Quercibella Wood-Grilled Food + Flatbreads

My husband and I live in NYC but are in Connecticut frequently to visit family. We’ve tried almost every restaurant in the Hartford area and have been disappointed, but Quercibella exceed our expectations. It isn’t just better than the places to eat nearby in CT, but it also holds up to what we’re used to eating at home. The brunch is especially magnificent, both in price and because it is so delicious. Everything is fresh and the flavors are bright. The skill of the chef and the quality of the ingredients shines through, like in the freshly roasted peppers in an omelette or the right out of the oven fritters that come with your meal. Sometimes the service can be slow or clunky, but it is worth it especially compared to any other of the sad regional competitors. Highly recommend!

This place is typically good. Always something new on the menu. It’s a small place, but that’s ok. Important to call ahead if you are planning on dinning on a Friday or Saturday night. Overall, the food is fresh and creative. The servers can be hit or miss, some better than others. Food is moderately priced for what it is, but the wine prices are a little steep for me. I’m not an expert in this department, but when you spend more then double ($ 40) on 1 bottle of wine over the price of your meal, eh. Not a fan. We had a pizza, sorry «flatbread», and a gourmet salad.
I’d like to try their brunch sometime, I hear it’s really good.

This was the second time we dined here. Quercibella’s isn’t a large restaurant with 7 regular tables and a larger table. Chairs are metal and unfinished floors do not make this the most eye appealing restaurant. However, on our first visit we sat at that larger table and the ambience, food and service was very good — worthy of 4 stars. Our second visit wasn’t nearly as good. We sat in a cramped room stuffed with 4 tightly spaced tables. We happened to be at the table next to the bar with a clear view to the doorless kitchen where the wait staff came and went to server their tables. Noisy and uncomfortable dining location. This night we were seated promptly and drink orders received quickly. We started with pumpkin fritters and a kale, brussels sprout, mushroom & polenta appetizer which were both good. We also had an Autumn salad (good), the Green Egg (eggplant) flatbread (greasy and way to much cheese) and the lobster/​scallop pasta dish (rich, but decent). Our waitress wasn’t the friendliest in the world, but efficient for most of the night. However, after our table had just been cleared and as we were finishing up our wine, I looked down to find the bill for our dinner. We weren’t asked if we wanted to see a dessert menu, no thank you, nothing. We looked at each other and with the option of asking for the dessert menu or paying and leaving we decided it was a hint they wanted us to leave. Although the food was better the first time we dined here, I believe the rating for their food is somewhere between 3 and 4. But the 2 star rating for our last visit is for the overall dining experience.

I could not believe they had a sign suggesting that if you like the food to tip the chef. I thought it was probably the the tackiest thing I’ve ever witnessed in a food establishment.
Food was good but over priced.

Wow, was I surprised. This is a total different experience from what I have experienced from the other restaurants in the area. This is the real deal. Fresh food, great flavors. Thoughtful and easy to understand
I won’t go on but to say I had the duck with pumpkin risotto. A fall Salad and a veggie flatbread. So very good.
I will be back. I must return to such a great experience.
The wait staff was friendly and knowledgable.
It’s a small place. They accommodated us as a late seating. I couldn’t have felt more welcomed. Brilliant. See you soon.

Carl always seems to amaze me. The consistency of innovative dishes that he creates on a weekly basis keep getting better. I love to be surprised by his imagination and the flavors he crafts. The specials each week are now available everyday they are open and part of the eclectic menu which has something for everyone. You will be back if you visit to try it all.

Enjoyed the calamari, beet salad, and of course the pizzas. Roasted duck was really good, also the Salmon. Felt the lamb was too heavy on the sauce. Limited but good beer and wine list, well priced

My girlfriend and I tried this after river tubing just a mile away. Very pleasant atmosphere and the options sounded incredible we tried the lamb flatbread and it was phenomenal to say the least! Slightly pricey but so worth it! Highly recommend it, we went on a Sunday where it was moderately busy so we did not need to place a reservation.

