Trattoria da Lepri

This restaurant was phenomenal. My husband and I had the braised short ribs (out of this world), chicken milanese, gnocchi appetizer (very fresh), and two desserts (rich and tasty). Everything was delicious and all people we encountered were very friendly. Good value for the quality of food, given that it’s farm to table. The outside does absolutely no justice to the quality of our experience. We can’t wait to return!

Was it an off night? Disappointed return visit, did not match prior level of good cooking. Had roasted cod that seemed undercooked, salad greens that needed to be sorted better. Delicious ricotta donuts tho. Three of four people at our table felt food not up to par.

Would never know by the location that this is a fabulous little gem. Had the scallops that were perfectly cooked and splurged on the flourless cake. Next time I’m starting with the cake. Great service as well by Tracey.

I was very skeptical when my husband suggested that we visit this place for a Saturday date night. Ellington strip mall? As happens occasionally, I was wr-​wr-​wrong. We arrived at about 6:30 with no reservations but were seated immediately and once inside I forgot that we were in a strip mall. The atmosphere and décor were charming and the service was wonderful. We loved the bread, the Capaccio appetizer and the Caesar Salad. The Rigatoni Bolognese was wonderful. I am a sucker for cheeseboards so I actually had the Chef’s Board as my meal and while it was good, I think it should include crostini and maybe some honeycomb… because what am I supposed to do with brie other than spread it on something? That was a small matter, as I just asked for more of their delicious bread. The wine selection was great and I rounded out my meal with espresso over vanilla ice cream.
I had no idea that the owners of this place were affiliated with Pastis! I had an office above Pastis for many years and it was a favorite of mine. I thought I recognized Deb during our meal but thought I must be mistaken! I wish I knew our server’s name, but wanted to say that she was excellent (blond, tattoos). I blew through my allotted calories for the day, so I do wish there were a few lighter options, but we will be back!

this is our absolutely favorite restaurant. the local produce makes the exquisite presentation even better. lately we’ve been eating at the bar –martinis are perfect! this is the best restaurant east of the river and that includes Caveys. don’t be mislead by the strip mall exterior, the inside is Paris!

The owner and her Dad (who is the host) are very welcoming. The bar is on the smaller side if you like to sit there for dining. They are very accommodating and the food is always fresh. A must try!

Their food is farm to table and the service is great.
Their bolognese is my favorite. Other dishes they often run out of their popular dishes the later you go for dinner.
Its a small restaurant, reservations are recommended. Every time we’ve gone we forget to make a reservation and are lucky to get a table. The place is often packed.

I think at some point this was super amazing food. Really nothing special now. Also it seems like their prices have come down, but still overpriced for mediocre food.
Personally I’d rather pay more and have something really special.
But in terms of business sense, reduce your price and keep quality the same, do more marketing to increase volume.
Find it less busy than it could be.

We found out about trattoria da lepri due to a gift certificate we received for Christmas. My wife and I choose to try it out this evening on our fifth wedding anniversary. I was slightly nervous because I had read a few reviews on here that made the food sound just so so. Honestly, I’m not sure what those people were talking about. Every single thing I put in my mouth was fantastic! My wife ordered the calamari w/​garlic aioli as a first course. I believe it was around $ 12. I tried the pan fried Brussels sprouts $ 8 and I also wanted to try the ricotta with honey truffle oil that came with crostini $ 8. All three were fantastic, and the portions were more than enough for the two of us. I mowed all the Brussels sprouts myself, they were stellar. Perfectly crunchy yet soft, excellent flavor, the sauce on the side was perfect. The calamari was cooked perfect, but the sauce was drizzled over the whole dish, And we didn’t expect that. The wife ate it all anyway, even though she doesn’t like dressings. This is saying a lot here folks. The ricotta dish was tasty, but I don’t recommend it with wine. It killed the taste of the delicate cheese, but that wasn’t the dish’s fault. For main course, I chose the hanger steak (wanted the braised beef ribs after reading all the reviews here, but it was not available, Replaced with the hanger steak.). It was cooked perfectly, taste was excellent. Came with truffle fries that the wife kept stealing, that did have good flavor, but came in second to Max’s in Downtown Hartford. Still good though. The salad was a perfect fit with small bits of blue cheese. Soon tasty. The wife ordered the scallops, and the presentation was fantastic. 5 large sea scallops, I can’t remember what the accompanying sides on the plate were, But damn, they were good! They looked … Odd… But holy cow, Just eat it. I saved her sides to eat tomorrow. Lol. For desert, I had an espresso, and the bananas foster. It was again delicious, And I couldn’t be happier. The staff was all great, The gentleman who sat us was super friendly as was the staff. Food was perfectly timed, not too long, not too short. Everything was great. Bravo to the chef, you killed it!

We have been here many times. Sometimes just two in our party and as many as 8. Every time our service was wonderful. You are treated like your the only ones in this restaurant. Food is prepared fresh so there is a longer wait for meals but soooooo worth the wait. The owner comes out every time to ask how things are. The waitstaff is personable and attentive. The owners father is the maitre de, he is so nice and personable makes you feel like family the moment you walk in. It is pricey but well worth it. Especially for a special occasion. Tell them if you are going there for something special and you will have extra special service.

I thought the food was wonderful. The staff very attentive and pleasant. They do a lot of farm to table so the food is very fresh. The scallops are very good, my favorite. The place is small so you have to get a reservation on the weekend. We go on Thursdays as it isn’t so bad. Enjoy.

