This Connecticut Pasta Shop Gives Ravioli Lovers More Than 15 House-Made Kinds To Choose From
Ravioli decisions should be simple. Pick a filling, grab a package and start thinking about dinner.
Then you encounter a shop where the choices keep going.
What begins as a quick pasta stop can turn into serious consideration of how much ravioli one freezer can reasonably hold. Familiar fillings compete with varieties you may not have planned on trying until you saw them waiting in the case.
One Connecticut pasta shop makes choosing dinner delightfully difficult by offering an unusually deep selection of house-made ravioli. The temptation is obvious.
Why commit to your usual favorite when another filling sounds equally good? Buying several kinds starts feeling less excessive and more like sensible preparation for future meals.
Fresh pasta already has an advantage when comfort food is calling. Add this much choice and the shopping becomes almost as enjoyable as dinner itself.
The only real problem is deciding which package gets cooked first.
1. Ravioli Has Been The Specialty For Generations
Ravioli decisions get serious here. Cheese sounds good, but then another filling catches your eye. And another.
DiFiore Ravioli Shop has been making pasta since 1982, when the family business began as DiFiore Pasta Company. Decades later, three generations remain involved, and the Ellington shop gives pasta lovers plenty of reasons to spend extra time deciding what goes home for dinner.
Connecticut has plenty of Italian food traditions, and this family-run pasta shop keeps one of them rolling by hand.
More than 15 kinds of ravioli are made in-house, turning the freezer case into the main attraction. The selection has included everything from familiar cheese ravioli to more adventurous combinations, so repeat visits do not have to mean repeat dinners.
The cheese filling gets extra attention, too. DiFiore uses impastata ricotta, a richer variety with a smooth consistency that helps create the creamy texture inside its ravioli.
That small ingredient choice makes a noticeable difference once the pasta reaches the plate.
Ravioli may grab the headline, but it is hardly the only house-made option. Fresh pasta and sauces broaden the possibilities, while prepared foods make the shop useful when cooking an entire meal sounds like too much work.
After more than four decades, the family operation has plenty of pasta-making experience behind it.
The hardest part may be choosing one filling. Then again, nobody says you have to.
2. More Than 15 Varieties Keep Choices Interesting
Standing in front of the freezer case can feel a bit like choosing ice cream flavors. With more than 15 kinds of ravioli, deciding is half the fun.
Some people grab a favorite, while others try something new every visit.
The classics come first. Fresh cheese ravioli is made every morning, while cheese and meat remain among the shop’s traditional ravioli choices.
They pair easily with almost any sauce. Feeling bold? Try Tenderloin and Bacon, Chunky Lobster, or Shrimp and Roasted Garlic.
These feel like something special for a birthday or weekend dinner. Buffalo Chicken, which is fried, gives a fun twist that younger eaters often enjoy.
Vegetarian shoppers have plenty to pick from too. Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Mozzarella, Portobello Mushroom, Butternut Squash, and Spinach and Artichoke all bring their own flavor.
There is also Spinach and Sausage, plus Chicken and Smoked Mozzarella.
Some of the chunkier fillings are still rolled by hand, since big pieces need extra care. A good tip is to buy two or three different kinds at once.
That way you can hold a little taste test at home and find your own favorite without a second trip.
3. Ellington Gives The Shop A Relaxed Country Setting
What if your pasta run felt more like a country escape? That is part of the fun here. The setting immediately slows things down.
DiFiore Ravioli Shop of Ellington operates from an old colonial-style building surrounded by the quieter scenery that gives this part of town its rural character.
Instead of the rushed feeling of a crowded grocery store, the experience is relaxed, giving visitors time to browse the cases and decide what deserves a spot in the cooler.
Inside, the atmosphere matches the setting. Customers order at the counter, and a sitting area provides a comfortable place to enjoy food before heading home.
Outdoor seating can also make a pleasant option when the weather cooperates.
It is easy to turn the visit into more than a quick pasta pickup. Grab something for lunch, look through the shop’s selection, and choose a couple of frozen ravioli varieties or other foods for later.
An insulated bag or cooler is especially handy if the drive home takes a while.
The shop is at 287 Somers Road in Ellington, surrounded by the town’s quieter country landscape.
Current hours are 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Sunday, with Monday closed.
Come hungry and leave some freezer space ready. Chances are, one package of ravioli will not seem like enough.
4. House-Made Pasta Goes Far Beyond Ravioli
Ravioli may be the star, but the supporting cast is just as tasty. Plenty of shoppers come in for one thing and leave with three.
The fresh pasta section makes that very easy to do.
For shapes like rigatoni, the shop uses solid brass dies. Those metal molds give the pasta a slightly rough surface.
That texture helps sauce cling to every piece instead of sliding off into the bottom of the bowl.
