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    Cafe Pesto's

    3.9 (35 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Kevin D.

    Decently decorated Italian spot with basic foods Came here on a whim. Reviews seemed mixed but recent ones were favorable. So we made the trek to this small place in Farmington to try them out. In terms of visuals, it's a very well decorated space. Very homey, nice booths, the pond is a nice backsplash to the dining area. The outside rails need replacement, but it's winter so it's not a priority. The place was barren when we showed up. The server was nice, got us bread and their homemade pesto. The pesto wasn't in oil like I would expect and was a very bright green but it tasted good and was fresh. We got the calamari picatta, the lunch version of their blackened chicken Cajun Alfredo pasta, and a side of meatballs. Food took a while to come out, but we were in no rush. The calamari was cooked well, had a light crispy exterior and the calamari was not overcooked. The sauce they added to the top obliterated the crispiness of the dish and left a big soggy mass in the middle of the plate. Should've seasoned the batter and put the sauce on the side for dunking, but nothing that could be salvaged this time around. The Cajun Alfredo didn't really have any flavor. Pasta was overcooked, chicken was tender but not seasoned, the sauce was a cream sauce but didn't have any Cajun nor Parmesan flavor. Even with salt and pepper, the dish just didn't have any presence other than mush. The meatballs were pork forward and very dense. They were sitting in a very basic tomato sauce which was watery and unseasoned. But the biggest error was the entire dish was cold. The flavor of the meatball was good, but the execution was sub par. Our server did answer our questions truthfully, did remove the Cajun Alfredo from our bill but only after getting defensive on our feedback. The price is reasonable for the quantity, but not for the quality. I'm rating this place a 2 because most everything we got was lacking in some way. The proteins are cooked, but lacking any seasoning, flavoring, or care. The server was helpful and kind, but also defensive. The decor is nice, but the bathrooms are tiny. It does seem like they are trying, but lacking in many ways. If you want to take the parents to a reasonable Italian place and only care that the proteins are cooked, then this place is an option. The foods too bland to recommend otherwise.

    Carlaine J.

    Restaurant decor is lovely with a nice view of a pond, Came on a Saturday lunch. Overall friendly staff and clean atmosphere, however the food itself wasn't great, but not bad. I was pleasantly surprised by the pesto smear that came with the bread. It was very basil forward, but in a good way served with homemade bread. (Bread was not warm - was made earlier in the day) We started with the calamari piccata, the calamari itself was very well executed, not overcooked. However, the crispy calamari was served in a bowl of lemon caper sauce, so by the time it hit the table half of the calamari was soggy. Flavor good, but sauce on the side to dip would have been a better way to execute the dish. Next I ordered the lunch "Cajun chicken alfredo" which very specifically says "blackened chicken over Alfredo fettuccine on the lunch menu". Now I will mention that the lunch menu did not have good descriptions- so we utilized the dinner menu to decipher the lunch menu, the dinner menu did have a different description of the Cajun chicken alredo - stated as "Cajun Alfredo sauce over fettuccine nooodles" to which you can order a protein. With all that said... I ordered the lunch Cajun chicken Alfredo. I was given a bowl of pasta (half fettuccine and half linguine noodles - which then the linguine noodles were severely overcooked) with chicken (not blackened), covered in a cream sauce (not Alfredo - not cheesy). So I assumed I got the wrong dish - when I mentioned it to the waiter he assured me it was the correct dish, and this is how it always is done and it is a customer favorite. Now I will say the sauce and chicken were very good, However, it was not Cajun chicken Alfredo. So .... But the waiter did take the item off the bill, since I didn't really eat it. (He got a good tip for that ). We also ordered a side of meatballs, which were great value for the money, four large meatballs for $7.50, the meat mixture was seasoned well, but overworked. But unfortunately they were served to us cold in the middle. So I give this place three stars... not a place you are going to drive to. But if you are in the area and looking for pasta (not homemade- asked, waiter happily said they use Barilla... lol) this place has a great atmosphere and decent food, it just might not be exactly what you have in mind.

    Tiramisu
    Michelle C.

    Really enjoyed our visit to Cafe Pesto. It was a Monday night so not busy and seated right away. Our server (forgot his name) was very friendly and sociable. There were 7 of us and all the meals were generous portions and everyone enjoyed their dishes. Each meal came with crisp salads and hot rolls. The pesto served with the bread was delicious! We shared the desserts and both were yummy! Will go back!

    Pasta Ala Mare substituted with regular marinara sauce by request
    Shannon B.

