12 Must-Visit Restaurants in Madison, Connecticut
This little town by the sea has a big food scene, from dumpling feasts to decadent ice cream sundaes.
Bar Bouchée profiteroles. / Courtesy photo
The laidback coastal Connecticut village of Madison is just a two-hour drive from Boston, offering a compact, pedestrian-friendly downtown full of shops and restaurants. The town green, a New England classic, boasts manicured lawns, free concerts, and a bountiful Friday farmers market. Best of all, Madison is anchored by beautiful beaches, including Hammonasset Beach State Park, making it the perfect destination for anyone who wants to play in the sand, swim in the Long Island Sound, and stroll a maze of wooden boardwalks.
Culinarily speaking, this small town punches above its weight, with gastronomic offerings including French fare, Connecticut-style lobster rolls, dim sum, and more. It’s no wonder iconic chef Jacques Pépin has lived here for decades and can be spotted dining around town. Here are a dozen must-try restaurants, cafés, and other dining destinations in this seaside gem.
See also:
- The Ultimate Guide to New Haven Apizza
- Beyond Apizza: Must-Try New Haven Restaurants
- Why Doesn’t Connecticut Ever Really Feel Like Part of New England?
Ashley’s Ice Cream. / Courtesy photo
Ashley’s Ice Cream
Ashley’s—named for a famous frisbee-catching whippet—is a time-honored mini-chain of scoop shops founded in New Haven in 1979 and dotting the Connecticut Shoreline today. Eschewing artificial colors and flavors, Ashley’s mixes up popular ice creams like brownie chip and salted caramel, plus seasonal specials such as fresh peach, pumpkin, and eggnog. Sherbet, sorbet, sugar-free, and dairy-free offerings assure there’s something for all stripes of frozen-dessert lovers. Go for broke and order a decadent sundae in a freshly made waffle bowl topped with a cloud of whipped cream and a shower of sprinkles.
724 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-245-1113, ashleysicecream.net.
Bar Bouchée. / Courtesy photo
Bar Bouchée
The upscale yet comfortable ambiance at Bar Bouchée transports you to a neighborhood bistro on the Left Bank, minus the jet lag. Start your evening with a très français apéritif (a Lillet Blanc or Kir Royale, perhaps) at the zinc bar, imported from France, before heading to your table to indulge in traditional Gallic fare, including foie gras, escargots, and steak tartare. The pastry chef spins edible magic, making it hard to resist light-as-a-feather profiteroles filled with creamy vanilla ice cream and drizzled with warm chocolate sauce. The owner, chef, and much of the waitstaff are French, adding a certain je ne sais quoi.
8 Scotland Ave., Madison, Connecticut, 203-318-8004, barbouchee.com.
Cafe Allegre pasta. / Courtesy photo
Cafe Allegre
Craving food like Nonna used to make? Cafe Allegre is a trip down memory lane, if your memories involve a grandmother stirring Sunday sauce. Here, you’ll find fortifying dishes of the Italian-American kitchen, such as spaghetti with fresh clams and rigatoni topped with meatballs and sausage. Chef-owner Ilario Suppa’s parents were the original owners of the restaurant, and he honors their legacy by cooking the crowd-pleasing favorites that they served for decades while personally welcoming each guest like famiglia. Gems beyond pasta include escarole and cannellini bean soup that’s elegant in its simplicity and chicken Marsala loaded with earthy mushrooms.
725 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-245-7773, cafeallegre.com.
Clam Castle’s fried seafood. / Photo by Allison Tibaldi
The Clam Castle
Every New England coastal town deserves a clam shack like the Clam Castle. Open seasonally from approximately April to October, it has been a Madison mainstay for over 60 years. Expect a minimalist experience: Order at the counter, pick up your food when your number is called, and dine at a picnic table. Tried-and-true favorites like clam strips or whole bellies, scallops, and cod, lightly battered and fried, are served in paper boats with lemon wedges and coleslaw. On a cool day, it’s hard to beat a bowl of Rhode Island-style clam chowder, with clams and potatoes floating in the clear broth. But don’t miss the noteworthy Mexican-influenced dishes, including tangy fish tacos and warm tortilla chips served with hand-chopped salsa.
1324 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-245-4911, clamcastlect.com.
A cream cheese-slathered bagel from Cohen’s Bagel Company. / Courtesy photo
Cohen’s Bagel Company
From traditional bagels like poppy and sesame to fun flavors like cinnamon crunch and an Instagram-worth rainbow bagel, Cohen’s offers at least a baker’s dozen fresh varieties daily, each with a firm crust and chewy interior. A cornucopia of house-made schmears, from a classic vegetable cream cheese to the popular spinach-artichoke spread, means there’s something to please every palate. For a heftier breakfast, it’s worth it to wait a bit for egg and cheese on a bagel.
1347 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-318-5090, cohensbagelcompany.com.
