CELEBRATE 2020
New Year’s Eve festivities at Connecticut restaurants include dinner, dancing and champagne toasts
Welcome 2020 in style with an exceptional meal and a glass (or bottle) of champagne at these Connecticut restaurants celebrating New Year’s Eve with special menus and festivities.
Sheraton Hartford Hotel located at Bradley International Airport, 1 Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, offers a New Year’s Eve package including a ’70s disco dance party. The overnight package includes accommodations for two, early check-in, cocktail hour, passed hors d’oeuvres, plated dinner, open bar 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., DJ entertainment, champagne toast at midnight, New Year’s Day brunch, and late checkout. Cost is $450 per couple (including tax and gratuity). A cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 860-386-7891.
ON20, 400 Columbus Blvd., Hartford, offers two seatings: the first at 5:30 p.m. with a fourcourse tasting menu for $95 (optional beverage pairing for $30) and another at 8:30 p.m., a full seven-course tasting menu with beverage pairings for $300. The second seating features live music and dancing with the Dave Palla Trio, a photo booth, post-dinner cocktails, party favors and a midnight champagne toast. A VIP experience in the Allen Room, for up to 18 people, is $5,000. Prices do not include tax and service charge. A credit card is required for reservations, with a 48-hour cancellation policy. 860-722-5161, ontwenty.com.
VIVO Seasonal Trattoria, 200 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, serves a special New Year’s Eve dinner menu from 5 to 10 p.m., including entrees like chicken ballotine, mushroom gnocchi, filet mignon with half lobster, sea scallops, trout almondine and veal osso bucco. VIVO will also offer
Firebox, 539 Broad St., Hartford, serves dinner from 5 to 10 p.m., with specials like tarragon and gruyere-stuffed lobster ($38) and cast iron venison filet with sweet potato spaetzle and chestnut ($46.) 860246-1222, fireboxrestaurant.com. Carbone’s Ristorante, 588 Franklin Ave., Hartford, serves dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. with specials like veal osso buco ($38) and lobster ravioli in prosecco cream sauce ($36.) 860-296-9646, carbonesct.com. Carbone’s Prime, 838 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill, serves dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. with specials like Vinnie’s surf and turf for two (24-oz dry aged cowboy ribeye, shrimp and scallop-stuffed twin lobster tails, gold potato au gratin, seasonal glazed vegetables, $140) and braised wild boar sugo (hand cut pappardelle pasta, kale gremolata, whipped lemon ricotta, $30.) 860-969-8088, carbonesprime.com. Carbone’s Kitchen, 6 Wintonbury Mall, Bloomfield, serves dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. with specials like braised lamb pappardelle ($27) and grilled beef tenderloin ($36.) 860-904-2111, carboneskitchen.com. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 44 S. Main St., West Hartford, offers a special holiday menu on New Year’s Eve, with three courses starting at $89. Entrees include petite filet mignon with lobster tail and petite filet with crab-stuffed colossal shrimp. Open 3 p.m. to midnight. 860-676-9463, flemingssteakhouse.com. Arugula, 953 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, serves dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. 860-561-4888, arugula-bistro.com. Union Kitchen, 43 Lasalle Road, West Hartford, serves dinner from 3 to 10:30 p.m., with its regular menu and a $75 three-course prix-fixe option, with entrees like half-roasted chicken, panroasted halibut and filet mignon with melted blue cheese. Live music by a Frank Sinatra impersonator. Bar is open later (last call 12:30 a.m.) 860-598-8000, unionkitchenct.com. Artisan Restaurant, 1 Memorial Road, West Hartford, offers two New Year’s Eve options. The first, starting at 5 p.m., is a three-course prix-fixe for $75 and the second, starting at 8:30 p.m., features a multi-course prix-fixe for $135. 860-9372525, artisanwesthartford.com. Bistro on Main, 867 Main St., Manchester, offers a four-course menu from 4 to 11 p.m., with entree choices of boeuf en croûte, coq au riesling, roasted half-duck, Chilean sea bass and roasted cauliflower and chickpea pasta. Vegan options are available at every course. Cost is $75, including gratuity. 860-432-5267, bistro-onmain.com. Market Grille, 110 Buckland Hills Drive, Manchester, offers a prix-fixe menu for $42.95 (menu to be posted) and also hosts a private party starting at 8 p.m., with premium open bar, hors d’oeuvres, raw bar, three-course dinner, DJ and dancing. Cost is $98.95 a person. 860-6441011, marketgrillct.com/special-events/. Tavern at Keney Park, 171 Windsor Ave., Windsor, serves dinner from 3 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 31, featuring a $25 threecourse surf and turf dinner with a 14ounce NY strip and baked stuffed shrimp. Reservations required. Happy hour starts at 3 p.m., with $5 appetizers and bar bites and assorted drink specials. 