Whether your family is visiting Stonington or Mystic for the first time this holiday season or are regular visitors, knowing the best spots for seafood is an essential part of Mystic. While many of the town’s restaurants feature delicious seafood options, we’ve narrowed it down to our favorites that focus on preparing and serving a variety of ocean fare, and two can’t-miss options for gathering the finest sea-based ingredients to elevate your next homemade meal to the next level.
Dining In
Water Street Cafe is the destination for anyone looking for a casually elegant dining experience to end the night, nestled in the center of the Borough. They are most known for their house-made desserts, fresh seafood specials, and their succulent oyster bar, featuring the best of local oysters alongside those from the northern waters of Nova Scotia and even those from the Pacific Northwest. A favorite spot among locals but also highly rated by the New York Times, Zagats, and Connecticut Magazine, Water Street Cafe provides a simple and fresh New American menu with local and fresh-caught seafood and farm-grown produce, and the staff are also happy to offer gluten-free and vegetarian options for anyone who asks. We recommend the Duck & Scallops entree, served with oyster mushrooms, sugar snap peas, and mashed potatoes.
Go Fish has the freshest fish this side of the shoreline, any way you want it … raw or cooked. Mystic’s most innovative seafood restaurant featuring a raw bar, wine bar, sushi bar and coffee bar.
Breakwater is a waterfront restaurant located in Stonington Borough and features seafood specials and stunning sunsets with views of the Harbor and Fishers Island Sound. We love the Grilled Seafood Medley, featuring shrimp, scallops, calamari, and salmon, served with citrus butter and coconut-scallion rice.
Red 36– Bright cocktails, big lounge chairs, and multiple bars make this experience a Newport Getaway with yachts docked up and sunsets overlooking the Mystic River. An extensive raw bar and outdoor setting quickly changes with the seasons with roaring fireplaces and cozy indoor seating. The fresh seafood, the waterfront views, the echo of ringing of church bells, the distant buzz of the drawbridge, all bring a new look to “staycation” with no streets in sight or clocks with closing times.
Dog Watch Cafe has three locations in Connecticut, and two of them are in Stonington, so you know they’re serious about keeping the town in awash with amazing food and waterfront views. As a phrase, the Dog Watch was coined in the 1700s to refer to the evening deck duty shift of sailors and mariners, which was a split shift that allowed the crew to enjoy dinner and a drink with the rest of the group. As a cafe, the Dog Watch follows this tradition of being a gathering spot to eat, drink, and be happy. Their food and beverage offerings are sourced from local vendors and include highlights such as the teriyaki salmon sandwich, for a casual lunch, or their bouillabaisse, made from a secret recipe of local fish simmered in a saffron infused broth.
The Oyster Club in Mystic writes its menu daily and showcases food that travels the shortest distance from ‘farm & sea to table,’ with seasonality and location determining the day’s delicacies. Benefiting from the region’s many local farmers and fisherman, Oyster Club features bounty from the sea, pasture raised beef, local produce and artisanal cheeses. They believe Oyster Club is an extension of your home – They welcome you to their table! You must try this place!