Our first choice for dining out. Food is fabulous. People are friendly. Prices are fantastic for this level of dining experience.
The chef is creative and talented. Saturday I tired Beef tartar, blackberry mint julep & celeriac purée. Yes, that was an appetizer. It was amazing.

Absolutely fantastic. My fiancée and I ate here tonight, he got the braised short ribs and I got the al forno rigatoni both were incredible. Our waitress was fantastic and even the wines were perfect. The man that sat us was the owner (I believe) and was extremely friendly. Can’t resist going back again soon to check out other menu items

Best restaurant in the area. Amazing food, comfortable atmosphere and real friendly and professionsl service. Loved every bite of every course. The Chef’s board to start is a must. Perfect for any night or for those really special occasions.

Have gone here many times over the past few years but it seems like each time we go, the quality or quantity drops a bit. The prices were always rather high but the food and atmosphere was worth it. This place is still one of the best in the area, including Hartford. The menu changes often and is usually seasonal.
We always start with the «board» with various cured meats, cheeses, and marinated veggies. Up to a couple years ago, bread was served table side and offered a variety of delicious options out of a large basket. Now it is just a generic dinner roll or bread left on the table. The warm bacon salad is also a great way to start a meal.
I usually get the short ribs and pappardelle which is very rich and flavorful with a creamy mushroom ragu. The dish is amazing but is an example of a drop in quantity over the years. Much less meat and noodles every time I order it.
I have also ordered the braised short rib dish, which was very good. Very simple but a large portion and executed well.
My wife often gets the seafood casserole, but this is an example of the drop in quality. It has been very mushy or watery the last couple times. Also, it comes in what looks like a grandmother’s chaffing dish, which continues to cook the seafood at the table leading to it becoming tough and overcooked.
My wife also ordered the seared scallops once but was disappointed in the flavor profiles of the side dishes paired with the scallops and the small portion of the dish.
Overall, the food is seasonal, fresh, and prepared well. A couple years ago I would have rated it 5 stars but now it is a 4 — still making it a great place to have a high quality dinner unlike anything else in the area.

What a terrific find! Tucked away in a little strip mall is this lovely gem… truly a trattoria and one where you’re greeted by the owner and treated to a delectable meal overseen by attentive but not intrusive staff. We started with house made ricotta drizzled with honey and served with crostini. For an entrée, I had the seafood risotto which featured perfectly cooked shrimp and scallops with peas, rice and a rich buttery broth (not a bad thing in this case!). For dessert a flaky apple tart with caramel sorbet. Worth a trip from Hartford; a place to linger over wine…

We’ve been twice and haven’t been disappointment by the food or service. The prices could use to be knocked down a few dollars considering the area.
Trattoria de Lepri has a great menu every night, but always has intriguing specials. Both times we’ve opted for the special appetizer. Last night, it was a garden fresh panzanella salad — very fresh tomato, cucumber, mozzerella and croutons, with an herb vinaigrette. Our first visit was mozzarella wrapped in panzanella and fried. Both delicious.
Last night I opted for sautéed shrimp and ricotta gnocchi in a sausage and tomato broth. It was excellent. The gnocchis and shrimp were cooked perfectly and the gnocchis were not too heavy. The sausage tomato broth was excellent and not what I expected. It was similar to a very light tomato soup with large chunks of sausage which added a touch of heat. It was so good, I asked for extra bread to help sop up the leftover broth.
B had the braised beef and mushroom pappardelle, which came in a thick mushroom cream sauce and was also excellent. Once again, the noodles were perfectly cooked and the pieces of beef were fork tender, basically broke apart on touch.
The first go around, I had the seafood risotto and B had the ravioli of the day, which was pumpkin. Again, the seafood (shrimp and scallops) and the risotto itself was cooked to perfection. The ravioli was the only dish we’ve ever been disappointed by and it wasn’t for taste, once again very good, but quantity — four raviolis wasn’t filling, nor worth the ~$ 25 price tag.
We’ve never had room for dessert, but the menu — and dishes on other tables — looks delicious. Maybe someday.
All in all, the chef knows what she’s doing back there (and hand delivers items when she can get away, great touch). Everything has been fabulous and we will certainly be back.

Amazing food and menu. It gets a much older crowd but it is a good place for a romantic dinner date.

This restaurant was amazing. So glad we went. We ordered the antipasto, these piña colada type martini drinks (so good), and scallops dinner. The dinner was cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is perfect. Great drinks. Great service. Cannot wait to go back!

I must begin by prefacing that I fondly remember Lepris during their early years. They were one of the great restaurants in central CT.
I’m sad to report prices have gone up and quality has gone down :(and service has disappointed again (our last visit November 2012 was a service debacle but food compensated for service). I had been telling people kitchen compensated for service but not this time.
I had been a raving fan but this last experience means we are unlikely to return.
It started badly when after wait 20 minute wait after being seated and no service, we finally asked for a waitress. I wish I could say I was surprised.
Our first food surprise was they had run out of braised short ribs by 6:30.
I ordered my favorite Seafood Risotto, which has become a $ 28 seafood rice soup. No more clams or crab ;(Now its 2 bay scallops and 5 shrimp. So much broth couldn’t see rice. Disappointing for a $ 28 dish.
On a positive note, my mozzarella tomatoe salad best part of meal. They make the mozzarella on site.
The onion rolls and bread sticks now replaced by small Italian bread loaf.
The dipping sauces replaced by butter and olive oil. any where else, it be fine but i was spoiled.
My wife’s scallops had no seasoning. Just pan seared.
The night topped off by the 20 minute wait for coffee. Oh so sad how Lapri has fallen to ordinary status.