesome, unique food. read more

What a cute little brunch spot! They have flowers hanging from the ceiling. It's very trendy in a way. I thought the service was great. The waiter was dressed up. read more

La Belle Aurore - Interior - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

What a lovely restaurant. The outside is deceiving because of the strip mall and the Dairy Queen but the interior is sweet and homey. We had wonderful service from Anthony and our reserved table was ready for us - complete with ice water and menus - on our arrival. Good wine menu and not overpriced. Small farm to table menu with locally sourced foods. The Cato Corner cheese plate came with gorgeous toasted bread. A refreshing citrus salad and a nice house salad were good starters as well. The menu in our night included duck, a wild mushroom risotto and short ribs over bucatini. Everything was beautifully presented and delicious. The two desserts - a pumpkin roll and chocolate mousse - were both tasty. Highly recommend! read more

Love this place. Quaint, tasty, inventive, artsy Farm-to-Table. They have fantastic rotating seafood, chicken, duck, pork and beef options but Dawn Bruckner's equal gifts with vegetables make me WANT to order vegetarian. And I never say that. Beer & wine only. Limited hours & small so good to call and check re: availability. Cooking classes, special events, and some ready prepared foods too. read more

Surprising gem in a strip mall location. The place is small but adorable, with fake flowers and candles hanging from the ceiling and displays on shelves, mismatched tablecloths, and more. The food was fantastic and super fresh. I had the vegetable hash with eggs over easy and it was delicious. Flavors meshed, every vegetable was cooked to perfection -- I initially worried about not ordering a meal with meat and I had no regrets. The kids got peach and blueberry cobbler pancakes, which really did taste like a summer fruit cobbler. I loved the local sourcing of ingredients and seasonal menu. Coffee was delicious, one of my kids had a green tea that he enjoyed, and the mimosas were tasty. Our only complaint was how long the food took to come. They had a really large party there at the time though so I think that was the issue. Service was attentive so seemed to be a kitchen capacity issue. We will definitely return! read more

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Upon eating "brunch" at LaBelle Aurore, I learned one thing. Never will I dine there again. I ordered the salmon poached eggs, on a bagel, with hollandaise sauce. What I got was two very small overcooked eggs, topped with dried up fried salmon, on top of a day old bagel, with very little hollandaise sauce. This item was listed as being 18.00 on the menu, but I was charged $20.00 on the bill. In addition, I was charged $2.00 for the bagel the dried up salmon, and tiny eggs sat on. Not a good experience. read more

One of my favorite local restaurants. A farm to table menu is always well executed. Service is friendly and the price is very reasonable. read more

MY My husband and I went for breakfast on Sunday morning. The waitstaff was pleasant and helpful. The food was as good as it always has been. However, the ambiance was as though we were sitting in a dusty, badly organized consignment store. Decor in the dining area included a chest freezer, an odd collection of knickknack, random furniture and a pile of cardboard waiting to be recycled. Some organization and a thorough cleaning are in order. read more

Took myself out in a date and stopped here for a late breakfast. The vibe is beautiful. The place is cozy, service is impeccable, and food delicious. I wasn't sure what to get, so I got the waitress' favorite. It did not disappoint. The bacon is delicious and over all I enjoyed my experience. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

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Love this place. Super cozy and quaint little restaurant with a great menu. The octopus was incredible. Go get that and don't look back!

La Belle Aurore is our go-to place in Niantic for a special meal in a cozy and relaxed environment. Their creative menu changes daily based on fresh, locally sourced ingredients from nearby farmers and producers. We made a reservation for 12 people when our family visited us over the holidays. I told them to prepare for the unexpected, and owner Dawn did not disappoint. From the warm welcome upon our arrival to the outstanding service throughout our meal to the freshly made focaccia served warm to the unique blending of ingredients to make us incredible meals, La Belle Aurore delivered a special experience for us. I only wish I took photos of the beautifully served meals and the warmly decorated space to share with you. read more

A quirky spot with a lot of love. We ordered take out for brunch. Food is prepared carefully and slowly so enjoy the wait. Our bagel and lox was great. Unfortunately the bagel was not cut forcing us to rip apart. No utensils but they ran some out immediately. My partner loved his eggs and home fries. Take out only. A decent take out brunch in a cute CT town. read more

Delicious meal last night at La Belle! My plate of sweet corn ravioli was not only beautiful but flavorful. The dining room is small and intimate and you feel like you are transported to another time listening to Louis Armstrong while you dine. read more

La Belle Aurore - Sweet Corn Ravioli with garlic scape pesto - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

Delicious meal! Scallops and halibut were very well prepared and ambiance was very nice. Would definitely recommend!

