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.

Visited Sunday morning around noon. Used waitlist tool on Yelp and it was pretty accurate! Greeted…read moreby a smiling Peyton at the door & sat immediately. Our server Olivia was super friendly and attentive as was her trainee. Usually give the food 5 stars but the hash brown part of the quiche cups was very overcooked today. Love the vibe here!

The best sandwich can be found at this corner spot inside the Gastropub. The baguette is crunchy on…read morethe outside just the way I love it. The sweet tomato chutney is a perfect combo for the cheddar cheese ! They also have a ham sandwich and a cauliflower banh mi. Grab a coffee at Alvarium Toasting Company and it's a perfect lunch

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

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

I made another visit here for lunch on a weekday and the place was far less crowded & wait was far…read moremore reasonable I got a pastrami sandwich and a creme brûlée latte. The sandwich was solid, but wasn't anything to write home about. The latte was great however.

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!

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.

My wife, daughter, and I visited on a busy Sunday morning and were lucky to score a table. Effie's…read moreis located in a neighborhood and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Hartford. There is indoor/outdoor seating and there is ample street parking. My wife and I ordered the Cinnamon French Toast. I had it with Strawberries, blueberries, and a side of turkey sausage. My wife ordered a fresh fruit salad. My daughter ordered a egg white omelet with tomatoes, onions, spinach, and American cheese. It came with roasted potatoes. We each had a coffee. As coffee snobs, we all agreed the coffee was very good. The French toast was excellent. Cooked fresh and tasty. My French toast was smothered in fresh bananas and blueberries and my wife's fruit salad was fresh and nothing canned. My turkey sausage consisted on three small links that were tasty and maybe cooked a while ago. My daughter loved her omelet and all the veggies were fresh and not canned. The prices were very reasonable and the service was excellent and friendly. The bathrooms were clean. We would return if we lived in the area.

This is a very unassuming place when walking in, not knowing you are going to be kicked in your…read moreculinary taste buds. This food was probably some of the best that I've put on my tongue. If you get a chance to try this farm to table joint out, please do and thank me later.

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.

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

Amazing Food, Beautiful Ambience, and One Billing Issue to Fix…read more Fire by Forge is quite an experience. The ambience is beautiful, with gorgeous brick walls and a thoughtfully designed space that makes the restaurant feel special. The food was absolutely amazing, and the service was top-notch. Our waitress explained that Fire by Forge is a nonprofit organization that teaches culinary skills and helps employees find jobs afterward. It's a wonderful mission, and it was great to learn about the work being done through the restaurant. I had the honey chicken sandwich, which was delicious. The honey was perfectly balanced, adding just enough sweetness without overwhelming the other flavors. The homemade kettle chips were a little overdone but still very good. My friends had the ribs and the burger, and everyone was extremely impressed with their meals. The alcoholic drinks were excellent, too. We had mules, and they were fantastic. Unfortunately, the billing process took some of the shine off an otherwise excellent experience. The check included an automatic gratuity that appeared to be less than a standard tip, along with another charge that none of us could identify. We assumed the additional charge might support the nonprofit's mission, but that wasn't clear. We were then left trying to calculate how much additional gratuity to leave on top of the amount already included. For example, if a customer wants to leave a 25% tip and the bill already includes 10% gratuity, they have to calculate the additional 15%. If there's another unexplained charge, it becomes even harder to determine what has actually been paid and what additional amount, if any, should go to the server. This should be explained clearly upfront and itemized on the menu or check. Supporting the nonprofit may be a worthwhile part of the experience, but customers should know what they're being charged for before the bill arrives. Clear communication would also help ensure that neither customers nor staff are left at a disadvantage. Overall, Fire by Forge has exceptional food, wonderful drinks, outstanding service, and a beautiful atmosphere. I would absolutely recommend it. With a little more transparency around the billing and gratuity, the entire experience would be just as impressive as the meal itself.

First time at The Laurel, and honestly, I am lost for words trying to describe how amazing the food…read moretasted. OMG, the place is so cute and cozy, and the espresso martini was so good. The potato flautas and crème brûlée were definitely my favorites. I wanted to go in during brunch, called the restaurant to check if they serve potato flautas during brunch, looks like you can only get them during dinner. We were a group of 4, and our server, Soley, was incredibly kind and helpful. She suggested a few vegan options for us, and everything we tried was absolutely delicious. Such a lovely experience all around. Can't wait to come back and try more! Thank you to all the amazing chefs who takes time to come up with these kinds of scrumptious recipes

This place sits on the edge of West Hartford, in the place of the Corner Pub which once stood…read more We ordered the artichoke 'Rangoon', spicy Caesar salad, French fries, kinilaw, crab tostada and so much more. The crab was delicious and tasted fresh. The fries were good. Huge portion. They were perfectly seasoned. The Kinilaw was so good. Very light and I loved the touch of spice. My stepdad got the burger which was massive and boy was it tasty. The Bella Bella wings were good too, and were paired with something similar to a papaya salad. Lastly we got the pumpkin olive oil cake. I was intrigued because it sounded fall festive. It was so good. Similar to carrot cake however I wasn't a big fan of the sauce with it. It was a tart almost apple-like sauce made from Roger's Orchards. Everything was served family styled. Every entree was very delicious and perfectly cooked. The portions were generous, they don't mess around with the serving sizes. Almost every dish had a bit of a kick (of spice) too. I almost wish the menu would signal when a dish had a bit of a bite because I can usually handle my spice, but these dishes definitely snuck up on me. I was a little confused by the art on the walls as they were French influenced, however the dishes were several blends of cultures including Thai, American and Filipino. Overall, this was really good. You can tell they make their food with love and everything is very intentional. This place was also very busy on a Friday night but not overly crowded, there were absolutely no waits for our food.

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.