I thought this was good though perhaps not phenomenal. We were staying at the Belden House and Mews…read morenearby and stopped by for a Saturday night dinner. - Started with the oysters, which were great and a highlight. - The clam flatbread was ok if somewhat strange. It's basically just a regular ricotta flatbread with maybe 4 clams in shelf sprinkled on top. Thought it would be more integrated into the bread - The merguez sausage was quite good, tender - The squash agnolotti was good but pretty sweet (our waitress did warn us about that). I don't like sweet agnolotti but my husband loved it - The peking duck breast was good. But we had the duck at the Belden the night after that was way better Service was courteous and prompt. Ambiance was nice. Overall, good spot to stop by for a meal if you're in the area. Reservation was not that difficult to get and there were a couple of empty tables when we were there.

The meals were excellent as were the bartenders. Knocking a few points off for service - we got…read morethere right at opening at 4:30 (and had just seen an Open Table opening for 4:45) but the hostess wouldn't seat us/told us we could only sit at the bar because they were full (only one table was taken at the time). She said she'd let us know if anything opened up but by the time we finished our meal and left the restaurant still wasn't even halfway full. Very disappointing experience from a service perspective but the food was good!

Jackie's is a small, privately owned restaurant that needs help. It is one of several small…read morebusinesses in Bantam that is near the end of a major thoroughfare now blocked because of construction. There are signs letting motorists know that the restaurant and other businesses in the affected area are open, but not many have visited them. And according to the owner, Jackie's has been majorly affected with the number of weekly customers way down. And that's likely to continue until construction ends, hopefully by the end of August. So we're doing a short update to remind everyone in the vicinity that unpretentious Jackie's is indeed open and worth stopping by to dine. We've been doing that for around six years now, meeting regularly for breakfast with a small group of folks. Here's the skinny: Jackie's is open for breakfast and an early lunch (except Wednesdays). They are cash only, but there's an ATM inside. The menu is pretty standard breakfast/lunch items, but it's all prepared freshly and is pretty darned good. They know how to cook eggs, they make the bacon crisp, and they serve a good Benedict. We're fans. And we think they deserve to stay in business. Oh yeah, they have wonderful servers, too. We're looking at you, Lesley...

SALMON LOX BRIOCHE EGGS BENEDICT:…read more -- not a big eggs Benedict eater but I felt like going outside the box for myself -- brownish color gravy on it is not the sauce color I am used to not the taste -- should be more yellow of Hollandaise sauce but maybe this is a different rendition? -- very nice bread -- salmon good not great -- nice crisp hash brown patty RATING = B SIDE CARROT CAKE PANCAKE: -- 8" to 10" big cake with visible shredded carrot and very small shrapnel of pecan (too small in my opinion for max flavor) -- I added real maple syrup RATING = A Great service in a casual diner with solid breakfast eats.

Clubhouse Provisions has re-opened (March 20th) after a two-month winter break which in hindsight…read moreseems like a brilliant decision; no one was going out in the midst of our awful snowstorms. Chef Jon is back, and his opening menu for Litchfield Restaurant Week is an excellent one, fully supported by the kitchen which is blending in some newcomers with its experienced staff. We like the wait staff we encountered, too: Jonelle and Abby, super friendly as always, and quick to respond. The early menu is limited but tasty: the fried chicken breast sandwich is back and as yummy as could be hoped. We enjoyed the salmon poke bowl (a little more acidity needed) and the splendid calamari. The deserts we sampled, cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake, were simply delicious. We are so happy to welcome Clubhouse Provisions back and look forward to many more visits and an update on the full menu later this year.

ORIGIN: Clubhouse Provisions opened in Fall 2022 as part of…read morean effort to revamp visitors' experience. (Thanks to Bill S., Litchfield-based CT Yelp Elite, for bringing the restaurant to mind through his informative review.) The revitalization effort was initiated by a couple -- Jill Farrarotti and Jonathan Philips. Farrarotti's family owned the site since 1955 and Philips has professional food service experience. LOCATION: The restaurant is located at the edge of Stonybrook Golf -- a nine hole public golf course set on a picturesque rural road. CONCEPT: Clubhouse Provisions serves modern American and Asian-inspired dishes in a public clubhouse setting. ATMOSPHERE: The clubhouse is modern and bright, with wraparound glass windows overlooking the golf course, cathedral ceiling, and light-colored painted wood paneled walls. SERVICE: Service is informative and friendly. FOOD: The Crispy Thai Calamari ($20) is worth a visit in itself, and is available during brunch (Sunday), lunch, and dinner service. There is a mix of baby spinach, thinly breaded, crispy Calamari, and chunks of mango and grapefruit veiled by an Asian dressing. It shares top place for best iteration of fried calamari I've experienced (the other is Rhode Island style at a RI restaurant). Pork Belly Bites ($21) makes for a good small plate to share when looking to enjoy a drink and a bite on the porch or at the bar. The Avocado Toast ($25), a popular brunch item prior to 2025 season, has been modified and in my mind has an overemphasis on vinegar flavor, delivered through balsamic drizzle and mound of pickled onions. TIPS: The restaurant is only open seasonally due to its relationship with golf course. The absence of sound-absorbing ceiling material makes the dining experience uncomfortably noisy when the dining room is full. The space is available for hosting events.

