Hartford Giant Grinder

Best fried rice ever! It tasted great and was full of fresh vegetables cooked to perfection- even…read morehad a gluten free option, which I chose.

Chef Rick prepared an amazing meal for our party of 75. He was wonderful to work with. He created a…read morethoughtful menu that his team perfectly executed. As always the food was delicious! We have worked with several caterers and this was the best experience by far. We will absolutely use him for future events!

Dining area

Veggie Summer Rolls

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Turtle Cafe

4.4(325 reviews)

0.1 mi

Best place for breakfast on route to Mohegan or Foxwoods. Raj makes the best omelettes! Huge…read moreportions, amazing food!

This is a true "greasy spoon." If you're expecting surgical cleanliness and to have your derrière…read morekissed, don't go here. Sat at the counter. Would definitely sit at a table next time, as the stools and counter were too low and uncomfortable. That said, watching the cook work had its appeal. I had eggs Benedict and it was excellent. My coworker had a hash special that looked fantastic. The folks working there were friendly, casual, and conversational. All while the 3 Stooges (muted) ran on the TV mounted on the wall. The waitress said she didn't like them and I told her she's not supposed to... I'd probably be a regular if I lived close by. Same time next year!

Sat at the counter and it was a blast seeing the chef cook our meal.

Nutella Crepe

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Berry French toast

Edd's Place

4.2(143 reviews)

1.3 mi

If I lived by, I would eat here everyday! Edd's Place nails…read morebreakfast: the BLAT pancakes , cozy vibe. A gem!

10/10 spot! Right on the main road and such a cute cozy location with a nice view of the water!…read moreCharlie's sea dog and lobster bisque was exceptional along with the fried chicken sandwich! Before leaving we were talked in the desserts made in house just like everything else, cornbread and chocolate chip cookies did not dissapoint! The staff is very friendly and chatted with us a bit, you can definitely tell they take pride in the food and business. Will be back and cannot wait :)

Outdoor area

Sea dog with lettuce and American cheese. Their tartar sauce is amazing.

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Outside eating area

Cristy's

3.9(296 reviews)

0.2 mi

Christy's is our go to place as a local. The food and wait…read morestaff are fantastic and there's always a laugh or two..

Good friendly service, fair prices, and a delicious pancake. We came on a summer morning, of course…read morethere will be a wait which we didn't mind. Only complaint was the potatoes were very under done this time.. usually they are nice and crispy!

The wall of awards

Shrimp stir fry

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Front Window

Town and Country Market & Deli

4.5(22 reviews)

4.3 mi

Great place to get a sandwich for a hike at Chatfield Hollow. I also like the desserts from the…read moreBronx like the limoncello cheesecake- amazing! Phan and Hung put a lot of love and energy into the market and it shows. The grab-and-go meals are homemade and my favorites are the Pho Soup, chicken salad and stuffed cabbage.

Delicious meatball sandwich, chicken Parmesan and carrot cake. Very nice service. We ate at one of…read morethe two tables and plan to get a meal to go.

Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes, stuffed cabbage, lasagna

Fresh, local bread

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Limoncello cheesecake, red velvet, chocolate mousse from the Bronx

Shayna Bs By The Sea

4.7(128 reviews)

1.0 mi

The best vegan food around. Generous portion, friendly service, plenty of seating and clean.read more

Everything is vegan and gluten-free. Some are nut and soy free…read more Had the roasted veggie pizza with two different cheeses. My wife had the Mexican bowl. Both loaded with flavor and lots of fresh veggies and fruits. Every bite was a little taste of heaven and very filling. Got baked goods. I'll try later. Staff is very friendly and enthusiastic. Live music Saturday afternoons. Lots of local artists selling their creations in the store. Bought a gorgeous butterfly bracelet. Great prices!

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Drift

4.5(69 reviews)

5.6 mi

This was a surprisingly good find! One of the best fish & chips I've had!…read more Watch out for that Kool & Deadly, it comes with a whole shot of rum extra in it! Dog friendly, great view of the CT river. Going to be coming back for sure

Hi, I was happy to hear back from the restaurant that they decided to refund me for my purchase. I…read morelook forward to trying again. There are some things in your video review you wrote up that are not accurate (and some things that you wrote that we're not accurate from my perspectivs) that I would like to have a chance to respond to... Whatever menu I was handed that had the lobster roll description on It did not have a description that included onions. There seem to have been multiple menus the restaurant had that day. When I was outside a server said that she would bring over the lobster menu (this menu was not given to me) when I was reading off of the original menu I was given the lobster roll did not include onion. Honest mistake of wrong menu being given, but it helps for customers to know what ingredients are in things like that when dealing with food sensitivities. The server never checked in to ask how the meal was/if I needed anything. I was a server for over 10 years and I know that's the first things I do after dropping off someone's food to ensure everything is good. There was food left on my plate, fries. Thanks for the refund, and I hope trying another time I will find it to be a better experience!

