Middletown sits on the banks of the Connecticut River, in central Connecticut between Boston and New York. Once a major shipping port, today it is primarily a college town and bedroom community for neighboring towns, including Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Despite its size, Middletown offers a great deal of cultural diversity, and many of its most popular restaurants specialize in international cuisine.
Fiore II is an Italian bistro located in downtown Middletown. It has an unpretentious, trattoria-like ambiance and offers outdoor seating and take-out service. The menu features classic dishes such as lasagna, ravioli and linguini with clam sauce and the homemade garlic knots are a popular starter. Fiore's signature dish is either eggplant, chicken or veal, topped with spinach, fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese in a vodka pink sauce.
Fiore ll
332 Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
860 344-5557
fioremiddletown.com
A few miles south of Middletown is the Coyote Blue Tex Mex Cafe. The atmosphere is noisy and fun, and the decor is crammed with Southwestern knickknacks such as cowboy boots, lassos and chili peppers. Bubbling tanks of the restaurant's notoriously strong margarita can be found in the bar. The mid-priced menu offers Tex Mex staples, such as chips and salsa, nachos, quesadillas, tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Combo plates let diners sample a bit of everything. If you save room, there's also a dessert combo on the menu.
Coyote Blue Tex Mex Cafe
1960 Saybrook Rd
Middletown, CT 06457
860-345-2403
coyoteblue.com
Forbidden City, on Middletown's Main Street, is an upscale, modern Asian restaurant that doubles as a gallery showcasing paintings and sculptures by upcoming Chinese artists. The menu matches the decor, with inventive modern updates on traditional Chinese dishes. Entrees include sea bass with ho fun (thick rice noodles) lasagne in a ginger soy sauce or sashimi with muscatel panna cotta. There is a prix-fixe menu at lunch, and a relaxed lounge where locals often unwind with a cocktail during happy hour.
Forbidden City
335 Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
860-343-8288?
forbiddencitybistro.com
Located in downtown Middletown, Haveli India is perhaps the most popular Indian eatery in the area. The atmosphere is casual, featuring Indian artwork and a stone fireplace. The adjoining lounge features an extensive wine list, as well as a jukebox and pool table that make it a popular spot for the area's college students. The mid-priced menu offers a lunch buffet and standard Indian fare, such as samosas, chicken tikka and shrimp vindaloo. The restaurant also offers a thali, or a complete dinner plate based on chef specials.
Haveli India
1300 S Main Street
Middletown, CT 06457
860-347-7773
www.haveliindia.com
Eli Cannon's, on Main Street, is a fun pub that rotates 33 different ales on tap daily to ensure patrons can sample new microbrews and craft beers. The atmosphere is laid-back and charmingly unkempt, with a mishmash of seating that includes barber chairs, theater seats, couches and a even a few bike seats inside and on their large patio. The restaurant describes its menu as \"trailer park fusion,\" which generally consists of inexpensive American bar food, such as chicken wings, calamari, burgers and sandwiches.
Eli Cannon's Tap Room
95 Main Street
Middletown, CT
860-347-3547
elicannons.com
