Best Restaurants 2013: Experts' Picks

Our dining experts pick their favorite places to dine out in 26 categories.

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BEST ITALIAN:
Carbone's, Hartford
Liana's Trattoria, Fairfield
L'Orcio, New Haven
Paci, Fairfield
La Tavola, Waterbury

HONORABLE MENTION:
Basta, New Haven
Da Pietro's, Westport
Sal e Pepe, Newtown
Alforno, Old Saybrook
Cavey's, Manchester
Columbus Park, Stamford
Salute, Hartford

CARBONE'S, HARTFORD: "Carbone's consistently delivers delicious, authentic Italian food. There's none of those heavy, saucy, cheesy products that many people think of as Italian food." - Cathy Ross, Associate Editor, Connecticut Magazine

PHOTO BY JULIE BIDWELL

BEST AMERICAN: Good News Cafe, Woodbury Max Downtown, Hartford Rebeccas, Greenwich The Schoolhouse at Cannondale, Wilton West Street Grill, Litchfield HONORABLE MENTION: Community Table, Washington; Zinc, New Haven; Dressing Room, Westport; Match, South Norwalk; David Burke Prime, Mashantucket; Old Lyme Inn, Old Lyme; Heirloom, New Haven
WEST STREET GRILL, LITCHFIELD: "For nearly 25 years, West Street Grill has been a Litchfield County star -- creative menu, attentive service and a celebrity vibe." - Charles Monagan, Editor, Connecticut Magazine

BEST FRENCH: Bernard's, Ridgefield Luc's Café & Restaurant, Ridgefield Ondine, Danbury Thomas Henkelmann, Greenwich Union League Café, New Haven HONORABLE MENTION: Cavey's, Manchester; Brasserie Pip, Ivoryton; Bar Boucheé, Madison; Le Petit Café, Branford; La Bretagne, Stamford; Boulevard 18, New Canaan
BERNARD'S, RIDGEFIELD: "It's impossible to imagine Ridgefield without this charming French restaurant, and its equally charismatic owners-chefs Bernard and Sarah Bouissou. It skews from formal dining with contemporary French food and classic touches to relaxed (at Sarah's Wine Bar upstairs)." - Amy Kundrat, Executive Editor, CTbites.com

BEST MEXICAN/LATIN: Besito, West Hartford Brasitas, Norwalk Ibiza, New Haven Oaxaca Kitchen, New Haven & Westport Tacuba, Branford HONORABLE MENTION: Bistro Latino, Greenwich; Valencia Luncheria, Norwalk; Bistro Basque, Milford; Ola, Orange; Cora Cora, West Hartford; Milagro, Stonington
TACUBA, BRANFORD: "Tacuba's beach-shack decor is artful and it's a fun place to be. Love the spears of tropical fruit dusted in cayenne." - Elizabeth Keyser, food writer and journalist

BEST INDIAN: Coromandel, Darien Kolam, Newtown Navaratna, Stamford Swagat, West Haven Thali, New Haven, Ridgefield & New Canaan HONORABLE MENTION: Tawa, Stamford; Taste of India, West Hartford; Zaroka, New Haven; Mirch Masala, Groton
THALI, NEW HAVEN, RIDGEFIELD & NEW CANAAN: "Prasad Chirnomula is a rock star of cuisine. He has a remarkable palate, whether creating traditional dishes, riffs on street food, re-creating his mother's dishes, or fusing flavors for innovative Indian concepts." -Faith Middleton, WNPR host

BEST ASIAN:
Feng Asian Bistro, Hartford
Miso, New Haven
Shiki Hana Japanese Bistro, Fairfield
Shrine, Mashantucket
Tengda, Westport and other locations

HONORABLE MENTION:
Great Taste, New Britain
Kudeta, New Haven
Miya's, New Haven
Pho Saigon, Bridgeport
Matsu, Westport
Wasabi, Orange

MISO, NEW HAVEN: "Friends once invited us to eat at the sushi bar at Miso and it continues to set the bar by which I judge sushi in Connecticut." - Amy Kundrat