Happy Hour Tuna Nachos

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Best Lobster Roll in Essex CT

Doro Marketplace

4.2(32 reviews)

3.5 mi

Delicious food! Interesting varieties! The service is…read moreoutstanding! All the workers are very friendly and professional. The ambiance is relaxed, there's always cool relaxing music playing, and interior of the restaurant is beautiful to look at. The only negative is the air conditioning is too cold.

Really solid place. Good for working bc they're open late and have free WiFi. Also offer Apple Pay…read moreand plenty of table space. I have not tried their pastries but the cookies look so good. Breakfast is alright but their lunch/dinner is really good! The bowls are tasty and the sandwiches look good too. Coffee is standard with lots of flavors but not homemade

To-go drinks & food items

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Westbrook Pizza

4.2(71 reviews)

0.7 mi

Good pie. Good price m. Good price and location. Did not have a lot of time for lunch. Needed a…read morequick fix.

Last order was good. I questioned the price but the salad was loaded with chicken and cheese and I…read moreordered a steak grinder so it was fair. I still don't like being forced to tip for take out and pay more for using a card, but is what it is. Only thing I'd ask is that if they're gonna start making pepper steak they say so. My steak grinder was very peppery and I like black pepper, but go easy unless customer requests it please!

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Nice looking place...

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Food Guy M.

2 years ago

I have traveled across Connecticut and have had my fair share of sandwiches, but Hartford Giant Grinder in Niantic and Westbrook takes the cake--or should I say the grinder! These spots are hands-down serving up the best and most delicious sandwiches in CT. Let me tell you, these aren't your average subs. The quality of ingredients is top-notch, and the flavors are out of this world. Whether you're in the mood for their homemade Angus roast beef or their mouthwatering chicken cutlet, you're in for a treat. And talk about generous portions! These grinders live up to the "giant" in their name. Even their 8-inch "small" sandwiches are enough to satisfy a big appetite. Perfect for those long days when you're not sure what dinner will be. What seals the deal for me is the value. Despite the enormous portions and premium ingredients, the prices are surprisingly reasonable. It's the kind of place where you feel like you're getting more than your money's worth. The friendly service is the cherry on top. If you're in Niantic or Westbrook and looking for the best sandwich experience in CT, do yourself a favor and head to Hartford Giant Grinder. Trust me, your taste buds (and wallet) will thank you! read more

Hartford Giant Grinder - sandwiches - Updated October 2026

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Hartford Giant Grinder

4.2

(92 reviews)

Love the turkey sandwich on a hard roll. There a lot of ways to customize any sandwich with a…read morevariety of cheeses, veggies and condiments. Everything is always fresh. Good assortment of chips and drinks, including CT based companies. It gets busy sometimes but you never have to wait an inordinately long time. There is a little bit of seating inside, and it's clean. I usually get takeout and go somewhere to eat with a view of Ling Island Sound.

I was excited to try Hartford Giant Grinder while visiting Niantic after seeing their giant…read moresandwiches and good reviews on Instagram. The guy behind the counter must've been having a tough day, he continually cut us off while trying to order and he muttered "I don't know why everyone has such an attitude". Things got a little heated and we exchanged "pleasantries" after I told him to cancel my sandwich. I was told that he said that "I could go F**k myself" after I left the store and then told the other people waiting to place an order that he didn't have anymore bread....when he definitely did. Again, maybe he was having a bad day or the heat was getting to him but this kind of attitude and service a little shocking. Even though I told him to cancel my order he still made the Deluxe Italian combo sandwich. After the exchange in the restaurant I really wanted to hate the sandwich but I have to admit it was very good. 4 stars for the sandwich, minus 2 stars for the attitude. Good luck HGG, I won't be back.

Saldamarco's Deli

4.0

(62 reviews)

Such a solid stop went on the go! I typically stop by here for a lunch sandwich and I'm super…read moresurprised by how fantastic their breakfast sandwiches are. I ordered egg and cheese with roasted red peppers. The eggs were fluffy and delicious! The roasted peppers added a ton of flavor but layered so they didn't soak the freshly baked roll. I will definitely be back to this small business for a quick on the go breakfast again. They have amazing chicken sandwiches, hand made meatballs and tons of other goodies. Stop by if you are in the area!

