Mystic Featured in Vogue Magazine- This Charming Coastal Connecticut Town Just Keeps Getting Buzzier
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But not all of Mystic’s charms are edible. There are historic homes dotting the gently sloping hills along the banks of the Mystic River, which runs through the heart of town. The strollable Main Street is jammed with indie boutiques and galleries. Its strong nautical history is always surfacing, with parades of classic and antique boats in the summer and a lighted boat parade at the holidays. And when a new waterfront hotel debuts later this year, Mystic just may emerge as an official in-the-know destination.
When you make it there, bring this list of tip-top places to stay, eat, and visit for the ultimate maritime weekend.
Where to Stay
The upcoming 31-room Delamar Hotel—part of a local boutique chain that’s clinched a Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice award—is anchored on the Mystic River and neighbors the popular Seaport Museum, about a half-mile from the compact downtown. Each room, including four corner suites, has views of the river and a nature sanctuary on the opposite bank. Cozy but elegant décor like sage green shiplap, gallery art walls, and wood beams framing the sleeping areas lend a subtle nautical sensibility. There’s also a separate two-bedroom cottage for larger parties.
Maximizing its waterfront location, the on-site restaurant, La Plage, offers a menu heavy on New England seafood like Maine lobster chowder and Nantucket fluke crudo, and a dining room with oversized windows and ceilings tall enough to accommodate a 35-foot-long polished rowing shell hanging in the rafters. In warmer months, the outdoor bar and heated riverfront pool will be the perfect perches to watch guests sailing their sloops up and docking at the property’s shore.
For over a century, the white clapboard and blue shutters of The Whaler’s Inn have radiated coastal vibes at one of downtown’s busiest intersections. And for almost as long, the property has been evolving its footprint. In addition to the primary inn on East Main Street, where rooms are outfitted with crisp white linens and accented by coral and navy furniture and accessories, there are now four separate houses on neighboring lots to stay at, each with its own history and suite of rooms.
The Hoxie House, which has hosted celebrities ranging from President Jimmy Carter to the Kardashians, has eight rooms with gas fireplaces and soaking tubs. The Noank, Stonington, and 1865 Houses each have seven or eight spacious rooms and communal porches (girls’ getaway central). Next summer, the Stanton House will debut, featuring 10 decadent suites with views of Fishers Island Sound and downtown’s iconic 1922 bascule bridge.
Where to Eat
2012 was a veritable lifetime ago, but it’s when this lowkey gem opened—and slowly, then suddenly, put Mystic on the must-eat map. Whether in one of its low-lit interior nooks or on the outdoor dining deck called The Treehouse, meals here always manage to feel special. Renee Touponce, a two-time James Beard Award finalist, accents bluefin tuna crudo with purple shiso, steeps mussels in lemongrass broth, and makes cacio e pepe with housemade spaghetti and a deliciously obscene amount of pecorino romano.
Looking for a cocktail made with nori, dukkah, or fennel bitters; empanadas stuffed with ground beef, sofrito, olives, and cheese; or maybe a drag queen disco party? The Port of Call is your spot. Next to its sister restaurant, Oyster Club, it’s a bi-level cocktail bar that manages to be both swank and divey. In the upper salon, there are exquisitely made cocktails and plates, also by Chef Touponce, inspired by port cities from around the world. It’s looser in the downstairs bar, where vinyl, shuffleboard, and punch bowl cocktails rule.
Newly minted James Beard Award-winning chef David Standridge is having fun with the bounty of coastal Connecticut’s farms and seas at this on-premises restaurant at The Whaler’s Inn. With equal doses of creativity and sustainability, he makes waves with dishes sourced from local fishermen and farmers like Fishers Island oysters served chilled, roasted, or fried; organic chicken smothered in salsa verde; and a whole entree devoted to mushrooms of the trumpet, mane, and maitake varieties. The chef’s charismatic wife, Kathleen Standridge, is the wine director and has put together one of the most exciting wine lists in the state, pulling in vintages from the Canary Islands, Columbia Valley, and the Finger Lakes.
Is the right descriptor for the made-to-order cinnamon sugar doughnuts at this organic bakery “billowy” or “pillowy”? The answer: Both. The same cloud-like texture makes the sourdough pizzas equally irresistible. Made with a base of stone ground, regionally grown grains, the toppings range from clams, potatoes, bacon, and mozzarella (the New England) to castelvetrano olives, tomato, red onion, and feta, to a classic white, made pitch-perfect with rosemary and ricotta. The sandwiches and coffee are treated with the same level of expertise and care.
Come for the cornhole, stay for the al pastor. While so many of Mystic’s restaurants tap into the natural bounty of the Sound and surrounding agricultural areas, there are hits of international flavor and spicy style. At Taquerio, a buzzy spot in an old gas station, happy hour is lively, and the food is fun. While you’ll find classic tacos like carnitas and Baja fish, you’ll also find The Gringo, made with ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheddar in a hard shell, and a chicken bacon ranch taco.
The line outside the navy blue and white awning is your first clue: there’s a genius baker inside. Adam Young, who opened Sift Bakeshop with his wife, Ebbie, in 2016 has been both a Food Network Best Baker winner and judge, and he now churns out treats like pecan sticky buns, chocolate raspberry croissants, and ginger molasses cookies to hungry hordes. If sweets aren’t your thing, head to the rooftop for a cocktail with vistas of the Sound.
What to Do
Set Sail
Mystic’s shoreline location set the stage for its esteemed shipbuilding history, and today there are still all kinds of maritime adventures to participate in. In warmer months, you can charter picnic boats from Mystic River Cruises, float along a sunset cruise aboard the Mystic Seaport Museum’s historic steamboat, the Sabino, or hit up Blue Heaven or Adventure Mystic to rent kayaks and paddleboards and join the watercraft mingling in the river. If it’s too cold to set sail (most boating options run April through November), you can still tour the historic ships docked at the Seaport Museum. The 106-foot-long wooden whaleship, the Charles W. Morgan, has been returned to splendor from its 19th-century origins and is one of four designated National Historic Landmark vessels at the museum.
Stroll and Shop
Compact and cute as a movie set, the main drag of downtown Mystic will take you over the historic bascule bridge and to all kinds of boutiques. There are a few known brands—Black Dog, Ivory Ella—but Mystic is primarily an indie town. Check out Mystic Knotwork, which makes bracelets, placemats, and other décor items using classic nautical knot techniques; Manufaktura, a purveyor of classic Polish stoneware that comes in patterns both poppy and elegant; and Trade Winds Gallery, which represents New England artists and carries vintage maps, charts, and prints.
Eat and Drink Local
Though its coastal location gets all the attention, Mystic is situated within an agricultural oasis. Ten miles to the east, in North Stonington, NoSto to the locals, there are several vineyards, including Saltwater Farm Vineyard, whose tasting room is within a restored World War II-era airplane hangar, and its sister winery, Kingdom of the Hawk. 100 Acre Wood and Stone Acres Farm have beautiful grounds and farm stands that will make you want to tend goats and grow garlic for the rest of your life. And further north in the hills of Gales Ferry, Holmberg Orchards offers seasonal pick-your-own lavender, peaches, and apples, plus an on-site winery that puts out light and refreshing British-style hard ciders.