Dino Cialfi, Owner, Peppercorn’s Grill
When I was running my restaurant in Rome, Italy in the mid to late 80’s many of my American patrons were from Hartford. They would tell me how much the city was growing and how such a cosmopolitan city would appreciate the delectable Italian cuisine we served.
I came back in 1989 to open a restaurant and I immediately started looking in Hartford. The city brought back memories of when I was a child and my mother would dress me up to come to the city (I lived in New Britain growing up) and shop at the wonderful stores such as G. Fox on Main Street.
I felt this was the place to be; a historic building with all the charm of Italy, Max’s was opened a block down… This was the vibrant feel of a metropolitan city. Peppercorn’s Grill flourished throughout the 90’s and early 2000’s and although times have changed, Max’s moved, the streetscape is different, other restaurants moved and new ones opened in suburban towns, I still have love for the capital city.
Hartford supported us and appreciated the contemporary Italian flavor we brought here 22 years ago. We love being on this end of Main St., we have great buildings like the Linden around us. Hartford is the capital of Connecticut and still is the capital for the best restaurants in CT.