This was our first time here. We were looking for Italian and saw so many great reviews, so we decided to give it a try. We had a reservation for a table but ended up sitting at the bar, which we really enjoyed. I wanted a dish without garlic, which I know sounds crazy at an Italian restaurant. I ordered the linguine vongole, and they were happy to accommodate me. They even mentioned that next time I can call ahead and they will prepare whatever I would like without garlic. That kind of flexibility and service really stood out. The meal was perfect. The pasta was homemade, and the clam sauce had such incredible flavor. My husband had the gnocchi with Bolognese, and it was delicious. The gnocchi were light and perfectly done. We finished with decaf espresso, and they offered a splash of sambuca, which was a wonderful touch and absolutely excellent. Great food, friendly and attentive service, and we loved the bar atmosphere. So glad we found this place. We will definitely be back. read more

Another enjoyable dinner before our show at Goodspeed. Everyone who works there is super friendly. A table of 6 rather loud women and my husband and I were only ones in dining room. We shared an artichoke appetizer with a sauce perfect for dipping with the crusty bread. Both entrees have homemade pasta. Portions are reasonable but not overwhelming. read more

See all

I tried the gnocchi Bolognese with meatballs on the side. The meatballs were really good, and the gnocchi was tasty. Overall, a solid meal, but I think I'd try something else next time. read more

Rustica Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

Came here by default because the spot my man originally had planned was closed for a special event. Rústica is definitely a reservation heavy spot, but the host kindly found us a table so we could celebrate my birthday. We shared a little bit of everything, from the (too raw) brussels sprout salad and antipasto board to grilled octopus, salmon, lamb chops, and housemade ravioli(with filling that was too firm), plus several desserts. As my entree, I ordered the Pappardelle Cavolfiori e Salsiccia - Homemade Pappardelle pasta with cauliflower, fennel sausage, caramelized onions, butter, parsley, extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano cheese (it wasn't bad but I wasn't that impressed) and a 2nd entree of Pollo Aromatico- Pan Seared half Chicken marinated with rosemary, thyme, parsley, garlic, white wine, extra virgin olive oil, served with roasted potatoes and vegetables Sservice was excellent. Overall, it's a busy Italian spot where you should arrive hungry and ready to indulge! read more

