I am a huge fan of New England Coffee. I have actually gotten to know the owner Jason a bit, and…read morehe's a great human. He's incredibly passionate about what he does, and it comes across in every aspect of New England Coffee. From the atmosphere and comfortable space, to the extremely friendly customer service from either himself, Gavin or any of the others (whose names I have yet to memorize), to the delicious drinks. They recently relocated their primary cafe to Factory Square in Southington, and I have been twice since the reopening. They are back as good, if not better, than ever. For me, the way to go is any of their house made syrups. They change seasonally and utilize fresh and mostly local ingredients. For example, their vanilla plum syrup is here as long as it is plum season and they can source local plums that meet their standards. That is what I had in my most recent latte, with their brown sugar cold foam on top. The flavor was mild, but definitely present and very tasty. The cold foams are always a highlight. Terrific consistency. A bit frothy while still have plenty of body, and the flavors always come through. I also really loved their take on a pumpkin spice latte. Super deep and developed pumpkin flavor. Just enough warm spices that aren't the slightest bit bitter. The same brown sugar cold foam. That was exceptional. Any berry syrups are always delicious. Both the peanut butter and toasted marshmallow cold foams over the summer were super yummy and standouts as well. I order a cold brew almost as often as a latte. I've only ever ordered an iced drink. I do normally order larger drinks, so my only wish is that they offered larger sizes than 16 oz, but that's just me personally, and not even a critique. Stellar business, and one you just want to root for. Easy to love. Amazing team. A must try.

"Nothing you could say could tear me away from my guy…read moreNothing you could do, 'cause I'm stuck like glue to my guy" (Mary Wells) We took a morning coffee break, and had a wonderful time chatting, relaxing, sipping our drinks, and enjoying the friendly, mellow, and very chill atmosphere at the Café by New England Coffee Guy. They have plenty of seating, some upholstered furniture and we saw a few Friday morning telecommuters working on their laptops and sipping their coffees. Our order was a Chai Latte and a Cold Brew - each was $5. The pours were very large, and I swear that my cold brew was the very best I've ever had. I love coffee, drinking it hot or cold, and what I had here is in my all-time Top Five Percent. It was that good. I had a sip of my wife's Chai Latte and thought it was excellent as well. What really impressed me were the flavors of both drinks- not overpowering, but strong enough to appreciate them. The Coffee Guy has it all - specialty coffees, matcha, chai, espresso drinks, and pastries and sweet treats to pair with your coffee cup. We couldn't resist grabbing a few on our way out, and we took home a box with a Spinach croissant, iced blueberry scone, and a cruffin (croissant/muffin hybrid). We loved our visit to the Coffee Guy, and I was so impressed by the total experience, I just subscribed to their newsletter. So the next time we're looking for a midday break or afternoon pick-me-up..... I know a guy!

Visited on Sunday and had a burger and an espresso martini, both were great. The espresso martini…read moremaybe had a little more ice than ideal, but honestly nothing that affected the experience. Special shoutout to Lorena (if I got the name right) for the great service. I was working on editing videos while there, and she was attentive while also giving me space when needed, which I really appreciated. Great food, great drinks, great service. I'll definitely be back.

We were initially quoted a 30-minute wait for a table, but ended up waiting a full hour. I…read moreunderstand that wait times can be difficult to predict, but being off by 30 minutes is a pretty significant difference, especially when you're dining with hungry children. Once seated, we received our drinks in a timely manner. My friend briefly stepped away to use the restroom, so she texted me her food order. The server came over just two minutes after she left, and I placed both of our orders. We actually have the timestamp to confirm when the order was taken. After waiting 40 minutes with no food, the kids were understandably crying because they were starving. At that point, we had to ask for a manager to find out what was going on. Rather than acknowledging the excessive wait or offering an explanation, the manager told me that we had only placed our order 20 minutes earlier, essentially suggesting that I was exaggerating the timeline. She then assured me the food would be out soon. When I asked what "soon" meant, she told me another 10-15 minutes. So even according to her timeline, we were expected to wait another 10-15 minutes for pancakes and eggs after already waiting 20 minutes? And in reality, we had already been waiting 40 minutes. Mistakes and delays happen. I understand that restaurants get busy, and I don't expect everything to run perfectly. What made this experience particularly frustrating was the lack of accountability and the manager's dismissive response when we simply asked for an explanation.

Come here for coffee and the best sourdough bread. So lucky to get to enjoy this place. Everyone…read morewas friendly.

