Norwalk

Washington Prime earns its Wine Spectator hardware — the list is deep, the California and Italy coverage is genuinely impressive, and the by-the-glass count alone puts it ahead of most of its Fairfield County peers. Markups run on the steeper side, as expected in this category, but if you're going to spend money on a bottle anywhere in Connecticut, this is a room worth doing it in.

A genuinely unexpected wine program hiding inside a Norwalk Italian spot that also slices sandwiches at noon — the Italian cellar alone is worth the reservation. Pricing runs steep and there's no sommelier to guide you through it, but if you know what you're looking for, this list rewards the effort.