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CONNECTICUTSally’s ApizzaNew Haven, ConnecticutBill AddisonWHAT:The finest among New Haven’s legendary pizzerias, hands down.WHY:You might disagree with my pronouncement; some of the other writers involved in this project likely do, too. But twice now for Eater I’ve powered through the town’s stellar pies for comparison’s sake, and both times I’ve reached the same conclusion: The tang of the tomato sauce, the powdery char of the crust, and the light hand with quality toppings are all superior at Sally’s. Order the tomato pie with garlic and no cheese (other than a dusting of pecorino Romano) to know pizza divinity. The place is dim and spare and open only for dinner; you’ll receive efficient but gruff service from staffers who sport mailman-style shorts year round. The archetype of the Italian-American pizzeria, it’s a national treasure. — B.A.237 Wooster StreetNew Haven, CT 06511(203) 624-5271 | sallysapizza.comBill AddisonSea SwirlMystic, ConnecticutWHAT:A former Carvel stand east of Mystic Seaport that now serves some of New England’s finest fried clams.WHY:We're talking whole-belly clams — plump and ocean-sweet with a salty snap to the lasciviously tender meat inside a brittle crust. Beyond clams, this summertime drive-in serves a full roster of expertly fried seafood, including scallops, shrimps, and oysters. Of all Connecticut’s shoreline clam shacks, Sea Swirl’s ambience is the most delicious. Dining is all outside at picnic tables, where you can smell the ocean’s flood tide crawling in behind the restaurant. — Michael Stern30 Williams AvenueMystic, CT 06355(860) 536-3452 | seaswirlofmystic.comThe PlaceGuilford, ConnecticutHelen RosnerWHAT:An outdoor restaurant that’s really more of a clearing in the woods, two miles inland from the beach: Diners sit on tree stumps instead of chairs and all the food is cooked on a massive open-fire grill.WHY:There’s only one menu at the Place, a hand-painted wooden sign that towers over the sunburnt families (and occasional well-behaved dog) who’ve packed this warm-months-only spot since 1971. Watch other tables and you’ll see a reliable pattern: First, a tatter of iron grating bearing a dozen roasted clams under a blanket of cocktail sauce and butter; next, a lobster or two, some barbecue chicken, and maybe some bluefish. Most people also order a pile of smoke-kissed corn still in its charred husks; it’s the only side dish on offer, but you’re encouraged to BYO anything else you might want (including a six-pack, which you can pick up at a nearby gas station on your way in). — Helen Rosner901 Boston Post RoadGuilford, CT 06437(203) 453-9276 | theplaceguilford.comBill AddisonTed’s RestaurantMeriden, ConnecticutWHAT:The home of the central Connecticut steamer, aka a steamed cheeseburger, made with pizzazz by this snug little shack since 1959.WHY:Individual patties of ground beef and blocks of cheddar cheese are put in separate metal trays inside of a steam cabinet, where they are vapor-cooked. The result is a burger that’s unconscionably juicy, its cheese a pearlescent mass just viscous enough to seep into every crevice of the meat below. It’s maximum umami per bite. — M.S.1046 Broad StreetMeriden, CT 06450203-237-6660 | tedsrestaurant.comMAINEDrifters WifePortland, MaineBill AddisonWHAT:A natural wine bar and modern American bistro that, like the city it’s in, punches above its weight at every turn.WHY:Carried by an infectious enthusiasm and boundless knowledge of wine and the people who make it, co-owners Peter and Orenda Hale have built an impressive 200-bottle strong natural wine list that’s matched in tone and quality by chef Ben Jackson’s menu. A springtime bowl of duck consommé with hen of the woods mushrooms is worth doubling down for a second serving, and bright house-made yogurt offsets the concentrated umami of roasted chicken with carrots and lambs quarters. The kitchen and cellar are ambitious, but it’s the genuine warmth in the front of the house that makes this an East End gem. — Anestes Fotiades63 Washington AvePortland, ME 04101(207) 805-1336 | drifterswife.comBill AddisonEventide Oyster Co.Portland, MaineWHAT:The