by Sarah Crisp Walking into La Belle Aurore was like walking into my Grandmother's kitchen - filled with an eclectic mix of furnishings, checkered tablecloths, handmade pottery jugs, ornate french mirrors and mismatched crockery. It had the feel of one of those wonderful "unexpected" places that only the locals know about. The folks behind La Belle Aurore buy as much as they can direct from local farms to reduce food miles and to keep dollars in the local economy, and their menu changes to reflect their vision and the bounty of the season. My husband decided on the Hunter's Plate: buttermilk pancakes, smoked bacon and eggs (both from Terra Firma Farm in Stonington), cheese, and a liberal dose of maple syrup (Old Orchard Farm in East Lyme). I opted for an open-faced sandwich of locally smoked salmon (Stonington Seafood Harvesters), a healthy helping of perfectly ripe avocado smeared on lovely nutty whole wheat toast and two eggs over easy. Our breakfast total came to a very reasonable $32 including tip. I can't wait to head back for a true farm-to-table dinner! read more

La Belle Aurore - Hunter's Plate - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

I really wanted to give this place 5 stars... Let me start with all the great things about it. The overall vibe and ambiance is very cute and cozy! The bread they offer at the beginning is delicious but could use some salt. The seared scallops were cooked perfectly and the entire dish was extremely flavorful! The burrata was also really good but it had a lot of oil unfortunately. All of the ingredients tasted super fresh though! The biggest reason why I deducted a star was due to the mussels and the service.... The mussels were the blandest I've probably ever had. I was shocked, given the quality of the other dishes. The sauce tasted like plain water. The bread the mussels came with were the only good thing about them. Then there was also the insanely slow service.... We sat and waited for a significant amount of time just to order and then also to receive the food, even though we were the only two people in the entire restaurant! All that being said though, the burrata and scallops were good enough to outweigh all these cons and I would definitely be back here again! But next time I won't be ordering the mussels and I'll make sure I have st least two hours to sit around waiting. read more

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Outstanding in every respect. I'm gluten free and a personal chef so I'm particular on the food I like to eat. Try this awesome place if you like quality food that's fresh and delicious. Lots of veggies too. read more

La Belle Aurore - Awesome vegetable hash. Best ever. - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

This place is a gem. The decor is warm and feels like you've traveled to a quaint cafe. The folks who run it are so kind and creative - and the food is amazing. The focaccia is warm from the oven. A great variety of always yummy mains, apps and sides made from local farm ingredients. I love when we get to go here. Curious elixirs are great too! read more

My husband and I went for the first time for Sunday Brunch and it was truly an adorably quaint little place. The coffee was delish and the staff was very attentive. It did take a little longer to get our food but we knew it was fresh. I got a quiche and was very pleased and we shared a stuffed French toast. Unfortunately my 4 stars was because my husband got a breakfast sandwich on ciabatta with a jalapeño sausage that he was really excited about but was not too impressed with. The sandwich was rather dry and the ciabatta was toasted a bit too much that it became tough to chew without scraping the top of your mouth. He was also pleased with the stuffed French toast but ended up not really eating the sandwich. read more

Stumbled upon this little nook when looking for a new spot to have breakfast/ brunch. The staff was very pleasant and knowledgeable. The mirmosa's were unique and very good. All the food is farm to table so things are very seasonal which I love. The breakfast was good this is a place I would go visit again. They also serve dinner which I plan to try in the very near future. read more

I had high hopes for a delicious meal based on the other reviews here, but wow were we disappointed. An off night I hope? The decor is over the top kitschy, but I could have put up with that for good food. They told us we had to come an hour later than our preferred dining time, but when we arrived there was no one else in the restaurant (????). The bread was stale and the little tiny flask of olive oil just couldn't save it. I have to say the crab/shrimp bisque had an excellent flavor and was the high point of the meal. My duck breast was ordered medium rare but came medium well, barely hot and accompanied by sautéed potatoes that were crisped beyond recognition. There was a TINY drizzle of sauce that was flavorless. Terrible presentation of a dish I could have prepared better myself. The food took a very long time to arrive and an incessant clanging sound came from the kitchen (broken fan?). My wife's shrimp on orzo was a little better but my our friend's "stuffed pumpkin" was a dry flavorless mess. Her husband's scallops on vegetable hash was a bit better, but still was thrown onto the plate in a heap, and really did not appear appetizing. The wine list was extremely reasonable, and based on how long it took to get the mediocre entrees, I wasn't even tempted to try dessert. There's so much good dining on the shoreline that it's hard to imagine this hole in the wall staying alive much longer unless they up their game. Completely at odds with the other reviews above and what I had heard. I hope there was a valid reason for this bad performance. read more

This place was absolutely gorgeous. Don't be fooled by the outside indoors it's wonderful with hanging flowers from the ceiling. The hostess is incredibly kind and thoughtful. She was very attentive without being overbearing. The food itself was just fantastic. It took a little bit of time coming out but it was very worth it and simply delicious. The only bad thing about this place is how little customers it gets. An absolute pleasure dining there we will be back several more times during this one week stay in connecticut! read more

This place is really awesome, the food is local and prepared perfectly, both of our seafood dishes were cooked to perfection, the service is extremely professional- absolutely incredible. Can't wait to come back. Niantic is lucky to have this awesome Italian restaurant ! read more

This is a not to be missed meal on the Shoreline. Perfect preparation of the freshest ingredients. Excellent service is a quiet ambiance. The meal was an great value for the quality. Highly recommended! read more

