Water Street Cafe — Restaurant in Stonington

There’s something unmistakably comforting about the approach to Water Street Café. Tucked into the heart of Stonington, this cozy spot radiates old-school charm before you even step inside. Once through the door, you’re welcomed not just by a gracious host, but by the subtle hum of a place that knows its rhythm. The layout feels effortless—bar to the right, tables and booths to the left—perfectly intimate without trying too hard.

The meal begins humbly with a bread basket—simple, warm, soft butter on the side. It’s not showy, but it does its job exceptionally well. Think understated rather than underwhelming.

Starters here cover the spectrum. The shrimp cocktail stood out for its zippy horseradish-forward cocktail sauce—classic, but not dull. The Caesar salad arrived crisp, with a satisfying crunch from the croutons, while the beet and peach salad brought in a subtle sweetness that played nicely with the earthiness of the greens. The crispy tofu salad was a surprise hit—light, fresh, and punched up with a wasabi-soy vinaigrette that didn’t shy away from flavor.

Among the mains, the shrimp and scallops fra diavolo was a clear highlight. The seafood was tender, the pasta perfectly cooked, and the chili oil gave the tomato sauce a welcome, slow-building heat. For something more casual, the café burger on brioche was hearty and satisfying, especially with the addition of cheese and bacon. The London broil was classic comfort—tender beef, garlic butter, and crisp fries. If you’re leaning toward poultry, the chicken sandwich delivered crunch and tang, thanks to Creole mustard and a crusty roll.

Dessert brought it home. Two ice cream sundaes—one a straightforward vanilla-chocolate combo, the other a raspberry-drenched dream with a wafer base—both executed with care. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that leave the best impression.

If you go, ask for Andy. His easygoing service tied the whole experience together.

Water Street Café has roots that stretch back to 1994, founded by Walter and Stephanie Houlihan after years in the high-paced world of New York hospitality. Walter, a CIA-trained chef, brought a unique blend of French, Asian, and American influences to this coastal hideaway. Stephanie ensured that the front-of-house runs with genuine warmth, anchoring the café firmly in the heart of the community. Decades on, it’s clear why this spot remains a local favorite. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s just making sure it rolls smoothly and tastes great...

We eat at Water Street Cafe regularly. The restaurant has separate dining and dining/bar areas. The decor in the dining/bar area is a hard to describe eclectic mix of all sorts of artifacts: model airplanes, interesting light fixtures, and so on. The menu is similarly eclectic: their peanut butter brisket is a favorite of mine, my wife loves the seared tuna with wasabi and ginger. The menu has a wide selection of dishes, and as such, a large party is guaranteed to have a selection suitable for everyone. They always have raw oysters available, and I would recommend a dozen as a nice, light appetizer. The bar is excellent - never had a bad pour on any of the mixed drinks we have ordered. The Mystic/Stonington area has many good choices to dine at (Bravo and Oyster Club in Mystic, Dogwatch, Milagro, and Water St in Stonington, just to name a few), and among all of these, Water St has become our personal favorite. Water St has the advantage of being out of the tourist blast crater in Mystic, and while it can be harder to get into, it maintains a nice local vibe. Excellent service - the waitstaff is attentive, but not so much that they're always interrupting to ask if we need anything. Perfect balance. Note that they do not take reservations for small parties, but they will accept call ahead for specific times - the call gets you on the list, and generally, we've only had to wait maybe 10 minutes for a table after arrival. If you're in the area, be sure to give them a try, then write a review so we can all...

Disappointed. Several problems. First, the waiter spilled an entire glass of water on my daughter. The first course was the lobster roll appetizer. It was good, but short on lobster for the price of $15. The we had the Beet salad and the Caesar salad. Both were okay, but not great like we remember from our last visit. For entrees, we had the mussels, the burger and a goat cheese tartlet. The burger was okay but the fries were greasy. The mussels were in a wine broth that had not been properly reduced and was missing the garlic. It was tasting of alcohol and not reduced. The goat cheese tartlet was inedible. Then there was the beer: mine was cold, my wife’s was warm. So she sent it back and got another which was cold, but not nearly as good. The wait staff was good, since the owners were not there, they could not comp us for the problems. Thus our rating! We would NOT recommend this restaurant unless there is a change...