Food

Filling and oozing with cheese, the pies at Bella Napoli Pizza (864 Boston Post Rd., Milford, 203/877-1102, www.bellanapolionline.com [1], 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Mon.–Thu.; 11 a.m.–midnight Fri.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun., $6–19) are said to feed half of Milford on weekend nights. Specialty pizzas include creations like clams casino, three cheese, and the Philly Cheesesteak.

With its wide windows and simple interior, Café Atlantique (33 River St., Milford, 203/882-1602, www.cafeatlantique.us [2], 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Tue.; 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Wed.–Sat.; 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun., $5–9) is an ideal spot for quick-but-tasty (and inexpensive) lunches. Order up a pesto-chicken panini and smoothie, or opt for the crepes, which are the stars of the show. There are savory renditions (try the goat cheese, olives, and almonds) as well as sweet (banana and Nutella).

The easygoing pace at Gusto Trattoria (255 Boston Post Rd., Milford, 203/876-7464, www.gustotrattoria.com [3], 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Fri.; 4–10 p.m. Sat.; 4–8:30 p.m. Sun., $9–26) won’t have you out the door in a hurry, but it will guarantee you a meal of fresh northern Italian flavors. The pastas—and gnocchi in particular—are excellent.

Popular with Quinnipiac students for its cheap, filling pizza, Si Mangia (3825 Whitney Rd., Hamden, 203/230-8610, www.simangia.com [4], 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.–Wed.; 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Thu.–Sat., $6–15) is where to grab a quick slice on the way in or out of town.

Both student- and family-friendly, Aunt Chilada’s (3931 Whitney Rd., Hamden, 203/230-4640, http://auntchilada.com [5], 11 a.m.–1 a.m. Sun.–Thurs.; 11 a.m.–2 a.m. Fri. and Sat., $6–16) has regular taco nights, happy hours, and kids-eat-free nights (Sun. 4–8 p.m.).

The chef-owner of Le Petit Cafe (225 Montowese St., Branford, 203/483-9791, www.lepetitcafe.net [6], 6–9 p.m., Wed.–Sun., $50 prix fixe for four courses) may be originally from Hong Kong, but the restaurant itself is a perfect evocation of a French bistro. Four-course prix fixe dinners are served in a dining room that feels formal without feeling pretentious. The menu includes bistro standards like cassoulet and moules frites, expertly prepared by chef Roy Ip, who was trained in Paris. As a nod to his homeland, however, a couple of Asian-inspired dishes have sneaked their way onto the menu.

One of the best places in New England to sample native seafood is also one of the simplest. The red-and-white outdoor canopy sits right along the highway of Route 1 at The Place (901 Boston Post Rd./Rte. 1, Guilford, 203/453-9276, 5–10 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 1–10 p.m. Sat., noon–10 p.m. Sun. late Apr.–mid-Oct., $9–25), where all manner of seafood is cooked on a huge outdoor grill. “Guests” sit down on stumps along large picnic tables to dig into fire-roasted lobster, clams, and, if they are lucky, melt-in-your-mouth filets of smoky fresh bluefish.