Westport CT Restaurants: Saugatuck and Main Street

Westport CT restaurants spread from Main Street and the Post Road down to the Saugatuck River, in an affluent Fairfield County town on Long Island Sound. Cafes, bakeries, Italian rooms, sushi counters and dinner restaurants sit in a compact center and in the riverside district of Saugatuck. Pick the district first, then follow the crowd to a table that suits the hour.

Westport is a commuter town with a theater and a beach, so its restaurants serve many kinds of meals.

The town grew from farms and mills along the river, then became an artists' colony and later a place for New York commuters. All of that shows up on the street, in the old barns turned into shops, the wooden bridges and the number of galleries between the cafes.

Which Westport CT restaurants suit a first visit?

Choose the district first. Main Street is the town's classic shopping and lunch street, with cafes, delis and bakeries. Saugatuck, a short drive or walk down by the river and the railway bridge, is the dinner district, with a denser cluster of restaurants and bars. Each takes about an hour to explore.

Parking is the hard part in Westport. Look for municipal lots behind the main streets, and allow ten extra minutes.

On foot, the center is easy. A loop from the library to the river takes twenty minutes and passes dozens of doors. Saugatuck can be reached on foot in fifteen minutes, but the walk crosses a busy road, so many people drive between the two.

What is Saugatuck riverfront dining like?

Lively, polished and busy. Rooms line the river and the old mill buildings, and many have outdoor tables where you can watch boats pass. Cuisines range widely: Italian, French, Japanese, American and Latin American. Weekends fill early, and a table by the water goes first.

In winter, the riverfront turns to candles and fireplaces, and the dining rooms feel intimate. In summer, the decks open and the street fills.

Plan for the weather. A June evening with the doors open is a joy, and a January night with the harbor wind is a wrapped-up affair. Both are good, and the rooms have a different character in each. Ask the host what the room is like on the night you plan.

Where do you go for Westport Main Street lunch?

To a cafe, deli or bakery along the street, where sandwiches, salads and soup are the stock. Lunch is the busiest meal, since offices, shoppers and parents with strollers all want a table at noon. A window seat is a prize. Eat at eleven thirty or after one.

Lunch costs more in Westport than in many towns, and the portions reflect that. Soup and a half sandwich is the thrifty choice, and a salad with protein fills most appetites. Share a dessert if you have one.

The Compo Beach page shows how to turn a takeout lunch into a beach picnic.

Is there a Westport train station dinner?

Yes, in both senses. Two Metro-North stations serve the town, Westport and Greens Farms, and the Westport station sits in Saugatuck beside the restaurant district, so a dinner before the train home is easy. Rooms near the tracks know how to feed commuters quickly, and a weekday early dinner takes under an hour.

Check the train timetable on the day. A missed train is the main hazard of a long dinner.

Commuters make the early evening busy and the late evening quiet. A six o'clock table is the commuters' hour, and a table at eight is relaxed. If you plan to take the train home, check the last service and leave a margin.

Where are Westport family restaurants?

Look for places with booths, kids' menus and a lively room. Pizza, Italian and casual American kitchens are the safe bets. Early dinners, around five thirty, are easy. Weekends fill, and a table for six needs a call. The older Stamford and Fairfield County guide covers the coast around it.

In the Mosey app, a rater can add the Family Friendly tag, and a diner can look for it in the Find sheet. A tag is a note from someone who sat at the table.

Which tags help you choose in a busy town?

The useful ones in Westport include Date Night, Group Dining, Outdoor seating, Sea View, Quick Service and Coffee Shop. A tag is a rater's note, and the Find sheet lets a diner look for it. Every tag you add helps the next hungry visitor choose a table faster.

How do you rate a Westport meal?

Stars first, then the dish, then a line on the room: "Friday, Saugatuck deck, noisy and fun, pasta fresh, parking a hunt". Tagging a companion lets them add their own view of the same meal. Rating at the table works too, in two steps: what you are having, then how it was.

A list called Westport regulars keeps favorites together.

Where next from Westport?

The US food guides hold the rest of the country, and the brunch page covers the weekend.

Eating your way across Connecticut? The Food in Connecticut page links every town we cover.

After your next meal here, open the Mosey app, rate it by the dish and save the place to a list called Westport for the next visit.