    To start we were greeted with a smile and friendly welcome. The restaurant wasn't overly crowded but there were several parties already seated. From start to end the service was impeccable - everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. Our server was Manny and he was polite, aimed to please, and had a great sense of humor. The establishment was very clean and tastefully decorated. If you are familiar with the building much remains the same such as set up, deck, bar location, and the good ol' tight bathrooms, but I'm a Farmington native and so it has become part of the building's "charm" over the years, lol. I've read mixed reviews on the food, but I can honestly say I had an excellent experience. From the crisp, cold, fresh salad to the piping hot chicken parmigiana, I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce had great flavor and I really enjoyed the rolls served with homemade pesto - not heavy on the garlic which I appreciated. If I had any recommendations it would be the ability to specify the type of side pasta; and I would have preferred it just slightly more al dente, but it was not overcooked by any means. My dad ordered the Pasta Ala Mare, but asked if it could be made with regular marinara sauce, and they happily obliged. He thoroughly enjoyed it and left nothing behind except the shells and shrimp tails, lol. Overall a great experience and the portions were great for the price. I would not hesitate to come here again and definitely will be back. Highly recommend.

    Window view
    Bobbi G.

    Excellent dinner! This restaurant is where the former First & Last was, and The Wooden Tap before that. It's very clean and so inviting. We went on a late Sunday afternoon, it was quiet with nice jazz music playing. We were seated at the large window overlooking the deck and water. Our server Manuel was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu! The food was delicious. We had the chicken Parmesan and the chicken Milanese. The meals came with pasta and a salad. One meal we substituted veggies for pasta. These dishes were huge and so flavorful. They served warm rolls with a delicious pesto before they brought out the salads. Overall an excellent meal, we plan to come back with friends next time!

    Chicken & eggplant parmigiana
    Susan M.

    My husband & I ordered takeout from Cafe Pesto in Farmington this afternoon. Everything was outstanding! I'm sharing photos of our meals, which I took at home) - I ordered chicken & eggplant parmigiana; my husband had chicken parmigiana. Each of our meals tasted fresh, delicious, and portions were plentiful. (Each entree is on our 12" plates!!!). The salad was fresh, crisp with great dressing. The just-out-of-the-oven rolls (we received 2 each) were fabulous & accompanied with butter and their divine pesto. Bruno assisted us at the front desk - super nice person. I spoke with the owner, Paul, a very nice person who should have great success with this gem! Great location!

    Cajun Chicken Alfredo! Delicious.

    The service was fabulous. We had the Stuffed Sole and Cajun Chicken Alfredo; both were delicious. The limoncello Mascarpone Cake was the perfect dessert. The view over the water with the rain outside was such a great ambiance.

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    1 year ago

    The food is made fresh. Service is amazing. The vibe of the restaurant is relaxed and charming.​

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    1 year ago

    We've visited Cafe Pesto three times so far and each time we had an experienced wait staff and good food.

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    Ask the Community - Cafe Pesto's

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    I Know You Know - The inside

    I Know You Know

    4.4(49 reviews)
    6.4 mi
    $$

    What a fun night! Came here with a couple of girlfriends. Started at the little lounge area, but…read moresoon took the party to the bar when we ran into another yelpie! Don't let the outside of this place fool you because looks are definitely deceiving. We were cautious coming to this place due to the appearance of the outside, but once we were in it was so much fun. Agus, aka rawbartender, was Ah-mazing and truly made the night fun. He was truly such a vibe!! I ordered the SpongeBob, which was Goslings rum, pineapple spice, ginger, lime, angostura bitters. Especially with the show that was put on, my drink tasted even better. It was a Smokey, yet smooth and refreshing drink! We also got the Snow White, on the sweeter side made with Pear vodka, orgeat, pear juice, lemon juice, cinnamon. And of course, we can't forget our schooling in tequila and Mezcal from Agus. He was very informative of what he was serving and we tried a few different shots. He gave us the rundown of how you're actually supposed to taste tequila. And I have to say I've never had an experience like that before. I wish the party didn't stop and I will definitely be coming back specifically for Agus and of course the drinks!

    Finally got to check out this hidden speakeasy in new Britain ! If you're looking for a fun night…read morewith the girls , a cozy date or just wanna grab a drink this is the place ! The code to enter is updated daily on the website , once inside the you enter through the bookcase door. The ambiance is nice cozy , low -moderate lighting ( not to dim ..you can still read the menus without a flashlight... which is nice) We sat at the bar and the seats were very nice and comfortable ( which I enjoyed a lot) and spacious I didn't feel squeezed between chairs/people ! The bartender was fabulous . And made great drinks ! We just got drinks I got the peaches peaches which was pleasantly really good not to sweat or bitter , not to overpowering with peach flavour very well balanced . They also offer small bites / food. I will def be back to try some more options !