860-757-0658, tavernkp.com. Mill on the River, 989 Ellington Road, South Windsor, hosts a gala event starting at 8 p.m., with premium open bar, hors d’oeuvres including raw bar, a threecourse dinner, dancing and festivities. Cost is $110 plus tax and gratuity; non-refundable reservations by credit card. (The restaurant offers a three-course prix-fixe menu separate from the gala.) 860-2897929, themillontheriver.com/new-yearseve-gala. First & Last Tavern locations in Avon, Glastonbury and Plainville serve dinner until 10 p.m., with specials like seafood cannelloni ($24) and NY strip ($28.) firstandlasttavern.com. River, 100 Great Meadow Road, Wethersfield, offers a four-course prix-fixe menu with seatings at 4:30 p.m. ($69 a person) and a five-course prix-fixe menu with seatings at 7:30 p.m. ($105 a person) with entree selections like dry-aged NY strip, filet mignon and lobster tail, crab stuffed giant prawns and potato encrusted halibut. Each meal offers a complimentary champagne toast. River also hosts a cocktail party ($40 a person) in its atrium space starting at 9 p.m., with an hors d’oeuvres buffet, party favors and live music by the Mass-Conn-Fusion 7-piece band. Champagne toast at midnight. (Guests at the later dinner seating also have access to the cocktail party.) 860-2573344, riverontheriver.com. a New Year’s Day buffet from 7 a.m. to noon, featuring made-to-order omelets, smoked bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, pastries, spreads, coffee, tea, juices and one complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary for adults. The buffet is $26 for adults, $19 for kids under 10, and complimentary for children 5 and under (plus tax and gratuity.) Reservations are required for New Year’s Eve dinner and recommended for New Year’s Day buffet. 860-760-2333, vivohartford.com/menus.
Fire, 838 Farmington Ave., on, offers a $55 prix-fixe menu 10:30 p.m., with entree choices of ort rib, pan-seared salmon and ato gnocchi. A limited a la carte also be available. Bar is open last call at 12:30 a.m. 860-255andfire.net. Bis, 731 Hopmeadow St., Simss a $58.95 prix-fixe dinner from ., with entree choices of panibut, braised short ribs, panganic salmon, roasted butternut ck of lamb and grilled tenderloin Bis also offers New Year’s Eve ls, with items like beef tenderer bisque, crab cakes, whipped nd vegetable sides. Orders must by Dec. 28 to be picked up bed 7 p.m. Dec. 31. 860-651-7417, com. ury Inn, 397 Hopmeadow St., hosts dinner in its Evergreen t from 5:30 to 10 p.m., with a x-fixe menu. Entree choices pper and herb crusted tendery mustard French chicken con-wrapped venison tenderloin, nean sea bass and seared sea d portobello pappardelle. rnight package includes accoms with early check-in at 1 p.m., reakfast buffet on New Year’s ate checkout at 2 p.m. Cost is ouple, plus tax and gratuity. 700, simsburyinn.com. ight’s, 77 West St., Simsbury, dinner seatings. The first, from 5 m. features a four-course menu person and the second, served 0 p.m., features a six-course $124 a person. Dishes include foie gras stuffing, beef tenderni,” tuna tartare, roast cauliinea hen roulade with Brussels ad and scallops with potato and latke. 860-651-5500, millwrightnt.com. besett Canoe Club, 80 Harbor etown, hosts an early fournner from 5 to 7 p.m. for $45 nclude prime rib, swordfish baked stuffed sole and rosemary rkey.) A party begins at 8 p.m., r-course plated dinner, live muine North Band, champagne party favors. Tickets are $55. 999, canoeclubmiddletown.com. ard Cromwell, 4 Sebethe Drive, , is hosting a 2020 New Year’s Package includes overnight actions for two, 1 p.m. early checkYear’s Eve, passed hors d’oeucuterie, dinner buffet with deshour open bar, DJ, “selfie” stafavors, champagne toast at breakfast buffet on New Year’s ate checkout. Registration for the ns at 7:30 p.m. with festivities m. to 1 a.m. Cost is $389 (plus tax). Formal attire is encour894-5008. rill, 134 Berlin Road, Cromwell, ner specials like filet mignon Oscar with crabmeat, grilled swordfish and prime rib (specials start at $25.) 860613-2224, bacict.com. Fire at the Ridge, 99 Powder Hill Road, Middlefield, serves New Year’s Eve dinner from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with a fourcourse prix-fixe meal, a DJ, dancing, champagne toast and late night snack. Entree choices include prime rib, grilled swordfish, duck leg confit or polenta lasagna. Beer, wine and select cocktails are included from 6:30 to 9:30. DJ and dancing runs from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Cost is $79 plus tax and gratuity. 