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    Zini's Restaurant

    3.8 (69 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Steakhouses
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Zini's Restaurant Photos

    ZINI'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Intimate
    Classy
    Casual

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    Recommended Reviews - Zini's Restaurant

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    Zini's Espresso Martini
    Steve T.

    "Sunday Drive" We felt like taking a drive in the country Sunday afternoon so we headed up into Litchfield county. We stopped in the center of Litchfield and walked around in a couple of the shops and headed towards Bantam on our way back home. As we drove passed Zini's Restaurant, I remembered seeing pictures of their weekend specials on Facebook. So we turned around and went in. With no specific plans for the afternoon, this turned out to be an awesome dinner. Zini's is a dimly lit romantic restaurant. I loved the stone walls throughout the dining room and the black and white pictures inset into the walls. My wife said she wants to go back to enjoy the fireplace when they light it for the colder months. As I had mentioned, we had no specific plans for the day, but our evening turned into a celebration of owning our store for three years. We worked the night of the anniversary. We began with two very good espresso martinis followed by a delicious burrata salad. Creamy burrata mozzerella and garden fresh tomatoes over fresh lettuce and topped with fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic. My wife had the spinach fettuccine alfredo with garden vegetables and topped with grilled chicken. The alfredo sauce was very light and tasty. I had a huge grilled veal chop served with a classic potato croquette and mixed vegetables. Perfectly cooked juicy veal chop seasoned with rosemary, salt and pepper. I haven't seen potato croquette served in a long time. Crispy outside. Creamy, cheesy and delicious inside. We ended our dinners with a tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake. Zini's is not shy with their portions and the piece of cheesecake was no exception. Excellent meal. The gentleman that waited on us said that most people that dine there are regulars. He was happy to welcome us as new customers and also happy that we'll be back.

    Carlene S.

    So wonderful, I don't know where to start! The building is a beautiful display of masonry craftsmanship inside and out. The restaurant is not large (which I think is a bonus), it's quaint, cozy and the seating is well organized. They have a well stocked bar with a flat screen TV, tables, booths, and a fireplace. The staff is extremely courteous, friendly and attentive. You feel as though you're eating at a friend's restaurant. Our meals came out quickly, were presented beautifully and most importantly, tasted amazing! This truly is a treasure and I feel lucky to have found it. Next time I will definitely make reservations, it fills up quickly. I would recommend Zini's for a romantic dinner or a family dinner!

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Good food. Lomo saltado was very good. Meat was very tender and flavorful. Whole chicken and rice with salad was the perfect meal.

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    Geppetto Osteria E Bisteccheria - Fried Fingerling Potatoes

    Geppetto Osteria E Bisteccheria

    (67 reviews)

    My family and I have lived in the area for more than a decade, and last night was our first visit…read moreto Geppetto's. After one dinner, I can confidently say: waiting that long was a major strategic error on our part. Walking in, the ambience immediately hit us. It felt transporting -- like one of those small, incredible places you stumble into somewhere in Italy. And I don't mean the "strip mall, giant portions of red sauce, Sinatra on repeat" Italian spots (no disrespect... I'm from New Jersey, I was raised on those). I mean real deal, authentic, thoughtful Italian cooking in a space that feels intimate and special. The menu is focused, authentic, and clearly executed with confidence. Honestly, I have no food allergies and at one point I realized I could probably close my eyes, spin around, point at the menu like I was playing darts, and be thrilled with whatever showed up. We committed fully to the experience: multiple appetizers, entrées all around, dessert, coffee -- basically the kind of ordering strategy that makes a server look at you and think, "These people came to eat." And somehow each dish was better than the last, which is both impressive and slightly unfair to the dish that came before it. Service was warm and attentive, though a little mysterious in structure. Several different people helped us throughout the night and none identified their roles. At some point I stopped trying to figure out who our official server was and just assumed Geppetto's operates on some kind of Italian hospitality relay team system. Whoever it was, they were all great and made the night feel personal and welcoming. Now for my two pieces of feedback, offered with genuine affection. First: our charming rustic wicker farmhouse chairs had just a touch of sag. Three members of our party are over 6'2" and about 240lbs, and there was a brief silent moment where we all wondered if the chairs were about to become part of the evening's entertainment. Thankfully they held strong. If those chairs could talk, they'd deserve a glass of wine. Second: the bread was fresh and delicious but leaned toward a very crusty baguette situation. Great bread, but it made some appetizers a little bit of a jaw workout. I'd love the option of butter or olive oil alongside it. But honestly... if those are the only things I can come up with, that should tell you everything. If you haven't been to Geppetto's, go. If you have been, go again. It's one of those rare places that feels elevated without feeling pretentious -- the kind of restaurant that makes you slow down, order dessert even when you're full, and immediately start planning when you can come back. After waiting ten years to try it, I can promise you one thing: We will not be waiting ten more.

