Kitchen Little

36 Quarry Road, Mystic

Located at the Mystic River Marina

(860) 536-2122

For decades, locals have been enjoying breakfast at Kitchen Little, and they don’t mind sharing the small gem with tourists who have read about the place on travel websites, in magazines, or seen it featured on TV food shows.

Nothing is too fancy at the restaurant, but the food is good and the menu expansive. Everyone, even the fussiest diners, can find something they like at Kitchen Little. 

We’ve enjoyed the omelettes and the various eggs Benedict. A recent favorite was the Surf and Turf Benedict ($19.99), served with lobster meat, a petit filet mignon, and done up with a toasted English muffin and Hollandaise sauce.

The omelettes can be made with all kinds of proteins, vegetables, cheeses, and extras like sour cream, salsa, and herbs. How about artichoke hearts or avocado? Or corned beef hash or hot Italian sausage? Some goat cheese or queso fresco with your eggs? The sky is the limit. The Kitchen Little Sinker Omelet ($12.99) has bacon, American cheese, mushrooms, peppers, onions, home fries, and sour cream.

And then there are pancakes, waffles, French toast, muffins, sticky buns, granola, fruit, and smoked salmon.

There is a reason why folks have been waiting in line to get into Kitchen Little for decades.

— Ann Baldelli 

La Llorona Progressive Mexican Cuisine

13 Hope St.,Niantic

(860) 850-4291

You know me: I saw "progressive Mexican" and thought I'd walk in the place and find Rick Wakeman in a cape, playing mariachi music on a cathedral pipe organ while Peter Gabriel changed the lyrics of "Supper's Ready" to reflect the excellent Niantic restaurant's menu.

What La Llorona (mercifully) offers instead is a family-nurtured spin on time-honored Tex-Mex and continental Mexican cuisine. We loved the beef, shrimp and chicken fajitas, the tender, torn pork shoulder in the Burrito de Carne al Horno, and the vegetarian-friendly Enchiladas de Pollo o Queso — a white cheese wonder with a choice of salsas guajillo or verde or — in our case — both. Smart play.

The atmosphere is like a rustic cantina with comfy, deep booths, a nice patio, festive decor and a pleasant staff that can negotiate the crowds with charm and efficiency.

— Rick Koster

The Crescent Beach Stand

37 Bayview Ave., Niantic

https://flandersfish.com/the-stand

It’s peak outdoor dining season here in southeastern Connecticut, and if you’re looking for a break from the grill at home, consider taking your backyard barbecue to the beach at the Crescent Beach Stand in Niantic.

This seasonal offshoot of the Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant group offers summertime snack shack standards, including burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, lobster rolls, and French fries served with a twist. Think mac-and-cheese-topped hot dogs (a delicious invention; $7); Old Bay seasoned fries ($4 for a huge serving); and the Egg McMama, a hearty breakfast sandwich available all day ($6).

Bonus: A full breakfast menu is available until noon. Nutella French Toast, anyone ($8)?

And if you like the mac and cheese on your Crescent dog, you can order a side of it for a mere $4. It’s thick, cheesy and made in-house.

Meanwhile, the waves crashing on the shore of Crescent Beach offer the ultimate digestive backdrop — just keep an eye out for bold fish crows, who demanded samples of our meal during a recent visit. It’s understandable — once you try the Old Bay fries, there’s really no going back.

— Marisa Nadolny