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Hersh Properties

Living in West Hartford

West Hartford sits right next to Hartford, Connecticut's capital, and covers about 22 square miles with roughly 64,000 residents. It has a walkable town center, lots of neighborhood parks, and about 245 miles of sidewalks. Day to day, you get a small-town feel with the city close by. Niche currently ranks it #2 of 253 on its list of Best Places to Live in Connecticut.

Details below were checked in October 2026. Hours, menus, and events change, so please check each place's website before you go.

A Few Local Favorites

These are some of the places our neighbors love. They're grouped by area, with one line each. Hours change often, so check each website before you go.

West Hartford Center & Blue Back Square

  • Artisan: Farm-to-table New England cooking at the Delamar West Hartford hotel, with weekend brunch.
  • Barcelona Wine Bar: Spanish tapas and a deep wine list on Farmington Ave.
  • bartaco: Relaxed tacos and drinks in the heart of the Center.
  • Blue Elephant Trail: Thai food at 7 S. Main St.
  • Coracora: An upscale Peruvian dining room and bar in Blue Back Square. The casual original is still on Shield Street.
  • Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: A classic steakhouse at 44 S. Main St., in Blue Back Square.
  • Gveenah: Israeli and Mediterranean dishes like shakshuka and shawarma on Farmington Ave. It's a 2026 CRAZIES finalist for Hartford County Restaurant of the Year.
  • Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant: Modern American plates and a long wine list on LaSalle Road.
  • Kaliubon Ramen: Bowls of ramen in Blue Back Square.
  • Le Mazet: A French bistro serving country-style comfort food at 975 Farmington Ave.
  • León Restaurant & Bar: Peruvian-Mexican food and 40+ tequilas and mezcals, upstairs at 45 Raymond Rd.
  • Luna Pizza: A casual pizza place at 999 Farmington Ave, with takeout and delivery.
  • Max Burger: Burgers, hand-cut fries, and milkshakes on LaSalle Road since 2009.
  • Max's Oyster Bar: Seafood and oysters at 964 Farmington Ave.
  • Milkcraft: An ice cream shop on Farmington Ave.
  • Mozz & Co: An Italian deli with sandwiches and salads on Raymond Road, and a 2026 CRAZIES "Restaurant Newcomer" finalist.
  • Restaurant Bricco: Italian and Mediterranean cooking on LaSalle Road since 1996.
  • Savoy Pizzeria & Craft Bar: Wood-fired pizzas, small plates, and craft beer on LaSalle Road.
  • Treva: Cooking from central and northern Italy at 980 Farmington Ave.
  • Zohara: Mediterranean small plates for sharing at 991 Farmington Ave.

Park Road

  • J.René Coffee Roasters: A neighborhood café that roasts its own coffee, at 320 Park Rd.
  • Portobello Restaurant: Italian food at 132 Park Rd.
  • Salt + Lime: A Mexican restaurant at 179 Park Rd.
  • Spitz: Mediterranean street food at 138 Park Rd, opened in June 2026.
  • Also on Park Road: Quaker Diner and Effie's Place (see Breakfast & Brunch).

Elmwood / New Park

  • Curry House: Indian and Nepali cooking at 440 New Park Ave, opened in February 2026.
  • Elmwood Pastry Shop: A decades-old neighborhood bakery known for donuts, pies, and custom cakes.
  • New Park Brewing: A local brewery and taproom at 485 New Park Ave.
  • Sichuan Alley: Modern Sichuan Chinese food at 625 New Park Ave.
  • The Laurel: Globally inspired, locally sourced plates on New Britain Ave, with free parking out back. It's also a 2026 CRAZIES finalist for Hartford County Restaurant of the Year.

Bishops Corner & Elsewhere in Town

Breakfast & Brunch

  • Effie's Place: A family restaurant on Park Road since 1990, serving breakfast all day.
  • Goldberg's Bagel Cafe: Bagels and breakfast sandwiches at 1131 New Britain Ave in Elmwood.
  • Quaker Diner: A classic diner at 319 Park Rd, serving breakfast and lunch since 1931.
  • Sally and Bob's: Breakfast and lunch at 10 N. Main St., steps from the Center.
  • The Friendly Toast: An all-day brunch spot on LaSalle Road.

