Connecticut Eats · Groton, Connecticut · including Mystic and Noank
Groton restaurants: apizza & lobster rolls
In and around Groton, our lists hold 1 apizza place, 15 lobster roll and clam shack stops, 1 hot dog and burger icon, and 7 diners and dairy bars, each checked in business in October 2026. Beyond the lists, the Connecticut Eats app's directory covers 120 restaurants, cafés, bars, and bakeries in Groton, nearest first.
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Mystic and Noank are villages in the town of Groton, so places there are listed under Groton. Mystic also reaches into Stonington, which has its own places with a Mystic address.
Groton at a glance
In the app's directory, Groton has 120 places to eat and drink, 23 in Mystic and 3 in Noank. Bar & Pub (19), Pizza (14), and Coffee & Café (10) lead the mix. We matched 39 of them to an active state liquor permit. 27 belong to chains with five or more Connecticut locations. 9 made our hand-checked lists, 2 of them with James Beard honors; longest at one address: Abbott's Lobster in the Rough, there since 1947.
On our lists in Groton
Every place in Groton that made our hand-checked lists, most honored first. The order comes from honors and years at the address; it isn't a rating. Honors are reported as facts from the James Beard Foundation's own records and other named sources. Longest at the same address: Abbott's Lobster in the Rough in Noank (Groton), there since 1947; Mystic Pizza in Mystic (Groton), there since 1973; Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream in Mystic (Groton), there since 1991. See Connecticut's oldest restaurants for all 55 with a year at the same address.
Abbott's Lobster in the Rough
117 Pearl St, Noank (Groton)
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; steamers; clam chowder; stuffed clams · Season: Seasonal; its site says it is open daily 11–8 for the 2026 season · At this address since 1947
BYOB waterside lobster shack on the Mystic River in Noank; no reservations, first come first served; its biggest hot roll carries a pound of buttered lobster.
Mystic Pizza
56 W Main St, Mystic (Groton)
Known for: house special pizza · At this address since 1973
Downtown pizzeria that inspired the 1988 film 'Mystic Pizza'; a second location, Mystic Pizza II, is in North Stonington.
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream
2 W Main St, Mystic (Groton)
Dairy bar Known for: Mystic Mud; Seaport Salty Swirl; Kahlua Mocha Fudge · Season: Open year-round · At this address since 1991
Homemade ice cream shop beside the Mystic River drawbridge; opened a second shop in Old Mystic's former general store in July 2026.
The Port of Call
15 Water St, Mystic (Groton)
James Beard nominee Known for: French bistro menu (2026); cocktails
Nautical-themed cocktail lounge and bistro with a 'Dive' bar; its 2026 menu is built around Paris.
James Beard: Best Chef: Northeast nominee 2023 (Renee Touponce); Outstanding Chef nominee 2024 (Renee Touponce); Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program nominee 2026
Oyster Club
13 Water St, Mystic (Groton)
James Beard semifinalistLobster roll Known for: warm lobster roll with rhubarb butter (Treehouse); chilled lobster roll (Treehouse); oysters
Farm-and-sea restaurant in downtown Mystic with an outdoor Treehouse that serves lobster rolls; part of the 85th Day Food Community.
James Beard: Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program semifinalist 2025
Captain Daniel Packer Inne
32 Water St, Mystic (Groton)
Colonial-era riverside inn building serving lunch and dinner, with a pub that has live music nightly.
Costello's Clam Shack
145 Pearl St, Noank (Groton)
Lobster rollClam shackSeasonal Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; fried clams; clam fritters; scallops; fish tacos · Season: Closed for the season; its site says it reopens May 21, 2027
Dockside clam shack inside Noank Shipyard on the Mystic River, with fried seafood and hot buttered lobster rolls in several sizes.
Haring's Noank
15 Riverview Ave, Noank (Groton)
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; cold lobster roll; lobster bisque; lobster and sweet corn fritters; oysters; smash burger
Waterfront seafood restaurant in Noank modeled on a classic New England shack, reachable by land or by boat; hot rolls come with melted lemon butter.
Norm's Diner
171 Bridge St, Groton
Diner Known for: pancakes; omelets; breakfast sandwiches; maple waffle fries
Long-running Groton diner serving breakfast and lunch from early morning; closed Tuesdays.
Apizza in and near Groton
Nearest first, out to 10 miles. The statewide guide lists 27.