Always loved this place, perfect on a cold First day of February, Brick walls dark wood polished…read moremahogany bar.. Brings you back in time, The menu has various unique Choices and a great sunday Brunch. THE staff was friendly and made you feel at home.. I chose the Brunch special, French Onion Frittata, with a micro side salad. IT was just ok.. I was hoping for more of a flavorful frittata,,it was lacking that wow factor.. My husband ordered the Truffle Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich and A side of Sea Salt Fries, which were the best as well as his chicken sandwich although there was a few dried out and tough bites.. We will always stop in here for the coziness and explore new flavors

This place used to be GREAT... but I have not been there in a few years and the food is now…read moremarginal at best. Lots of burgers, and as a vegetarian I was saddened to see IMPOSSIBLE BURGER as the non meat option. What, a bean patty is too hard to make? All of the entrees had cheese, and what was once a swell little place has become a forgettable experience. On the upside, the waitstaff is lovely and the dessert was heavenly. Minor point.. the paintings of all these cable chefs is just weird. Why is Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsey on the walls? WHY? I miss the old @.

Community Table is our favorite restaurant in Connecticut and we were lucky enough to have them…read morecater our wedding. Joann the owner took care of everything from the extraordinary food and staff, to recommendations for tent rental, plates, cutlery, flowers etc. Everything was top notch. The chef Bolivar was exceptional and the catering staff top tier and fun to talk to. Each guest was blown away by the ambience, food, cocktails, all of it. I couldn't recommend CT more highly. I would trust Joann to pull off any event, even with short notice. We had a dream wedding thanks to Community Table.

We have celebrated special occasions at Community Table for many years and have always enjoyed our…read moreexperiences there, which makes this review disappointing to write. Our party of four spent over $800 celebrating my mother's birthday. A few hours after the meal, my brother became seriously ill, and because I had also sampled his chicken dish and later experienced nausea myself, we were concerned the illness may have been related to the meal. When we contacted the restaurant to share our concerns, the conversations with management were disappointing. Joanne spoke separately with several members of our family and asked whether my brother had gone to the hospital, undergone testing, or had proof of illness. When I asked whether the restaurant maintained food safety documentation, I felt the question was viewed as accusatory rather than as part of a reasonable concern following our visit. Overall, the interaction lacked the empathy and reassurance we had hoped for. No refund, credit, or acknowledgment was offered. As longtime customers who have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones here over the years, the response was surprising. Beyond the health concern, the overall dining experience felt noticeably less positive than in past visits. The bread exterior was very hard, and we noticed other nearby tables eating only the soft interior. The vegetables served with the scallops were tough, the pasta was dry, and most of the dishes (except for the pea soup) lacked flavor. The deserts were lackluster, though the goat cheese cheesecake was delicious. The cheese board appetizer was presented without explanation of the cheeses or accompaniments. Crumbs were not cleared between courses. While our server was friendly, we were repeatedly asked whether we had finished dessert, which made the evening feel somewhat rushed during a birthday celebration. The server also spent time discussing personal matters during service, which distracted from the dining experience. We had to find someone to get our coats otherwise we would've walked out without them. The ambiance at Community Table remains beautiful, which makes the experience especially unfortunate after so many positive visits over the years. Unfortunately, after this experience, our family will likely celebrate future special occasions at other restaurants in Litchfield County that we feel provide a stronger overall dining experience.

Zini's is what I imagine a medieval pub in the forest designed by Disney to look like. It's a…read morelittle dark, but there's a fireplace going in the back and you're surrounded by beautiful stone walls inside. The ambiance is gorgeous. The food is very good - a little heavy handed with the pepper sometimes, but that can be a matter of taste. The artichoke hearts came on a plate of six and were well sauced. They had a good taste of lemon. The Cesar salad was well dressed, but the dressing was more oily than creamy. The nights special, the lobster risotto, has a good bite in the rice and actual lobster! It was one of the stars of the evening, it was tender and delicious! The second star was dessert - I've never seen a tartufo before, but Zini's had chocolate and vanilla, and was well displayed cut into slices like a pear. Our waitress was very pleasant, and even as tables began to fill up provided consistent attention. All in all it was a great meal in a charming location!.

