The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Restaurants serving Easter brunches, dinners
As Easter Sunday approaches, Connecticut restaurants are preparing for a return to "normal" sit-down meals and brunch buffets. Here's a sampling of what eateries are offering for the holiday. (All listings are for April 17 unless otherwise noted.)
Luna Azzurra Italiano in Fairfield hosts a brunch buffet with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., including breakfast items, hot entrees, salads, a prime rib carving station, baked ham and desserts. Cost is $50 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. 203-292-8202.
Gruel Britanniain Fairfield offers an Easter catering menu with appetizers, salads, entrees, sides and desserts. (See menu on Facebook.) Pre-order by April 15. 203292-6466.
Riverview Bistro in Stratford offers an Easter buffet with seatings at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The menu features breakfast items, an hors d'oeuvres station, raw bar, hot entrees, carving station with roast prime rib and baked ham, desserts and unlimited mimosas. There's a two-hour seating limit. Cost is $45.95 for adults, $19.95 for children ages 5 to 12. 203-690-1616.
Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grillin New Haven will be open on Easter Sunday, offering seatings from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. A la carte specials, in addition to the regular menu, will include seasonal small plates and desserts and entrees including braised lamb shank, monkfish and vegetarian paella. Items range from $12 to $42. A limited take-out menu will also be available. Reservations: 203-787-3466.
The Cottage in Westport celebrates Easter with a prix-fixe menu ($85 per guest; $45 per child under 12). Entree options include king salmon in cedar paper, spring vegetable farrotto, grilled saddle of lamb and St. Canut suckling pig. Reservations by phone, 203-557-3701, or OpenTable.
Centro Ristorante & Barin Fairfield offers an Easter catering menu with appetizers, entrees, desserts, and meals to go for two or four people. Order deadline is April 12. Visit Centro's Facebook page for details. 203-255-1210.
The Water's Edge at Giovanni'sin
Darienoffers Easter dinner with choice of appetizer and entree, garlic bread, garden salad, appropriate side dish, coffee and dessert. Entrees range from $60 to $85, including stuffed chicken, vegetarian lasagna, prime rib, filet mignon, rack of lamb, 9-ounce lobster tail and surf-and-turf combinations with steak and lobster. A junior menu is available for kids. 203-325-9979.
Barcelona Wine Bar's Connecticut locations in Fairfield, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford and West Hartford are all open for brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Easter brunch dishes and specials.
The Wheelin Stamford offers special Easter menu items ($11 to $32) like smoked trout and baby spinach salad, hearth-roasted asparagus and spring onion, choice of slow-roasted Colorado leg of lamb or house-cured honey ham and an Easter garden cake for dessert. 475-270-1300.
Bernard's in Ridgefield serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a prix-fixe menu, featuring entree choices like roast sirloin steak and eggs, eggs "Florentine" with house smoked salmon, sauteed filet of halibut with carrot risotto, French cut breast of chicken and beef Wellington (for an upcharge.) Cost is $65 for adults; a kid's brunch menu is $45 for kids 12 and under.
Dinner, available from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., features a prix-fixe menu with entree choices of sauteed filet of halibut, roasted freerange half chicken, roasted rack of lamb or beef Wellington. Cost is $125 for adults; $65 for kids 12 and under. 203-438-8282.
Madison Beach Hotel offers an Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a carving station (featuring prime rib and honey mustard glazed ham), omelet station, raw bar, soups, hot breakfast items and lunch entrees, assorted salads and desserts. Cost is $97 for adults, $45 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and under. Reservations are required: thewharfmadison.com.
The Hilton Mystic offers brunch with two seatings, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The menu features breakfast items, soups, a salad station, hot entrees, a carving station with garlic roasted leg of lamb and herbcrusted sirloin and options for kids. Enjoy a selection of desserts and treats from "Peter Cottontail's Candy Bar." Book online at theironsmystic.com.
Saybrook Point Resort & Marina in Old Saybrook hosts an Easter brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a Belgian waffle station, omelet station and other egg dishes, seafood, charcuterie, seasonal salads, a wok station, hot entrees and a carving station with prime rib, citrus-glazed ham and roast leg of rosemary-crusted lamb. Cost is $69.95 for adults, $34.95 for children 5 and older. Reservations are required: 860-339-1318.
Water's Edge Resort & Spain Westbrook hosts brunch from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with roasts carved to order, fresh pastas, omelets prepared to order, a Belgian waffle and crepe bar, hot and cold breakfast items, hot entrees and desserts. The Easter Bunny visits from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $59 for adults, $25 for kids ages 6 to 10, free for kids 5 and under. Reservations: 860-3995901.
Millwright's Restaurantin Simsbury serves its Easter menu with seatings at 11 a.m. and 1, 3 and 5 p.m. A three-course prix-fixe menu offers entrees like apple cider glazed ham, crab and lobster cake Benedict, Painted Hills NY strip, fluke filet, spring lamb duo and ricotta gnocchi. Cost is $59 for adults, $29 for children under 12. 860-651-5500.
Bear's Smokehouse, with locations in
Hartford, New Haven, South Windsor and Windsor, has an Easter package with a whole smoked ham (6 to 8 pounds), mac and cheese, mashed red potatoes, roasted carrots, smoked vegetable orzo salad, cornbread and your choice of BBQ sauce bottle. Add a pie or half pan dessert for $12. A la carte items include smoked meats, appetizers, sides, breads and desserts.
Wood-n-Tap's nine Connecticut locations are open on Easter Sunday, and its sister restaurant, Que Whiskey Kitchen in Southington, is serving its brunch menu with $3 mimosas and bellinis.
Grano Arso in Chester offers Easter brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a four-course menu featuring choice of appetizer, pasta and entree. Main course options include lamb breast, Arctic char or risotto verde. Cost is $60 per person. 860-322-3143.
The Capital Grille, with locations in
Hartford and Stamford, opens early for Easter brunch and offers its full menu with specials like a lobster frittata, 14-ounce bone-in dry-aged steak and eggs and eightounce center-cut filet mignon (both with white cheddar hash browns.) 860-244-0075 (Hartford) and 203-967-0000 (Stamford).