13 Unusual Dining Experiences in Connecticut

If you’re ready for some mealtime mystery-solving, this interactive dinner spot offers a murder mystery show paired with a tasty four-course meal. Actors are dressed like guests and begin the night seated amongst the crowd – anyone in the room may become part of the show! Enjoy delicious dishes while you watch and find out who done it.

Named after the original owner’s saying “There’s no place, quite like this place, anywhere near this place, so this must be The Place” this unusual outdoor restaurant serves seafood while guests sit on tree stumps rather than chairs. Guests order off one large menu which towers above the tables and join in a lively experience much like a large community cookout. The Place is open April 28-late October.

Have as much fun preparing your dish as you do eating it! Experience an authentic Chinese cooking tradition, hot pot, which involves preparing food in a simmering pot of broth right on the table. You’ll choose from a flavorful variety of ingredients and can even get creative at the make-your-own sauce bar!

No plane ticket needed to travel to this slice of Germany. East Side Restaurant creates an immersive dining experience where guests feel like they’re actually eating in Germany. Complete with a 36 by 9.5 foot mural of the ancient German city of Heidelberg, waiters in traditional German attire, authentic German cuisine and even tables with snow rails to keep your beverages cold, this spot will take you across the globe.

Customize your own seafood experience at this unique spot that operates by the phrase "No plates, no forks, no rules!" Most known for their seafood combo bags, The Hungry Crab lets you choose your ingredients, sauce and even sauce heat to create your very own flavorful mix of seafood served in a big heap on your table. With options from blue crab, lobster and shrimp to mouthwatering sauces like Cajun, lemon pepper and garlic butter, your seafood fix will be satisfied and the experience will be unlike any other. For extra fun, try a cocktail or frozen drink served in a fishbowl!

Unique foodie fun doesn’t always have to be a sit-down experience – it can be a walking tour of tasty treats. Long Wharf in New Haven is such a popular food truck destination that it’s been named Food Truck Paradise. Take a stroll along the water and sample delicious food from tacos to hot dogs, ice cream to pizza, Thai cuisine to Middle Eastern food from the nearly 30 food trucks parked along Food Truck Paradise.

Photo credit Arnold Gold, Hearst Connecticut Media

This delightful roadside spot feeds both the appetite and the imagination. When you step inside, you’ll be greeted by shelves of books, framed and signed photos of authors, and a menu filled with literature-themed dishes. The most extraordinary detail? Everyone who dines leaves with a free book – a book lover’s dream!

Head over to the historic Griswold Inn for a everchanging rotation of events. From singing along to spirited tunes on cocktail piano nights to lighting up your senses with an infusion of flavors on Wine, Women & Wednesdays (all are welcome!), the Inn's Tap Room comes to life night after night. Don't forget your appetite!  

Taste the original burger the way it was intended at Louis’ Lunch, the birthplace of the hamburger. At this spot burgers are served on slices of white bread and no condiments are allowed – cheese, onion and tomato are the only garnishes. With a historic and tiny setting and unique, friendly banter among servers and customers, you’ll immerse yourself in the traditional burger culture and play by the original rules of burger eating.

This one-of-a-kind spot is more than just a rest stop – it’s a destination for food, music, community and fun. Watched over by its iconic rock painted like a frog, Frog Rock Rest Stop includes a gift shop, a menu of tasty treats from seafood to ice cream, tables with awnings, and live music frequently playing right outside. Grab the family for a memorable drop-in – the kids can even play on the playscape! You can enjoy Frog Rock Rest Stop between the months of May and September.

This cozy British pub, located in the Spa at Norwich Inn, offers a typical pub menu with twists on flavors and spices that includes The Duck "DLT," and smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese bites. Ascot's has a seasonal drink menu and several Wine Flights.

Make it a fabulous morning at the semi-monthly Pink Eggs & Glam Drag Brunch! With a stellar list of rotating performers, each brunch is filled with games, theater, comedy, music, and debauchery! Sip unlimited mimosas and Bloody Marys, indulge in an outrageous brunch buffet, and even take home a #PinkEggsAndGlam t-shirt, perfect for autographs from your favorite drag queens!

In Stamford, the Sign of the Whale Restaurant offers rooftop igloos with couches and chairs for your comfort. Treat yourself and your friends or family to special menus. Dockside Brewery in Milford has a winter experience like no other. Explore ten individual custom igloo experiences at Dockside's very own igloo park. Located in the waterfront outdoor Biergarten. Each igloo even has its own fun theme!

During Foxwoods Resort Casino's Ice Rink and Winter Patio, you can take your group inside and rent an igloo accompanied by special menus. And find even more igloos at Wood-n-Tap and Aquila's Nest Vineyards!