The Lantern Introduce
Located right in the heart of downtown Ridgefield, The Lantern stands out as a premier American restaurant and gastropub, offering a cozy refuge for Connecticut diners. This establishment has quickly become a local favorite, blending classic American comfort food with a modern, New York City sense of style, courtesy of Head Chef Giuseppe Castellano’s traditional Italian roots. The result is a truly unique and engaging pub experience that feels both familiar and refined. The overall atmosphere is casual, cozy, and trendy, making it an ideal spot for family dinners, a gathering with friends, or a solo dining experience.
The menu at The Lantern is celebrated for its inventive twists on traditional comfort food, catering to a wide array of tastes. From flavorful Starters to hearty Mains and creative Sandwiches, the focus is always on quality ingredients and robust flavor profiles. Diners can indulge in rich options like the Buffalo Chicken Meatballs or the Asiago And Porcini Mushroom Stuffed Gnocchi. The Handhelds section is a major draw, featuring classic comfort like the Burger alongside elevated fare such as the Lobster Roll and the decadent Lobster Grilled Cheese. For those seeking lighter, yet equally flavorful options, the menu includes specialty Tacos and Buns like the perfectly seasoned Blackened Shrimp Taco or the crisp Crispy Basa Taco. The culinary team is adept at taking pub favorites and elevating them to a gourmet level, ensuring a memorable meal whether you're craving a quick bite or a full dinner experience.
Signature dishes that showcase the gastropub's quality include the Smoked Angus Beef Brisket, Braised Short Ribs, and the Prine Ribeye, all speaking to a dedication to high-quality meats. The restaurant also pays attention to fresh, wholesome sides, offering delicious choices like Parmesan Truffle Fries and Roasted Brussel Sprouts, ensuring that vegetables and fries are anything but an afterthought.
Location and Accessibility
The Lantern is perfectly situated to be a centerpiece of the Ridgefield community, right on the iconic Main Street.
- Address: 378 Main St, Ridgefield, CT 06877, USA. Its central location makes it a great spot to enjoy the energy of downtown Ridgefield.
- Parking: Guests will find convenient parking options with both a free parking lot and free street parking available in the vicinity.
- Accessibility: The restaurant ensures all guests feel welcome and accommodated. It features a wheelchair accessible entrance, parking lot, restroom, and seating, providing ease of access for the Connecticut community.
- Locale: The nice locale offers both indoor and outdoor dining, allowing patrons to enjoy the town's ambience, especially during warmer months.
Services Offered
The Lantern provides a full suite of services designed for modern Connecticut life, from dining in to enjoying a night out.
- Dining Availability: Open for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert, offering flexible seating times throughout the day with full Table service.
- Reservations: The restaurant Accepts reservations, which is particularly advisable during peak hours, given the venue's popularity, though walk-ins are often welcome.
- Off-Premise Service: For convenience, they offer Delivery, Takeout, and even No-contact delivery, allowing you to bring the gastropub experience home.
- Atmosphere and Amenities: The Lantern features a Bar onsite, which serves as a central social spot, alongside clean Restrooms. High chairs are available for families, making it a Family-friendly environment.
- Special Features: The menu includes specific Offerings such as Happy hour drinks and Small plates, perfect for a casual after-work gathering.
Features / Highlights
What truly sets The Lantern apart for local Connecticut diners are its distinct highlights, which elevate the standard American restaurant model:
- Exceptional Bar Program: The venue is recognized for a Great beer selection, Great cocktails, and a Great wine list. The bar offers a wide variety of Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, and Hard liquor, with a dedicated Happy hour drinks menu that draws a great crowd. The cocktail list, with options like the Negroni and Espresso Martini, demonstrates a focus on quality mixology.
- Fast Service: Customers frequently highlight the Fast service as a major positive, making it an excellent choice for a Quick bite during lunch or a seamless dinner experience.
- Modern Comfort Food: Their dedication to Comfort food with modern twists is a core feature, showcased in dishes like the truffle-infused options and specialty sides such as Mac And Cheese and Parmesan Truffle Fries.
- Vibrant Atmosphere: The combination of a Casual, Cozy, and Trendy setting, along with the provision for Sports viewing, makes it a lively and inviting social hub popular with Family-friendly groups, and Tourists alike.
- Dessert Excellence: The Lantern is also known for having Great dessert options, providing a sweet finish to any meal.
- Payment Convenience: Accepting Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments ensures a smooth transaction process for all guests.