    Photos
    I Know You Know
    I Know You Know
    I Know You Know - Nice lounge area

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    Nice lounge area

    The Laurel - Vegan Hearts of Palm Ceviche with sweet potato chips

    The Laurel

    4.5(85 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    Went for "girl dinner" on a Thursday and it did NOT disappoint…read more They have a special with a kale Caesar salad, fries, and an Aperol spritz for $25! (You can add chicken tenders for an upcharge $10) The drink can't be swapped for another alcoholic drink, but you can switch it for something non-alcoholic if you want. Everything was sooo well flavored. The kale Caesar? Literally to die for. I never take salad home because it gets soggy...but I ate it the next day and it was STILL so good and the croutons were somehow still crunchy The chicken tenders were amazing, the fries were perfection, and even though I'm not usually an Aperol spritz girl, I finished the whole drink 10/10 would go back for girl dinner

    The Laurel Brunch today was selected for a special birthday--it was a delicious, pleasant…read moreexperience. The interior of the restaurant was lovely- beautiful wallpaper; comfortable booths. Food and cocktails were delicious.We shared delicious Brussels sprouts and chicken wings for appetizers. I had a creamy tofu scramble for my meal. My companions all had egg dishes which they all said were very tasty. For dessert I had scrumptious Tiramisu- not too sweet, just right! My companions had slices of confetti cake - the frosting was meringue! Their specialty cocktails were varied with interesting, flavorful combinations- not the usual. I decided to try a Manhattan instead which was very, very smooth. Our server, Lonnie, was very gracious and attentive. At the end of our brunch she served us sparkling wine, courtesy of The Laurel with a happy birthday note for our birthday celebrant- such a lovely surprise!

    Photos
    The Laurel - Bar

    Bar

    The Laurel - Vegan Chocolate Mousse Valrhona chocolate, fried peanuts, shortbread cookie, peanut butter sauce (Photo by: Deanna Troy Travels)

    Vegan Chocolate Mousse Valrhona chocolate, fried peanuts, shortbread cookie, peanut butter sauce (Photo by: Deanna Troy Travels)

    The Laurel - Heart of Palm Ceviche

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    Heart of Palm Ceviche

    The Manhattan - Mussels tapas

    The Manhattan

    4.5(123 reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    I met a friend here for dinner at 5 PM on a Tuesday night a few weeks ago. It was both of our first…read moretimes here. I've known about this place for a while, and a friend reminded me that they recently changed locations. We were seated in the bar area at a high table and were given two menus: a happy hour menu that lasted until 6 PM and their regular menu. We figured we'd order a few things off of their happy hour menu while it was still going on, then move on to the regular menu after 6 PM, since we knew we'd be there for at least a couple of hours. We ordered a shrimp appetizer, gnocchi, fries, wine, and a white Cosmo to start. My absolute favorite was the grilled shrimp appetizer, even though the other two were very good as well. My friend's favorite was the gnocchi. From the regular menu, I ordered the ham and cheese croquettes and she ordered the regular cheese croquettes since she is vegetarian. We loved those as well. These four tapas were enough to serve as our dinner and we didn't have to order anything else. The service was fantastic and I thought that everything was priced very well. I liked that there was a parking lot right next-door. A friend met us. Later on for a final drink and mentioned that he liked this new location better than the old location. I would definitely return and try different tapas. Their entrées also looked very good. I really like this location because you can walk around and do other things after dinner in the area.

    This is the first time visiting their new location since moving. I loved it. Public parking next…read moredoor. It's such a cozy spot. Smaller but cozy cómputo their old location. There is an areas where it is more intimate and quieter and another area where there are high tables that are close to the bar area. Service in the bar area and in the dining area were both wonderful. Both the waitress and bartender were awesome! I liked that the menu had items labeled gluten free. Always makes it easier. It was 3 of us that came out to celebrate my birthday and 2 of us ordered an entree and our other friend ordered tapas. We were all very happy with it. I had the grilled salmon and it was perfect! Since we got there a bit early we had enough time to order from the happy hour menu so we ordered Grilled Shrimp and Escargot and drinks of course. I love that they have a tray of desserts to showcase! Makes it easy or hard to choose from because they all look so good! I must say prices were good, service was wonderful, food was delicious! We all agreed we would go back!

    Photos
    The Manhattan - Bar area

    Bar area

    The Manhattan - Filet

    Filet

    The Manhattan - Martinis

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    Martinis

    Le Mazet - Seating area

    Le Mazet

    4.3(155 reviews)
    5.8 mi

    My son let me know this restaurant serves Arethusa Farms ice cream, which is heaven on earth!…read moreImmediately, my husband and I were triggered with heightened curiosity. We visited Arethusa Farms years ago, and we felt like pioneers discovering gold. I digress. I loved our experience at Le Mazet. The food is scrumptious and although the environ is cozy and has an inviting feel of a warm country cottage, the refined service is on par with the legendary Four Seasons Restaurant in NYC (not to be mistaken for the hotel flag). Chef's kiss to Jared and his inimitable staff!