We’ve eaten at this place twice so far. Both times my manfriend’s kids were with us. They are 13 & 10 years old. Each time I felt like the waitstaff looked at us as if to say, «How dare you bring children into our swanky flatbread place.» My manfriend’s kids actually have very mature palates and look forward to trying new foods. It’s too bad the staff here doesn’t realize that kids can enjoy quality food too and aren’t just looking for chicken nuggets and mac & cheese. That said … The waiter/​waitress we had were very nice people. And this place isn’t really a «family restaurant» so I get that …
The food is good. Damn good. The night we went for dinner we had a Create-​Your-​Own Flatbread and everyone loved it. The service is slow and the food is slow to come out but it’s worth the wait. They also put a deck of cards on the table so we were able to keep ourselves busy playing a cut-​throat game of «Go Fish» before the food arrived.
We also went another time for breakfast on Father’s Day. We walked in and are greeted by a not unfriendly but not exactly friendly, «Do you have a reservation?» … Which we did. And again, even on FATHER’S DAY I got the feeling that the kids weren’t supposed to be there — ?? On Father’s Day no less …
Our waitress was polite enough but she was a not the brightest bulb in the chandelier (if you know what I mean?). Since it was Father’s Day it was a Prix Fixe menu at $ 24 per person. Not unreasonable but the waitress acted like she hadn’t seen the menu until that very morning. She was very unfamiliar with the options and what sides and other items came with what … I know for a fact the menu was available at least 2 weeks beforehand since that’s when I saw it on Facebook and made our reservation. I think the waitress should have take the time to familiarize herself with the menu before that day. Maybe then our meals wouldn’t have gotten screwed up?
Needless to say our food came out «messed up». The bulk of the order was correct but there were items missing from each of our meals that according to the menu should have been included. We told our not-​so-​bright waitress and she rectified the situation but seriously … It’s breakfast. How do you forget the egg portion of the meal? And for more than one person at the table no less. Also, the meals included a glass of Prosecco but not before 11am. Maybe it’s state law or something that restaurants can’t serve alcohol before 11am but our reservation was for 9:30am and I would have really liked that glass of Prosecco. I don’t see why the time of day mattered? Obviously the kids would not have had Prosecco … ;)
Anyway, I don’t want to make it sound like this place is awful… Because it’s not. The food is really, really good. Just be prepared to wait as service can be slow and double check to make sure you got everything that comes with your meal! I would give them another shot but they better start getting some things right and perhaps being a little friendlier to their customers.

Best pizza in CT hands down. I live almost an hour away but will gladly make the drive time and again to indulge in their delicious pizza. They keep their menu fresh by changing specialty pizzas every so often. The complimentary white bean and olive oil dip they serve to start is incredible. You can’t miss with any of their pizzas, they’re all so good!

We are new to the area and are trying to sample most of the restaurants before returning to those already sampled. We had to make an exception for Quercibellas! Our second visit we chose the lamb and feta flatbread which was spicy and delicious. A small feeds two people generously especially if you pair it with a salad. We love the Caesar salad with the authentic anchovy dressing. The complimentary extras of bean dip and lemon sorbet make the dining experience special for a reasonable price. Wine options are on the pricey side but of excellent quality. Dinner with drinks about $ 60 for a filling gourmet meal for two.
We’ll be back for brunch!

We decided to venture out on a snowy night. Previously we had the pizza which was delicious. We started out with a bread basket with their signature bean and garlic spread, a surprising nice alternative to oil or butter. We then shared a watercress salad which was delicious and more than enough for 2. We decided to try the dinner specials and was not disappointed. I had the linguini special which had pancetta, peas and many other seasonings. The flavor was amazing. My wife had the lamb, which is not something she usually orders. The lamb was cooked to perfection and tasted great. Service was amazing and the atmosphere was comfortable and warm, which was a nice break from the sub zero temperatures! I highly recommend Quercibella!