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville (Montville) · 10 mi from Groton
ApizzaAt Mohegan Sun Known for: white clam pizza · A branch of Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, New Haven
Pepe's branch with 110 seats in the eastern part of Fidelia's Market inside Mohegan Sun casino, on Mohegan tribal land.
Lobster rolls and clam shacks in and near Groton
In Groton itself: Abbott's Lobster in the Rough, Oyster Club, Costello's Clam Shack, and Haring's Noank (above). 11 more are within 15 miles; here are the 5 closest. The statewide guide lists 58.
Captain Scott's Lobster Dock
80 Hamilton St, New London · 2 mi from Groton
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: hot buttered; hot lobster roll; lobster salad roll; fish and chips · At this address since 1996
Dockside lobster shack on Shaw's Cove with outdoor seating, an ice cream window and a fish market.
Fred's Shanty
262 & 272 Pequot Ave, New London · 3 mi from Groton
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: whole belly clams; clam strips; hot lobster roll; cold lobster roll; clam fritters; Hershey's hand-dipped ice cream · At this address since 1972
Waterfront take-out on Pequot Avenue for fried seafood, pizza, subs, hot dogs and hand-dipped ice cream.
Red 36
2 Washington St, Mystic (Stonington) · 4 mi from Groton
Lobster roll Known for: hot buttered; cold lobster roll with lemon scallion aioli; clam chowder; clam and bacon flatbread
Waterfront restaurant with Mystic River and harbor views; lobster rolls come cold or hot and buttery.
Mystic Fish Camp
4 E Main St, Mystic (Stonington) · 4 mi from Groton
Clam shack Known for: fried local fish sandwich; fish and chips; monkfish 'poor man's lobster roll'; smash burger
Counter-service fish shack beside the Mystic River Bascule Bridge from the team behind The Shipwright's Daughter; local wild-caught seafood fried in beef tallow.
Sea View Snack Bar
145 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic (Stonington) · 5 mi from Groton
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: lobster roll
Riverfront seafood snack bar in Mystic.
Hot dog and burger icons in and near Groton
Nearest first, out to 10 miles. The statewide guide lists 21. The directory files 1 other place in Groton under hot dogs, not yet checked by hand: find it in the web search.
Engine Room
14 Holmes St, Mystic (Stonington) · 4 mi from Groton
Burger icon Known for: burgers; bourbon; craft beer
Burger-focused comfort food, 16 craft taps and a deep bourbon list in the restored Lathrop Marine Engine building on the Mystic River.
Diners and dairy bars in and near Groton
In Groton itself: Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream and Norm's Diner (above). Elsewhere within 10 miles, nearest first. The statewide guide lists 45. 2 more places in Groton have “Diner” in the name but haven't been checked by hand: find them in the web search.
Michael's Dairy
629 Montauk Ave, New London · 3 mi from Groton
Dairy barSeasonal Known for: 32 flavors; Coconut Almond Bar; Graham Central Station · Season: March to October (Connecticut Buzz, 2025)
Old-fashioned ice cream parlor on the Mitchell College campus that holds sock hops and concerts in season.
Kitchen Little
36 Quarry Rd, Mystic (Stonington) · 4 mi from Groton
Diner Known for: scrambled eggs with fresh crab; lobster Benedict; pancakes; omelets
Breakfast-and-lunch spot at Mystic River Marina with a patio deck overlooking the Mystic River; diners arriving by boat can dock for up to 3 hours. Closed Tuesdays.
Sea Swirl
30 Williams Ave, Mystic (Stonington) · 5 mi from Groton
Lobster rollClam shackDairy barSeasonal Known for: whole belly clams; hot lobster roll; soft serve; ice cream · Season: seasonal; check before you go
Clam shack and ice cream stand off the Mystic River, known for whole-belly clams and lobster 'cones'.
Cowlick's Creamery
521 Boston Post Rd, Waterford · 7 mi from Groton
Dairy bar Known for: 40+ hard ice cream flavors; soft serve; frozen yogurt; Italian ice
Route 1 ice cream stand with dozens of hard ice cream flavors plus soft serve and Italian ice.
Gumdrops & Lollipops
334 Main St, Niantic (East Lyme) · 8 mi from Groton
Dairy bar Known for: homemade ice cream; soft serve; fudge · At this address since 2008
Candy shop and creamery in a yellow house on Niantic's Main Street near Hole in the Wall Beach.
What Groton eats
The 10 most common kinds among the 120 listings in Groton, from open map data and the state's liquor-permit list. Tap one to search Groton for it.