    A gem in Torrington! The setup and atmosphere make guests…read morefeel like they walked into a traditional italian restaurant, in italy. The menu is unique, with typical italian homemade dishes, not anything we've seen in other italian places in the area. The chicken liver & pork chop are to die for - an absolute must. The homemade bread is delicious as well as the olive oil. Getting a reservation on a weekend can be tough so book ahead !

    Arethusa al tavolo - Duck dumplings

    Arethusa al tavolo

    (335 reviews)

    $$$$

    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!

    Difranco's Restaurant and Pizzeria - Shrimp de Franco

    Difranco's Restaurant and Pizzeria

    (55 reviews)

    $$

    We went blueberry picking in a nearby town and wanted lunch before the long drive home. The people…read moreat the farm suggested that we go into Litchfield for a variety of eating choices, and they were right! What drew us to di Franco's was the lovely patio out front, with lots of round tables shaded by bright umbrellas. We weren't looking for an Italian meal necessarily, it was lunch on a hot day rather than a leisurely evening dinner, and diFranco's has a pretty decent selection of sandwiches and salads for lunch in addition to the traditional Italian specialties you'd expect. My husband chose the salmon burger and was quite pleasantly surprised that he didn't get a salmon "burger!" He got a nice sized portion of actual grilled salmon on a bun with greens and I think tomato, plus a plate full of thin, crisp, addictive fries! It's on the menu as Cajun but he asked for no Cajun spices, and it says tartar sauce on the sandwich but he asked for that on the side. He said the salmon was really delicious . I ordered the tuna melt with avocado. This came on thinly sliced crisp toast and it was very tasty, if a little wetter than I usually prefer tuna salad. This also came with those wonderful fries; I NEVER finish a whole portion of fries but I ate every single piece today, they were that good. FWIW, I used hub's tartar sauce on the side for dipping my fries (I'm not a ketchup fan). We just had cold water to drink, and the server was gracious even though all we ordered were those sandwiches. We saw ample salads on other tables. The place was busy outside, empty inside, but it was a gorgeous day and the shaded tables were inviting - good for sitting and relaxing a bit, plus people watching! Inside, the restrooms were clean, but more than that they are noteworthy for the handicapped accessibility. I had a cousin whose MS caused her to need a wheelchair and she'd have been pleased with the space and the grab bars. Maybe it's code, but my experience has been that it's rarely this well followed. So if you or someone you dine out with has the need, consider diFranco's for the accessible restrooms as well as the food! Note that they were offering a discount for cash. The dinner menu looked good but I can only vouch for the high quality of the lunch. Try it if you're in or near Litchfield CT.

    Di Franco's makes an outstanding pie. The cheese pull was excellent, the sauce tasted like there…read morewas a little chicken stock added to it, and the crust was unbelievably crispy. And I can't forget the sausage, absolutely spectacular. This pizza ranks up there with some of the best. So stop in and grab a pie. You'll be glad that you did. And the waitress was a nice lady, and the service was personable and prompt. Four stars... and that's a review.

    Litchfield Pizza - Really good. Wish the sauce stood out a little more. Really excellent crust and cook.

