Masa was basically my non-only seafood fare on a recent Connecticut trip. I appreciate both the…read morewonderful staff and the two friendly locals who graciously steered me in the right direction when my internal monologue became external. With its Latin American focus, I felt like the Peruvian chicken would be the best bet. Plus it was listed first on the menu (unlike concert setlists the best isn't usually saved for last - what's the deal with The Killers opening with Mr. Brightside? - but I digress). This was superb, partly thanks to the salsa verde, but also due to the excellent basil bread. I also enjoyed the mint lemonade. The local customers, like many Yelpers, raved about the Chinese BBQ sandwich and said I should get it next time. I had a moment of indie-rock snobbery and thought I can get Chinese sandwiches anytime in NYC, but I was curious about the emphatic praise. For a second I pretended I couldn't possibly get a second sandwich. So with some self-delusion combining "I didn't eat breakfast" and "these nice people told me to get another one" I got the BBQ sandwich. It, too, was excellent, with a perfect fusing of ham, bread and sauce.

My friends and I stopped in here earlier today to check out the vibes and Masa passed the vibe…read morecheck for sureeeee. Their empanadas are absolutely beautiful and should be show cased more often. Def a good hidden gem on this side of the state.

Water for dogs. Free dog biscuits at the counter. Nitro cold brew. Not a chain. Lovely town park…read moreacross the street. Need I say more? The Astroturf lawn and screaming-pink chairs out front could use a little help, but I'm giving them a pass. A great pit stop for a morning dog walk + coffee.

The best Nitro coffee on draft I've ever had. Will be back again to try more menu items soon.read more

The Back Door Kitchen & Pizzeria is a wood-fired pizzeria and restaurant that opened in Stonington,…read moreConnecticut in March 2024. It was founded by culinary couple Johan Jensen and Abbey Hemmann. Johan is a native of Denmark while Abbey is a Connecticut native. The two met in Cape Cod and eventually got married on White Crest Beach in Wellfleet. In July 2019, the couple opened their first restaurant, Whitecrest Eatery, at the Velvet Mill in Stonington. The historic building was originally home to the American Velvet Company, which operated from 1892 to 1996. Today it is a multipurpose building that is home to a thriving community of small businesses and artist studios. The American bistro with a weekly-changing menu soon won numerous awards and accolades. By 2024, the couple opened a new restaurant in the Velvet Mill. This time they would focus on artisanal wood-fired sourdough pizza as well as sandwiches, salads, and other delicious treats. Named for the "back door" of the Velvet Mill, the pizzeria soon won its own accolades. My sons and I recently had lunch at Back Door. I've visited the Velvet Mill numerous times, but this was my first visit since Back Door opened. After looking of the menu, we all decided to order and share the "Margherita" (fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato sauce, EVOO) and the "CBR" (house ranch, bacon, chicken, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, everything spice, lemon, dill). After ordering, we picked a table right by the pick-up window so we could watch the kitchen crew at work. Both pizzas had great crust that was crispy on the outside and yet chewy on the inside. The fresh ingredients gave the pies some rich flavors with a nice smoky finish. I really liked the "Margherita", but it was the topping combo on the "CBR" that left me really impressed. I washed everything down with a bottle of locally-produced Hosmer Mountain Birch Beer. We were all very happy with our lunch. Before leaving, my younger son had a delicious "Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie". He was nice enough to offer me and my older son a bite. We were impressed with Back Door and hope to return in the future!

The service was great. The pizza came out way faster than I anticipated... and it was amazing! I…read morewas able to do half and half of two different kinds. My friends got the happy hour $10 deal of either pepperoni or cheese. The place is spacious and was great walking around

Great small casual local cafe that is known for its sourdough goodies. They offer everything from…read morehouse-made bread, morning rolls (sweet and savory), cookies, to pizza and sandwiches. They make their own blend of house teas which are delicious. It's a small spot that has both indoor and outdoor seating. The staff are all very friendly. We ordered the mushroom toast, house breakfast sandwich and two dark chocolate glazed sourdough donuts (which are made to order). This was our second visit of the weekend and everything was delicious both times. Definitely adding to our Rolodex of places to return to and highly recommend!