exuberant seafood phenom that sets the standard for the modern oyster bar — not only in New England but for all of America. Eventide is no secret: No matter what time of year you arrive, or at what time of day, there will likely be at least a short wait.WHY:Nearly 20 varieties of craggy, pristine oysters from Maine and throughout the region sit piled on ice atop a hollowed-out slab of granite. Their names reflect their geography, etching maps in the mind: Pleasant Bay, John’s River, Basket Island, Dodge Cove. Eat them plain and then dabbed with accompaniments both classic (red wine mignonette) and newfangled (ices made from horseradish or kimchi). Trust that blackboard specials like fish crudos and octopus terrine will deliver, though the marquee remains the signature lobster roll umami-blasted by an unlikely triumvirate: browned butter, dried milk powder, and lemon. — B.A.86 Middle StreetPortland, ME 04101(207) 774-8538 | eventideoysterco.comLong GrainCamden, MaineBill AddisonWHAT:A detour-worthy neighborhood restaurant among a rambling row of businesses in a picturesque town, run by husband-and-wife team Ravin Nakjaroen and Paula Palakawong. The menu takes its initial cues from the couple's Thai homeland, then veers into what could be pigeonholed as “pan-Asian” cuisine—though Nakjaroen’s precise and personal cooking style transcends any cursory labels.WHY:A universal comfort like fried rice shows off uncommon care, each grain distinct and mingled with local seafood like Maine crab or smoked mackerel. But every meal should also include Nakjaroen’s true-minded Thai dishes, including pad kee mao (rice noodles fiercely seared in a wok and paired with locally grown vegetables) and a deftly calibrated, not-too-sweet panang curry with beef. — B.A.31 Elm StreetCamden, ME 04843(207) 236-9001 | longgraincamden.comBill AddisonThe Lost KitchenFreedom, MaineWHAT:A fairy tale of a destination restaurant, occupying part of a hydro-powered millhouse (circa 1834) in a midcoast town whose population totals 719. Here’s the plot twist: Dinner at the Lost Kitchen ranks as one of the country’s most unattainable reservations. Chef-owner Erin French begins accepting annual bookings on April 1 for reservations between May and New Year’s Eve, and they fill within hours.WHY:Those who do score a golden ticket are in for the kind of evening that addresses all the senses. Listen to a small dam burbling just outside, note the shift in aromas while watching French and her staff cook eight courses in the day’s dying light, and savor her unfussy knack for layering flavors. Oysters perfumed with basil and violet might kick off a meal; lamb loin revved with pickled rhubarb and feta epitomizes springtime. The food is remarkable, but the calming pace and collective cheer completes the spell. — B.A.22 Mill StreetFreedom, ME 04941(207) 382-3333Maine DinerWells, MaineMaine DinerWHAT:A roadside diner that is a beacon of classic Downeast eats, from luxurious chowder to old-fashioned Indian pudding for dessert (a la mode, please) and a fresh lobster omelet for breakfast. Seafood is the star but baked beans, chicken pot pie, and mac-and-cheese are Yankee classics, too.WHY:There is no comfort food on earth more satisfying than Grandma’s lobster pie, a voluptuous casserole of hunky crustacean pieces drenched in butter and topped with equally buttery cracker crumbs. Easily one of the best dishes in New England. — M.S.2265 Post Rd.Wells, ME 04090(207) 646-4441 | mainediner.comMcLoons LobsterSouth Thomaston, MaineBill AddisonWHAT:The quintessential Maine lobster shack with a postcard setting and a roll to beat all.WHY:Lobster rolls are the gravitational center of Maine dining, usually priced in the teens and produced at high volume, which is why so many shacks pre-mix large batches of meat with enough mayo to lube a pot puller. The result: spongy, indistinct meat. But not at McLoons, where mayo is slathered on the bun, not the meat, and hot butter is an at-the-ready alternative. Better yet, order a half-and-half roll and decide which one you like best. — A.T.315 Island RoadSouth Thomaston, Maine 04858(207) 593-1382 | mcloonslobster.comBill AddisonPalace DinerBiddeford, MaineWHAT:A