The state of Connecticut is home to a variety of tourist attractions, such as the Sleeping Giant State Park and the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden, the Kidcity Children's Museum and Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown, and Mark Twain House & Museum and the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford. Visitors to the state of Connecticut have numerous dining options to choose from, including a small number of Irish restaurants. These establishments feature food and drinks from Ireland, served in a casual setting.
Specializing in breakfast, O'Rourke's Diner is located in Middletown. The restaurant was once featured on the Food Network television show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." The breakfast menu includes a variety of Irish dishes, including grit cakes, grilled turnips, banger sausages, lamb sausage, imported Irish salt bacon and Irish smoked salmon. A popular breakfast dish is the Irish soda bread French toast, topped with housemade jellies and clotted cream. Another is the Dubliner omelet, filled with corned beef hash and cheddar cheese, served alongside Irish bacon, fingerling potatoes and soda bread. O'Rourke's Diner serves breakfast and lunch daily and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are not accepted. A children's menu is available for young diners.
O'Rourke's Diner
728 Main St.
Middletown, CT 06457
860-346-6101
orourkesdiner.com
The Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant is located in Hamden. The menu begins with 18 appetizers, such as the barbecue chicken tenders flavored with Irish whiskey, and smoked salmon served on Irish brown bread with a horseradish sauce, red onions and capers. A dinner specialty is the Guinness stew, composed of lamb and root vegetables flavored with the stout beer. Fish and chips is another classic. The restaurant has a full bar, and the Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are not taken. Live Irish music is featured on the weekends, and outdoor dining is available on the restaurant's patios, weather permitting.
The Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant
1232 Whitney Ave.
Hamden, CT 06517
203-287-2401
playwrightirishpub.com
Vaughan's Public House is an Irish restaurant and pub located in Hartford. A dozen appetizers open the menu, with offerings such as the Glenkerry potatoes, which are pub fries covered in a curry sauce and garnished with sour cream. Among the Irish dinner specialties is the shepherd's pie, which contains round beef with onions, carrots, celery and corn, covered in mashed potatoes and then baked. Another is the corned beef and cabbage served with dijon mustard and brown bread. For dessert, try the Guinness brownie or the bread pudding. The restaurant has a full bar and is known for its signature Irish cocktail, which consists of house-made Irish cream liqueur, coffee and whipped cream. Vaughan's Public House is open for lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are not taken.
Vaughan's Public House
59 Pratt St.
Hartford, CT 06103
860-882-1560
irishpublichouse.com
