The 11 best neighborhood restaurants in the Hartford area, according to our readers
In the early days of January, we polled our readers: What are your favorite neighborhood haunts, the mom and pops, your go-to places for affordable, delicious family meals?
We’re not talking about the high-priced restaurants that get all the attention. We’re talking about the small places that may not have a website, but they don’t need one, because they are the center of the community on a day-to-day basis.
We got hundreds of nominations. More than half of the top vote-getters are breakfast-and-lunch only, which just proves that one great coffee shop can tie a whole town together.
The winner, with the most nominations by far, is At the Dam in East Windsor. This diner’s unpretentious exterior gives no clue to the love this small breakfast-lunch place has in the community. Nominators commented on the friendliness of the staff, the perfection of the hash and the tasty soup specials.
One nominator raved, “This hidden gem in Broad Brook is operated by a foodie who knows how to make both comfort food and gastronomical delights with equal flair. … The only drawback for me is that I don’t live closer but maybe that’s a good thing!”
Another nominator wrote “Food is outstanding and the staff are friendly and inviting! I feel like family when I’m there. The environment has a community feel and they definitely live up to their slogan ‘where friends meet.’ This is my go-to breakfast spot!”
At the Dam, at 100 Main St., is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 7 a.m. to noon on Sundays. It serves breakfast and lunch favorites — omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, burgers — and posts daily specials on Facebook.
On patriotic holidays, a favorite special is the red, white and blue pancakes, topped with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream. Other fun specials are the peanut butter and jelly French toast stack, s’mores pancakes and taco omelet. They can be found on Facebook.
Here are the other 10 top vote-getters.
Ana’s Kitchen
Ana’s Kitchen was at 712 Hopmeadow St. in Simsbury for three years and reopened last summer at 244 Farms Village Road, which is closer to the farms where owner Ana Oliviera got her ingredients.
Ana’s fans followed her to the new location and noticed the farm-to-table freshness. “Their food is homemade, and so fresh you can taste the difference. My family loves it, we go every weekend. They have the kindest staff,” one nominator wrote.
Popular menu items are the Sunshine Salad with avocado, chickpeas, feta and sunflower and pumpkin seeds; a chipotle chicken sandwich with bacon and avocado; scrambled eggs with lox; a farmer’s omelet with potatoes, cheddar, chives and tomato; and a Croque Madame, with cheese and ham on sourdough, Bechamel sauce and fried eggs on top.
Ana’s hours are Tuesday to Friday 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekends 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. anaskitchencafe.com.
Mo’s Midtown
Mo’s Midtown, a beloved anchor in Hartford for decades, continues to bring the love to its 25 Whitney St. location in the West End.
“Mo’s is the quintessential breakfast and lunch spot in the west end of Hartford. Stanley, a Polish immigrant, is a loveable yet grumpy owner, making generous portions of affordable, delicious food to a wide array of diverse characters. He might even teach you a little Polish. And Spanish,” a longtime fan wrote.
At Mo’s, everything is a little bit Mo. Egg dishes include Papa Mo, Mama Mo, Baby Mo and Egg McMo. They also have omelets, pancakes, burgers and sandwiches and specials. One nominator wrote “Try their potato pancakes or their potato pancakes smothered in mushroom gravy.”
Mo’s Midtown is open weekdays 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Its web presence is minimal, but Mo’s does have a Facebook page and a menu can be found on Yelp.
Ken’s Corner
Ken’s Corner Breakfast & Lunch, at 30 Hebron Ave. in Glastonbury, is the “quintessential neighborhood breakfast and lunch place. Family-run, with super friendly owners and waitstaff, personal touches galore, homemade delicious and fresh, high quality food prepared with care and flair. Great neighbor vibe.”
One nominator said that about the beloved breakfast-and-lunch spot, which has been a landmark in Glastonbury for about 34 years. Owner Ken D’Attilio prides himself on the freshness of his food, getting it from farmers in town.
Ken’s offers an extensive menu of breakfast classics including its “Big Eater” menu items, soups, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and burgers. Daily specials are offered, like various muffin and bagel flavors and loaded omelets, lobster sandwiches and pumpkin everything.
Ken’s is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. facebook.com/kenscornerbreakfast
Monte Alban
Monte Alban, at 531 Farmington Ave. in Hartford, “provides an oasis in which to relax, enjoy a meal, and escape from the business of Farmington Avenue,” one fan commented online.
Another raved, “The chicken enchiladas verdes platter is so delicious. The corn cakes melt in your mouth and the black beans are perfect seasoned.”
The bright-yellow Mexican restaurant has been a fixture in the West End for 20 years. It was founded by brothers Alfonso and Wenceslao Martinez, natives of Oaxaca. Their menu features authentic Mexican flavors in familiar dishes like quesadillas, tostadas, tamales and ceviche and lesser-known bites such as shrimp, crab and octopus in cocktail sauce; pork chops in green pumpkin seed sauce; red snapper with salad and rice; and tilapia with chipotle sauce. montealbanhartford.com.
