Paul’s Pasta Shop

By far the best Italian I’ve ever had! Everything is fresh and homemade and the service is great. Highly recommend!

So delicious! Home made pasta, try the appetizers!!! great view! Wonderful wait staff! Loved every bite!

So GOOD!!! I’m a huge carb fiend and this place satisfies me fully… buffalo mac and cheese, spaghetti pie, paparadelle carbonara. you really can’t go wrong with anything. Also I just always convince myself that it is worth it to get a large and have leftovers and that always seems to be a good choice. I used to come here just for the house salad with creamy garlic dressing, which comes with a small loaf of delicious garlic bread.
This place can get crowded, but take out is always an option!

We went for a birthday lunch/​dinner. Sitting outside was lovely and the service was fine. The prices are cheap, but I hate to say this, but I was not impressed with the pasta. I got heartburn from the sauce, which usually means cheap olive oil. I ordered the lobster raviolis and could not taste any lobster. I grew up in NJ and worked at many true Italian restaurants. I know pasta, so I am planning to come back for an update because I hate to give a bad review when there are so many good ones. Jury is still investigating.

I had the lasagna. It was good and they were very generous with the sauce. Awesome location and great service.

Delicious homemade pasta here at Paul’s that will surely leave you satisfied. I ordered the lobster ravioli in their «pink sauce» a mixture of white and red that was very good. I would recommend getting their salad with honey poppy dressing — SO GOOD! I found myself dunking garlic bread into this dressing as the meal went on. They also have a garlic dressing that is amazing! This is a local staple for sure and you’ll want to get here if you’re visiting or living in the nearby area… frankly, get here no matter what because it has charm and sustenance for everyone with taste buds.

This is a casual place that doesn’t take reservations. i.e. a popular local dive with great food.
Normally, I wouldn’t wait 30 – 40 minutes for pasta, but the reviews were excellent and the atmosphere was just what C and I were in the mood for. Since we had a wait, we ordered a couple of glasses of wine and went outside to sit on the porch that overlooks the water. It was a pleasant wait and by the time we had finished our wines, our table was ready.
The ambiance is … hectic, boisterous and cozy (yes, tables very close to one another). May people come in just to order fresh pasta to go, so much of the free space near the entry is taken up with people waiting and people ordering pasta to go. Altogether, it’s a free for all, but it works. It’s fun. We loved it.
For dinner we ordered a large bowl of spaghetti with sausage and red peppers. And a bottle of wine, which was reasonable. The large bowl was plenty for two of us, but we normally share orders as a diet strategy (which had been working for us for years). The server was dubious when we placed the order, but it was just the right amount of food. In fact, we didn’t even order dessert, in spite of the fact that we were sitting within six feet of the cooler holding the very appealing desserts. The dinner, by the way, was very good. Like what you’d expect from mom.
When we arrived, C was first in the door and gave my name to a very busy Paul, for the waiting list. Two hours later, after I don’t know how many dozens of people had come and gone, an amazing thing happened. As we were heading out, Paul said, «Good night, John, and good night John’s friend.» What an amazing memory, after only one interaction.
Food: ****
Service: ****
Ambiance: ****

The best pasta I ever had. I got pappardelle carbonara with chicken instead of prosciutto.

Great dinner. A bit of a wait for a table but sooooo worth it. Talk the time. Bring the appetite. Enjoy your company. Watch the sunset. Spectacular!

You can tell this is a local family owned business which makes it even better. It’s great to support local restaurants and it makes it so much easier when it’s fresh homemade pasta! This was my first trip to Paul’s Pasta shop and it did not disappoint. I didn’t know what to expect but it is a cozy old fashioned «hole in a wall» type restaurant. Small place so be prepared to wait.
**The portions are very big so if you are hungry and eat a lot a large with cover you. Even a small is a good size portion. I heard the raviolis were good but not great, the eggplant parm looked tasty, the Sausage and peppers pasta was good with lots of. you guessed it, sausages and peppers. Lastly, the chicken Fettucini Alfredo. The chicken was crispy and could taste it was just made, the sauce was thick and creamy and the pasta, oh the pasta was nice and fresh! Bonus: they give you garlic bread to start!
Prices are VERY reasonable and not expensive at all. A cool local and delicious place. I wish it wasn’t so far as I’d be there often. Hope to be back again to try the lasagna or pesto!