I am a huge fan of Small State Provisions. Personally, I prefer the Avon location, more for its…read moreenvironment and I also find the pastries to wow a bit more there. I have had a few of the same items at both locations and have found the ones from Gastropark to be slightly below Avon's standard. The banana bread is a favorite, as well as the chocolate chip cookies. I have liked certain flavors of muffins, but generally I find them dry, as well as smaller and more expensive than competitors'. Admittedly, I'm a muffin fanatic and have a very high standard. The almond croissant is good, but can run a bit greasy/heavy for my taste. Another star, though, would be their breakfast sandwich on their own focaccia. Their breads are consistently top tier, and the fluffy eggs and accoutrements are perfectly proportioned and well prepared. I like the blueberry scones as well. Tremendous flake and texture. Very blueberry forward. Their prices are on the high side, except for a few exceptions like the cookies. I know they use extremely high quality ingredients, so they are surely justified, but there are many places around where I can get pastries that I personally prefer for less. Everyone is always very nice there, usually pretty quiet and transactional, but no complaints in that department. They make it a point to be a safe space for all. I don't feel as comfortable hanging in an open food hall type space like that of Gastropark, so I generally take my baked goods to go (or just go to the Avon location, which again, I prefer), but that's a matter of personal preference. There is plenty of space to eat there, and many other people love it. Not a knock. So with all of that said, I think 4 stars is fair. Avon gets a 5, so I would recommend you visit that location whenever possible. But, I do like this one enough to stop on occasion. They are a great business you should definitely support.

Fresh food, easy service and decently priced. Matcha latte was mediocre at best , mostly milk.read more

Went in for a quick lunch on a Sunday and while it was busy, there were still tables open both…read moreinside and outside. I've been wanting to check them out for a while and am so glad to have finally done so! Inside is super cute and like I said, plenty of seating! Our food was fresh and prepared quickly. I had the doro chicken bowl and subbed quinoa for the rice. My boyfriend had the chicken parm on a croissant. Both were very good and great portion size for the price! The chicken was well seasoned and juicy, quinoa was perfectly cooked and the veggies so fresh! Not pictured is the chocolate chip cookie we split which was fantastic! Chewy and soft with great flavor! Can't wait to go back!

This American-Mexican diner was such a great find! We chose to sit in the outdoor seating area, and…read moreit was the perfect day to enjoy a meal outside. The atmosphere was relaxing, clean, and family-friendly. One thing that immediately stood out was the menu. It's about 10 pages long, with an incredible variety of options. Whether you're in the mood for breakfast, lunch, American classics, or Mexican favorites, there's truly something for everyone. The presentation is beautiful. The drinks are garnished with fresh flowers and slices of lemon or cucumber, making them feel extra special. Even the food is served with colorful touches like a slice of orange and a strawberry on a skewer, showing they really pay attention to the details. My kids enjoyed an orange juice and an apple juice. I ordered the mango dragonfruit lemonade, and it was refreshing, flavorful, and the perfect drink for a warm day. For my meal, I had the avocado toast topped with an egg and crispy bacon. It was fresh, filling, and absolutely delicious. The boys loved their meals too. One had the chocolate chip pancakes, which were fluffy and loaded with chocolate chips, while the other had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich served with crispy home fries. They also offer a great selection of specialty waffles and pancakes, giving us plenty of reasons to come back and try something new. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the service was outstanding. Every staff member we interacted with was friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout our visit. Between the delicious food, beautiful presentation, generous portions, reasonable prices, and excellent service, this is definitely a place we'll be returning to. I highly recommend checking it out!

Family friendly place. Food is always delicious with bilingual staff. There is likely a wait but…read moreit's worth it. I love coming here!

We picked up our daughter this morning from her college campus and then headed to breakfast at this…read morefamily owned diner. We found free street parking across the street. There was no wait at 9:30 Halloween morning, though it was at least half full of happy people. We were seated at a comfortable booth for 3. Staff were all warm and welcoming, and dressed up for Halloween! Our server, Ashara, dressed as an elf, was very attentive and friendly. Everything from the coffee to all of our meals were excellent! My husband ordered the Effie's Omelette (filled with corned beef hash) with home fries and toast, my daughter ordered the bagel with cream cheese and lox (came with olives and capers too), and I ordered the BLT on rye with seasonal fruit. Super yummy!! Great homey ambience, kind staff, delicious food! Highly recommend!

