Why You Should Go: The palates of children are both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, pizza and ice cream could pretty much do the trick for any child for any meal of the day. On the other hand, going to a fancy restaurant and presenting your 10-year-old son with a sophisticated menu isn’t likely to make his night. Luckily those in and around Hartford don’t have to face that dilemma thanks to Zingarella Pizzeria & Ice Cream Café, where you’ll find an upscale list of authentic Italian favorites, in addition to New York style pizza, grinders, a kids menu and more.

What You Should Know: Located right along the bike path in Plantsville, Zingarella’s intimate dining room, outdoor seating, bar and five TVs make it the perfect spot to bring a date, dine with the family or have a drink with friends. Open for lunch and dinner, you’ll love antipasti at Zingarella like Baby Shrimp Bruschetta and Mozzarella Fritta, as well as homemade pastas like Orecchiette and Gnocchi Caprese, and entrees like Chicken Parmesan and Veal Scallopine. Of course you (and your kids) can’t go wrong with one of many pizzas like the Shrimp Scampi or Buffalo Chicken, plus a host of sandwiches, grinders and calzones. So head to Zingarella for a meal everyone is sure to enjoy.