Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Shelton

We absolutely loved your afternoon tea. The sandwiches were delicious! My favorite was the beet and goat cheese. I am not a truffle lover, but I did enjoy the egg salad sandwich with a hint of truffles. It was not overdone, it was just right. I loved the scones, especially with the fig jam and clotted cream. I prefer savory over sweets at an afternoon tea. I find many places do far too many sweets. You had just enough to complement the sandwiches. If I may, I would like to suggest the addition of Darjeeling to your teas. They do call it the King of Teas, after all. It is very different from English Breakfast and Earl Grey, both of which are blended teas. I feel Darjeeling would really complement your lovely afternoon tea. Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Sincerely, Lorraine Pagano

We were greeted at the door and seated immediately. The ambiance was natural and magically perfect! The food arrived fairly quickly, fresh and tasty. The staff are all friendly and we didn’t feel pressured to leave. The cafe is situated within a beautiful store setting which works great in my opinion. I purchased nice faux candles in the store section before leaving. I can honestly say we had a wonderful time walking around and looking at all the items and plantings they had available before leaving. Would I recommend this restaurant? Absolutely!!!

One of our favorite restaurants-all of the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, the ambience is like dining in the coziest living room, and our meals tonight were perfect-be sure to choose the mac & cheese side-you won’t be disappointed!

Arethusa has always been a great experience. They sweat the details and operate as if they expect to be a perpetual 5 star restaurant. There are hints of well-considered minutiae everywhere you look. For example, a glass saucer arrived on a desert plate that had a small cutout of tacky shelf liner material. My guest and I were impressed that the shelf liner was there so the saucer wouldn't slide off the plate. Water is offered either carbonated or flat. You will be given complimentary fresh made bread, and probably a shot of cold cucumber soup (or seasonal flavor of their choosing). Flavors are expertly honed and curated. Plates arrive at the table photo-ready and impressively organized. Best to choose not to look at the menu prices, and cost is sort of besides the point here. It is as fancy a dining experience as you will get in the county of Litchfield, CT. Appetizers and entrees have relatively small portion sizes, but each bite is to be savored. The gourmet cheeseboard is a necessity, as is the savory lamb belly, as are the pork dumplings, as is the tuna tartare with homemade potato chips.... I have never had a bad morsel of food here. Staff is beyond attentive; telekinetic is a more apt word. They see and sense exactly when to engage and usually do the right thing at the right time. Bonus: they are also associated with a working dairy farm and make their own ice cream. And it is THAT good.

Amazing combinations and flavor profiles. I was skeptical about a few things we ordered but was exceptionally surprised. Will definitely be coming back.