Nana's has something for everyone: pizza using the sourdough they bake in house, a killer spicy…read morekale Caesar salad, sandwiches, and a pastry section including seasonal doughnuts. So that means everyone loves Nana's. Which means that, on a very rainy weekend early afternoon, we ended up waiting quite a long time to order and then to get our food but ... I suppose it was worth it (this is high praise coming from someone who almost never believes waiting in a long line is actually worth it). My friend and I split the spicy Caesar kale salad as a starter. I cracked up when I saw "massaged kale" as one of the ingredients. But all jokes aside, this was one of the best kale salads with abundant dressing and, in lieu of croutons, breadcrumbs and cashew parmesan. It tasted pretty indulgent and rich but you can certainly fool yourself into thinking it's actually healthy. I got the tomato sandwich plus bacon (so a BLT without the L) and it was pretty good, though I do wish they cut the bread a little thinner so I could pick it up and eat it as a sandwich. As it were, I just used my knife and fork - certainly more civilized. The pizza was also not bad, though I wish there were some more of the toppings - heard it's leagues better than Mystic Pizza. There are a few tables inside but be prepared to wait. When it was peak rush hour, there were two lines inside, one for the bathroom and one to place an order. Even though they were so slammed, the staff couldn't be friendlier. Our waitress in particular came by often to see how we were doing. Parking lot also filled up. We parked in the Mystic train station and then walked over.

Beautiful store. Great help. NO prices on anything. "IF you have to ask you cant afford it"…read moreattitude. Five oz box Carr crackers $7. Way over priced.

The store is really nice and has a large variety of items both cold and hot as well as made to…read moreorder. The staff is very helpful and nice. However, this is getting 3 stars because although I was given a large portion of friends with my fish and chips, it was obvious that some of the fries were old and refried which was really disappointing. The fish used for the fish and chips was extremely.... fishy! Maybe it's because I've had fish and chips in Norway, England, San Francisco etc but it was way too thick and just not the right fish in my opinion. Although the staff was friendly, when my order was ready they all kind of walked away and didn't really tell me if I could pay there or not, so I stood at the register for a few minutes before anyone asked me what I needed. They were still very polite, just not really aware I guess. However, I would still go back to this place because the ambiance is great, what I could eat was great, the portions given and selections was large, and they were very friendly!

Geez, I forgot to post this but this place is so cool this this little sandwich shop was great…read moreabout it. Is you could place an order and just leave the bag outside and everybody's trustworthy? Nobody takes the bags on the table tables and walks away. Not sure what the price was because one of the persons in our party paid for the whole thing. But I haven't had a sandwich in a long time so I might be biased, but that was a great sandwich Chip soda loving it.

Stopped here after spending the morning at the beach. I ordered the muffuletta on a gluten free…read morebagel. They asked if it was a preference or allergy which was great. The bagel was very good, but the olive mix was beyond salty as were the cold cuts. I ended up scraping off the olive mix. I brought half home and added mayo and tomato and it was great. My daughter order the Brie Bacon and fig spread grilled cheese. She said the flavor was excellent. Next time she would order with extra cheese. There are tables on the deck with umbrellas but we were looking to cool off and ate inside. It was not cool. If you are looking for fancy this is not the place but it hit the spot and is worth a second try.

Everything at Pop Over Eatery from the service to the food was Amazing! All the people we…read moreinteracted with were friendly from the person who sat us, our waitress, to the lady who brought us our food. Our drink order for my husband a blood orange juice and myself an iced maple cinnamon latte. Both drinks beautifully refreshing after walking to Pop Over from our hotel over the drawbridge. For my breakfast I ordered the protein popover which was stuffed with eggs, bacon, turkey sausage and mushrooms. I for sure got my protein fill for the day. My husband ordered the French toast BLT which I was surprised about I don't generally take him for any sweetness with food. But he actually really loved the sweet and savory combo. Also, with our large meals we were each given a Pop Over with butter. The Pop Over was so airy, and warm and the creamy butter I can imagine it now'. As I write this review I wish we had a Pop Over Eatery close to home!

I came in for lunch and got the kale Caesar salad. The salad was fine, itreally didn't have that…read moremuch kale in it, and the Brussels were a bit too tough to cut or chew. Probably a little expensive compared to what you get at other nearby spots for the price. The popover that it came with was delish! Service was very friendly and warm.

This is one of my favorite places in all of New London County. It is the only place I will wake…read moreup early for to beat the crowd and get bagels. Yes, get here early especially in tourist season to beat the crowds, and order ahead if the option is available. They do sell out so check their instagram/facebook first to make sure they haven't yet. My current go to is a plain or sesame bagel toasted with butter and a little hot honey. When I am more hungry, I go for the sweet Lou with no cheese or the Hot Boi with no cheese and cream cheese on the side. The eggs are local and everything is cooked perfectly. The everything bagel is a little too salty for my tastes, but friends love it! My boyfriend is incredibly picky about bagels but if I come home with no bagel for him he gets in his feelings--it's that good. I'm so happy to see The Flour Shop thrive here in Pawcatuck. They started off with humble beginnings and it's been great to watch them grow and expand. Staff is always kind, even with the stress of the tourist season. Check this place out!

