EAT IN CONNECTICUT FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Waterbury CT


The Brass City aka WATERBURY, has a sense of charm that might not be known to those outside of its hold. “Waterbury people stick together,” a phrase we encountered many times during our visit. A town once known for its industrial ties is also a tight knit multi-cultural foodie haven. From Indian, to Brazilian, Pan Asian to Mediterranean, Portuguese and Greek…. There is an endless amount of culture here and ethnic cuisine to choose from. No matter your pretenses, people have settled in Waterbury for a reason. 


When you’re a foodie, you go where the locals go. That’s what led us to our first stop – slightly north of Waterbury, right in Oakville… ROMA RISTORANTE ITALIANO.

ROMA Ristorante Italiano, Oakville
ROMA Ristorante Italiano, Oakville

The minute you walk into ROMA, you brush by a bar full of locals, and you immediately feel like you are in the restaurant scene of Goodfellas when Henry takes Karen through the rear entrance of The Copacabana Club in New York. Get invited into their private back dining room, adorned with old world chandeliers, a fireplace, and closets that appear to be confessionals… <the secret lies with the owners> you will know, that you are about to embark on a journey to the heart of Italy through their authentic Italian cuisine and warm hospitality.

We were lucky enough to sit and have a family style meal with the owners, Tommy and Ralph. When talking about their restaurant, you could see and feel the love they have for what they do. “We are in the business of making people happy” — and it truly shows. 

From sourcing the very best chicken, to finding the biggest and freshest gulf shrimp (you must try their Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail), to taking those extra steps to make their own homemade veal stock… everything they do is intentional and everything they serve is fresh – never frozen, never canned. They are not serving “guests”, but rather serving an extended family. 

Let’s get down to the brass tacks: the FOOD. This is Authentic Italian — like your Italian grandmother used to make. The giant meatball <Polpette: Housemade pork, veal, and beef meatball smothered in marinara topped with mozzarella> must have some kind of magical ingredient because it was truly one of the best we have ever tasted. The Mozzarella D’Angelo <Mozzarella sandwiched between egg dipped bread, pan fried, finished with lemon, white wine and butter> was like a glorified fried cheese sandwich of goodness… The Chicken Milanese <a ROMA Specialty – is buttery smooth with the perfect hint of lemon and white wine butter sauce>, the Homemade Cavatelli <served with Roma’s fresh pomodoro sauce> was excellent, the Sausage Fra’ Diavolo <sautéed La Molisana Italian sausage in Fra’Diavolo sauce served over creamy polenta> was – as we kept saying, phenomenal (we may have had seconds… OK, maybe thirds…) — and everything we ate paired perfectly with a Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso red.  Did we mention their wine cellar? With nearly 1500 bottles you can be sure to find the perfect vino for every meal. And let’s not forget to mention dessert… house-made strawberry shortcake AND rice pudding… oh my! And wait! Ask for the “Sinatro special” – a heaping tray full of family favorites that will send you straight to Italy. 

Rather than saying “goodbye” after we sipped our cappuccinos “Roma Style,” we instead said, “We will see you again very soon” – and we can’t wait. 

Click here to view article