City: Litchfield, CT

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (860) 567-4900

Address: 26 Commons Dr. (Route 202)

Description: Litchfield County isn’t exactly a seaside resort; its appeal is entirely different. But at least one restaurant up here is dedicated to bringing fresh fare from the sea to diners spending time in the hills. If you have a large (more than 2) group, get one of the seafood towers for an appetizer. The oysters here are expertly shucked, and the clams are never rubbery and overdone. Try their pasta with meat from Nodine’s Smokehouse in nearby Goshen or the surprising Shrimp Olvera, with lobster sauce and a grilled artichoke. If you’re really hungry, on their lounge menu is the so-called big chowder supper with mashed potatoes, steamed clams, bacon, and sourdough toast. It’s like a meal for the early settlers of this hill town, hundreds of years ago. Perhaps you won’t be clearing the land of trees for your farm, but you’re probably working hard enough to deserve this. Try one of their signature cocktails before or after dinner; the Saltwater Grille knows how to do them right.