lifestyle
Hartbeats & Eats Draws Crowds to 40+ West Hartford Restaurants
The food truck gathering offered residents a direct entry point into a cluster of more than 40 restaurants that have turned the area into a regional draw.
How we reported this
Residents turned out July 16 at Mortensen Riverfront Plaza for Hartbeats & Eats, the recurring food truck event that opened at 1:00 pm and gave locals an immediate way to sample the West Hartford dining options that have expanded in recent years.
The timing aligns with steady growth in the West Hartford Center, where streets were closed to traffic to create more outdoor seating and foot traffic among dozens of spots serving cuisines from around the world. Scott, head of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, noted during a visit earlier this year that the changes have drawn diners from across the state and region who come specifically for the variety packed into a compact walkable zone.
Three Stops Highlight Different Sides of the Scene
One recent video tour of the area stopped first at Place to be, a newer brunch spot owned by Gina that focuses on elevated comfort dishes and photo-ready presentations aimed at younger locals. Next came Zohara, where chef Dorian draws on Albanian roots for an open-kitchen Mediterranean menu. The day closed at Bricco, the Italian restaurant run by chef Billy Grant that has operated as a neighborhood staple for more than 25 years and remains known for dishes such as cedar-plank salmon.
Those three stops sit within the larger group of more than 40 restaurants that fill roughly a mile-and-a-half square in West Hartford Center, according to the Connecticut Restaurant Association. The concentration includes Afghan, Mediterranean and other global options within short walking distance, a density that Scott said has made the district a go-to destination for people traveling on their appetites.
Practical Next Steps for Residents
With the July 16 event now passed, locals looking to explore further can head straight to West Hartford Center on any weekend and move between the same cluster of restaurants on foot. The setup encourages trying multiple places in one outing, whether starting with brunch at Place to be, moving to Zohara for spice-forward plates or ending at Bricco for a long-running Italian favorite.