Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Hartford area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Hartford area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Hartford area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#28. Republic Gastropub
- Rating: 4.1/5 (460 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 39 Jerome Ave. Bloomfield, Connecticut
- Categories: Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Elizabeth's Bar & Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 825 Cromwell Ave. Rocky Hill, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Portuguese, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Max Fish
- Rating: 4.1/5 (598 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 110 Glastonbury Blvd. Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Seafood, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. The Beamhouse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (277 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 917 New London Tpke Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Windsor Steak and Seafood
- Rating: 4.1/5 (148 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 35 Poquonock Ave. Windsor, Connecticut
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Burtons Grill & Bar
- Rating: 4.1/5 (552 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Evergreen Way South Windsor, Connecticut
- Categories: New American, Gluten-Free, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Trattoria Toscana
- Rating: 4.2/5 (245 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 706 Hartford Road Manchester, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Cotton Hollow Kitchen
- Rating: 4.2/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 840 Main St. South Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: New American, Comfort Food, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Restaurant Bricco
- Rating: 4.2/5 (592 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 78 Lasalle Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. a'VERT Brasserie
- Rating: 4.2/5 (477 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 35 A Lasalle Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Brasseries, French, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Max Downtown
- Rating: 4.2/5 (560 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 185 Asylum St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Millwright's
- Rating: 4.2/5 (578 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 77 West St. Simsbury, Connecticut
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#16. 2 Hopewell
- Rating: 4.2/5 (205 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2 Hopewell Road South Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Shu Restaurant
- Rating: 4.2/5 (413 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 156 Shield St. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Szechuan
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Barcelona Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (815 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 971 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Rooster
- Rating: 4.3/5 (859 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1076 Main St. Newington, Connecticut
- Categories: New American, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Coracora
- Rating: 4.3/5 (476 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 162 Shield St. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Latin American, Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. J Gilberts Wood Fired Steaks & Seafood
- Rating: 4.3/5 (935 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 185 Glastonbury Blvd. Glastonbury, Connecticut
- Categories: Steakhouses, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Treva Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (700 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 980 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Pho 501
- Rating: 4.3/5 (519 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 Main St. Ste 5 East Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Vietnamese, Soup, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Edoichi Sushi & Hibachi Steak House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (317 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 580 Silas Deane Hwy Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Steakhouses, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Vinted Wine Bar & Kitchen
- Rating: 4.4/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 63 Memorial Road West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Wine Bars, New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. The Charles
- Rating: 4.4/5 (383 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 161 Main St. Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Carmine's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (184 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 389 Main St. East Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Salute
- Rating: 4.4/5 (149 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 377 Cromwell Ave. Rocky Hill, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Zohara
- Rating: 4.4/5 (947 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 991 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Salute
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1601 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 Trumbull St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Fire by Forge
- Rating: 4.6/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 539 Broad St. Hartford, Connecticut
- Categories: New American, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
