50 Best Vegetarian 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”“

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

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

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

“I'll start by saying I love Indian food and I have been to a lot of Indian restaurants, so when I say this place is the best, I mean it! This restaurant is a small, mom and pop type place and the owner is one of the nicest people I've ever met. She even offered to make us a vegan dessert on the house! She does everything herself, including taking orders and cooking. Everything is made to order, from scratch, and she takes great pride in that! As a result, everything is absolutely delicious! This restaurant is exclusively vegetarian, but the owner is very knowledgeable about veganism and most dishes can be easily made vegan. I ordered the onion pakoras as an appetizer and they were deliciously flavourful and crispy, but not greasy at all. For my main dish I ordered the chole puri. This might be my favorite meal ever! It is essentially chana masala, but comes with puri (puffed flatbreads), which are so tender and delicious and perfect for scooping the curry! We also got aloo paratha (flatbread stuffed with spiced potatoes) on the side and it was equally tender and delicious. The owner made sure to inform me that it was all vegan and even told me what specific substitutions she made to make it vegan, like using almond milk in the curry instead of cream. This place is almost an hour from my house, but I will make a special trip to come back here for the amazing food and service from this incredibly kind and accommodating woman who takes so much pride in what she does.“

“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!“

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

“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.“

“I couldn't wait to eat the salad before I took the picture. Their salad dressing is addictive. The cauliflower usually comes with buffalo, but I prefer their tahini. The chicken schwarma platter is so big that we end up sharing it. They also have plenty of vegan options that are spectacular. They make the best falafel that I have ever tasted!“

“Love it so very much. Food is excellent“

“Came here for the first time today. I've been wanting to try for awhile. Amazing place. Love the menu! So many different things to choose from. Tons of veggie options. I had a veggie melt with broccoli, eggplant, onions, sundried tomatoes and cheese. It was amazing! If you haven't been, great eats for breakfast and lunch!“

“Very clean and friendly staff“

“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!“

“excellent beer in a good variety, wonderful small pub atmosphere many other breweries fail at, some of the best bartenders I've ever encountered. plenty of to-go options, dog friendly, great events.“

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

“Great place. we love everything about it. food, service and eating in. try everything, it's worth it.“

“SO SO SO SO GOOD. We couldn’t decide so we got 3- a margherita, a classic and a mashed potato. The sauce is incredibly, and every pie was perfectly balanced with ingredients and an insane crust that was both chewy and crunchy. 🤌🏻 perfecto!“

“What a great place to start your evening off with something cool to drink 🍹 and an appetizer. We enjoyed sitting at the bar with our friends and chatting with our favorite bartender Lori who always makes us smile and laugh. We love ❤️ getting the baked stuff shrimp baked potatoes and asparagus. Was unbelievably delicious. 😋 yummy We love meeting there after the beach or before going out for the evening. Always a great time! You can’t go wrong there ENJOY 😉“

“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.“

“Just had the most incredible dinner at Grano Arso — truly inspired Italian cuisine that celebrates simplicity, flavor, and quality. Every dish felt thoughtful and refined, made with locally sourced vegetables and meats that brought a real sense of place to the table. The flavors were rich yet balanced, rustic yet elevated. The ambience? Cozy, intimate, and warm — perfect for a quiet date night or a special evening with friends. You can feel the passion in every bite and every detail of the space. Grano Arso is a true gem — already dreaming of my next visit.“

“My wife & I have been enjoying MANY weekday meals at TJ'S for more than several years. And I can honestly say that we have, not only enjoyed the food we ordered, but, more importantly, the caring and attentive staff that we have dealt with over those years. We could more highly recommend this restaurant as a place for you to enjoy a good meal!!“

“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.“

“The food is freshly made and excellent quality. We celebrated my boyfriend’s birthday there last night and the staff surprised him with delicious ice cream! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. We have been there many times before and ordered many different meals, all excellent!“

“It’s our go to place for a great start to our weekends!! The owner is wonderful and her staff is amazing.“

“Amazing food and a really great atmosphere. The chef puts so much care into what she does and she makes everything tasty“

“Amazing food every single time!! Beautiful hidden jewel in Westbrook CT!!!“

“real fresh d fashioned food. good quality and great price. service was great as well“

“Ate here a few days ago! Everything was excellent! The Pomodoro Caprese Salad was good and the Veal Parmesan was excellent! Would definitely order it again! Raspberry Sorbet was amazing!!!! Staff is very friendly and wonderful! Definitely will eat here again! Great first time experience! ❤️❤️❤️“

“We've been going to Sal's Pizza since it was in the Westbrook Cumberland farms building & now their beautiful restaurant!! ANN & Staff thank you for making our Daughter's Birthday Special, Memories are a Lifetime, Kindly Brandy, Tommy & Family

Vegetarian options: They're accommodating just ask politely

Parking: PLENTY OF SPACE

Kid-friendliness: ABOVE KIND, PROFESIONAL & THOUGHTFUL

Wheelchair accessibility: Yes“

“great beer selection and bar food is unique and creative“

“33 Years in the same place, same staff, they must be doing something right, Great prices on excellent food. I've read the reviews from people that have given it 1 star. These must be people that can only accept 5 star service, and everything else is 1 star. I understand some of the things you complained about, and maybe you did have a valid point, but 1 star, and to imply that the waitress was suffering from dementia, come on, grow up. If you made reasonable criticisms, and rated fairly, people would take you seriously, but you just make yourselves look mean and vindictive. All over an undercooked omelette, etc.“

“What a great place, fantastic food and prices are awesome!! on a getaway trip with the hubby and we've been here twice already!!! service is A++++“

“Great service and food! A lovely atmosphere and attentive staff.“

“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!!!“

“Very good food, every time. House special pizza is great! Very good salads. Reasonable prices.“

“Five professional motor cycle riders who eat in a lot of food at different stops were very satisfied. Great prices/ great quality/ good quantity/fast service/ great waitress/ clean modern seating and restrooms/ ample free parking. Its now on our favorite list. Thank you for serving us so well!!“

“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.“

“Delicious food, friendly staff, served quickly and very attentive staff making sure everything is okay. This is our #1 go-to place for breakfast, lunch or dinner!“

“great place to meet up with others“

“Stopped here after a girls day out book shopping, this place is awesome! Friendly, happy staff with healthy, delicious food!“

“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 had the bison burger with sweet potato fries. The dipping sauce for the fries was amazing. My server Jackie was great about never letting our glasses become empty and making sure to help out with my daughter’s allergies!“

“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“

“Delicious beautiful place“

“amazing salad bar and the pizza was cooked to perfection we where very impressed with freshness of the food! highly recommend stopping in“

“I celebrated my birthday at the Seal tonight. We haven't been in a while. I had the Short Rib Ravioli, Mom had the Serloin Steak, my wife had Tuna and our son a grilled cheese. Everything was delicious! Our server said she was new, but did a great job. We finished with warm Carmel apple pie! It was the perfect ending to a great night!“

“Always loved this place. Food and service amazing! Always stop here on my way through town.“

“Delicious burgers and excellent service! My favorites are the Brie and the fungi. Highly recommend.“

“Highly recommend!! Best Italian food around! Waitstaff is amazing as well, which makes for an even better dining experience! You won’t be disappointed!!“

“Have been here several times and always enjoyed a great meal. Surprised by the recent lower rating but decided to go back and try the food anyway.
We enjoyed our soup and entrees. Service was good and staff helpful. Even prepared Prik Nam Pla for us when requested. Will go back again.“