I would give 6 stars if it would let me!!! If you haven't made it to The Flour Shop Bagels & More…read moreyet, you're seriously missing out. This hidden gem is already going viral in real life, and after my visit, I completely understand why. Be prepared to wait (the line stretched out the door and wrapped around the building) but don't let that scare you away. It moves pretty fast. It's absolutely worth the wait. And that says a lot coming from an impatient New Yorker that hates to wait. Inside is small and can get pretty crowded, but there are a few outdoor tables if you'd rather enjoy your food outside. Parking was surprisingly easy, with a decent-sized lot. The service was just as impressive as the food. Owner Hannah was wonderful to chat with and clearly passionate about what she's built. Alyssa, who took my order, was incredibly patient and helped me narrow down the menu with fantastic recommendations!! I tried the #3 Sweet Lou on a jalapeño bagel with cream cheese, and it was the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The cheddar scallion bagel with regular cream cheese was light, flavorful, and had just the right amount of crisp on the outside. I also had the Meemers BLT on a margarita bagel, which was absolutely delicious. For drinks, I ordered the Cookie Butter Cold Brew with cold foam and the Banana Bread Latte with caramel and cold foam. Both were incredible and packed with flavor. (I usually don't even like cold brew) From the exceptional service to the outstanding food and drinks, everything exceeded my expectations. The Flour Shop Bagels & More absolutely lives up to the hype and is a must visit if you're looking for one of the area's best breakfast spots. They are absolutely on my list of favorites now!

I was in Mystic on New Year's Eve morning, killing time in between food activities, when I saw…read morePasta Fresca & Piadina in a Yelp search result. Its grinders looked damn good. Since Pasta was in the name, I figured it might be more of a market than a grinder shop and I decided to visit. It was actually more of a grinder shop that sold some fresh pasta and sauces and things that you would expect a grinder shop to have. I honestly thought about walking out without buying anything, but I kept thinking about that awesome looking Italian Trio (basically like an Italian Combo) grinder. I decided to order a small, take some pics and a couple of bites, and save the rest for later since I had lunch plans. This grinder was my ideal Italian Combo. First off, the small was huge. Full size at most places. I ate it over the course of two days. I ordered it with lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, cucumbers, provolone, Oil and Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, and Mayo. The three meats were pepperoni, Genoa salami and capicola. The bread was good, fresh and up to the job of holding the ingredients. There were about six slices of meats, but they folded them around the inside of the bun (cut on one side) so you were really getting about 12 layers in each bite. And the inside was stuffed with the veggies and other toppings. So stuffed that the toppings fell out as you were taking bites. But that was actually great from my perspective, because you could just pick up the fallen toppings and put them exactly where you were going to bite next. I've been to a lot of highly rated grinder shops in CT. I don't think I've had a better Italian combo. The ingredients were all great. It was a well constructed sandwich. You got bits and pieces of most of the stuff in each bite. Ingredients were in the right proportion. It was salty. Acidic. Juicy. Great contrasting textures. This was a text book Italian Combo Grinder. Now if you live near Mystic, getting a grinder from Pasta Fresca is a no brainer because you can take it home. If you're not from the Mystic area, there was a bit of seating. Seating may be hit or miss though. In any event, if you can figure out where you're going to eat the Italian Trio, you're going to love it. Can't believe I've never heard of this place. 5 Stars

Ordered deli sandwich platters and they were absolutely delicious! Very generous portions of meat…read moreand fresh ingredients. Highly recommend. Service was also very friendly and courteous.

Went with my son to get some breakfast on a gorgeous morning. Chose the egg and cheese with bacon…read moreon sourdough. Oh. MY. God. Best breakfast sandwich ever!! The sourdough was epic! Got iced coffee too - so good! Son got breakfast burrito, which he liked, but wanted meat in it. Maybe he could have requested it? Nice place, decent prices, good stuff.

I ordered sandwiches from Mystic Market East for my Dad's funeral reception. The sandwiches were…read moredelicious, I ordered the "small" three items per person option. All the choices were wonderful and the size of the portions was generous to say the least. I would certainly order from them in the future.