Came here for lunch on 2÷20÷16. I had the pasta with clams in a red sauce with a small cup of clear chowder. The clams even if they are already chopped are humongous bits! San Francisco clams can’t compare to the size of these New England clams. Delicious with garlic bread. Fresh pasta made on site. Then a slice of chocolate mousse for dessert with coffee. Very nice people. Nice view of the Thames river while having the meal for a New England feel. We were lucky there was no long line when we came. If ever in this area of CT, Paul’s is your pasta to go to.

I was recommended to try this place out while I was in the area by a couple of people. The rave amongst them was the taste and value of the food here. That was the premise in which I entered.
First off, I must say the actual restaurant and ambiance is nothing to rave about. I went before 4 p.m., as I’m told it fills up pretty quickly afterwards. There are heaps of «readers choice» award certificates on the walls, indicative of obviously good food. What they lacked in designer flavor, they more than made up in the taste of the food, and quantity. I had a slice of meat lasagna that was 7″ squared, which is a very healthy serving. One thing I really appreciated was that there wasn’t too much tomato sauce covering this. A lot of restaurants try to make up for their lack in originality and flavor by drowning their Italian food in tomato sauce; not the case here. Very delicious, and very very good pricing. I was more than filled up with a quality meal for a little over $ 20.
I can see why this place is a local staple. Definitely worth it, and they make their own pasta (which makes a clear difference in their food).
Update the décor a little; just a slightly more
modern design would take this place from superb to exquisite. After all, Italian food is about the great food and ambiance, right?

Delicious, but not worth waiting an hour for. There’s no waiting area, so you’ve got to wait on the sidewalk. If you’re a Groton area local, go during the off-​season when the wait is shorter as the tourists are gone or just get takeout.
The chicken parm is moist and juicy. The large is enough to feed an average person for 2 days! When ordering takeout, my husband and I will order a large and split it.

Always a good meal! Great value!
Pasta fresh, service super!
Specials top notch! Garlic bread, yum!
But please work on your alfredo… it has become starchy and pasty — not your high standards!
Will be back but no alfredo for our gang!

The food is always great, consistent and reliable. My favorite is the Alfredo or Carbonara!!! The white bean dip is plenty to share and oh so yummy. It’s a great family owned restaurant with all house mad products especially the pasta… And the bread gets delivered from NY daily. It’s right on the water so you can watch the ferries dock and it’s even more special if you catch a submarine coming home from deployment. This Groton staple will always be a favorite between the food, view and nostalgia you can’t go wrong. My only complaint is every time I get a house garden salad it’s never cold but still delish.
Make sure to stop in for lunch… The prices are unbeatable!!!

Fresh hand made pasta, comparably priced and delicious taste!
First time here from out of state and heard some locals rave about the place. Nice waterfront views & intimate seating. Good for families or a date & pasta flavors are worth the wait on the weekend.
We had buffalo mac & cheese as well as the cheese ravioli & left clean plates

I had the white bean dip… delicious… Shrimp app… the garlic and butter it sits in can’t be missed and scream out to be dipped with the bread they serve with it.
Entrée’s were Spaghetti and Meatballs which was excellent, The chicken and alfredo sauce (I had the small) was perfect size and filling for me, The chicken parm was delicious and plentiful (she had the large and took it home) and the buffalo mac and cheese was pretty good, not what I wanted but I had some anyways. That would be my last choice.
The big basket of garlic bread was a surprise, staff was great and I can’t wait to come back and try again! The menu has something for everyone.

