The food is amazin. The choices of wine, beer, and liquors is fantastic. The service is amazing, and the owners are terrific.
2018-07-19
The squash blossoms we're spectacular. The meatballs Are home made deliciousness and the lamb chops spectacular.
2018-07-01
A true gem in Connecticut! We came here last night, with a group of 4. We shared the mix cured meats and cheese as entrèe that came with home made focaccia bread (a nice surprise!) Then we had pizza, all of us. We ordered two Margherita, I asked for extra bufala mozzarella cheese, 4 formaggi and pistacchio. All of them were delicious, cooked to perfection, the crust was tasty and the ingredients were fresh. We had no room for dessert, but we couldn't leave without trying their famous home made cannoli, that was rich without being too sweet. I strongly recommend this place! The owner stopped by our table to make sure everything was fine with our food. If you come here for dinner, you can't go wrong. I suggest to complete your meal with a "amaro del capo", you won't be disappointed!
2018-04-16
Enjoyed a great dinner this past Saturday at Strega- our third visit since the business ownership changed, and definitely our best! Great cocktails by Garreth- one of the shoreline's best bartenders- knowledgeable, friendly, humorous- then brick oven pizza, and amazing potato dumpling appetizer, and a really nice pork reduction special.
Great service- even our busser Aleisha was amazing! We will be back again soon to this fantastic Branford eatery!
2018-03-27
Strega is a hidden treasure tucked away in Branford. We have come here on several occasions and the pasta dishes are consistently exceptional. Fettuccine preferred. Best Bolognese sauce in the area and the special short rib sauce is also outstanding. Very nice service (Timber is friendly and courteous) and bread selection is very good (hard crust Italian; thankfully no focaccia). The owner, Daniel, is s gracious host. Tuesday special includes pasta dish with wine for $20. We'll be back.
2018-02-18
If you are looking for authentic, homemade Italian pasta, this is your place to go! Best gnocchi and bolognese sauce I have ever had. The owner and staff are extremely courteous and the atmosphere makes you feel at home. So lucky to have stumbled upon this quaint restaurant. I have now found my new Sunday dinner go-to!
2018-02-03
Ate at Strega last night for the first time and it was fabulous. Our food was delicious - all of it - and our waitress, Timber, was one of the all-time best waitresses we've ever had. We were with friends and shared pizza as an appetizer. Delicious. Then, we had seared tuna and fresh calimari on spaghetti - the sauce was unbelievable. The menu is large and has many many options and great ambiance. Dinner specials all sounded wonderful (both of ours were specials). We will be back soon!
2017-09-15
I'm just a little surprised by the mediocre to bad reviews on this very wonderful gem in Branford. We went there on a Saturday evening with another couple and everything that was served was just too good for words. The place was busy but everything arrived hot and with just enough time between courses. Our lovely young wait person could not have been more accommodating and was the owner. I never found him to be off putting; just friendly and helpful with everything we asked. I loved Bruno's which was in this space but this restaurant in on my list of favorites. I wish this young, ambitious new owner all the best and I encourage folks to return to this establishment and give it another try.
2017-09-11
Strega continues to produce delicious and creative Italian cuisine.
I loved the 'Sfera gamberi' as a special; now it's on the menu. They produce excellent arrancini, but that octopus potato appetizer is a must.
But let's update. My more recent visits have involved Potato Croquets which were crispy, warm and rich with prosciutto/ pancetta/guancialle? Serving was two big pieces in a flavorful white sauce.
Next we ordered the Tuna Raviolli: mezza-Luna shape filled with tuna in tiny dice, almost bruniose.
It was one of my best entrees of the year.
My daughter ordered the Branzino. It was presented well, looked moist. But as usual... I didn't have any. She wouldn't share. That alone says some thing. For the record: I gave her a tuna raviolli! Where's the fairness?!
2017-07-17
We have recently moved to Branford, had some friends visiting, and decided to try Strega based a recommendation from a friend. We were completely impressed and satisfied. We had the Salumi and Formaggi appetizers and the meats and cheeses were excellent and of high quality. Two of us had the clams, mussels, and shrimp over risotto special, while the others had the Pappardelle ai Funghi Porcini and a Gnocchi special. The meals were all cooked perfectly and the flavor was wonderful. For dessert we had the Cheesecake and the Affogato. They were decadent, and our cappuccinos were generous in size and made perfectly. Our waitress Tymbre was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. The owner visited our table and chatted with our friends about the Benevento region of Italy and the small towns there. He was friendly and welcoming. Thank you for the great experience. We'll be back often.
2017-02-05
Unexpected delight! I expected basic Connecticut southern Italian food . Like lots of other places. I had heard that it was just the previous place with a new name. All this is not so. First of all the decor is great. Not fancy, but really nice. Soft music, which is not distracting from table conversation. Fantastic wait staff. They owner is from Puglia, and his dishes reflect the food of that region. A little lighter and more subtle. We started with the Misto plate- lovely cheeses and meats from the region and great warm focaccia. While not a big deal for a chef, it was a lovely way to start dinner with friends we hadn't seen in a long time. I had fettuccine Bolognese, a "chef recommends". Lick the plate good. Other dishes were stuffed calamari and pork cutlets. Everyone was as happy as I was. Our waiter had recommended a lovely wine from Sardinia. Was luscious. The only problem was it was the last bottle, and we went with another nice wine for the second. Can't wait to go back- need to try the pork, the pizzas and I don't know what else.
Don't get me wrong, I love good southern Italian cuisine, but this is just a lovely departure, and a welcome addition to town.