The murals overlooking the dining area of Vanilla Bean Cafe (corner of Rtes. 44, 169, and 97, Pomfret, 860/928-1562, www.thevanillabeancafe.com, 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Mon.–Wed.; 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Wed.–Thu.; 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Fri.; 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Sat., 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun, $12–15) are almost as colorful as the crowd. All Pomfret seems to file in and out of this cozy spot throughout the day, chatting over big bowls of homemade heirloom-tomato soup, golden-beet salad, still-warm muffins, and molasses-brined pork. And since it’s as much a coffeehouse as café and art gallery, you can also catch regular live folk music every Saturday night.

At first glance, the sight of a sushi bar plunk in the historic building belonging to The Harvest (37 Putnam Rd./Rte. 44, Pomfret, 860/928-0008, www.harvestrestaurant.com, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Tue.–Thu.; 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Sun., $14–35) seems odd. But put it in the context of the rest of the international menu (from seared Pacific tuna and bouillabaisse to steakhouse-style beef cuts), and it all makes sense. Service can be a bit on the slow side, but then again, odds are you didn’t come to this romantic spot for a quick meal anyway.

Part farm museum, part ultra-friendly eatery, Golden Lamb Buttery (499 Wolf Den Rd., Brooklyn, 860/774-4423, www.thegoldenlamb.com, lunch noon–2:30 p.m. Tue.–Sat., dinner 7–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat., prix fixe dinner $65, lunch $13–18) is as much a learning experience as it is a meal. Before every dinner, guests arrive for cocktails, walking past a flock of sheep, a barn full of antiques, and several horses to the back porch overlooking the property’s pond. They’re then treated to a hay ride before marching into the dining room for traditional dishes like chateaubriand and roast duck with orange sauce.

There’s as much style as there is taste at Vine Bistro (85 Main St., Putnam, 860/928-1660, $9–24), serving light fare such as portabellas sautéed with spinach and veal piccata in the simple but pretty dining room. If the pumpkin cheesecake is available, don’t miss it.

Everything you’ve heard is true: Pyzzz (8 Harris Rd., Putnam, 860/928-7424, 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m. Mon.–Thu.; 11:30 a.m.–2:30 a.m. Fri.–Sat., $6–16) truly is some of (if not the) best pizza around. The thin-crusted wonders are served fast and to-order in a charming 19th-century building.

For dessert, you don’t know what good ice cream truly is until you’ve sampled a cone from We-Lik-It Ice Cream (Rich Rd., Abington, 860/974-1095, www.welikit.com, noon–7 p.m. Mon.–Sun. Apr.–Oct., $2–4), a working dairy farm that makes its deliciously fresh ice cream directly after milking.