pre-Depression Era diner car located in the former mill town of Biddeford, Maine, that will reset your appreciation of how good classic diner fare can be.WHY:Chefs Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell relaunched this 90-year-old institution with a menu of standard diner options (burgers, breakfast sandwiches, and flapjacks) pulled off with a special finesse that makes waiting for one of the scant 15 seats well worth it. Slices of grapefruit become something else entirely when tossed on the grill. A thick layer of iceberg lends a cool crunch to the tuna melt, heaped with tuna salad and pickles. Thick-cut challah french toast arrives with the top bruleed for built-in sweetness. — A.F.18 Franklin StreetBiddeford, ME 04101(207) 284-0015 | palacedinerme.comPrimoRockland, MainePrimoWHAT:Chef Melissa Kelly’s ode to midcoast Maine; part restaurant and part sprawling, organic farm.WHY:There are restaurants that tout the proximity of their sourcing and then there’s Primo, situated on four-and-a-half acres of rolling farmland. Melissa Kelly is the head of the agricultural operation as well as the talent behind the food. Dinner may start with a stroll through the garden, glass of wine in hand, and move into the rustic two-story house that has been converted into a restaurant and parlor. The menu of purely prepared vegetables and pasture-raised meats showcases Kelly’s time at Chez Panisse: Snap peas are blistered and sprinkled with sea salt, thick-cut pork chops accompanied by sweet roasted brussels sprouts. The casual top-floor lounge serves house-made charcuterie, pizzas, and oysters and doubles as the best taverna in midcoast Maine. — Korsha Wilson2 Main StreetRockland, ME 04841(207) 596-0770 | primorestaurant.comBill AddisonTandem Coffee + BakeryPortland, MaineWHAT:An award-winning roastery and bakery launched by Blue Bottle alums Will and Kathleen Pratt with some of the best baked goods in the city and a dose of millennial coffeehouse magic.WHY:When the already-beloved East End coffee house — known for clean, lightly roasted coffees in an intimate space — expanded to to Portland’s West End in 2015, it brought on talented baker Briana Holt, who cranks out contemporary spins on traditional baked goods that perfectly balance sweet and savory. One of her butter-and-jam biscuit sandwiches or a bowl of turmeric steel-cut oats are blissful ways to start the day. (So is a wedge of that plum and black pepper pie.) Lunch specials like the capicola sandwich with chile-infused honey, banana peppers, and chickweed on seeded focaccia are why you’ll be back by noon. — A.F.742 Congress StreetPortland, ME 04101(207) 805-1887 | tandemcoffee.comTao YuanBrunswick, MaineTao Yuan/FacebookWHAT:The college-town flagship of chef and restaurateur Cara Stadler, who counts dumpling whisperer among her many singular skills.WHY:Stadler and her mother, Cecile, ran an underground restaurant in Beijing nearly a decade ago, when Stadler was only 21. They reunited in Maine, where the family often spent summers. The cooking skews pan-Asian, but zero in on the dishes with overtly Chinese influences to revel in the full measure of Stadler’s abilities. That means seared scallops bathed in XO sauce sharpened with Iberico ham, tangled greens with young ginger and sesame vinaigrette, and her standout dumplings in forms like open-faced shu mai filled with pork and shrimp. — B.A.22 Pleasant StreetBrunswick, ME 04011(207) 725-9002 | tao-yuan.meMASSACHUSETTSCraigie on MainCambridge, MassachusettsBill AddisonWHAT:The American bistro in its noblest form.WHY:Chef-owner Tony Maws was an early adopter of the high-low formula: In a roomy, brick-lined space, he composes tasting menus that might segue through Maine amberjack sashimi, green gazpacho, garganelli with clams and pork belly, a study in lamb, and a bitter chocolate terrine. But a la carte comforts exhibit equal prowess. His kitchen nails a roasted chicken, and the restaurant’s bar serves one of the nation’s gutsiest burgers, a freshly ground patty boosted with bone marrow and miso and topped with cheddar on a towering milk-bread bun. Maw serves only 18 a night; arrive at 5:30 p.m. if you’re intent on