Subject: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: RangerSteve Date: 15 Nov 04 - 06:12 AM I'm going up to my brother's place in Mass. for Thanksgiving, and I'll probably be needing lunch somewhere in Connecticut. So what diners are there along I-84? It doesn't have to be a classic railroad car-shaped diner, although that's the kind I prefer. Thanks, Steve (a serious diner fan). |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: RangerSteve Date: 15 Nov 04 - 06:13 AM Or if you know any along the Merritt Parkway, I can take that route, too. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: MarkS Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:01 AM The Blue Colony Diner, just off exit 10 on I84. Great food at moderate prices. Been owned by the same family forever and has just been remodeled. Mark |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:24 AM Been there, Mark... good suggestion. Jerry |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: dwditty Date: 15 Nov 04 - 09:44 AM Exit 10? Hmmm, maybe I will go there for lunch today. Steve, if your Mass. travels take you anyahere near Northampton, be sure to go just north to the Miss Florence Diner (yes, in downtown Florence, MA). You can get anything from hash to trout almondine. dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Amos Date: 15 Nov 04 - 10:08 AM The Merritt Parkway doesn't have anything directly on it except service stations with candy barmachines. But if you get off in many small towns and medium size towns you can find interesting places to eat, although I can't speak to any of late having been out West for 20 years. Wending your way north on Route 7 through Danbury is a much prettier and slower way to go, if you have the time. A |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: karen k Date: 15 Nov 04 - 11:30 AM Blue Colony is good and easy off, easy on. I think you'll like it. It is popular. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: GUEST,Cookieless KathWestra at work Date: 15 Nov 04 - 05:18 PM I'll add my vote for the Blue Colony. It's been a regular stop on many, many trips to NEFFA from Washington, DC, and more recently on drives to Maine. Literally yards from Exit 10 of I-84 (Newtown, CT), great food, nice waitresses (have never had a waiter there), and a terrific value for the price. Eat there! Kathy p.s. (thread creep) If Roy Harris (burl) is lurking about, and has never been to the Blue Colony, we'll have to add it to your "to do" list for your next U.S. trip. Roy's a big diner fan, and just sent me a list of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire diners he's visited as an orientation present for my recent move north. (Roy and I once visited four diners in a single day on one of his trips to D.C. Burp.) |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: RangerSteve Date: 15 Nov 04 - 08:00 PM Thanks. I'll give the Blue Colony a try. I like the name, too. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: SINSULL Date: 15 Nov 04 - 10:30 PM Been to the Blue Colony a few times. Go for it. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Barbara Shaw Date: 16 Nov 04 - 09:13 AM There's a great little ITALIAN diner on I91N in New Haven, CT, right off exit 8, I believe. I think it's called the I-91 diner, or maybe that's just what we call it... Anyway, your first clue that this is not your ordinary diner is when they bring out the bread: fabulous, crusty, real Italian bread. Everything I've had there has been great, and they have all the usual diner stuff plus their own specialties. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: dwditty Date: 16 Nov 04 - 05:46 PM Rte 61 runs from Rte 84 in Southington to Rte 91 in Meriden...If you are continuing to hartford, this detour will add no more than 10 minutes to your drive...BUT!!!!!!!!!!the reward!! Ted's World Famous Steamed Cheeseburgers (Click here for Ted's Web) This is an incredible treat, but if you are watching your cholesterol (who isn't, but I mean if you are nuts about watching it), forget it. Bet you can't eat just one. dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: dwditty Date: 16 Nov 04 - 05:49 PM OK, my post got truncated....user error I am sure. Click here for Ted's BTW, exit 5 off 691. You will not believe how good these are. dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Margaret V Date: 16 Nov 04 - 07:03 PM Steve, I guess Middletown is a bit out of the way but weekend breakfasts at O'Rourke's Diner are outrageously good, absolutely worth a detour. On the weekends they have a breakfast menu about five pages long and the food is just delicious. It's tiny and you've got to get there pretty early to beat the crowds or else you'll be lined up outside on the sidewalk waiting for a table. But I've been known to drive to Middletown from New York just for O'Rourke's, so obviously I highly recommend it! Maybe you could try it on your way home, if you're staying over until Saturday or Sunday... Margaret |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Guy Wolff Date: 16 Nov 04 - 07:19 PM I was