The Best Sources of New England Clam Chowder for #SuperBowl Viewing

We know we will be watching the Patriots on Sunday at home and of course, we will be dining on some New England clam chowder. And we’re certainly not going to be allowing the red kind in our home.

Image from Tasteofhome.com

If you’re interested in celebrating the Patriots with some of the best New England clam chowder in Connecticut or  Massachusetts, here are our all time favorite recommendations for all your chowder needs. Some of these locations are ideal places to watch the big game. Some are better for take out. Some are better for a pre-game lunch. But they’ll all leave you thankful to be in New England.

Shoreline CT

Fairfield County, Connecticut

  • Westfair, Westport
    If I weren’t making my own, this would be my #1 recommendation. Take out chowder from Westfair. Go home, light a fire, add Harpoon and watch the game. Then you don’t have to deal with the whole “we live in Connecticut but we’re a suburb of NYC and therefore we’re not really New England” problem.
    Our Review of Westfair
  • Black Duck, Westport
    This would be an insanely hard place to get a table for the the Super Bowl. But it may well be the best. The place is perfect – the right TVs, great drinks, great view, insane crowd, walkable to the train…and the chowder is exceptional.
    Our Review of the Black Duck
  • TVs and Great Chowder @Donovans

    Donovan’s, South Norwalk
    Another fantastic spot to watch and enjoy the big game. We’ve said before that it is our absolute favorite chowder in Fairfield County and we mean it. While I give Black Duck the slight edge out in best place to watch the Super Bowl, it’s only due to the proximity to Metro North and because the closer you get to New York City, the closer you get to Giants fans. And no one wants that. But Donovan’s chowder is better.
    Our Review of Donovan’s

  • The Mansion Clam House, Westport
    I’m pretty sure they don’t even have TVs but you could totally go grab a fantastic lunch here pre-game.
    Our Review of The Mansion Clam House

New Haven County

  • Temple Grill, New Haven
    Now THIS would be a fun time – Yalies, great food, a likely Super Bowl board, and great chowder.
    Our Review of Temple Grill

The Best in Connecticut – Worth a Drive

  • The Griswold Inn, Essex
    So, it is the best New England clam chowder in Connecticut. However. They don’t have televisions except for in common areas of the hotel. So your best bet here might be to start of a celebratory weekend and visit for lunch.
    Our Review of The Griswold Inn

Not in Connecticut? Here are our favorite Cape Cod Treasures:

  • Take out and watch at home!

    American Lobster Mart, Bourne Bridge Rotary
    If we were going to the Cape to watch the Super Bowl, this would be our second choice. Our first would be the Lobster Trap. But we might get a second batch from these guys – it’s that good. Conveniently located ON the rotary, you can swing in and grab some before heading home to watch the game.
    Our Review of American Lobster Mart

  • The Courtyard, Cataumet
    Oh we could so watch the game there! Great fans, great food, great beer. You couldn’t do better for experiencing the Super Bowl in a local bar. And of course, their chowder? Rocks.
    One of our many Reviews of The Courtyard
  • The Parrot,  Cataumet
    Or you could go across the street and visit the Parrot. Great chowder too – I always feel a bit overcrowded in there though.
    One of The Parrot Reviews
  • Seafood Sam’s, Sandwich, Falmouth, Yarmouth
    The one we reviewed isn’t there any longer and it would be a terrible place to watch a game if they even had TVs but man, the chowder is good. You could take out a whole bunch, along with some fried clams, and have a great meal.
    Our Seafood Sams Review
  • The Dolphin, Barnstable
    One of our all time favorites. Every. Single. Food we ate here was fantastic. And the beer selection was great. The bartender was wonderful. I’m pretty sure they don’t have TVs but again, great spot for lunch beforehand.
    Our Review of The Dolphin
  • Quahog Republic, Falmouth
    So I have no idea about these guys. When they were in Bourne, we loved loved loved their attitude, the decor, and of course, the chowder. It’s only logical that it would still be fantastic in a new location, right? Gotta be. I feel secure recommending their chowder.
    Our Review From When Quahog Republic Was in Bourne
  • Bobby Byrne’s Pub, Mashpee, Hyannis and Sandwich
    I would LOVE to watch the Super Bowl here. Any location, any time. Fantastic in so many ways, not just the chowder.
    Our Review of Bobby Byrne’s

So there you go. The best chowder for a great game. If you happen to try any of them, let us know!

ChowdaFest 2012 in Westport, CT is COMING SOON!!!!

We are so excited for next weekend! It is going to be a crazy busy weekend but featuring one of our favorite local events.

ChowdaFest is being held at Bedford Middle School in Westport again this year. The first year we went, it was at the Unitarian Church in Westport and it was wonderful but a bit tight! Last year, they moved to the cafeteria and it was much better.

We’re happy to see it back in the middle school cafeteria this year. We plan on getting there bright and early so we can get situated and find. We’ll be tweeting our thoughts all day – follow along @chowderkids.

Looking over the list of the restaurants, we see a few favorites, a few places we’ve reviewed and panned, and a few new and exciting places.

Links to all of the restaurants, check em out!

Have you tried any of these places? Who do you think has the best chance at winning our hearts?

And what on earth is Super Duper Weenie doing on there? Scary.