Contact Information
For Connecticut residents looking to experience The Lantern's unique gastropub atmosphere, you can reach them at:
- Address: 378 Main St, Ridgefield, CT 06877, USA
- Phone: (203) 403-3781 or +1 203-403-3781
What is Worth Choosing
The Lantern is truly worth choosing for Connecticut residents who appreciate high-quality American comfort food served in a dynamic, social setting. It perfectly captures the essence of a modern gastropub: elevated cuisine without pretense. The combination of its prime location on Main Street, excellent service, and outstanding bar offerings—including its celebrated cocktail and beer selections—makes it a standout destination.
Whether you are looking to enjoy a savory and perfectly prepared dish like the seared Tuna Tacos, a reviewer favorite, or settling in for a satisfying plate of Fish And Chips, the consistent quality of the food and preparation is impressive. The cozy yet lively ambiance, especially with the option for Outdoor seating to enjoy the beautiful downtown setting, provides the ideal backdrop for any occasion. The Lantern succeeds in being a restaurant, a bar, and a gathering spot all at once, offering excellent value and a memorable dining experience that is highly regarded within the Ridgefield, CT, community. This establishment is a prime example of a local American restaurant that takes great pride in its comfort food and craft beverage offerings.
The Lantern Food & drink
Starters
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Asiago And Porcini Mushroom Stuffed Gnocchi
- Mini Crab Cakes
- Flautas
- Chicken Wings
- Smoked Duck Wings
- Nachos
- Crispy Calamari
- Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
Sides
- Parmesan Truffle Fries
- Home Fried Potatoes With Spicy Aurora Sauce
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Mac And Cheese
Sandwiches
- Burger
- Cubano
- Brisket
- Prine Philly Cheese Steak
- Lobster Roll
- Lobster Grilled Cheese
Tacos And Buns
- Blackened Shrimp Taco
- Crispy Basa Taco
Others
- Pulled Pork
- Truffle
- Brussel Sprouts
- Prosciutto
- Kale Caesar
- Roasted Pepper
- Guacamole Greens
- Detox
- Beet
- The Local
- Braised Short Ribs
- Smoked Angus Beef Brisket
- Prine Ribeye
- Fish And Chips
- Arctic Char
- Grilled Red Beet "Steak
- Iterranean "Burger
- Salmon
- Crispy Fried Chicken
The Lantern Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
- Sports
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Hard liquor
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Wine
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- High chairs
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
- Parking
The Lantern Photos










The Lantern Location
The Lantern
378 Main St, Ridgefield, CT 06877, USA
The Lantern Reviews
pricesbarsandwichtacosentreegnocchilobster rollpatioseared tunared pepper sauce
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1First time frequenting this restaurant and we were very impressed with the quality of the food. Service was very good as well. Located in the heart of downtown Ridgefield, CT very nice locale offering both indoor and outdoor dining. We ordered the grilled chicken sandwich and tuna tacos both of which were outstanding. I really enjoyed the tuna tacos especially, they were very well prepared and seared tuna was done perfectly - a very flavorful dish. My only suggestion would be to add an option to get 4 tacos instead of just 3 and compliment the taco entree with a side salad or slaw.
August 17 · JAmazing atmosphere. Sitting outside enjoying the town while tasting some good food is one of the perks you get here.Food is really good. Classic American cuisine.They do have some buns but for me they are actually tiny burgers (they were tasty though).The place gets really busy so try to get there earlier.
July 28 · Bruno FariaI have no idea how the food is because we were never waited on. Several people, including our waiter, walked by us without any acknowledgement. They were more interested in the larger parties sitting outside. I understand places may be understaffed so I’m pretty patient. But when you don’t even say, I’ll be right with you or even look at me, I lose my ability to wait in your establishment.
August 24 · Katie PhillipsNice place to relax and enjoy good food. The menu is extensive with salads, burgers, tacos, and pizza. The service is very good and the staff is very friendly. Avoid the pizza - their version of a Margherita pizza is a flat slab covered with tomato sauce and an over abundance of mozzarella cheese - not a Margherita!
June 28 · Mark LoGiuratoWe love it here. The food is delicious and we love to eat outside either under the umbrellas or on the patio. We haven't eaten inside, but have seen it and it's very nice, we just love being outside. Everyone is friendly and if you bring your dog 🐕 they will give a bowl of fresh water.
July 26 · Donna Desantis
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