Potato Gnocchi are soft little dumplings that cook in just minutes. The Manicotti is made with homemade crepes filled with seasoned ricotta, which makes it lighter than many versions.
Ricotta Stuffed Shells round out the cozy options.
Fresh fettuccine is another treat, and the spinach version has earned real fans. If you want something specific, calling ahead a day is a kind and helpful idea.
The shop can then have it ready for you.
Sauce matters too. The shop makes its own, with choices that visitors mention such as pomodoro, arrabbiata, Alfredo, cream pesto, garlic cream, and red baby clam.
Arrabbiata has a spicy kick, so pick pomodoro if you like things mild. With pasta and sauce from one counter, a full Italian dinner comes together quickly.
5. Family Recipes Keep Tradition At The Center
Some businesses change their menu every few months to chase trends. This one took a different road.
It started as what the family called a quaint little cottage business and kept the same recipes as it grew.
That steady approach matters more than it might seem. When a recipe stays the same for decades, people can count on it.
The ravioli you loved as a kid can taste the same when you buy it for your own family later.
Three generations have now worked to keep the founders’ vision alive. Each one has added energy while protecting the flavors that made the shop special.
The business never planned to grow so big, yet loyal customers kept coming back.
Many people like supporting a family-owned business, and that feeling comes up often among regulars. Shopping here feels personal.
Workers are frequently described as friendly and glad to answer questions about products.
There is a lesson in this for home cooks too. You do not need dozens of fancy recipes to make great meals.
A few dishes made well, again and again, can become a family tradition. Maybe your own household will start a new one with a Sunday ravioli night built around these classic flavors.
6. Take-Home Meals Make Busy Nights Easier
It is 5:30 on a Wednesday, soccer practice ran late, and nobody wants to cook. Moments like that are exactly when the prepared foods case becomes a lifesaver.
Hot food and ready-to-heat trays turn a stressful evening into a calm one.
The comfort classics are all here. Lasagna, Baked Ziti, Jumbo Stuffed Shells, and Cheese Manicotti are easy to warm up and share.
Chicken lovers can choose from Parmigiana, Piccata, Francese, and other chicken dishes.
Sides help finish the plate. Look for Sausage, Peppers and Onions, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes.
The Asiago and Cheddar Mac and Cheese is a best seller, sold in large and small trays.
Visitors also rave about the Eggplant Rollatini and the square Sicilian-style pizza, which sometimes comes out fresh while people are shopping. Sandwiches and Italian subs make a quick lunch too.
Some customers mention gluten-free options, and special orders may be possible if you ask in advance.
Here is a practical tip. Buy one tray for tonight and one for the freezer.
Then on the next busy evening, dinner is already waiting, and all you need to do is heat it up.
7. Seasonal Specials Bring New Reasons To Return
Did you know a ravioli can taste like autumn? Every fall, Pumpkin ravioli makes its return, and fans watch for it the way others wait for apple picking season.
It is often paired with a rich cream sauce, porcini mushrooms, and candied walnuts.
Brown sage butter is another lovely match. The nutty butter and earthy sage make the sweet pumpkin taste even cozier.
If you already like the Butternut Squash ravioli, this one is a natural next step.
The kitchen likes to have fun with holidays too. For St. Patrick’s Day, it once made ravioli filled with corned beef, cabbage, and mashed potato, wrapped in green spinach pasta.
That is creative thinking you will not find on a grocery store shelf.
Special meals show up for other occasions as well, such as Valentine’s Day dinners. Weekend specials change, too.
One featured gnocchi browned in butter with caramelized onion and butternut squash, finished in Parmesan cream with toasted bacon panko.
Because specials come and go, following the shop’s announcements is a good habit. When something sounds tempting, do not wait too long.
Seasonal items are made for a limited time, and that is part of what makes them feel exciting.
8. Longtime Customers Know Exactly What To Stock Up On
Dinner can be this easy. Open the freezer. Pick your ravioli and get the water boiling.
DiFiore Ravioli Shop makes stocking up especially convenient because its ravioli are sold frozen and can go straight into boiling water without thawing first.
Most varieties come by the dozen, making it easy to keep an extra package ready for a night when cooking something elaborate has absolutely no appeal.
Ravioli may be the star, but the cases offer plenty more to consider. Chicken cutlets are another popular prepared option, while house-made sauces can turn a package of pasta into a complete dinner with very little effort.
Fresh bread and imported Italian specialties add even more possibilities for filling the kitchen without spending hours cooking.
Save some attention for dessert. Cannoli, cookies, cheesecake, and other sweets provide a tempting finish, especially when you have already convinced yourself the shopping trip is strictly about dinner.
First-time visitors might want to try a familiar ravioli filling alongside something less expected. With more than 15 house-made varieties available, playing it safe every time would mean missing much of the fun.
The generous selection also makes repeat trips interesting. One visit can stock tonight’s dinner. The next might quietly fill half the freezer.