    Litchfield Pizza

    (42 reviews)

    $$

    I loved my visit here. I will definitely be back…read more I grew up in northern NJ in an era of family businesses. In fact, it was common in the 80's and 90's to see multiple generations working to provide their customers the best... I had that experience yesterday. Upon walking into the spotless dining room, I saw Nonna/Mom/Great Aunt in the first booth looking over the operation while the next generation was busy in the kitchen - and working in concert with the youngest family member who was working the floor. Fantastic. So friendly, so heartwarming. I also watched as "regulars" came in for their dinner. They ALL stopped by the kitchen entry to say hello to all employees and each employee greeted them by name. I hope to one day achieve this status. The food was good. I had a side salad, fried calamari, and a small pizza (half plain, half pepperoni and ricotta). Everything was fresh, tasty, and really well cooked. I was very happy to be a part of a dinner service there. I am looking forward to trying an entree - I have a craving for veal... maybe later this week. My only knock on my experience is that their sauce is very simple, and, in my opinion, lacks a little tang to stand up to the pizza cheese and toppings. But the crust was almost clinically perfect. My half pepperoni and ricotta side was slightly floppy in the middle - but I have to take responsibility for that as it was a tough order. Each half of my pizza cooks much differently. The plain cheese side was perfect. I can't wait to go back.

    Purchased a pizza pie, an order of meatballs and a eggplant parm dinner with ziti and a salad. The…read morefood was just out of the oven, hot and fresh. When I returned home, the food was devoured. It was tasty, plentiful and perfect. Happy I found this restaurant, and will be back.

    Don Giovanni's Pizza - Light and fluffy?  Good traditional pie for north of Watertown and west of Torrington.

    Don Giovanni's Pizza

    (28 reviews)

    $$

    I have driven past this place for a year - DYING to try it. Today, my curiosity got the best of me…read moreand I went. 1 star earned for the amazing server working the phone and the dining room. She was outstanding (I wish I had gotten her name). She moved with purpose, had a smile, and even put up with some generational jokes and banter at the other table with appropriate humor, patience, and without eye rolls. She was great. 1 star earned for clearly being a family place serving the community. There were family holiday cards on the wall upon walking in - perhaps multiple generations of family working in the kitchen, and the place is clearly a source of pride. It is spotless. Recently remodeled in a very safe and neutral tone - but I'd literally eat food off the floor clean. All of the above makes me want to go back soon. And I will. .5 stars earned for BYOB. I do not partake, but when I did "BYOB," I would have loved and appreciated coming here with a bottle of Chianti and enjoyed. Really really great. Earning our final .5 stars, unfortunately, is the food. I happen to be in the business so I was concerned when I saw Restaurant Depot brand plastic wraps and retail store paper plates behind the counter. The soda cooler is also not from a Pepsi distributor as they do not want to deal with cans. So this leads me to they are also purchased retail and stocked. That's not a problem, but it lets me know the through-put does not warrant them getting from a food service distributor who has minimums on weekly orders. I ordered cautiously: a small garden salad (was BEAUTIFULLY plated) was $9!! And wet. Fried calamari (also came to my table with some much hope - it was GORGEOUS) had soggy rings, cold in the middle tentacles, and a tasteless marinara. All of the breading fell off of the wet seafood and I left it on the plate for the kitchen to see and hopefully learn from $13. And a small cheese pizza for $11 that was good. It was light a fluffy which was weird for me. But it was cooked well and was the runner-up highlight of the experience (service was the best). I saw very nice looking pasta dishes go out to tables, so I will Order one next time I go. I don't think the chefs were formally trained based on some of the technique stumbles today and I noticed the pastas that went out to other tables were not tossed in the sauces they were with. The ample accompaniments were plated on top. But I will reserve judgement until I try myself. All in all. It was ok. I'll continue to support the family run place happily as long as the service and effort that was clear today are still there.

    Really love their pizza but im very upset that I have been trying to call and order and no one…read moreanswers the phone, for days! I assumed they closed permanently, but the gas station across the street says they are still open. So its unfortunate they don't want my business or anyone else who tries to call during their so called business hours.

    Zini's Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

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