See all

This fancy Italian restaurant was extremely busy & usually only takes reservations. There were only available seats @ the bar. The host made an accommodation for us b/c we were w/ my overage age niece(after my sister complained in her mom concerned voice sitting @ the bar is inappropriate). He got us a table after waiting just a little bit. We got lucky b/c this place is a good luck w/o a reservation kind of place.We (my sister,her bf/daughter)came here to celebrate my sister's birthday. We had a feast meant for kings & queens. I sampled many dishes & desserts. For starters, I ordered the insalata de cavoletti di bruxelles(yeah try to pronounce that lol). The menu made me feel like I was taking a tour of Italy.This dish consisted of shaved brussel sprouts Brussels sprouts drizzled w/ homemade lemon preserve & shaved parmigiano. It was served raw & cold which was a little strange to me. The brussel sprouts were hard & kind of tasted like raw cabbage instead. The parmigiano cheese saved the dish.We shared an antipasto rustica(think charcuterie board) for the table.It consisted of prosciutto di Parma,sweet & hot sopresta(cured Italian sausage),capocolo(cured pork),long hot peppers,provolone/pecorino cheeses,pickled eggplant,spicy kalamata(type of olive) & cured black olives. This dish tasted fresh & drop kicked my tastebuds w/ so much flavor. Next was the Polipo. Polipo is grilled Spanish octopus marinated w/ lemon juice/extra virgin olive oil/parsley & garlic served over a bed of arugula. The octopus still had suckers on it which I'm not used to. It was a unique chewy texture. However,the octopus itself was flavorful & fresh. Every bite was more satisfying than the last. I had to control myself from ordering another plate. Whew that was just appetizers. Dinner came out & the 1st thing I bit into was the salmon (ordered medium done) & it didn't disappoint.On the menu,it's listed as Salmone. Pan seared salmon w/ salt & pepper served w/ garlic mashed potatoes,& sautéed spinach finished w/ a drizzle of lemon & extra virgin olive oil. Every bite was like a taste of heaven. The salmon was cooked to medium perfection. The skin crispy & the fish moist & juicy(when I put my fork into it (it almost squirted out juice @ me). The mashed potatoes were creamy & the spinach was very tasty. I almost begged for more. The lamb chops (my sister's bf spared me 1 of his)were 1 of the best lamb chops I ever tasted. The meat was tender (cooked medium) & melted in my mouth like butter. Super scrumptious! I almost sucked on the bone. In between meals,we couldn't get enough of the homemade toasted,hot bread. The 1st 2 baskets were on the house but the 3rd one we had to pay for. I tried my sister's bolognese(one of the chef's specials of the day).It didn't taste traditional but it wasn't bad. It was extra meaty w/ chunks of sausage,beef,& lamb.Finally on the dinner side,I had the ravioli d' formaggio. Homemade ravioli filled w/ fresh ricotta/parmigiano,parsley,salt/pepper served w/ marinara sauce. The sauce was my fave part of this dish. The ravioli itself was fairly decent. The cheese filling was on the hard side & tasted kind of sour. Now was the dessert time! I ordered budino al formaggio. Cheesecake made w/ caramel,white chocolate, & cream cheese served w/ blueberry sauce. Minus the blueberry sauce (I'm not a blueberry fan). The cheesecake was fluffy/light & tasted like a flan instead of a traditional dense cheesecake. It was gone in less than 60 seconds.My sister was bummed they were out of the crème brûlée. She ordered a pie like dessert w/ fresh fruits(another chef's special of the day). It came out hot & warm drizzled w/ caramel & served w/ vanilla gelato. I sampled the torta al coco(coconut cake served w/ a drizzle of expresso sauce & whipped cream). The cake was dry thank goodness the expresso sauce & whipped cream came to the rescue adding some moisture. Finally,I tasted the torta caprese(almond cake served w/ a scoop of vanilla gelato & whipped cream). The moist cake came out warm & tasted slightly sweet w/ a crunch of nuttiness. The gelato was more like a baby scoop. We had to order extra gelato(pistachio & vanilla it came w/ 2 normal scoops). The pistachio gelato was to die for. It had pieces of pistachios inside of it. Our waitress Ashley was informative & knew her stuff. The busboy was on his A game making sure our table never went thirsty or cluttered w/ empty plates from our feast. Verdict: if you ever come through come hungry,cancel your carb guilt, & hope they have crème brûlée that day! read more

See all

Came here for dinner to celebrate the start of a new year. The ambiance is cute, nice spot for date nights. We enjoyed the octopus appetizer. My pasta entree was good, minus the cauliflower - I didn't really care for it and it would have tasted better without. My husband enjoyed his lamb dish. The dessert was pretty good. Overall nice spot. read more

See all

Snowy evening, my daughter, son-in-law & I dropped in for dinner after a stressful day. The restaurant was warm & inviting, beautifully decorated, soft music in the background. The service was impeccable, the staff friendly & engaging. My daughter asked for a suggestion for wine to pair with her dinner & was very impressed with the suggestions. The food was excellent, freshly prepared, fragrant & delicious. The bread freshly baked on the premises. What a rare & wonderful gem , highly recommended to anyone who loves great Italian food read more

Rustica Ristorante - Gelato & cappuccino , lovely way to complete a fantastic meal. - Italian Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

Had a reservation as it was dinner for a birthday and our first time here. The reservation was really not needed, maybe after 7 dinners with larger parties may find the need. We enjoyed a wonderful organically recommended white wine that was just perfect. We had the burrata appetizer that was good but on the smaller side and not really impressive. The bread for the table was quite impressive, I just couldn't stop eating it with just plain olive oil it was so crispy but so pillowy soft on the inside. Next was a tasty Caesar salad that we split with plenty for both. On to entrees, my husband loved his linguine with clams stating it was some of the best he's had out. I had the fruits de mere which I expected to be in a type of pink sauce but it was a red sauce which kinda threw me off but it was ok with great homemade pasta. No dessert tonight as we had tiramisu waiting at home. Service was attentive. Look for a great deal on Groupon. read more

Food is always great. Service is friendly and. Knowledgeable. We eat. Here once a week. We love it. It's worth a visit.