Fresh and delicious food. shrimp and crab bisque was 5 stars; beef tenderloin entree was 4 stars; chocolate moose was 4.5 stars. Also went recently for brunch, which was 5 stars. Apple cider mimosa. Best food in Niantic read more

La Belle Aurore - New American Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

I held my daughter's baby shower here on a January Saturday afternoon. We asked Dawn, the owner and chef, to prepare a tea and it was sublime. The menu was selected by us before the day of the party, with several options offered. The tea sandwiches were fresh (salmon, chicken, crab mousse) and the scones were savory and sweet. The bread was delicious and was from a CT baker. The cookies were a selection of star sugar cookies in that were frosted and decorated with sprinkles, brownies, and sugar crusted puff pastry slivers. Copious amounts of tea and coffee and mimosas were available. We had the entire restaurant to our small party of 14 (could probably hold about 24 maximum) and Dawn was so attentive. She asked a couple of days before the party what the color scheme was, so she could add garnishes to complement our color scheme. WE brought in small table decorations and laid our own table cloth over a long white table cloth covered table that Dawn provided. There were twinkle lights and silver balls suspended from the ceiling to warm a cold, overcast January day. I highly recommend LaBelle Aurora for any small party! read more

amazing food would definitely recommend and it's a great place to go if you are looking for a great sit down dinner and to have some great tasting food with amazing Service read more

I cannot fault the food is quality or taste, but the atmosphere was a bit lacking in professionalism. We dined at 6:30 and were the only ones in the restaurant the entire time. They used cloth napkins, which were clearly washed at home with a very fragrant fabric softener and not ironed. These same napkins are used in the bread basket -- it's really worth the money to have laundered linens. The smell was unpleasant for me. We ordered a lemonade and it came totally fermented. We tried iced tea and it was pretty hideous. We originally ordered the tofu dish and they told us they were out, but then went to get some. These little things were a turn-off. When the food came it was fresh, good quality and tasty. I had the duck with a blueberry sauce, sauteed kale, and zucchini. read more

In the 70's worked at a place w/ same name, the owner/chef was Daniel Sucur great place

Fantastic food and service. I have lived in Niantic for over 3 years and tried many of the local restaurants. NONE of then come close to the quality and the presentation of the food at La Bell Aurore My new hidden treasure read more

A hidden gem. Great atmosphere and friendly to the eye. Highly recommend. Good choices of wine as well....

We made our reservation in advance and the chef was able to accommodate every special request we had. The food was beyond what we'd expected and we had such a great time. Excellent wine and excellent food. I ordered octopus, venison, fillet mignon, trout, crab cakes and chocolate cake. The vegetable sides deserved to be stand alone entrees as I cannot believe how flavorful there were. read more

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As creative as this kitchen is during normal times, they have stepped it up for the pandemic era. They have the catering fridge and pastry sideboard set up in the front of the dining area. Almost a complete menu, too. The octopus risotto, shrimp asparagus pepperdelle, and shrimp chorizo paella worked surprisingly well for takeout. Took a bacon quiche for breakfast, too. Best takeout experience, so far! read more

Love this hidden gem. The food and service are top notch. Here visiting but have every intention to return when I come back. Absolutely recommend this restaurant! read more

A humble and quaint place in a small strip mall but looks can be deceiving. The food and flavors are wonderful. We loved the "starter" Shrimp & Crab Bisque. Every dinner "main" was scrumptious including the French onion mac n cheese, the Scallops, the Goat cheese ravioli and the pasta carbonara. We plan on returning often. read more

Another great dinner. This place could not provide any fresher food - outstanding flavors. Food that speaks for itself. Great service and chef always comes around making sure everybody is enjoying their meals. I highly recommend this place!!!. read more

This place can't be beat. We came here for dinner and breakfast with my aunt and uncle this weekend. They had been there for their last three meals and it was clear why. The food is fresh, local, we.l executed, and incredibly reasonably priced! The crab cakes are all crab with barely any cake. The scallops are large and in charge. Perfectly seared and accompanied with pasta doused in bacon pieces. Wine selections are great. The bottles are more than reasonably priced. The worst part about breakfast is choosing what to get. It's simply brutal. If push comes to to shove I guess my pick is going to be the lobster omlet. ;) full of claw and knuckle meat and only $14! Potatoe hash is great too. Eggs cooked as ordered. If I could eat breakfast here for lunch and dinner I would. Service is super friendly and the atmosphere and really relaxed. It's like going to your friend's house for dinner, (except your friend is an amazing chef). Oh...if you like spicy ask for the hot sauce. It is the recipe of the owner's son I believe. It is soooo fresh AND you can buy a bottle to take home. It's so good. Ok, enough blathering.....go and eat and have fun! read more

I went here while I was home over Thanksgiving. The food was amazing! All local, fresh, and delicious. I knew going in that the menu changes around based on what produce is available, so I was just excited to see what they would have. I got a mushroom tart, which was delicious, and my mom got the duck, which was (I think) the best thing at the table. Some places, duck is kind of flavorless, but this was just perfect. We also got a fig and pear dessert that was amazing. All in all, there's nothing bad I can say about this place. The service was great, food was to die for, and it was a wonderful night out. read more