going to say what about that great dinner in Newtown but I cant remeber it's name and here it is . Yes the Blue Colony is great . If you are ever over on the other side of Connecticut there is a very cool dinner in Dayville called ZIPPS . The food is fine but the art Deco Bathroom is worth a photo session . Black and White I think . Near Hartford is the town of West Hartford and I hear they have a great Tai Resturant .Again cant remember the name . Never mind ... On the silly side there is a Rain Forest Cafe at the Farmington mall just off the Corbins Corner exit on 84 just west of Hartford, . Eliphants Gorillas and jungle.. Sorry not helpful but fun !! . Bon Appitte !! |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: dwditty Date: 16 Nov 04 - 11:07 PM OK, here is the official guide of ALL DINERS IN CT BTW, if you go to Roadfood.com, you can search by state by type of food....lots of reviews too. For example, check out The White Hut in Springfield, MA. The review says it is worth driving 59 miles to eat there!. Mange! dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: dwditty Date: 16 Nov 04 - 11:11 PM I almost forgot. Phillips Diner in Woodbury (about 5 miles north of Rte 84 at exit 15) was declared by Gourmet Magazine to make the best doughnut in the US. They only make 4 kinds.....try the cinnamon. dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: GUEST,celtaddict at work Date: 17 Nov 04 - 10:12 PM If you like diners, do try hard to get to O'Rourke's. On pretty weekend mornings you may stand outside waiting, and they close at one on weekends. During the week, we have never had to wait for a table at breakfast; they are open for lunch during the week too, though more crowded. They have an astonishing menu. Weekdays, one can also just let Brian feed you, with whatever he takes a notion to give you. Recent Brian's Breakfasts have included a roast duck gumbo base with a red tortilla, broccoli rabe, and poached eggs with langostinos and asparagus, with on the side a molasses scone with fresh berry topping, and another day mild curried vegetables with a rabe with tomato pesto, with egg pockets (mini-omelets with feta cheese); the side scone was pumpkin/ginger with a pear puree. He does all the classic diner things but much more. The Dubliner breakfast includes Irish cheddar omelet, smoked rashers, colcannon, soda bread, a whiskey based sauce. Brian is also likely to come round and hand you a new kind of scone straight from the oven, or bring something to sample, or sometimes sit down in the booth to chat. They bake their own; the fancy breads and cakes often find their way into french toast. The plain white toasting bread is something special in itself. They also have a regular counter with stools, and the metal casing and glass bricks of the classic diner. If you sit on the right side (as you go in) you can watch them cook. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: GUEST,celtaddict at work Date: 17 Nov 04 - 10:21 PM If you find yourself heading up I-95 (which heaven forfend) you can also get off just north (which in CT is of course east) of the Thames River (in CT pronounced "thaymz" of course) and go up Rt. 12 (as if you were going to the Sub Base, which you do not want to do) to Rosie's Diner which is a classic diner, in look and food. Locals hit it for 3 a.m. coffee or business lunch or midafternoon pie. There are other places in the area called Rosie's, such as up by the casino, but this one (on your right as you head true north) is the real deal. |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Amos Date: 17 Nov 04 - 11:50 PM Actually there used to be a classic chrome diner in Norwalk, just along route 7 at the turn off for the Norwalk Hospital if memory serves....I had forgotten all about it. A |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo Date: 18 Nov 04 - 04:29 AM Blackie's Hot Dogs. Exit 27 (Rte. 70) off of I-84 in Cheshire. If travelling north, take left off exit, go half mile on Rte. 70, and it's on your right. Best hot dogs on the east coast (I make it a point to stop by when I'm out east myself). Make sure to use their home-made relish (and mustard ... no ketchup) as this is what they're famous for. Note: If you're going the Merritt/Wilbur Cross to Hartford, you'll miss this. You may think instead of Rein's Deli in Vernon, CT (east of Hartford). Rein's is the best deli between NYC and Boston. Enjoy! Cheers, |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: GUEST Date: 18 Nov 04 - 06:01 AM I went by Blackies on the way home last night as 84 was jammed up. Blackies has been serving their hot dogs since 1920 something, I think, They are not fried or steamed, but rather boiled in oil. I know, sounds awful, but they are delicious! Oh yes, Blackies is "Closed Friday's All Year." dw |
Subject: RE: BS: Diners in Connecticut From: Barbara Shaw Date: 18 Nov 04 - 10:26 AM Well, I'm clearly the gourmand in this crowd of gourmets, but I can add to the thread by showing you this link with photos of many of the diners mentioned above: http://www.dinercity.com/ctDiner/ctDiners.html |