This Mid Coastal Connecticut Road Trip is full of great foodie finds, and, along I-95, easy to get to. Take it with your favorite person – or persons.
Epicurean explorers, and lover of the serendipitous might discover their own favorites. But we’ll get you on the road with our Go-To’s to start.
Mid Coastal Connecticut Foodie Foray
Restaurants are linked to their websites. And town names link to their respective Getaway Mavens guide. We start with dessert in Milford CT.
Milford CT: Exit 39 off of I-95
Two Great Coastal Connecticut Ice Cream Spots
Queuing up for frozen treats is a time honored summer tradition in these parts. Good thing Milford CT is home to two fantastic ice-cream places. So, you can choose.
Scoopy Do’s Ice Cream
Scoopy Do’s sits hard by Milford Landing (town marina), and is a favorite of boating families. Even if you didn’t arrive via the Long Island Sound by sail or motor, meander around the docks – a popular thing to do in summertime.
Walnut Beach Creamery
From Scoopy’s, drive a few miles to Walnut Beach – a casual, funky, artsy section of Milford CT. Walnut Beach Creamery, owned by Susan Patrick (wife of sportscaster, Dan Patrick), is a block from a sandy beach. So it tends to draw a sun-screen-slathered set.
In season, lines can stretch across several blocks. Take your cone and walk around the neighborhood and to the beach. An idyllic mid-afternoon snack.
Thimble Islands, Stony Creek in Branford CT (25 minutes North of Milford CT, Exit 56)
I love Stony Creek CT – a section of Branford on Long Island Sound, dotted with the pink-hued Thimble Islands, and wreathed in charm. Not only is this part of Coastal Connecticut lovely to behold, it also has a lost in time and space feel about it. Try the Curried Chicken Salad at Stony Creek Market – a dish for which I’d drive a great distance.
New Haven CT ( 7 miles South on I-95, Exit 46)
New Haven, home to Yale University, has some of the best pizza pies in the USA. There’s been a healthy rivalry between age-old pizzerias in this college town.
Frank Pepe’s opened in 1925. Modern Apizza in 1934. Sally’s in 1938. Aficionado’s parse the superiority of each like chicken wing buffs debate Anchor Bar vs. Duffs in Buffalo NY.
My personal preference is Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana (or The Spot – the little building behind Pepe’s that shares its kitchen) in its original location. (There are now several outposts).
That’s not to say the other two are inferior. Far from it. Those reading this can taste test and make your own choice.