Cristy’s. / Courtesy photo
Cristy’s
Pancake lovers, this one’s for you: Cristy’s all-day breakfast menu includes over 40 varieties of light, fluffy pancakes, from classics like blueberry to creatives like banana caramel crunch. Hefty stacks are served with a dusting of powdered sugar and plenty of butter. (It’s a hit with local families, who stroll a few steps to play on the beach after they’ve eaten.) Cristy’s is open for dinner, too, when the menu is rounded out with reliable burgers and homestyle entrees like meatloaf and Yankee pot roast. Bonus: Simple guest rooms are available for those who want to wake up and smell the pancakes.
73 West Wharf Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-245-7377, cristysmadison.com.
Madison Cheese. / Photo by Allison Tibaldi
Madison Cheese
If you don’t think art can exist between two slices of bread, you’ve never eaten a sandwich at Madison Cheese, a cheese shop and café. Mother-and-son owners Fawn Nebinger and Ian Hagerty select each ingredient with care, and they’re wizards when it comes to building luscious grilled and cold sandwiches. Take the crowd-favorite Hamlet, for example, composed of sizzled nitrate-free ham, Emmental, and a smear of Dijon mustard, heated to melty perfection, or the Turkey Tango, with turkey and assorted vegetables on a demi baguette, a mango habanero sauce adding punch. (A cup of tomato soup is an excellent accompaniment.) Don’t leave without perusing the shop’s collection of global cheeses, charcuterie, and tinned fish.
119 Samson Rock Dr., Madison, Connecticut, 203-245-5168, madisoncheese.com.
Meriano’s Bake Shoppe
With mom-and-pop roots dating back to 1988, Meriano’s sells custom cakes, pies, cookies, and Italian pastries, including cannoli that give Boston’s North End selections a run for their money. Meriano’s takes it a step further with a mobile cannoli truck, filling each crisp shell with a rich ricotta mixture seconds before you pop it into your mouth. Around the holidays, expect long lines to purchase old-world breads and cakes, as folks come from miles away for the authentic taste and fabulous customer service.
200 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-779-5812, cannolitruck.com.
A sandwich at RJ Cafe & Bistro. / Photo by Allison Tibaldi
RJ Cafe & Bistro
Madison is home to one of New England’s finest independent bookstores, RJ Julia Booksellers. In addition to a vast selection of reading material, the establishment treats bibliophiles to a fantastic onsite eatery serving salads, soups, sandwiches, and divine baked goods (including award-winning cupcakes) in a comfy setting. Grab a padded window seat or head outdoors to enjoy a table in the sun, and don’t hesitate to order the flavorful Italian wedding soup if it’s the offering of the day. The curried chicken salad and the grilled cheddar, arugula, and fig sandwich are menu stalwarts, too, and the espresso is the best this side of Rome, although the old-school root beer float often proves more tempting.
768 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-318-8008, rjcafebistro.com.
Savvy Tea Gourmet. / Photo by Allison Tibaldi
Savvy Tea Gourmet
Lose yourself in the leaves at this well-stocked shop, which sells over 300 varieties of tea leaves from around the world, from black to green to oolong and beyond. Owner Phil Parda treats Savvy Tea Gourmet like a tea education center, offering plenty of in-store tastings and workshops. Stop by for a cup or reserve the afternoon tea, which includes a bottomless pot of tea and sweet and savory bites tastefully presented on a tiered tray.
712 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-318-8666, drinkgreatteamarketplace.com.
Steamed’s dumpling platter. / Photo by Allison Tibaldi
Steamed
For delicious dim sum at a modest price, head to Steamed, where dumplings star, each slim wrapper bursting with slurp-worthy filling. The sampler platter comes with 18 plump dumplings (two of each available variety), perfect for sharing, with fillings such as pumpkin or chicken mixed with a harmonious blend of garlic, ginger, and other spices. Beyond dumplings, the hearty soups and noodle dishes are uniformly delectable.
670 Boston Post Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-779-5628, steamedmadison.com.
Shrimp cocktail with a view at the Wharf at Madison Beach Hotel. / Courtesy photo
The Wharf
For delicious food with an incredible water view, the Wharf can’t be beat. (Doesn’t hurt that it’s located within the Madison Beach Hotel, one of New England’s finest seaside hotels.) The chef champions a “boat-to-table” philosophy of local, seasonal sourcing, and the heated porch provides nautical vibes that’ll have you feeling like you’re on a boat yourself. That said, a table inside by the fireplace is also quite cozy. Start at the bar for a memorable Bee’s Knees, made with honey-infused gin from Bar Hill Distillery in Montpelier, Vermont, and delve into the various seafood options for your meal, from a shrimp cocktail appetizer with zesty cocktail sauce to a warm, buttery Connecticut-style lobster roll accompanied by a mountain of shoestring fries. Save room for dessert, especially if the showstopping carrot-cake baked Alaska is on the menu.
94 West Wharf Rd., Madison, Connecticut, 203-350-0014, thewharfmadison.com.