    A friend and I met for brunch at le mazet recently and it was a pleasure, from start to finish…read more I had emailed the business in advance for clarification on the brunch menu and received a prompt, friendly response. I made a reservation for our visit and was seated promptly at a beautiful table near the front door. The entire dining area is gorgeous--so much attention to detail. Service throughout our meal was attentive and friendly. I had the boeuf bourguignon and it was so tender and seasoned perfectly. I also had the bread service, featuring sourdough from Small State Provisions--the perfect accompaniment to this hearty stew. We both drank Le Poney Roses, which were balanced and beautiful--a fabulous mocktail that really embodies the spirit of a cocktail. We weren't rushed at all and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I will be back for more!

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    Le Mazet - Amazing espresso martinis

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    Le Mazet - Half Chicken

    Half Chicken

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    Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour - Dirty Kalamata Olive Martini

    Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour

    4.3(54 reviews)
    9.4 miDowntown

    Came here after going to bingo Loco to finish my celebratory birthday…read more We walked in within an hour of closing, so we were given last call. We were seated at a booth, but quickly moved to the bar where the bartender made our concoctions, chatted with us, and talked about the old distillery that was before the parlor. I got the Smoke Break; mezcal, wild moon sumac, apricot, amaro del capo, lime and absinthe. It was very good, very smoky, but the perfect balance. And of course, the birthday is not complete without shots! We ended up taking the sour cherry vodka, which is one of my favorites We were unable to get food as the kitchen was closed, but we will have to try next time

    I originally found Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlor by accident and it quickly became one of my…read morefavorite spots in Hartford. So of course I had to come back for dinner. The aesthetic is still gorgeous, the vibe is still immaculate, and the space feels both cozy and fun. They even have games tucked away so you can hang out longer, which makes it feel like more than just a bar or restaurant. This time I came for dinner and ordered the steak, which was perfectly tender, juicy, and full of flavor. I also tried the lamb (not usually my thing), but my friend who loves lamb absolutely cleared her plate. So that tells you everything you need to know. Even without having a cocktail this time (I just had water), the experience was still great, which says a lot about the atmosphere and service. We also did this fun blindfolded dessert experience where you're blindfolded and try to guess what you're eating. Its super unique and actually really good. I wish they gave us a little card explaining it, but it was still such a cool touch. Between the food, the ambiance, the creative touches, and the overall vibe, this place just keeps delivering. Whether you're going for brunch, dinner, drinks, or a fun night out, this spot is absolutely worth it. I'll definitely keep coming back.

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    Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour - Velvet Underground

    Velvet Underground

    Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour
    Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour

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    Butchers & Bakers - Cheese dinner August 2024

    Butchers & Bakers

    3.6(532 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Food is great. The space is very nice and warm with the ovens. Brunch is also one of the best…read morearound. Can't beat bottomless mimosas.

    Food: 3/5 Service: 3/5…read moreAmbiance: 3.5/5 Value ($65 Easter brunch): 2.8/5 An altogether mediocre/disappointing experience at Butchers & Bakers for Easter brunch 2026. I came with my elderly parents who are of limited mobility and we were disappointed to find that patrons must descend a short flight of stairs to get to the restaurant level from street level. The host was not that friendly - after I gave him my reservation information, he showed us to our table, but did not inform us / reassure us that there would be a server coming shortly to take our drink order. We were sitting there confused for a few minutes when we didn't see any wait staff coming around to any of the tables. Finally I flagged down someone who said yes, someone would be coming by. Our server was nice. I asked her if my Dad could order a la carte off the menu because he didn't feel like getting the buffet. She said no, today was all buffet-only, sorry. That's fine, I said. But then when I walked a lap to see what was on offer, I was surprised that many items were almost finished or completely out. This includes the shrimp on ice. There were only a handful left. This was at 3:55pm. The buffet's last seating was at 5:15pm for a two hour period, so they should have refilled the shrimp but did not. The carving station was weak too. The "prime rib" was not juicy and they only offer a few small slices of steak at a time. The Easter ham was not at the carving station. The scrambled eggs were rubbery, while the eggs Benedict and salmon were also overcooked. Pasta and meatballs were watery. The desserts were not good; only a few danishes and cookies and only one cake. For $65, this was not the experience we expected. We suspected it wouldn't be as good as Avon Old Farms Hotel's Easter buffet at Seasons restaurant (which we went to a few years back), but we hoped it'd be better than what we got. We asked for a split bill, but when she brought over the copies to sign, the itemized receipt was missing. I typically like to see the itemized receipt in order to double-check the items/pricing. In the end, Butchers and Bakers seems more like a place to drink (many good beers on offer and the cocktail menu looked okay) than to eat. Not sure how much longer they'll be around if things don't improve. Which is sad because it's a decent-sized space.

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    Butchers & Bakers
    Butchers & Bakers - Cheese dinner August 2024

    Cheese dinner August 2024

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