Breakwater

Breakwater waterfront restaurant rests along Connecticut’s Stonington Harbor, and it’s one of the best places to find fresh seafood in the state. We savored a gorgeous sunset dinner here, watched as sailboats passed us by, and marveled at the brilliant colors of the setting sun. This gorgeous waterfront restaurant in Stonington, CT, has been one of our favorite places to eat in our new home state. Read on to learn how to make reservations and what we recommend eating at this beautiful marina view restaurant facing the Atlantic Ocean.

Location: Stonington, CT
Address: 66 Water Street
Stonington, Connecticut 06378
Food Type: Seafood
Dining Experience: Indoor, & Al Fresco
Price: $75+ per Person
Dress Code: Smart Casual +
Reservations: Recommended
Special Diets: Gluten-Free (not GF dedicated),
Pescatarian

The Ambience

This beautiful restaurant overlooked Stonington Harbor and was the perfect setting for a meal on the water. Sailboats bobbed and swayed at the nearby marina, while the cool breeze from the water was the perfect balance to the warm sunshine of our summer dinner. There’s something so enticing and nostalgic about dining outside along the water. Perhaps it’s reminiscent of my childhood in Petoskey, where I grew up along Little Traverse Bay, a part of Lake Michigan. Whether from the bay, the ocean, or the harbor, a fresh, cool breeze makes me feel so relaxed and at peace.

As the sunset over the harbor, the ambience became even more magical. If you know me, you know I’m passionate about all things related to the water, so it’s not surprising that dining harbor-side is one of my very favorite atmospheres in which to enjoy a meal.

Breakwater Restaurant Stonington, CT & Our Meals

Breakwater Restaurant in Stonington drew us in because we had heard wonderful things about their food, from how fresh it was to how many gluten-free options they had. We were with my best friend, a major seafood fan too, so we wanted to show her how delicious fresh coastal food could be.

For the table, we ordered a round of oysters on the half shell, along with a shrimp cocktail, both of which were outstanding. Their seafood was delightfully refreshing and so tasty. These were some of the best oysters I’d had on the East Coast, and my friend, a seafood fanatic, agreed they were some of the best she’d had!

I ordered a gluten-free lobster roll with a gluten-free Caesar salad, and both were extremely fresh and refreshing. Our waiter said the lobster had been caught not more than an hour before it wound up on my plate.

Robin ordered the gluten-free seafood pasta (so I could try it too) with shrimp, scallops, squid, salmon, and a creamy parmesan garlic sauce. It was absolutely fantastic! I was a bit disappointed because the first time they brought the dish out to us, we double-checked to make sure it was, in fact, gluten-free, and the waiter left to double-check. Upon his return, he brought us another dish, this one actually gluten-free, and offered to let us keep the first one as an apology from the kitchen.

If you’re like me and have a pretty brutal gluten allergy, always be your own advocate because had I just assumed it was correct; I would have wound up in the hospital. Everything else about our order was correct outside of this one dish. If you’re going there because of their reputation for being GF-allergy friendly, I highly recommend confirming that you’ve received the correct item.

My best friend ordered their house Bloody Mary and their standard lobster roll on a bun and loved both. We talked about how much fun it would be to eat here once a week if only she lived closer, and that would be so wonderful! The hardest part about moving from Michigan to Connecticut, and really the only downside, is being so far from friends and family. I always cherish seeing them when they come to visit us.

Final Thoughts on Breakwater Restaurant Stonington

Despite being served a non-GF item, which thankfully I didn’t eat before noticing the mistake, we loved everything about our meal at Breakwater in Stonington, Connecticut. I will always have such happy memories of driving up the coast with my best friend and my husband, watching the sunset over the harbor after a lovely day exploring Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and savoring some of the best seafood we’ve had during our time in Connecticut.