Brunch Review!
Note: I have gone to Quercibella a few times for dinner, and every time I have left happy but considerably lighter in the wallet. While I feel it is sometimes a little pricey for dinner, this is a brunch review and wow they do it so right!
I went to Quercibella this past Sunday for brunch. They have different brunch specials that they post on their Facebook page, and I had been following the ever changing menu and really wanting to give it a try! If you want to check it out, follow them on Facebook to get the menu!
In previous weeks i had seen on FB that the price for brunch was $ 19, so I was happy to find that when I got there it was now $ 14.50, with breakfast beverages being a la carte, which works for me as I only wanted coffee.
While the seating is a little tight in Quercibella, they make up for it in atmosphere and presentation. We were seated and then offered a beverage and given the menus. Once we ordered, they brought over a little basket with two scones and a biscuit with pots of jam — we had to cut the biscuit (i guess two would have been nice, but unnecessary considering the amount of food that was about to be placed in front of us!) as well as some fresh strawberries with an optional pot of whipped cream that we of course said yes to!
We chatted and noshed on those, then shortly after our food arrived. We both chose the make your own omelet, which has a ton of great options and seemingly no limit to the number of items. I had an omelet with roasted tomatoes, spinach, smoked salmon and goat cheese. SO GOOD. It came with home fries that were little discs of potato that I was really a fan of — and I’m picky about homefries. There was also a cranberry multi-​grain toast (sourdough was the other option.) My friend also had a make your own omelet and we were both happy with our choices!
If you’re smart, you will go check this out as it is a delicious option for brunch. Until you do, I will appreciate that there was no wait and plenty of seating available. I already have plans to go next Sunday!

The food was good. Bigger portions than expected… Small flatbread definitely feeds 2 people.
When we arrived we were asked if we had reservations, it was 5pm we just happen to stumble upon this place here on Unilocal,so no. There was one table and the hostess walked over to the computer made it seem like they weren’t going to be able to find us a table when the restaurant was empty. So we were accommodated in an empty restaurant, thank god!
The server who was super nice! Told us there was a soup of the day and it was $ 5. After we placed our order we received the daily specials sheet which stated that the soup was $ 9. We didn’t complain it was actually good but $ 27 for 3 soups is overpriced.
It also states that they are BYOB on Unilocal and they are not!
Great food, adorable venue! BUT certainly overpriced! $ 19 was the average for a flatbread.

I want to support this place, we are locals. It replaced a deli that had the world’s best Reuben, hands down bar none.
Because of the tragedy of the Reuben-​no-​more, I’ve not been here until now. Walking in, the space is beautiful. Classic rock playing not too loudly. Locally sourced ingredients– all the possibilities for success. We were drawn by previous good reviews and photos of delicious looking food.
Alas, delicious food was not to be had tonight. The Caesar was ok. There were far too many croutons an not enough anchovies for a salad that was promised to be «anchovy heavy.» The soup was sweet, almost sugary. The fried calamari appetizer was swimming in a quart of sweet glooppy sauce. «Glooppy» is the only way to describe it. It made every last squid soggy, oily and sweet. And the flatbread was about at the level of a good chain pizzeria. They claim to use 00 flour but sadly the crust was closer to Pizza Hut than Naples. The seafood on it was overlooked to the point of rubber erasers. Maybe we are spoiled by the airy, crispy, crackly yet pillowy crust of Marzanos in Torrington. Maybe the kitchen was having an off night. I wanted to love the place. It’s beautiful. The kitchen was beautiful.
Unfortunately, too many things were wrong with the food to warrant a second chance. And at $ 73 (before tip) for two people who had a small salad, 1 soup, an appetizer, 2 glasses wine and a small pie, we will wait for the next turnover in ownership. A French bistro would be perfect for that space. Or bring back the Reuben!

