Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Bethel

Great wait staff and service! Chestnut soup was amazing!

We were greeted at the door and seated immediately. The ambiance was natural and magically perfect! The food arrived fairly quickly, fresh and tasty. The staff are all friendly and we didn’t feel pressured to leave. The cafe is situated within a beautiful store setting which works great in my opinion. I purchased nice faux candles in the store section before leaving. I can honestly say we had a wonderful time walking around and looking at all the items and plantings they had available before leaving. Would I recommend this restaurant? Absolutely!!!

Arethusa has always been a great experience. They sweat the details and operate as if they expect to be a perpetual 5 star restaurant. There are hints of well-considered minutiae everywhere you look. For example, a glass saucer arrived on a desert plate that had a small cutout of tacky shelf liner material. My guest and I were impressed that the shelf liner was there so the saucer wouldn't slide off the plate. Water is offered either carbonated or flat. You will be given complimentary fresh made bread, and probably a shot of cold cucumber soup (or seasonal flavor of their choosing). Flavors are expertly honed and curated. Plates arrive at the table photo-ready and impressively organized. Best to choose not to look at the menu prices, and cost is sort of besides the point here. It is as fancy a dining experience as you will get in the county of Litchfield, CT. Appetizers and entrees have relatively small portion sizes, but each bite is to be savored. The gourmet cheeseboard is a necessity, as is the savory lamb belly, as are the pork dumplings, as is the tuna tartare with homemade potato chips.... I have never had a bad morsel of food here. Staff is beyond attentive; telekinetic is a more apt word. They see and sense exactly when to engage and usually do the right thing at the right time. Bonus: they are also associated with a working dairy farm and make their own ice cream. And it is THAT good.

Wonderful evening with our friends. The meal was excellent, as was the wait staff. Staff recommendations were helpful, meal options were diverse, so we were all very happy with our selections. Our friends had never been to the restaurant before, they loved the meal and look forward to returning. We have been several times and have always enjoyed the food and service and will be back again.

Sandy was our server- she was very attentive and accommodating… We thought the food and service were terrific- we will definitely be back!