Fantastic meal. Minestrone was light and flavorful-a rarity nowadays. My fish was perfect-light, tasty, great portion. My daughter's steak was devoured, she said the mashed potatoes were best ever for a restaurant. Excellent wine selection. read more

Food was overall solid with a few minor issues. Artichoke hearts were a bit salty, the veal chop was not very tender and the gelato had bits of freezer burn. The service was absolutely amazing and we felt very spoiled. Prices are a bit high for the quality of the food. The space is clean and polished. read more

See all

First time here. Would definitely recommend - good food at a reasonable price, excellent service and clean environment. Their lamb was perfectly cooked, their pasta was homemade, the spinach salad was fresh. Their clams vongole was the only dish that could have used a bit more salt. Their coconut cake had a nice chocolate topping, their affogato did not dissapoint. All in all, very pleased with the entire experience! read more

OK.... So many of my followers read my review of this restaurant last year. I ventured back on my kids wanting to try again! As we walked in, I knew the staff had my "number"!! As I was contemplating my next move, I saw the waitress behind the "waiters station" laughing, reading my previous review. I then went to the bathroom and glanced by the "waitress station" ... I saw my review up on the computer screen!! I had 2 choices, leave or take my chances? I stayed!! I had the Veal chop! Prolly one of the best veal chop i have had. My daughters got the NY strip, and the gnocchi and my wife got the linguine and clams. The food was absolutely delicious! No complaints! Service was great! I will totally "fall on my sword" here and say, while my last review was a bit harsh, I'm glad I went back. Regardless, everything was great! Here are some pics of the food. read more

Rustica Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

See all

Great homemade pasta for an out of the way joint. Some of the sauces and combinations could use some work -- we got a pasta with sausage and what was supposed to be broccoli rabe, which was subbed out for cauliflower, thus changing the whole character of the dish. Friendly service and accommodating of our toddler. read more

Housed in an unassuming building off of one of the main highways in Chester, you might be hesitant to believe that inside is a very good Italian restaurant. If you knew the owners hailed from Ecuador, you might wonder as well what would they know about Italian food? Well, don't be fooled - the Italian fare is as good as you're going to find anywhere, better in some cases. And it turns out they know quite a bit about Italian food. We had a grilled octopus that, I have to say, I was not expecting much of and it was one of the best I have had in some time. The raw zucchini "noodles" - essentially a salad - were tossed with a lemon dressing that was very subtle and complemented the fresh vegetable nicely. But the real show stopper was the carbonara - I've never had such light, fluffy pasta. And the sauce, rather than the leaden lava carbonara can often be, was very light, almost foamy, with a lot of peas and bits of bacon (not huge strips or chunks of it). Honestly, this was some of the best pasta I've ever had. The New York Times review from 2014 (you can google it) I thought was very accurate - exactly our experience with the carbonara. You can also read about the chef's and owner's experience at another area Italian restaurant, Paci, whose owner meticulously trained them over a 25 year period before opening restaurant. I give Rustica four stars only because the cocktails we had were not on the same level as the food, which was outstanding. It is definitely worth the trip to dine at Rustica. read more

Rustica Ristorante - Linguini carbonara at Rustica - Italian Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

A big Thank You Thursday to Rustica Ristorante for 1. Serving great food - not just amazing Italian - but amazing fresh food. 2. For bringing in fresh ingredients EVERYDAY 3. For homemade pasta with love 4. For reminding us GREAT FOOD takes a little longer but the reward is off the charts. My second review restaurants have this in common in the 10 months I've been going NEVER A BAD MEAL! They also add seasonal food along with their fantastic menu. So for this review it is a feast for the eyes and know everything you see was simply flawless. Not just a great shoreline restaurant, one of Connecticut's best! Salute! NOW LISTEN if you haven't noticed COVID-19 killed the restaurant business so how about some understanding - staff's are stretched thin so chill, sip your drink, relax and leave the rush outside, please. read more

See all

One of my favorites in Chester. Ravioli and Brussels sprouts salad are both delicious. Really can't go wrong with anything you order. It's a must try for delicious italian food. read more

See all

Took a Sunday drive to Chester this week and really enjoyed the Rustica. It was my first trip to this area and it really was a great small town. The restaurant was small/quaint and the staff were all super friendly and very accommodating. Before we selected Rustica I spent quite a bit of time looking at the photos that were previously uploaded to Yelp. These make such a difference and I highly recommend posting your shots if you remember before digging into your food. The plates look so well made and the presentation is very consistent. We shared some appetizers that were great like the Polpette (meatballs) and the clams casino. Our dinners were fantastic and they included 1. Linguini di mare x 2. 2. Salmone 3. Pappardelle Brocoli Rape E Salsiccia All the dinners were delicious and well prepared. And after dinner we enjoyed the cappuccinos and some biscotti. What a nice place and worth the drive. read more