Yummy!
We came here on a recent night — they take reservations so it was nice to have a table waiting.
It’s a fairly small quaint place — nice décor and feels homey.
On the night we went, they had fried tomatoes (not green, just the regular good stuff). They were outstanding. Nice and fresh, it came with a sriracha/​ranch dip too with a little arugula.
As for the flatbreads, we ordered two but they are sizable and we had enough for leftovers. Both were «white» pizza, which wasn’t made all that clear on the menu, but no matter, both still quite good. Proscuitto with figs and blue cheese was my highlight. My dining companion was a fan of the crust — almost cracker or pita chip like. I thought it was fine.
They finish with a complimentary lemon sorbet. As I said, yummy.
You can make your own flatbread or choose from many great choices. They also have a number of other dishes besides the flatbreads too.
Overall, we really enjoyed it. Its not a «family» pizza place, but one for the grownups. And that’s a perfectly good reason to go too.

Absolutely love everything I have gotten. The ingredients are clearly fresh. Everyone takes pride in this place as shown by the great service and excellent food.
Love how everytime staff has been attentive and makes great suggestions.
The bread they served with dip was so yummy.

Went here on a Saturday night with a group of 4. They were very accomodating when we tried to make a last minute reservation, even going so far as to use caller ID to contact me when they had a cancellation. The restaurant is small and cozy and gets warm. We were hoping for a couple appetizers but the menu is pretty much only pizza with the exception of a couple specials. We got two flatbreads for appetizer (one was the Stinking White Rose) and then each got a flatbread for our meal (minus one person who got a pasta dish). All of the flatbreads were really good. The highlight for me was the Satan’s Kingdom flatbread which was spicy and came with kimchee on it. We had two glasses of wine each. The bill came to around $ 250. Pricey for a pizza place, but would go back.

I’ve been wanting to try this small, indep. owned pizza place for some time. Glad I did!
Great food, super cozy environment and very very friendly staff that is attentive to your needs but also leave you alone to enjoy yourself and your meal, which is great.
BUT, be warned, it’s BYOB, but a TEN DOLLAR corking fee. Stupid. 1 star off.
Also, call me naïve, but I had no idea flatbread=calzone/stromboli. I even asked sizes and was told small was 12″ and large was 18″ so when it came out rolled up, I was surprised. Taste wise, it was delicious, it just would have been nice to get a heads-​up on how it’s served!
Overall great, but I think I’m still more of a Flatbreads Pizza Co. fan in Canton.

A wonderful experience.
We arrived pretty early (5:45) tonight, and they were already maxed out. No reservations are accepted for parties less than six. This is a small place, the word «tiny» might even apply. We knew Quercibella is BYOB, so we were well prepared to sip away the 30 minute wait on a bench we found behind the restaurant.
We were seated a few minutes shy of the predicted 30-​minute wait, and ordered a Beet Salad ($ 11), a Smoked Salmon & Asparagus Flatbread ($ 16 for a small), and a Pasta Special (Ziti with shrimp and prosciutto for $ 17).
Before the food came out, we received a complimentary course of bread, pickled carrots, beans and radishes. This was a great starter — fresh rustic bread, and fresh mildly pickled veggies. The radishes were surprisingly great.
The Beet Salad was a great choice — fresh greens, tomatoes, ground pistachios, and a dollop of creamy & amazing goat cheese. I’m not a big fan of goat cheese, but this was decadently good.
Our smoked salmon flatbread was excellent, but we couldn’t help noticing that it was kind of light on the smoked salmon, it was heavy on the caramelized onions and didn’t seem like a super value at $ 16. Small quibbles though, because this was a great tasting dish.
The Pasta Special was ziti with shrimp and prosciutto. It was beyond delicious, but seemed a little small for $ 17.
For our $ 47 we ended up taking home pasta and a few slices of the flatbread. Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you they gave out complimentary dishes of lemon sorbet.
Service was excellent, and the restaurant is newly furnished (the space used to be a luncheonette — ice cream parlor).
What a wonderful addition to the area!