Elizabeth’s Bar and Grill
Bloomfield
May 20, 2024
You can’t go to an Italian place without trying the two Ps — pasta and pizza.
So I made sure I had enough room for both when I visited Elizabeth’s Bar and Restaurant in Bloomfield.
Although I’ve spent the majority of my life in Hartford, I actually grew up in Bloomfield. Elizabeth’s opened in 2018, long after I’d moved out of Bloomfield; it was still a nostalgic trip to drive by all the places I spent my youth.
When I arrived it was still happy hour, so I took advantage and grabbed a drink. I ordered the house margarita with sugar around the rim instead of the traditional salt. It was slightly tart, but in a way that accentuated the flavors of the triple sec instead of overpowering it with lime. The tequila was good and strong.
My first course of the day was Penne Ala Vodka, a dish that consisted of broccoli, peppers, cucumbers, sausage, chicken and shrimp. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, and gave the dish a bright flavor that contrasted with the pasta and meat. The dish was oily in the best way, with liberal usage of cooking oil that mixed well with the extra garlic I’d ordered. The pasta was tender. The various meats, well seasoned, added an enjoyable set of contrasting textures and flavors. I had to force myself to stop eating in order to have room for my second course.
Pizza is a big deal here in Connecticut, and not just in the New Haven area. I’d heard that Elizabeth’s had some of the best pizza around. The menu offered interesting choices, including a white clam pizza and a chicken tuscan pizza.
I decided to keep the uniquely Elizabeth’s theme going and ordered the house pizza, which came with pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, peppers, hamburger and sausage on red sauce.
The pie came out piping hot. The aroma filled the booth I was sitting in. I took a small piece to begin with. As I pulled it away from the rest of the pizza, the gooey, melted cheese stretched so much that I had to use my fork to cut the strands.
Elizabeth’s pizza features a thin crust that was nonetheless more doughy than crispy. As I took my first bite, the cheese slid off my slice under the weight of all the toppings that were piled on top. I could distinctly taste each topping, as the cheese didn’t smother the pizza, The red sauce was a bit of an afterthought; it didn’t leave much of a flavor impression up against the thick slices of mushroom and bursting juiciness of the peppers. I’m a big red sauce fan, so that was a little disappointing, but didn’t detract too much from my overall experience.
It was good to go back home and visit my old stomping grounds, all while getting to eat some new food. Elizabeth’s brings big city authentic Italian flavors to the small towns, while offering a great, relaxed and family friendly environment. If you find yourself on Park Avenue in Bloomfield, Elizabeth’s is definitely the place to get food.
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Elizabeth’s is open seven days a week.
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