Parks & Outdoors

Parks

  • Elizabeth Park: Home to the first municipal rose garden in the U.S., with 15,000+ rose bushes. It's on the Hartford/West Hartford line, and the Pond House Café is inside the park.
  • Fernridge Park: Right next door to our Grennan Rd homes. It has 30 acres with a pool, splash pad, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a pond, and its main path is named after Parks & Rec's Leslie Knope.
  • Westmoor Park: 162 acres with a demonstration farm, gardens, ponds, and woodland trails. Dogs, bikes, and picnicking aren't allowed.
  • Beachland Park: Elmwood's park, with a pool, splash pad, playscapes, ball fields, and a pond.
  • Wolcott Park: A splash pad, lighted tennis and pickleball courts, youth fields, and a small pond.
  • Kennedy Park: A neighborhood park on Oakwood Ave with a pool and slide, a splash pad, basketball courts, and baseball and soccer fields.
  • Eisenhower Park: 17 acres off North Main St. near Hall High School, with a pool, soccer and baseball fields, basketball courts, and a playground.
  • Spicebush Swamp Park: A 33-acre natural area near Mountain Rd. and Farmington Ave. It has a short trail, a pollinator garden, and McGovern Pond, which is stocked with trout each April.
  • Pocket parks: Small neighborhood spots around town. Vanderbilt and Southwood parks have swings and benches.

Trails & Reservoirs

  • MDC West Hartford Reservoirs: The main entrance is at 1420 Farmington Ave (Route 4). Inside are wooded trails and the paved Red Road loop. Cyclists ride clockwise in the marked bike lane and walkers go counterclockwise. Helmets are required, and dogs must be leashed. Open sunrise to sunset; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  • MDC Reservoir 6: A second MDC area with its entrance on Route 44 (Albany Ave) on Avon Mountain. The Metacomet Trail follows a wide, flat gravel path along the reservoir.
  • Trout Brook Trail: A paved greenway running almost 4 miles along Trout Brook, from New Park Ave to Asylum Ave. You can park at the Elmwood Community Center, Beachland Park, or Norfeldt Field.
  • Westmoor Park trails: About 3 miles of woodland trails, including an accessible nature trail. They're for walking only.
  • Rockledge winter trails: Marked walking loops of 0.6 to 2.2 miles at Rockledge Golf Club, open only when the course is closed. The longest loop is also good for cross-country skiing when there's snow.
  • Metacomet Trail: A blue-blazed ridge trail that passes through West Hartford's MDC land. It's part of the New England National Scenic Trail.
  • Talcott Mountain State Park: In nearby Simsbury, where a 1.25-mile trail climbs to Heublein Tower. The tower is open Friday to Monday through November 2, 2026.
  • Penwood State Park: Almost 800 wooded acres in Bloomfield, across the road from Talcott Mountain. The Metacomet Trail runs through it.
  • Batterson Park: A large pond park on the Farmington/New Britain line that reopened in June 2026. It has trails, a kayak launch, a playground, and a seasonal splash pad. Admission and parking are free.

Recreation

  • Town outdoor pools: Beachland, Fernridge, Kennedy, and Eisenhower pools are open from late June to mid-August.
  • Splash pads: At Beachland, Fernridge, Kennedy, and Wolcott parks, open daily from late May to early September.
  • Cornerstone Aquatics Center: Indoor pools for year-round swimming and lessons at 55 Buena Vista Rd.
  • Veterans Memorial Skating Rink: A year-round, NHL-size rink for public skating, lessons, and hockey. It's closed for renovations, with reopening planned for October 19, 2026.
  • Rockledge Golf Club: The town's 18-hole course, with a new driving range and the Rockledge Grille.
  • Buena Vista Golf Course: A 9-hole executive course that's good for a quick round. No tee times needed.
  • Tennis & pickleball: First-come, first-served courts at Wolcott, Buena Vista, Fernridge, and Whiting Lane School, with lessons through Leisure Services.
  • West Hartford Dog Park: A fenced off-leash area at 100 Mayflower St. in Elmwood, open sunrise to sunset. It's closed through October 20, 2026 during demolition next door. In town parks, dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
  • Westmoor Park programs: Farm and nature programs for all ages, plus a summer camp, a 4-H club, and school field trips.

