While NYC has no shortage of celebrated restaurants, sometimes we must yield to the call of the quaint, and this seaside town more than delivers. <\/p>\n
In a recent roundup of the best small towns in the country, Travel + Leisure<\/a> crowned Mystic, Connecticut, as the best of the best for destination dining.<\/p>\n Made famous by the eponymous Julia Roberts film (yes, the\u00a0Mystic Pizza parlor<\/a>\u00a0is still there), the town has risen above its humble pie reputation to claim its place as a true food mecca, complete with a mess of James Beard award-winning chefs and a glut of local seafood.<\/p>\n In a recent roundup of America\u2019s best small towns, Mystic, Connecticut, was crowned the best of the best for destination dining. LightRocket via Getty Images<\/p>\n An easy 2.5-hour drive or train ride from New York City, Mystic\u2019s rich maritime history has long made it a port of call for vacationers, but unlike neighboring coastal towns that remain committed to serving basic and boring fried seafood, Mystic has found its footing \u2014 and its foodie fandom \u2014 by fishing for more.<\/p>\n \u201cThis corner of Connecticut is practically overflowing with award-winning chefs, imaginative bartenders, hard-working farmers, knowledgeable servers, and expert fishermen. What\u2019s more: They all intersect in Mystic because of the area\u2019s fertile farmland and bountiful waters,\u201d praised the outlet.<\/p>\n In terms of dining and drinking destinations, The Port of Call<\/a> gets a shout-out for looking like the belly of a sea-worn whiskey barrel and for its James Beard-recognized beverage program. Offerings include a savory Manhattan known as Organic Woodland Matter made with rye, bitters, vermouth, and a seacoast mushroom infusion because why the hell not.<\/p>\n Other notable locales include Shipwright\u2019s Daughter<\/a>, a waterfront restaurant whose menu changes daily and is dictated by whatever bounty local fishermen haul onto the nearby dock. <\/p>\n The menu at The Shipwright\u2019s Daughter changes daily and is dictated by whatever bounty local fishermen haul onto the dock. Google Maps<\/p>\n The kitchen is helmed by David Standridge, a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef Northeast in 2024 and finalist for Outstanding Chef in 2026, and fan favorites include kelp-wrapped scallops and seared squid.<\/p>\n Standridge, who also owns nearby\u00a0Mystic Fish Camp<\/a>, sources everything as close to the restaurant as possible, creating a sustainable loop from purveyor to plate.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re bringing in all these products that are super authentically local and part of the fabric of the town, you end up with a menu that is really representative of what\u2019s happening in town, whether it\u2019s the mushroom farmer or kelp farmer.\u201d<\/p>\n As the name suggests, bivalves are the star of the show at Oyster Club<\/a>, a small restaurant with a tiered outdoor dining deck, appropriately dubbed the Treehouse, which overlooks the Mystic River. <\/p>\n The Treehouse at the Oyster Club serves bivalves with a river view. Amy Oru \/ Facebook<\/p>\n Oysters from Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine are served with house cocktail sauce, black currant mignonette, and lemons. Lunch and dinner are offered daily, and dishes include standout and salivatory ingredients such as tomato ghee, bacon fat aioli, and coriander crunch.<\/p>\n For those who worship at the altar of fermentation, Nana\u2019s Bakery <\/a>serves sourdough loaves, pizzas, and cult-status, made-to-order \u201csourdoughnuts\u201d in flavors like cacao e pepe and blueberry glazed.<\/p>\n Also among T+L\u2019s recommendations is Mediterranean-focused Barbary Coast<\/a>. The intimate restaurant comes correct with a natural wine list and shareable offerings like a tahini Caesar salad with za\u2019atar crumbs and moussaka with grilled local lamb.<\/p>\n Those interested in staying over in Mystic are in luck as the town is also in the swing of a hotel boom.<\/p>\n At Nana\u2019s Bakery, sourdough reigns supreme. Nana’s Mystic \/ Facebook<\/p>\n Delamar Hotel Collection, known for its original Greenwich, Conn., location, opened the dog-friendly\u00a0Delamar Mystic<\/a>\u00a0last year, complete with waterfront views in every room, complimentary breakfast, and a guests-only outdoor heated swimming pool.<\/p>\n