New American Restaurants near Essex, CT

“This is definitely the place for a special dining experience. The menu, quality of food, service — all top notch. Thanks to The Essex team for making our anniversary amazing!“

“Very clean and great food!“

“Everything was great about our dinner and experience!! The atmosphere sitting outside and having dinner was fantastic! Our server was great!! Personable, friendly, knowledgeable and not intrusive, just the way it should be! Had a nice chat with her! Our drinks were delicious and the dessert was a perfect treat. Would really love to return here again soon!!“

“Honestly originally came here thinking it was a typical tavern. Left having one of the best food experiences I have ever had! The food was amazing and so perfectly prepared I have been back countless times since and am always recommending them to friends and family. Definitely need to fit in a date night here really soon!!!“

“My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and were absolutely blown away. We tend to end up with less than stellar dining experiences and service, but the Brushmill was outstanding! The service was impeccable, they congratulated us on our anniversary (which was a note on the reservation) and gave us a complimentary Prosecco toast to start the evening. Our server was top notch, we never found ourselves in need of a thing. We started with drinks after the Prosecco toast- a mint greyhound and a tequila old fashion, both of which were well balanced with beautiful presentation. For the appetizer, we got the scallops…. Out of this world! Our server commented they were his favorite, and after trying them it’s no surprise! This may have been the best scallop dish I have ever had. If you go, GET THE SCALLOPS and thank me later! For dinner I had the pasta dish and added chicken to it and my boyfriend had the steak frites. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned. The brown butter sauce was light and flavorful at the same time and the hazelnuts in the pasta dish paired beautifully with the brussle sprouts and sage. My boyfriend’s steak was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The amazing meal and service were complimented by the absolutely beautiful building. We both love the rustic industrial vibe, pairing the history of the building and the elegance of the atmosphere perfectly. We will definitely be back and telling all our friends about this hidden gem. Thank you for being a stupendous addition to our evening.“

“Chelsey does it right. Ambiance, staff/service, food quality/quantity, and pricing. Brunch, happy hour, dinner...everything excellent. With so many mediocre restaurants out there, Village Bistro makes dining out truly special. And...Chelsey makes the most creative delicious drinks! Thank you for a consistently excellent experience!“

“Such great service but even more so, the chefs are incredible with their creativity and delivery of unique and delicious food. Liv's is an oasis away from home....they do so much to make dinner special every time. Thank you all.“

“Excellent!! Crab cake appetizer was the "best I've ever had" according to my son. There were four of us and all were very pleased. I've been twice and looking forward to going back. This restaurant is definitely the place to go when you want to take your time between courses and enjoy the food and people you are with. I like the 20% service charge(tip) added to bill. Keeps paying thoughtless as service is excellent. 5 stars on everything!“

“There needs to be a 100 star option on Google. This place is SO GOOD!!!
We came back a second day and if we're in the area longer, we would be back every day!
Small breakfast café where you can watch the cook make your meal on the other side of the counter. Everything is made to order and there is a ton to choose from. Based on what we saw, you can't go wrong! Everything was absolutely delicious, our kid even scraped his plate! The best breakfast out we've ever had.“

“Very good dining experience. food, service and atmosphere get a big thumbs up 👍“

“We had a wonderful lunch recently at Cafe Flo! It was very crowded when we were there, but our server Paloma was so welcoming and attentive, and made our experience extra special. We also noticed her and other staff staying calm and collected when having to deal with some not-so-nice customers at a neighboring table.
Food was fresh and delicious, and of course you can not beat the view of the river. Our only suggestion is to add some background music on the patio, as it would add to the beautiful setting. We look forward to returning next year when we are in the area.“

“Otter Cove Restaurant is one of our go to restaurants here in town. The atmosphere is really really nice with a large dining area or a smaller more intimate bar area. And it is spotless!!!! The staff is professional and friendly*****
The food is excellent. Great choices and fairly reasonable for our taste. I often get the OC salad with a side of chicken or shrimp. One of my fav salads by far- just a great combination of apples, salad, etc. it’s large so I always bring half home. My husband goes for the salmon with their sides- always plenty of food.
You will not be disappointed.“

“Excellent food and service. This was a great fine dining experience. We will definitely be back for the fall menu.
48oz Tomahawk steak was plenty for two. Our server Dana was very professional and her wine suggestion paired perfect with steak.“

“I have been going here for at least 11 years. The food never disappoints. I love the daily specials and holiday special orders. Fresh and delicious. The bakery is excellent, the cookies are irresistible. Quaint gourmet sandwich, coffee, and gift shop in downtown Chester. Highly recommend, outdoor seating. Always friendly service.“

“We were going to a show at Ivoryton playhouse (excellent) so found this very nice local restaurant! Server was excellent explained the menu clearly and we decided to have a spinach omelet delicious , home fries were fantastic. Portions were large.i had steak and eggs Steak was cooked just like I ordered ! Biggest problem was which homemade muffins to take with us to hotel. They all looked delicious and they were. Definitely coming back at the end of October Don’t miss this gem“

“5 of us went for lunch yesterday, Haley & the kitchen knocked it out of the park. None of the other guys had ever been before,all said they'd be back. So laid back, not at all stuffy. Don't ever change.“

“My husband and I went to Aspen the other night for our wedding anniversary. We had our rehearsal dinner there 4 years ago and were blown away by the food.. well, once again, they nailed it! It was delicious!! Not only was the food good, but our waiter, Joe M (funny, same name as my husband 😅), was wonderful! We will definitely be back again!!“

“We have been enjoying Chow for years and everything we have ever had from them has been delicious but yesterday… Father’s Day, they went above and beyond! They were packed and after waiting for a while for my take out order (understandable for a busy night) they confessed and profusely apologized because in the rush of the busy evening one of my pizzas had been dropped. Without missing a beat they promised my pizzas would be remade and delivered to my house…. Half hour away!!! That is stellar customer service!!! So, amazing food AND wonderful customer service, what more could anyone want?!“

“Very good chow and good service, 5 stars!“

“Fresh Salt never disappoints! Highly recommend the pork chop! Cuts like filet mignon! Apps (Mrs Tag meatball, and the calamari were so full of flavor ) were plentiful and dessert , cheese cake and a seasonal bread pudding, were a perfect ending to our evening. Worth it for sure.“

“The best lobster roll and clam chowder I ever had in my life and I am very happy.“