grabbing one. — B.A.853 Main StreetCambridge, MA 02139(617) 497-5511 | craigieonmain.comEastern StandardBoston, MassachusettsMeg Jones WallWHAT:Venerable Boston restaurateur Garrett Harker gives New England the brasserie it deserves.WHY:This lively Kenmore Square institution is an all-people pleaser: excellent craft cocktails, perfected bistro favorites like steak frites and roasted chicken, and exceptional hospitality (legend has it they have a dossier on every guest). The tables may sport white linen, but don’t mistake that for pretense; the restaurant stays open all day and into the wee hours, when bartenders leap atop the back bar to scrawl late-night specials on the mirror. — K.W.528 Commonwealth AvenueBoston, MA 02215(617) 532-9100 | easternstandardboston.comGypsy Apple BistroShelburne Falls, MassachusettsDominic PerriWHAT:An unassuming eight-seat French bistro in Western Mass, aka the escape from city life for husband and wife chef-owner team Michaelangelo Wescott and Ami Aubin. Its cozy quarters make up one of the few remaining respites where consistency, creativity, and hospitality are given equal weight.WHY:While the menu nods to nostalgia (duck confit, house-cured gravlax), Wescott lets his mood dictate the eclectic daily specials, which can range from hand-torn pasta to scrapple with duck egg to house-made ramen. Wintertime brings a deep braise of local pork shank with thick berry jus, the just reward for braving ice-slicked roads. In summer, fresh trout and metallic local cheeses stud a stack of tomatoes still warm from the country sun. Come once and you’re a regular for life. — Sally Ekus65 Bridge StreetShelburne Falls, MA 01370(413) 625-6345 | gypsyapplebistro.comLa BrasaSomerville, MassachusettsLa Brasa/FacebookWHAT:Live-fire dazzlement by culinary wunderkind Daniel Bojorquez, opened in 2014 in deepest Somerville’s last frontier.WHY:Following an extended apprenticeship under local haute cuisine kingpin Frank McClelland, the Sonora-born (and Puebla-trained) chef brings all those disparate influences to bear on a high/low menu characterized by gutsy, vibrant, refined cooking. Charred-poblano onion fondue plays pillowy foil to crisp-skinned wood fire-roasted chicken. “Mexican Fried Rice” samples the best parts of arroz mexicano (bright, sofrito-driven flavor), Chinese fried rice (smoky wok hei), and Spanish paella (crispy socarrat). Plus, wherever you fall on the charge-for-bread debate, the transcendent fixins you get gratis for your measly few bucks — gloriously viscous neon-green olive oil, dreamy smoke-kissed ash butter — make one hell of a convincing case. — Jolyon Helterman124 BroadwaySomerville, MA 02145(617) 764-1412 | labrasasomerville.comBill AddisonLoyal NineCambridge, MassachusettsWHAT:An ambitious, thinky, New England-inspired restaurant without the ye olde kitsch.WHY:Chef Marc Sheehan’s “eat local” ethos goes beyond mere sourcing. As befits the chef’s Harvard-proximate locale, he does a deep dive into culinary history, reviving Colonial foodways like sallets and soused bluefish but with a coolly modern sensibility. Stripped of the Puritan stodge, doused with lively, who-woulda-thunk? accents like chamomile vinegar, sunchoke-walnut jam, and pork-fat hollandaise, he creates an authentic New England cuisine for today. — Amy Traverso660 Cambridge StreetCambridge, MA 02141(617) 945-2576 | loyalninecambridge.comO YaBoston, MassachusettsHien NguyenWHAT:National-caliber izakaya opened in 2007 by Tim and Nancy Cushman in an intimate sliver of a rehabbed firehouse.WHY:Despite the menu’s seeming Magnetic Poetry randomness, dishes arrive as precise and evocative as edible Seurats. Kombu-braised whole-shallot “nigiri” shimmer with subtly molecular soy pearls doing their best Osetra impression. Salt-crusted A5 wagyu melts away into luscious beef butter on the palate. Even mid-aughts cliches evince improbable relevance. To wit: raw hamachi perched atop delicate rice boules, dolloped with briny-hot banana-pepper mousse, then doused with truffle oil—seconds before a creme-brulee torch chars up beguiling savory-marshmallow notes you never knew existed. Bring money. — J.H.9 East StreetBoston, MA 02111(617) 654-9900 | o-ya.restaurantThe Prairie WhaleGreat Barrington, MassachusettsThe Prairie WhaleWHAT:Country mouse meets city mouse in a rustic (but urbane!) Berkshires hotspot.WHY:The western strip of Massachusetts has long benefited from cross-pollination along the Taconic State Parkway, especially in southerly Great Barrington. So when Marlow & Sons’ Mark Firth decided to quit the city for farm life, the town gained a small eatery with all the farm-to-table signifiers: reclaimed wood, cornhole games on the front lawn, meat and veg from Firth’s own farm where he raises sheep and pigs (the restaurant’s name references that breed’s 19th-century nickname), and dressed-up rustic fare: potato-leek soup with poached egg; pork goulash with braised cabbage and spaetzle). No airs, no website, no reservations. — A.T.178 Main StreetGreat Barrington, MA 01230(413) 528-5050 | facebook.com/PrairieWhaleMorgan YeagerRow 34Boston, MassachusettsWHAT:Classic New England seafood-shack standards featuring judiciously doled-out modern updates from the Island Creek folks, whose blue-chip bivalves ship daily from Duxbury, Massachusetts, to top U.S. restaurants.WHY:No better source than, well, thesource to sample pristine raw-bar selections, including the coveted Row 34 oysters, with their intensely mineral merroir reminiscent of French Belons. Both lobster roll styles — Maine (creamy mayo) and Connecticut (hot butter) — reach apotheosis here, as does anything that sees the business end of the fryer or grill. All of the above wash down easily with the geek-friendly roster of high-toned sours and Old-World vins blancs. — J.H.383 Congress StreetBoston, MA 02210(617) 553-5900 | row34.comSarmaSomerville, MassachusettsBill AddisonWHAT:A party of a restaurant celebrating the diverse, radiantly spiced flavors of the Middle East. Chef-owner Cassie Piuma melds her recipes with the New England seasons, including produce from the farm of co-owner Ana Sortun.WHY:Piuma worked for nearly a dozen years in nearby Cambridge at Oleana, Sortun’s groundbreaking restaurant that foreshadowed the national budding ardor for Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. At Sarma, Piuma masters her own evocative translations, inspired by the mezze feasts served at meyhanes (Turkish taverns). She might sprinkle peanut dukkah on squid, reimagine dolmas using hollowed-out cucumbers rather than grape leaves, and zap spanakopita with za’atar, olives, and pickled hot peppers. — B.A.249 Pearl StreetSomerville, MA 02145(617) 764-4464 | sarmarestaurant.comPat PaiseckiSportelloBoston, MassachusettsWHAT:Modern trattoria from dining-scene queen Barbara Lynch, cleverly disguised as a brightly lit greasy-spoon lunch counter.WHY:While you won’t go wrong in any corner of Lynch’s empire, insiders know this undersung gem — wedged between her craft-cocktail temple, Drink, and upscale-French flagship, Menton — currently rocks a vibrant energy equal parts A-game and fresh. Classically trained “short-order cooks” rattle off riffs on the regional-Italian canon. Duck-prosciutto crostini with rhubarb compote, salsa verde, and burratini. Marinated mackerel with fresh chickpeas and chile oil. House-forged strozzapretiwith rosemary-perfumed braised rabbit brightened with picholines. — J.H.348 Congress StreetBoston, MA 02210(617) 737-1234 | sportelloboston.comWaypointCambridge, MassachusettsAndrea MerrillWHAT:Seafood-driven decadence in Harvard Square from white-hot culinary talent Michael Scelfo.WHY:Confident, vivid, highly original cooking that throws moderation to the wind in deploying fat, salt, and pure-pigment flavor: the good stuff. Fresh bucatini gets luxed up with smoked egg yolk, bottarga, pecorino, and velvety blobs of uni. Gloriously marbled wood-roasted char belly — with shatteringly crispy skin — gets the cassoulet treatment atop a bed of creamy ceci beans punched up with grilled grapes and lemon. The thoroughly on-the-pulse cocktail program showcases supple milk punches, restless house infusions (see: squid-ink mezcal), and a card-carrying cordial dork’s depth in absinthe. — J.H.1030 Massachusetts StreetCambridge, MA 02138(617) 864-2300 | waypointharvard.comNew England's 38 Essential Restaurants