Paul’s is a not-​to-​be-​missed staple (and one of the very few good restaurants) in Groton. The location is on the water, with limited parking, and equally limited dining space. What the lack in space they make up for in value and passionately loyal fans.
For me, the serving sizes of pasta is too many carbs for one sitting, but people like my husband who works out constantly or a very energetic young people seem to take this as an additional delicious bonus. The freshly made pasta includes both traditional favorites and new, innovative specials. When we were there they also had a chipotle pasta and something green that wasn’t basil, both of which sounded very interesting.
The best thing about Paul’s is being around people who so passionately adore this place. My husband started talking about Paul’s almost a year before we moved to CT, and it was the very first meal we had when we arrived. His favorite is the Buffalo Mac and Cheese, but also swoons over the Pesto.
Service when we’ve been has always been what I consider average for the small space so tightly packed, and the waitresses– although frazzled and hurried, were not rude but did lack timeliness and warmth.
Great product, fresh flavors, and exceptional value for the serving size, it’s obvious why Paul’s continues through the generations to be Groton’s cornerstone of family dining.

Paul’s Pasta Shop — Groton, CT — 7÷2÷2015
So I recently heard about this place called Paul’s Pasta Shop. I was told they make their own Pasta there. As we dove up to the place, which is not much to look at from the street btw, you see a bunch of people waiting outside apparently waiting to dine…
As we make our way to the front door which is a few steep steps up from ground level we see a woman carefully feeding pasta into a rolling/​cutting machine… I don’t know if you have ever made pasta but once you do, that box variety in the supermarket just doesn’t cut it anymore… I will travel for a good meal and have been known to drive 4 hours round trip for just such an experience. How amazing that not far from my house there would be such a place!
We walk in and upon looking around see a very casual not very upscale type of restaurant. Plain tables with a green and white checked plastic table cloth and certainly not the linen napkins I usually prefer. And the sodas, in cans…
The staff is very friendly and we only had a to wait a short time to be seated. We opted for the «first available» seating as opposed to waiting for the more scenic river views of their back patio. The place was humming… They have it down to a science with people coming and going at a regular clip… The aromas that permeated the air would ignite the palate…
We opted for the Garlic bread with «mootzadel» (mozzarella) and stuffed mushroom appetizers along with a side of «madinaad» (marinara). Really, really delicious.
The mains consisted of a Shrimps special with roasted red peppers, asparagus and tomatoes over linguini. I had the large (was fully intending on bringing ½ home) 5 cheese with sweet and hot Italian Sausage and Ground Beef Lasagna… The dinner also comes with garlic bread so needless to say there was much to bring home… The food was fabulous! I think we have enough leftovers for an entire other meal so when you come here, make sure you come on an empty stomach…
I have a special compartment that iIreserve for dessert and their list of offerings is nothing short of amazing. For mine, I had the Fried Cookie Dough served with Vanilla Ice Cream. Oh mah Gawd! I was in heaven. I would have had a coffee if there was room but unfortunately not this time.
There are so many offerings on the menu, plan on coming here several times just to experience some of them. And whatever you do…, do NOT eat anything prior to coming here. Your taste buds will hate you for using up some precious stomach real estate. You will love this place! One of my new favorites! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still drive to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx but for those times that I don’t have an entire day to devote to dinner, this place will do just fine…
Highly, highly, highly recommended!

Absolutely knocked out by my experience at the pasta shop. Greeted warmly on busy night and we were happy to sit outside, enjoy the breeze and the view, and wait for our table to be called.
Fresh pasta dishes, with warm and chilled pasta specials listed on the board, perfectly matched to the comfortable deck side seating and picnic style décor.
Loved every bite of my unctuous and soft Pappardelle. This beautiful pasta was sauced in a decadently silky and rich Alfredo, laced with bright green peas and salty dices of ham.
A crock, really a crock and a half or two, of Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese was brought to the table still bubbling away. The pasta dishes are served in two sizes, and small is certainly enough for one diner. A large serving left enough over for another meal the next day.
That leftover treat didn’t last long, I will be planning a visit back to the Pasta Shop soon, real soon.
A+