Cute little restaurant off beaten path. Food was great (apps, salad, main course). Waiter was pleasant and helpful. Quiet romantic setting for a birthday celebration. Polpette and eggplant appetizers were delicious. read more

Rustica Ristorante - Homemade ravioli. - Italian Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

See all

Very nice experience at Rustica Ristorante. Food was excellent and service was great. Able to split different dishes which is a great option if you want to try a couple things. read more

As an italian place, this is a pretty solid choice. I headed here with my girlfriend after a day on the water to try out one of the higher rated italian places in the area. Servers were very nice and accommodating, was plenty of outdoor dining spots and the time to get food was fairly quick. We both opted to go tapas style here, getting the meatballs, tomatoes and mozz, and an entree of pan seared scallops. The meatballs were phenomenal, you could tell they've been simmering in sauce for a good while and were pleasantly soft with a surprisingly bold but mellow red sauce. The tomato and mozz were serviceable, a touch of salt would've helped make the tomato really shine. but with covid, salt shakers were in short supply so I had to make due. The Scallops were unfortunately not as great. They did get us an extra scallop with our plate, but the scallops were old and overcooked which made them quite a bit rubbier than preferred. The waiter was able to address this and offered to replace the dish, which we opted for the ravioli. The red sauce was the same they used for the meatballs, which was still very tasty. The cheese filling was true cheese and the pasta was fresh. my only complaint with the ravioli was the seam was more al-dente then I prefer. beyond that though, still a solid entree. Overall, even with the setbacks it was a memorable meal. i am sure if we sprung for some wine and were pretty sauced then this meal would be awesome. But it's pretty solid italian fare and worth a stop by if you're in the area. read more

The food here is so good you will remember it years later. My brother in law was an actor at the Goodspeed and recommended this place, the staff were super nice but the food, well I still remember the incredible flavor. The Pappardelle Cavolfiori e Salsiccia, amazing, don't miss it. We were there around 2007 or so, but still one of the best meals I have ever had. read more

Food is out of this world. Tasty and without any of the sauces many restaurants are using now. Service is also the best. Attentive and willing to make your dinner experience one of a kind. Ambiance is also top notch. Being a small restaurant makes it easy to be attentive. read more

Tonight we celebrated my husband's 81st birthday at Rustica in Chester, CT. We had not been there since January of this year, yet our food server Andreas remembered us. He provided excellent service and made our visit more than a dinner out. He made us feel like family. I had the grilled veal chop, my husband opted for the strip steak and a friend ordered halibut. Each dinner was perfectly cooked and just as we requested. Great job, warm atmosphere and excellent food and drink. read more

We went for dinner 5/24 and had a perfect evening. I had the New Zealand rack of Lamb and my wife had the Swordfish special. Both were prepared with perfection. The pace of our dinner was excellent, not too fast or too slow. Questions we had were answered quickly and wine service was on point. The owner and server were attentive as needed. Being a small restaurant it is intimate, quiet and conducive to private conversation. We are from North Carolina visiting family and friends and will frequent this restaurant when we visit again. read more

Beyond amazing. Incredible. Great decor, husband and wife owners are present yet not pushy. A friend and I went before a play at the Ivoryton Playhouse and we weren't rushed. In fact we had to hurry to get there because we lost track of time! Had the cauliflower soup. Delicious. The. The shaved Brussels sprout salad. Best ever. Amazing. Light touches of lemon was perfect. Salivating thinking about it actually. Had gnocchi for main course. A bit too much pesto for me but still just wonderful. Will be back. No doubt. read more

See all

Just had THE most amazing experience at Ristica! From beginning to end our evening was amazing. While the food was fabulous, what made our dinner most memorable was our waitress, Andrea!! She made us feel like we were her most important customers from the moment we sat down and by the time we left, we felt like she was our friend! She was attentive, knowledgeable and personable. Such a wonderful experience all around! We look forward to going back and with any luck we will have the pleasure of having Andrea as our waitress once again;) read more

Friendly and attentive staff, well-thought out and executed menu. Could offer more vegetarian friendly main options.

