The 14 Best Restaurants in Waterbury, CT, Ranked
By Eric Barton
Growing up in Connecticut, I knew Waterbury as a former industrial town, where stout red brick buildings of downtown seemed built to last. Over the years, the Brass City has shed its grit and picked up a surprising polish. What was once a working-class hub has quietly transformed into a culinary gem, with restaurants that reflect its history while embracing a more modern, adventurous side. Here then are the 14 best restaurants right now in Waterbury.
Diorio's
1. Diorio Restaurant & Bar
Walking into Diorio’s feels like stepping back into 1925, when the mahogany bar was new and the murals on the walls were freshly painted. These days, it’s the food that gets top billing. The seafood risotto is creamy without being overly rich, a triumph of restraint in a world of too much cheese and cream.
2. Sofra Turkish Grill
Sofra isn’t trying to reinvent Turkish food—it’s just trying to nail traditional Halal recipes. That’s most obvious with Chef Eren Polat’s Kuzu Pirzola, well-seasoned lamb chops with bulgur, rice, cucumber sauce and grilled veg. The modern decor feels fresh without veering into sterile, which matches the vibe of the food: traditional, but not dated.
3. Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe
Nardelli's has been stuffing hoagies since Coolidge was in office (that's the 1920s for you young'uns), and they haven't lost their touch. The Italian Stallion is the signature sandwich—a beast of a grinder loaded with pruzitini, capicola, and enough soppressata to feed a small army. Eat it on the hood of your car like a true Waterburian.
4. Muyuri Indian Cuisine
Waterbury's got no shortage of Indian joints, but Muyuri is a cut above, even if it's tucked in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it strip mall. The lunch buffet is the move here—a spread of aromatic curries, crispy dosas, and a palak paneer (spinach with farmer's cheese) so velvety you'll want to curl up in it. Sure, you'll leave smelling like a spice market, but it's worth it.
5. La Cazuela Restaurant
You'll smell La Cazuela before you see it—the scent of garlicky rotisserie chicken has a way of pulling you in like a tractor beam. And once you're inside this always-bustling spot, you're in for a treat: burnished birds, yuca fries that'll make you forget about potatoes, and a tres leches cake that's a dead ringer for the best ones I’ve had anywhere.
6. La Tavola Ristorante
Chef Nicola Mancini Jr. and and Pasquale Salvatore teamed up to create La Tavola, turning out Italian classics and timeless dishes like the chicken under a brick pictured here. The gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce is pillowy perfection, while the minimalist decor lets the food do all the talking. If you leave without trying the white chocolate polenta cake, you’ve failed yourself.
7. Domenick & Pia
I know I'm wading into dangerous waters here, but I'll say it—Domenick & Pia's Downtown Pizzeria slings the best pizza in Waterbury. The crust has this micro-thin crisp layer that yields to an airy, chewy interior, the sauce is bright and zippy (heavy on the garlic, as the good Lord intended). Yes, you can get a whole pie to go, but then you’d miss out on sharing the moment with other by-the-slice orderers eating off paper plates right there in the unassuming space.
8. Verdi at Western Hills
Verdi is where you go to celebrate—or at least pretend you’re celebrating. Sitting in their dining room overlooking the golf course feels indulgent enough, but then you order the osso buco. The pork falls apart at the mere suggestion of a fork, and the gremolata on top is just enough to remind you why Italian so often defines fine dining.
9. Frank Pepe
Sure, it’s a national chain now, but the Waterbury location of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana stays true to its roots. The white clam pizza is salty, briny perfection on a charred crust. Even if you’re not a fan of seafood on pizza, this one might convert you.
10. D’Amelio’s Italian Eatery
D’Amelio’s has been around so long it might as well be a historic landmark. The lobster ravioli is their magnum opus, filled with sweet chunks of lobster and smothered in a pink sauce that could make a cynic swoon. And then there’s the staff—friendly in the way that’s almost unsettling until you realize they’re genuinely glad you’re there.
11. Signatures Restaurant
If Waterbury has a culinary elder statesman, it’s Signatures on Leavenworth Street. The veal saltimbocca is a lesson in balance, the prosciutto and sage doing a kind of waltz over tender veal medallions. On weekends, there’s live jazz, the kind of thing that makes you feel a little fancier.
12. San Marino Ristorante
For those who love traditional Italian fare, San Marino is a non-negotiable stop. The eggplant rollatini is just how my Sicilian grandmother did it: ricotta wrapped in fried eggplant, draped in a tangy gravy and a blanket of moz. It’s the kind of place where you linger over a bottle of wine and forget the time.
13. Sultan’s Turkish Restaurant
This Plank Road staple serves dishes so perfectly spiced you’ll start thinking of cinnamon and cumin as a love language. Sultan’s mixed grill platter is the kind of meal you’ll plan your day around—lamb, chicken, and kofte kebabs grilled just enough to leave char marks, but juicy enough to drip onto your rice. Don’t skip the baklava. It’s the sweetest way to end an already sweet deal.
14. Tiramisu Pizzeria
Tiramisu might sound like a dessert-themed restaurant, but here' it’s Italian-American classics like chicken parm and and big Connecticut-style pies like the Frutti di Mare pictured here, with calamari, shrimp, and a red sauce that makes this place a local fave.
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