Great sando place, easy to hit if you're headed to hammo. Sal's employees were all friendly and…read morefood was prepped quickly even though it was lunch time. You can tell that there's a lot of locals who come here which is all ya need to know about a solid deli. I'll be back to try some cutlets.

Vinny's Deli

4.0

(136 reviews)

Wife loves the turkey salad in a wrap. Bought one and a tuna salad hard roll. Both A+ for taste,…read moreas always. Unfortunately, unwrapped the turkey salad and tons of liquid ran out. Soupy mess...! Add some of it with a fork and threw the rest out. Just an FYI, Last time it was so DRY, we could barely eat it.

This is a great local deli and I'm embarrassed to say it took me so long to try it! They have a…read moremassive selection of sandwiches; it would take some time eat through this menu! Since they are known for their roast beef, I went with the "All Nighter" and had them prep it just the way it's listed. This was an excellent sandwich! The roast beef had a really good flavor to it. They have a neat sign in the deli that shows additives other roast beef has and how their's is just beef. And that flavor really stands out. Also, they do a ton of work for local organizations; from nonprofits, animal shelter local schools and sports. They also employ a good amount of people from the community. A local landmark for a reason and worth trying!

Rosa's Deli

4.5

(81 reviews)

Eggplant Parmesana is delicious! Rosa's sauce brings me back to my Italian Aunts when you dipped…read morethe bread, and it was a perfect meal! Soups, salads desserts! Bag of pasta, hunk of Romano, always a nice stop.

Grinders are so good fresh deli meat vegetables and bread would highly recommend to anyone who…read moreappreciates real Italian grinders

Sanibel Market

4.1

(7 reviews)

Came here for some takeout sandwiches while in Haddam. Since I saw the good reviews. As I reread…read morethe reviews I realize they were all based on Harriman egg sandwich at 5 AM. We were there in the late afternoon. Meatball sub and ham sandwich. Bleh. Meh. Nothing special. There was 1/2 of a meatball in my meatball sub. And a lot of broken up meat in sauce. For $9.50. And the sauce wasn't even flavorful. The ham was just ham and Swiss with mustard on a big ass bulky roll So maybe if you are looking for an egg sandwich at 5 AM this is the place. But otherwise - I'd suggest finding somewhere else. Thought I don't know what else is around.

My first time there today, knew the people that owned it, but anyway, went for a breakfast…read moresandwich. Nice guy. Great sandwich. I had the ham egg n cheese.

Joey Cal's Deli & Catering

4.4

(19 reviews)

Having incredible prime rib on Fridays also have great sandwiches and seafood if you would like…read moregreat food it's a nice little place to stop in. You will never be disappointed.

Food is always delicious, there's usually always a line (quick moving) around lunchtime, the owner…read moreand workers are all very pleasant!! Highly recommend!

Pizza Pub Essex

3.5

(44 reviews)

Rock solid pizza. It won't blow your mind, but that's not why you eat here, is it? It's good…read more It's tasty. It's filling. They are good people.

My friend recently ordered chicken parm. She said it was a huge portion and delicious. So I decided…read moreto order the eggplant parm. It was so yummy! And I got a big piece of garlic bread! Order from here! The staff is great and the food hits the spot!

Bun On The Run

4.5

(70 reviews)

Stopped here on our way to RI. Delicious fresh sammies, friendly staff. Highly recommend!read more

Simply the best for breakfast or lunch!! The focaccia bread is the perfect choice for sandwiches!…read more check out their daily special menu!

Post Road Market

3.6

(15 reviews)

Deli right off of a main road that has ice cream from Turkey Hill. Their ice cream is pretty good…read moreand it is a little better than the tubs of Turkey Hill that you would buy in stores, as it has real chocolate chips in it. They have both sugar and cake cones, as well as dishes for the ice cream. The people working here are very friendly, and their are 1-2 tables inside and a few outside. Ice Cream Quality: 8/10 Overall: 4/10

Sorry to say my sandwich was not good. The bread was dry - the toppings were incorrect and it had a…read morestrange smoky flavor which was odd for an Italian cold cut. I ordered online and prepaid. The good news was it was ready when I got there. The place looked like it could use a little cleaning. Next time I'll go to Jersey Mike's.

Hadlyme Country Market

4.0

(27 reviews)