Had a client meeting nearby and decided to stop at Effie's Place for breakfast…read more First impression, cool neighborhood restaurant with plenty of parking. Nice atmosphere and a pretty extensive menu. I ordered the Greek omelette with chicken. Spinach, tomatoes, olives and feta. Really enjoyed the combination of flavors. Everything worked nicely together without one ingredient overpowering the others. Came with home fries and toast. Good portions and the food was spot on. Nice place for a casual breakfast. Would definitely come back and try something else on the menu.

We have been here numerous times and have had a good experience every time. The food is excellent,…read morefresh and interesting. There's always something we are excited to check out when we haven't been in a while. The restaurant is both nice enough that you feel really good bringing your out of town friends here to try and impress while also being low-key enough for a simple date night with your significant other. They have a few non-alcoholic drink options. As someone who's living the sober lifestyle, it's always nice to see that. The restaurant is well managed and well maintained. Always clean, servers seem invested. It doesn't hurt to make a reservation if you're coming on a Friday or weekend night. Chicken is the star of the show here, and we almost always order that with some of the ala carte sides, but my wife also likes to grab something else off the menu and I'll usually sneak a bite. We've never had anything that fell below expectations.

Came here for lunch. Ordered a spicy chicken sandwich with a side salad. Food was tasty. Also…read moreordered some adult beverages. I got lavender lemonade spiked with Tito's vodka. Staff here was friendly .

Food was excellent Service was impeccable…read more Drinks were delicious Great night out supporting a wonderful mission

Great place in a quiet spot on the edge of frog hollow- a very up and coming spot!…read more Socially and environmentally conscious and great flavors!

The Laurel is rapidly becoming one of my new favorites. Anyone who can make ceviche out of hearts…read moreof palm deserves some kind of award. Last time I got a pork belly thing that was absolutely mind blowing. Their cocktails are on point as well. This service is super. My only complaint is that the restaurant is very noisy and it needs some curtains or fabric or sound dampening material. Other than that, this place is a hit!

Came here on Halloween evening after a wedding for our friends!…read more We had the back event room set up and started with an appetizer tray platter of shrimp cocktail, and Oysters with all the fixings. The servers were also passing cornbread with delectable chipotle butter and chicken skewers We then had a lovely 4 course meal! I started with Bella Bella Wings Crispy double fried wings, fried garlic, atchara, Pinakurat vinegar, calamansi. These were very good and the dipping sauce had a nice vinegar kick Crispy Brussels sprouts, whipped herb crème fraiche, pretzel crumb, mustard vinaigrette, kielbasa was the next plate served. I LOVE the crispness of the brussel when cooked to perfection, almost like crisps For dinner, I had the Bella Bella Half Chicken which was a fall cassoulet with Young Farms heirloom beans, root vegetables, duck bacon and chicken sausage. I was a fan of the chicken but wanted to try something new. I had to bring my dinner home at this point because I was so full and wanted dessert. For dessert we had a Tres Leches Tiramisu; Mascarpone, tres leches soaked lady fingers with cocoa powder. My wife got the Salted Caramel crème brûlée, and it was to die for! Both the deserts are very good. Overall, the Laurel does their job perfection. The servers make sure that everybody had everything they needed and kept coming around and checking on the guests. There is parking around back, so it's only a short walk to the front

plate of birria tacos or quesadillas served with a side of consommé for dipping. The presentation…read moreappears appetizing with the golden, crispy tortillas filled generously, likely with seasoned meat like beef or lamb. There are also fresh accompaniments such as lime wedges and pickled onions, which should add a nice acidic contrast to the richness of the tacos. The consommé looks flavorful with herbs and a deep red broth, suggesting a well-cooked, spiced stock that's perfect for enhancing the taco experience. The melted cheese on one of the quesadillas suggests it's been griddled to a nice texture, adding another layer of indulgence. Overall, this meal seems satisfying, with bold flavors, contrasting textures, and the perfect balance of richness and freshness from the condiments. The meal likely delivers a comforting, savory experience with plenty of flavors from the slow-cooked meat and broth.

I really wanted to try a new breakfast spot. I liked what I saw on the menu. We were seated close…read moreto where the kitchen prep was. We noticed an employee eating while preparing food with no gloves on. I should have left then honestly! We stayed and observed this woman constantly wiping her face and mouth and still preparing food, cutting potatoes possibly for home fries. She was also doing dishes and then going back to prep food without any handwashing in sight. I ordered a skillet and prayed for a great experience. The food wasn't bad tasting, in fact the food tasted good. But, we did end up getting very sick after we left. Ruined the rest of our day. I barely made it home. Unfortunately, we won't be back.