Things to Do

  • West Hartford Center: A classic New England town center with 140+ shops, restaurants, and services, many with outdoor dining.
  • Blue Back Square: Shopping, dining, and the Cinépolis movie theater, right across South Main Street from the Center.
  • Park Road: A walkable strip of local shops and restaurants, plus a professional theater.
  • Playhouse on Park: A professional theater at 244 Park Rd with a full main-stage season and shows for young audiences.
  • River Bend Bookshop: An independent bookstore on Park Road that hosts frequent author talks and events.
  • Noah Webster House: A museum at the birthplace of Noah Webster, the dictionary author, at 227 S. Main St.
  • Celebrate! West Hartford: A free festival held every June on the Town Hall grounds, with rides, music, food, and crafts.
  • Farmers markets: The West Hartford Farmers' Market runs Saturdays from May through December. The Blue Back Farmers' Market runs Sundays from June through October.
  • West Hartford Public Library: Three branches: Noah Webster, Bishops Corner, and Faxon in Elmwood.
  • Westfarms: An indoor mall on New Britain Ave, on the West Hartford/Farmington line.
  • Seasonal events: These include the long-running Halloween Stroll through the Center and Blue Back Square. We-Ha.com is a good place to follow local happenings.

Schools

West Hartford Public Schools (whps.org)

  • The district has 16 schools: 11 elementary schools (including Morley, Duffy, Aiken, Braeburn, Bugbee, Norfeldt, Webster Hill, Whiting Lane, and Wolcott), 3 middle schools (Bristow, King Philip, and Sedgwick), and 2 high schools (Hall and Conard).
  • There are also two elementary magnet schools, Charter Oak International Academy and Florence E. Smith STEM School. They're open to West Hartford residents through a lottery.
  • In U.S. News & World Report's 2026–27 Best High Schools rankings, Hall placed #8 and Conard #13 among Connecticut public high schools.
  • Conard was named the 2026 Connecticut Association of Schools High School of the Year.
  • Niche gives the district an overall grade of "A" (as of October 2026).
  • Which schools serve a specific home? Assignments depend on the exact address. Use the district's GIS school district map, or contact the Registration & Residency Office (860-561-6620) to confirm.

Private schools nearby

Colleges

Getting Around

  • Downtown Hartford: About 4 miles from West Hartford Center, usually a drive of 10 minutes or less without traffic.
  • I-84: The highway runs through town, with several West Hartford exits, including Exit 43 at Park Road.
  • Bradley International Airport (flybdl.com): About 19 miles north, roughly a 30–35 minute drive without traffic.
  • Trains: Hartford Union Station is about 3.5 miles from West Hartford Center. Amtrak and CTrail Hartford Line trains run from there between New Haven and Springfield, and some Amtrak Northeast Regional trains go straight through to New York. At New Haven, you can connect to Metro-North and the rest of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Check current schedules, since some weekday trips have been temporarily replaced by buses in 2026.
  • Bus: CTtransit Route 60 runs along Farmington Ave between West Hartford Center and downtown Hartford. Other local routes run along New Britain Ave, Fern St., and other corridors. See CTtransit for maps.
  • CTfastrak: The bus rapid transit line has two West Hartford stations, Elmwood and Flatbush Avenue. Both have free parking.
  • Walking: West Hartford Center is very walkable. Walk Score rates the heart of the Center 90 out of 100, or "Walker's Paradise."

Everyday Conveniences

  • Whole Foods Market: At Bishops Corner, 340 N. Main St.
  • Big Y: At Crossroads Plaza, 772 N. Main St. (Bishops Corner), remodeled in early 2026.
  • Trader Joe's: At 1489 New Britain Ave, near Corbin's Corner and Westfarms.
  • Stop & Shop: Two locations, at 1235 Farmington Ave and 176 Newington Rd (Elmwood, with gas).
  • Farmers markets: Two seasonal markets run at the Town Hall lot (see Things to Do).