Restaurants near Old Lyme

“07.26.25 *WRITTEN REVIEW Big Al’s Reel Reviews – EP.143 Sapore Pizzeria Town of Old Lyme, CT This morning, I dropped a post asking if any restaurants wanted to invite Big Al’s Reel Reviews to their spot—and guess who hit me up? Sapore Pizzeria in Old Lyme. So I pulled up—and let me tell you right now… this one felt special the minute I walked through that door. The welcome? Warm. The vibe? Bustling. The atmosphere? Absolutely amazing—families dining, good conversation, and a team that made me feel like I’d been coming there for years. My server, Sarah, was top notch—attentive, kind, and on point from the jump. The owners were there as well, and you could feel the pride in the place. Turns out, the owner is originally from Naples, Italy and used to work for Illiano’s before opening this place six years ago. That Naples-to-Old-Lyme pizza lineage is real. And then something beautiful happened… A true B.A.R.R.fan—Troy Gaston—saw I was at Sapore and drove over just to show love. So I invited him to sit down and have dinner with me. That’s what this is all about: community, connection, and real support from real people. Troy’s a solid dude and a subscriber, and I appreciated him being part of this experience. Here’s what I ordered: 1. Meatballs in Vodka Sauce – $11 Served with toasted ciabatta. These were tender and flavorful, and the vodka sauce was creamy and smooth. A perfect starter. 💣 2. New York-Style Cheese Pizza (17”) – $20.50 This right here was the star of the show. Thin, crispy, cheesy, and cooked just right. I gave this a DOUBLE 💣💣 — one of the best I’ve had on the shoreline. 3. Chicken Parmigiana Bolognese – $24 Served over penne pasta with rich, meaty bolognese. This was another 💣. Classic flavor, hearty sauce, and that perfect comfort-food bite. And then… out came a complimentary tiramisu—a gift from the kitchen. That kind of gesture speaks volumes. The tiramisu was absolutely delicious, a smooth and sweet way to end an already dope meal. The food was fire. The service was flawless. The atmosphere was family-friendly and full of good energy. And the fact that they reached out and invited me in? That means something. Especially after what happened yesterday. Sapore didn’t just pass the test— They’re officially a Big Al’s 💎 Gem Spot. It’s worth checking out—and if you go, make sure you tell ‘em, Big Al sent you! ☝🏾❤️ - Big Al Mayo “See you on the Rebound, Peace✌🏾out””

“Everything tastes amazing, nothing you get off the menu will disappoint! 10/10 highly recommend!”

“There a great ambiance and great acoustics for live music also a good line of view when the bands play. Highly Recommended”

“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.”

“Elana kills it on every birthday cake we order! She always goes above and beyond to make sure the vision is perfect. 🤩”

“Great place for breakfast, whether you carry away or eat it there. They open at 6:30 a.m., and prepare the food super fast. The breakfast sandwiches are fantastic, with fresh ingredients including buttery brioche rolls if you want to indulge.

Extremely friendly service.”

“A fortunate find with wonderful staff and great foodie stuff.”

“Great people, yummy food! The steak salad is my go to ~ delicious!”

“1st time here and wow was everything from the appetizer to the main course top notch dining.”

“fantastic food!! fantastic staff, and owners. it is the best place to stop for great food in a mom & pop restaurant Thank You guys 😎”

“OMG so good!! We got the 4th of July crepe that was FULL of berries and whipped cream! And the Almond Joy! Both were amazing and super filling! Highly recommend!”

“From jumpstreet, these people treat you like an old friend. Great place to keep ur chops polished. You never know what song is coming @ the "pickin party". And it's a challenge and exhilarating at the same time. Dan and Gayle create a very comfortable living room setting as comfortable as can be.”

“I been coming here for 2 years, absolutely the best Chinese food !”

“The pavilion is a “HIDDEN GEM” located in T if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of a busy stressful workweek then set a course for this beautiful oasis with live music good drinks what more can one ask for let’s have some fun 🤩 meet you there first round on me !!”

“Excellent Experience. Stopped at that Subway to buy myself and 2 workers lunch on the way back from a job. The 2 ladies working were very friendly, polite and attentive. The elder of the 2 who had taken care of me made a great wrap suggestion and the food was great. Besides the friendly staff there are chairs outside to sit in which was great on such a nice day.”

“Loved the fast and special service this shop gave!”

“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!”

“Hi everyone! 🍕 I recently had a delightful experience at a local brick oven pizza place named PRIVATEERS and just had to share it with you all! The chicken capris is absolutely delicious, and the staff there, especially our server, was incredibly kind and welcoming. It’s wonderful to support our local businesses, and this place truly deserves a shoutout for their amazing food and service. Highly recommend giving them a try if you haven’t yet! 🌟”

“Fantastic pizza! I'm pretty picky with pizza..I was impressed. service was great too! 👍🏼”

“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!”

“Great food. We were 4 and ordered: Penne ala Vodka GREAT Carbonara GREAT Special Burger GREAT Meat Lovers Pizza PERFECT CRUST”

“We had a two delicious meals. The duck was crisp and not fatty. I had the special with roasted potatoes and spiraled veggies with a delicious sauce. My husband thought his paella was very good. This new restaurant’s staff and owners try very hard to please their customers. We will definitely be back!”

“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.”

“Very clean and great food!”

“Taza is easily one of my favorite spots in Connecticut. The food is always fresh and full of flavor and you can tell they put real care into what they serve. I had the mixed grill and hummus, and both were amazing. The place has a really comfortable vibe, and the staff make you feel right at home. It’s the kind of spot you walk into once and already know you’ll be coming back.”

“By far one of our favorite places to grab a pizza. Always fresh and tasty. Have also had the wings and other dishes. All have been amazing. If you have not gone - GO!”

“Excellent coffee and bagels. Top notch service. The owners and staff couldn’t be friendlier. If you’re near Westbrook looking for a coffee shop, I fully recommend Julie’s Cup of Joe!”

“Just tried the vegan chocolate and vegan lemon blueberry. May I just say they were both outstanding...creamy, rich and delicious. Well done Honeycone Cream Co. 🥰 I will definitely be a repeat customer. Husband had a vanilla milkshake and he said it was really good.”

“We have been to Shayna B's at least 10 times. The food is always amazing! Yesterday, 8 of us celebrated my wife's birthday. Everyone, including the non-gf folks, loved the food! The staff was great. I can't say enough nice things!!!”

“MOST DELICIOUS DONUTS for the literal best prices I’ve ever seen. The staff is lovely, the shop has a pleasant vibe, and my kids are always thrilled to have Flander’s donuts! It’s cash only (which I forget a lot, that’s why I’m mentioning it) but they have an ATM machine in the shop. So recommended!”