A quiet little place with delicious food and great service. Everything is first rate.read more

This is a very low key but upscale restaurant. Understated style with full bar and top notch…read morecuisine. Professional waitstaff provides quiet, competent service. We had the portobello egg sandwich and the Scottish salmon with an excellent French Sauvignon blanc. Both were delicious and not run of the mill fare. Expect to pay a little more for the quality you will enjoy. This is a destination restaurant.

First let me start with the food was fabulous!! We had the burrata special to start then various…read moresalads and the soup social. So kudos to the chef!! What made me leave the 2 star rating was due to the 2 waiters (male) who were surely and less than helpful. When asked what the soup of the day was we got a one liner ... squash, with no descriptor whether it was creamed based or other. Our entrees were delivered before the appetizer plates were cleared and had our waiter come back I would have loved a second glass of wine with my entree, their loss of revenue. Likewise refilling out water glasses was also a battle. Will not go back.

I have been to Marketplace before and thought I remembered it to be "average". So, when my husband…read moretold me this was our Valentine's Day reservation, I was expecting nothing more. I was WRONG. The waitress did not guide us incorrectly on a single recommendation all night. Our cocktails were delicious, the food (pretzel appetizer, lobster ravioli and bolognese) were delicious, the half-wine bottle was a perfect compliment for 2 people, and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. This meal definitely has me eager to come back to try more.

We have been here about a dozen times and the food has always been good (not great, but good)…read more Today was a disappointment. The chicken pot pie, to its credit, was generous with chicken but the "gravy" was watery -- more like a broth. The "crust" was a log of puff pastry sitting on top. The best part of chicken pot pie is submerging the crust into the gravy and enjoying the crusty bite, but here it just resulted in a soggy lump of sodden starch. For a fraction of its cost, one could have had a frozen pot pie that would have satisfied better. The other entries were okay, so that upped my 2 star rating to a 3.

We fin ally got around for our second visit here, and it was a dazzler! We enjoyed a five-star…read moreexperience in every way and couldn't come away without letting others know. We dined with a small party in a private room, warm and comfy, and boasting elegant, polished service from a sharp and friendly team of servers. Excellent. For Easter, we were given a prix fixe menu ($150 per) that provided some fine choices among appetizers, entrees and desserts. The appetizers included octopus, quail and some super tasty (and NOT overcooked) seared tuna. Delicious. The entrees included duck and chicken but all of us deferred to the tenderloin which was perfectly cooked to our preference, tender and ... well, just what we wanted. Add in the desserts and the drinks -- lots of specialty beverages. all on the pricey side -- and we were totally satisfied. Not a complaint in the group. Winvian is very private, You can't just stroll in. Reservations are necessary, and you'll need to get buzzed in. Once there, however, the well-trained staff provide first-class treatment, thoughtful and never obtrusive. It is a grand experience -- but it is expensive. Definitely for special occasions.

Exceptional food and service with a wonderful ambiance. The restaurant has a pre-fixe menu offering…read morea three or four course option. As this establishment caters to a higher end experience, it isn't recommended for those who are looking for budget friendly experience.

We're briefly updating our commentary about the Bantam Market, but our thoughts about it haven't…read morechanged all that much. It remains a small, independently owned store with a surprisingly full stock, lots of fresh meats, deli items, produce, a large beer cooler with all the local and foreign brands you night desire, and a very friendly and helpful staff. We're especially fond of the nice folks behind the deli counter. Our complaints are about the same: the prices hover on the high side. The prices are generally quite a bit higher than the nearby Stop and Shop, but honestly, the quality of their locally produced items is far higher. Still, if you're buying some basics like soup or milk, you'll pay more here, and some prices can be really way up there. Sometimes we're frustrated by that, other times we're grateful to find some delicious fresh fish or prepared salads. Bantam is not our first market of choice, but we're here regularly for some things we like and want.

A small neighborhood market with a kickin' deli. Not really the place to do "normal grocery…read moreshopping", as others have previously stated, it's on the expensive side (in some cases, outrageously so). But if you're looking for unique food items, this is your place. For me, I stop in often just to pick up some fried chicken from the deli, it's the best around -- juicy & meaty, but not greasy, and the coating is very tasty. $6.99 a pound. That fried chicken is 5 Stars every time. Friendly crew, but the checkout can be a bit of a process though, the place does a brisk business, and the parking lot is always full.