3 Best Restaurants in New Haven, Mystic, and the Coast, Connecticut

In this tiny (13-seat) restaurant, the chef applies French techniques to both modern cuisine and old favorites. You might start with Niantic Bay oysters or Essex (New England) clam chowder, followed by steamed local halibut, chicken à la Normande, or steak frites; at the 6-seat Chef's Tasting Bar, guests opt for the five-course ($85) or seven-course ($105) tasting menu.

In a sexy, dimly lighted storefront space looking toward the New Haven Town Green, ZINC turns heads with its artfully prepared and globally inspired farm-to-table cooking. Menu items include typical American standbys (NY strip steak, grilled yellowfin tuna, pork chop) modernized by adding an Asian influence (in dishes like Saigon lettuce wraps and steamed pork dumplings).