Connecticut Eats · Stonington, Connecticut · including Mystic and Pawcatuck
Stonington restaurants: lobster rolls & burgers
In and around Stonington, our lists hold 15 lobster roll and clam shack stops, 1 hot dog and burger icon, and 5 diners and dairy bars, each checked in business in October 2026. For hand-checked apizza, the nearest are a drive away, and they're listed below. Beyond the lists, the Connecticut Eats app's directory covers 89 restaurants, cafés, bars, and bakeries in Stonington, nearest first.
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Mystic and Pawcatuck are villages in the town of Stonington, so places there are listed under Stonington. Mystic also reaches into Groton, which has its own places with a Mystic address.
Stonington at a glance
In the app's directory, Stonington has 89 places to eat and drink, 42 in Mystic and 14 in Pawcatuck. Seafood (15), Bakery & Sweets (15), and Bar & Pub (10) lead the mix. We matched 31 of them to an active state liquor permit. 8 belong to chains with five or more Connecticut locations. 7 made our hand-checked lists, 1 of them with James Beard honors.
On our lists in Stonington
Every place in Stonington 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.
The Shipwright's Daughter
20 E Main St, Mystic (Stonington)
James Beard winner Known for: daily changing local seafood menu
Tide-to-table restaurant in the Whaler's Inn led by chef David Standridge; the menu changes daily around local fish and farms.
James Beard: Best Chef: Northeast winner 2024 (David Standridge); Outstanding Chef nominee 2026 (David Standridge)
Engine Room
14 Holmes St, Mystic (Stonington)
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.
Kitchen Little
36 Quarry Rd, Mystic (Stonington)
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.
Mystic Fish Camp
4 E Main St, Mystic (Stonington)
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.
Red 36
2 Washington St, Mystic (Stonington)
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.
Sea Swirl
30 Williams Ave, Mystic (Stonington)
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'.
Sea View Snack Bar
145 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic (Stonington)
Lobster rollClam shack Known for: lobster roll
Riverfront seafood snack bar in Mystic.
The nearest apizza to Stonington
None of our 27 hand-checked apizza places is in Stonington or within 10 miles. The closest are about 12 miles away. The statewide guide lists 27.
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville (Montville) · 12 mi from Stonington
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 Stonington
In Stonington itself: Mystic Fish Camp, Red 36, Sea Swirl, and Sea View Snack Bar (above). 11 more are within 15 miles; here are the 5 closest. The statewide guide lists 58.
Oyster Club
13 Water St, Mystic (Groton) · 1 mi from Stonington
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
Haring's Noank
15 Riverview Ave, Noank (Groton) · 3 mi from Stonington
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.
Abbott's Lobster in the Rough
117 Pearl St, Noank (Groton) · 3 mi from Stonington
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.
Costello's Clam Shack
145 Pearl St, Noank (Groton) · 3 mi from Stonington
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.
Captain Scott's Lobster Dock
80 Hamilton St, New London · 7 mi from Stonington
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.
Hot dog and burger icons in and near Stonington
In Stonington itself: Engine Room (above). Nothing else from this list is within 10 miles. The statewide guide lists 21.
Diners and dairy bars in and near Stonington
In Stonington itself: Kitchen Little and Sea Swirl (above). Elsewhere within 10 miles, nearest first. The statewide guide lists 45. 1 more place in Stonington has “Diner” in the name but hasn't been checked by hand: find it in the web search. 1 more place in Stonington has “Dairy Bar” or “Creamery” in the name but hasn't been checked by hand: find it in the web search.
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream
2 W Main St, Mystic (Groton) · 1 mi from Stonington
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.
Norm's Diner
171 Bridge St, Groton · 6 mi from Stonington
Diner Known for: pancakes; omelets; breakfast sandwiches; maple waffle fries
Long-running Groton diner serving breakfast and lunch from early morning; closed Tuesdays.
Michael's Dairy
629 Montauk Ave, New London · 8 mi from Stonington
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.
What Stonington eats
The 10 most common kinds among the 89 listings in Stonington, from open map data and the state's liquor-permit list. Tap one to search Stonington for it.