Warning!! The staff was very very slow. Took them 20min + get a refill on wine. The dishes was very small and over priced the taste was just ok. I won't be visiting again! Very disappointed night. read more

The food was wonderful. I had the shaved Brussels sprouts salad and my husband had the clams casino to start- just yummy. I had Salmon and him the Lamb Chops. Leave some room for dessert. read more

Good Italian food in a pleasant atmosphere. Full bar. Excellent Bolognese sauce. Sometimes service a little slow because of the endemic problem of maintining restaurant works. Recommend. Near Goodspeed Musicals. read more

A real find for us non-locals! Located in a small plaza away from Chester's classic New England downtown, Rustica is a top notch Italian run by Ecuadorians. House made pasta, all the classics, and good service. The grilled octopus app was delicious as were entrees of braised rabbit papperdelle; ravioli and meatballs, osso buco and the sausage and garden veg papperdelle. A couple of good Tuscan reds well priced too! The gelato and espresso and chocolate pot de crème closed it out nicely read more

Ate here for the first time on Sunday evening - and will be back often. The couple who own the restaurant are in the kitchen and their son tends bar. Very simple from outside, but white linen inside. Delicious food. We shared a shaved Brussel sprout salad with a very light lemon preserve. We both had pasta - which is all homemade. I had pappardelle with a broccoli and sausage sauce with light butter and just a touch of garlic. My wife had fettuccini alla vodka. As my wife said, "it all tasted like real food." House made coconut cake with a chocolate sauce which had a little espresso. Attentive service from a friendly, welcoming staff who really knew the menu. A very reasonable price. The restaurant is out of the way, but well worth the drive. read more

Hate leaving poor reviews. Been wanting to try this place as the reviews are pretty good and the menu looks great! Started off ordering drinks. Mine was not good. I had a friend taste it and they agreed or they would have swapped it with me. So I ordered a wine which was great. The waiter was absolutely fabulous. He did everything perfect and was very personable right off the bat! First we ordered the brussel sprout appetizer and we both enjoyed it. My friend had the artichoke app and said it was the highlight. He also had the octopus and said it should have been brined longer as it was a bit chewy. I didn't taste it as I was so turned off by my dish. I had given up on anything being good at this point. I ordered the parpadelle with sausage and cauliflower. Completely tasteless. I questioned whether I had Covid..... like no taste. Pasta was overdone. Very disappointed. Service was good. Atmosphere was not great. Will not be going back. read more

5 stars. Nothing negative to say. Food was amazing. Service was impressive. I went there for my birthday and they treated me like a king.

I love this place. Very simple and yet elegant Italian cuisine. The Polpette is excellent as is the Carbonara (fettuccine). Last night we had cauliflower and fennel sausage pappardelle (Cavolfiori e Salsiccia), pappardelle alla bolognese, linguini di mare and Carciofi in Padella. All very good to excellent. I have also had the lamb in previous visits which is excellent. Then add to all of this the experience of visiting your warm Italian aunt and uncle's home and what could be better? read more

The food here is always superb! The service is perfect! The wine list amazing! We love it here! Always bring friends and family!

Happily, we happened upon Rustica Ristorante while visiting the Essex area and we were looking for a good restaurant within a 15 minute drive of Essex and the Ivoryton Playhouse. Living in Boston, we have been to many Italian restaurants. Rustica is the best of the bunch. So good, in fact, that we went twice in one week. The pasta was excellent--cooked to perfection--tender and silky. My husband had fettuccini with Bolognese both times. I had pappardelle with cauliflower and fennel sausage. The dish was a perfect blend of the tartness of grilled cauliflower and the sweetness of the sausage. For the second dinner I had the veal chop. The demi-glace on the chop was sublime. For dessert, we sampled an almond cake and a cocoanut cake, both wonderful additions to the meal. The server and host were welcoming, attentive and willing to make small menu enhancements for our taste. The atmosphere is perfect for a casual meal or a special occasion. read more

No better Italian in the shoreline. Truly a gem and so are the owners and staff. You won't be dissatisfied with anything on the menu.

If you haven't tried this restaurant you are missing out on a true dining experience. The food is amazing and the service provided by the owners and wait staff is second to none. The salads are fresh and crisp with terrific dressings and creative additions. The pasta is so light and delicate it's just amazing. The gnocchi, unbelievable..the cauliflower and sausage is one of my favorites. The real chop, cooked to perfection. And the desserts, all delicious.the cheesecake is so good it is a must have. If you are in Chester, you gotta check this place out. read more