Aurora’s
Aurora’s Bakery Restaurant, at 299 Capitol Ave. in Hartford, has “a warm atmosphere that’s like a neighborhood oasis.” That’s what one of the nominators said about the restaurant owned by Guatemala-born Karen Valenzuela, Ericka Valenzuela and Gabi and Joshua Orellana.
The tiny restaurant opened a year into the pandemic, and it was immediately embraced by the community in the Frog Hollow neighborhood.
Menu items include sebas nachos, tostada aguacate, tacos dorados, platanos crema queso, estrellados, and other Guatemalan, Mexican, Salvadoran and American meals, as well as breads and pastries.
It also has a huge variety of fresh squeezed juices — melon, pineapple, papaya, hibiscus, pina colada, green apple, celery, cucumber — and smoothies. On Three Kings Day, Jan. 6, they made traditional Kings rosettes.
Aurora’s is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. facebook.com/Aurorascapitol
Glastonbury Coffee Shop
Glastonbury Coffee Shop, at 30 Welles St., is a perfect community hangout. “This has been my family’s go-to breakfast place for the past 24 years. The food is excellent and the service is consistently outstanding. It’s a small breakfast and lunch restaurant that’s been around since 1978 and not much has changed since then. No reservations and no tablecloths!,” one nominator said.
Another nominator raved about one of America’s favorite foods: “Their bacon is out of this world! It is so thinly sliced! Anything with bacon cannot be beat!”
The coffee shop’s web presence is minimal. The restaurant is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekends. facebook.com.
TJ’s Burritos
TJ’s Burritos at 3 Turkey Hills Road in East Granby is a newcomer — it opened in February 2021. But it caught on fast with locals, who love the idea of getting a burrito for breakfast, or maybe chicken wings, a burger, or just a muffin or scone.
Co-owner Jeremy Jackson was a minority owner and manager at V’s Trattoria in Hartford. Another co-owner, Stefan Drago, worked at the Society Room, both in Hartford. The pandemic killed their jobs and they decided to go to the burbs and open a Mexican place. The third co-owner, Tricia Martin, wanted a bakery and coffee shop. They got both.
Starting at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, TJ’s serves breakfast — breakfast sandwiches and burritos, s’mores toast, avocado toast, biscotti, muffins, scones, croissants — and Mexican food, burgers, wings and sandwiches. After breakfast is over, Mexican, burgers and tacos are served until 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
On the online nomination form, fans raved. “Local gem! Local owners run small business and food and vibe is the best! Best coffee around!”
Get ready for a party on Feb. 11. It’s TJ’s first birthday and it’s Taco Tuesday. tjsburritos.com.
Sally and Bob’s
Sally and Bob’s, at 10 N. Main St. in West Hartford, is a neighborhood institution. It was opened in 1969 by Sally and Bob Dworetsky. In 1983, they retired, and their daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Ronnie Zieky, took over. In 2016, those two retired and handed the diner over to Helen Brower and Cesar Contreras, who run Sally and Bob’s to this day.
The neighborhood has stayed loyal from one owner to the other. “Great food, huge servings, everything so fresh and fast. Love to watch them cook. They know so many customers by name. Fun and delicious,” a nominator said.
Starting at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 7 a.m. Sundays, and until 2 p.m. the diner serves breakfast classics, soups of the day, salads, club sandwiches, deli sandwiches, melts, grilled cheese and burgers. sallyandbobs.com
Harvest Café
At 1390 Hopmeadow St. in Simsbury is Harvest Café & Bakery, which one nominator called “the Peach Pit of the Farmington Valley.” Another raved “We were delighted to discover it and shocked when we meet others that haven’t.”
Situated near the Simsbury-Granby border so fans from both towns can call it their own, Harvest has an impressive collection of Eggs Benedict dishes, quiches of the day and other breakfast classics.
Lunch, which is served after 11 a.m., includes specialty sandwiches — chicken salad croissant, ham and brie melt, gorgonzola portobello — as well as reubens, grilled cheese, deli classics, burgers, soups and a tempting variety of salads.
Harvest is open Wednesday to Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. harvestcafebakery.com.
Roux Cajun Eatery
Steph Civitillo, a native of the “Jambalaya Capitol of the World,” Gonzales, Louisiana, moved to Simsbury and brought her grandma’s recipes with her. Roux Cajun Eatery, at 10 Wilcox St., is her homage to her home.
Roux serves gumbo, crawfish etouffee, Gulf shrimp with grits, biscuits and gravy, loup garou burger, loup garou chips, blackened alligator, beignets, King cake, pecan pralines and Doberge cake.
“The recipes are hand-me-down from the chef’s family and are oh-so-delicious! Try the shrimp po-boy or the jambalaya — you’re in for a treat!,” a nominator raved. “The restaurant also has a fun vibe. Check out the authentic New Orleans lighting!”
Roux is open Tuesday to Friday noon to 9 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. rouxct.com.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