860-852-5444, fireattheridge.com. Elm City Social, 266 College St., New Haven, hosts a “Moulin Rouge”-themed party from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., with a live burlesque show, passed and stationed hors d’oeuvres, raw bar, champagne and cocktail bar, desserts and DJ. Cost is $69 until Dec. 15 and $79 after that until Dec. 25, when tickets go up to $89. Tickets are available at elmcitysocial.com. Olives & Oil, 124 Temple St., New Haven, hosts a “Casino Royale”-themed party with special a la carte menu, specialty cocktails, DJ entertainment starting at 11 p.m. and prizes for best-dressed Bond character. Spin a roulette wheel for the chance to win prizes, including a trip to San Francisco. 203-891-5870, olivesandoil.com. Shell & Bones, 100 S. Water St., New Haven, offers a $125 prix-fixe dinner in addition to its regular a la carte menu from 2 p.m. to midnight. 203-787-3466, shellandbones.com. Hamilton Park in the Blake Hotel, 9 High St., New Haven, offers a four-course prix-fixe dinner ($65) with dishes like filet mignon, quail with foie gras stuffing, sea bass and terrine of vegetables. Seatings from 6 to 10 p.m. 203-390-5192, hamiltonparknh.com. Griswold Inn, 36 Main St., Essex, hosts a celebration with a three-course prix-fixe menu for $62. Entree choices include grilled filet of beef, seared Atlantic salmon, roast prime rib and roasted duck, with an available vegetarian option. Dinner seatings begin at 5:30 p.m. The Psychedelic 60’s will play the “Back Room” from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. 860-767-1776, griswoldinn.com. Saybrook Point Inn, 2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook, hosts its annual New Year’s Eve gala at 7:30 p.m., with passed hors d’oeuvres, appetizer stations with raw bar, a sit-down dinner, dessert station and espresso bar, premium open bar, sommelier wine station during cocktail hour and champagne toast. Music by The Cartells. Tickets are $159.95. 860-395-2000, saybrook.com. Mohegan Sun’s restaurants offer New Year’s dining specials, including a threecourse meal for $150 at Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain (main course of two 6-ounce filet mignons and a steamed lobster split for two) and an 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye with butter-poached Alaskan king crab at Todd English’s Tuscany ($75.) Jasper White’s Summer Shack offers a surf and turf dinner with grilled lobster tail and filet mignon, and a “Baller” raw bar special with oysters, clams, cocktail shrimp, tuna sashimi, lobster, Alaskan king crab legs and a bottle of prosecco. mohegansun.com. Foxwoods Resort Casino restaurants offer New Year’s specials, including a $27.95 prime rib dinner at Veranda Cafe, a $168 fixed-price menu for two at Golden Dragon (with a 2 1/2 pound Maine lobster) and chilled Stonington lobster and Wagyu A5 mignon at VUE 24. foxwoods.com. MGMSpringfield’s restaurants feature specials, including an aged 32-ounce porterhouse ($120) at Chandler Steakhouse, truffle raviolo, lobster carbonara and zampone at Cal Mare ($35 to $50) and a petit filet with lobster risotto ($30) at TAP Sports Bar. mgmspringfield.com. The Irons at the Hilton Mystic offers New Year’s specials like baked stuffed shrimp, seared duck breast, rosemary and garlic rack of lamb, 24-ounce tomahawk ribeye and sweet potato gnocchi ($30 to $50.) A New Year’s bash kicks off at 9 p.m. with a Wicked Peach concert, featuring midnight champagne toast and breakfast buffet at 1 a.m. Cost is $20 until Dec. 24; $25 after. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Water’s Edge Resort & Spa, 1525 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, offers dinner, dancing and overnight options. Early dinner seatings are available at 5 and 5:30 p.m., with a four-course menu and champagne toast priced at $62 per person plus tax and gratuity. A New Year’s dinner and party package, at $149 a person plus tax and gratuity, includes passed hors d’oeuvres, premium open bar, a four-course dinner, live entertainment with Le’Mixx and Nick Fradiani, Sr., dancing, and champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. Festivities start at 7 p.m. New Year’s overnight packages include accommodations, dinner and dance party, brunch and discounts on select spa services. 800-222-5901 or 860-399-5901; watersedgeresortandspa.com. Madison Beach Hotel, 94 W. Wharf Road, Madison, serves specials in addition to its regular menu, with entrees like prime rib au jus, butter poached lobster and rack of lamb ($34 to $38.) Live entertainment with Jim Paradis, 9:30 p.m. to midnight. 203-350-0014, madisonbeachhotel.com. Guilford Mooring, 505 Whitfield St., Guilford, offers New Year’s Eve specials starting at 3 p.m., including lobster cavatelli ($30), prime rib ($28) and half-price bottles of prosecco and champagne. 203458-2921, guilfordmooring.com. Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill, with locations in Fairfield and New Haven, serves its regular a la carte menu along with food specials. The kitchen is open until 11 p.m, and New Haven hosts a DJ in The Cave space. geronimobarandgrill.com. Leeanne Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@courant.com.