9 Connecticut Italian Markets Where You Can Buy Fresh Pasta And Sauce For A Homemade Sunday Dinner

Sunday dinner sounds wonderful until you remember somebody actually has to cook it. And if homemade pasta is involved, that relaxing afternoon can disappear pretty quickly.

Luckily, there’s a much easier way to put together a meal that tastes like someone spent hours preparing it.

I love the thought of walking into an Italian market and finding fresh pasta ready to take home. Add a good sauce, and suddenly dinner feels like a much more manageable project.

Connecticut has Italian markets where shopping for Sunday dinner can be almost as enjoyable as sitting down to eat it.

Some of these shops have the sort of selection that makes sticking to a shopping list nearly impossible. You might arrive needing one thing and leave with enough food for a proper family gathering.

And that’s half the pleasure, isn’t it?

These nine markets make the whole Sunday dinner tradition feel a little easier, without losing the part everyone looks forward to most.

1. Villarina’s Pasta Shop, New Milford

Here’s a sauce menu so long you might need a decision coach. Marinara, Bolognese, Alfredo, Mushroom, Primavera, Pesto, Red Pepper Cream, and Fra Diavolo all make the lineup.

That’s nine sauces, which matches the number of shops in this article. Coincidence?

Probably, but I’m enjoying it anyway.

The Villarina’s name traces back to Tuckahoe, New York, in 1967. The company built its reputation on homemade fresh pasta, ravioli, and sauces.

Joe Filc bought the company in 2003. Family members, including Adam Fragola, took over this New Milford location in August 2010.

Ravioli fans get plenty of room to explore. Fillings include cheese, spinach and cheese, lobster, mushroom, and butternut squash.

Try this trick for a crowd-pleasing Sunday. Pair butternut squash ravioli with the Alfredo, then set out cheese ravioli with marinara for the picky eaters.

You can round out the table without another stop. The shop sells fresh bread, cheese, soups, and prepared meals.

Soup as a starter makes a simple dinner feel like a real event. Plus, it keeps hungry relatives busy while the water boils.

Dessert has a local twist here. Shelves carry Ferris Acres Ice Cream and Bridgewater Chocolate, both familiar names in this corner of state.

Address: 123 Danbury Rd, New Milford, CT 06776

2. DiFiore Ravioli Shop of Ellington

A bank built around 1827 now guards a different kind of treasure. The Ellington shop opened around late 2020 inside this renovated building, and the deposits are now jumbo ravioli.

The family story started much earlier. Andy and Louise DiFiore opened their first shop in Hartford in November 1982, later moving to Rocky Hill.

Son Don and grandson Dan joined in 2011, making it three generations strong. The business was also voted state’s Favorite Small Business of 2014.

More than 15 varieties of homemade jumbo ravioli fill the lineup. Picks include tenderloin and bacon, chunky lobster, portobello mushroom, and spinach and artichoke.

Seasonal pumpkin shows up when the leaves turn. Spinach and sausage is another hearty option for a cold Sunday.

The other pastas get serious treatment too. They’re extruded through solid brass dies, a method that gives the surface a rougher texture for grabbing sauce.

Look for cavatelli, radiatore, rigatoni, gnocchi, stuffed shells, and conchiglioni. Sauces include Chunky Pomodoro, Arrabbiata, Basil Pesto, and more.

The filling uses impastata ricotta, which has a higher fat content. That means a richer bite, and nobody complains about rich at Sunday dinner.

Need backup? The deli case offers grab-and-go dinners, hot items daily, and Sicilian-style pizza.

Address: 287 Somers Rd, Ellington, CT 06029

3. Pasta Heaven, Terryville

Some people bring home souvenirs from Rome. Alex and his wife, Patty, brought home pasta machines.

That trip helped launch Pasta Heaven on November 2, 1992. His parents, Joseph and Philomena Inglese, pitched in a lot to get it going.

More than 30 years later, the shop has a new home. It opened at its Terryville address on May 18, 2024, after leaving Watertown.

Pasta is made in-house, and the ravioli uses Polly-O ricotta. The sauces start with ripe California tomatoes.

Your sauce choices include Marinara, Pesto, and Lobster Newburg. Yes, Lobster Newburg, which sounds like Sunday dinner wearing a tuxedo.

Craving Alfredo? Plan ahead, because it needs a 24-hour pre-order.

Call it a delicious lesson in patience.

The extras might steal the show. Grab meatballs, sausage, stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread, and pasta fagioli for a full spread.

Stuffed breads come in pepperoni and cheese, broccoli and sausage, broccoli and cheese, and eggplant Parmesan. One of those on the table keeps snackers out of the kitchen.

Feeding a big group? Catering options include lasagna in meat, cheese, or vegetable versions, plus manicotti and baked cheese ravioli.

Fresh pizza dough is sold here too. That gives you a Saturday night plan to go with your Sunday one.

Address: 241 Main Street, Terryville, CT 06786

4. Carmela’s Pasta Shop, Wethersfield

At 17, Carmela Orfitelli left Solopaca, Italy, for Connecticut in 1968. Nearly three decades later, in May 1997, she opened a pasta shop with her name on the sign.

It’s still a family operation today. Her son Michael and her sister Maria work alongside her.

Ravioli is the headline act here. The shop offers more than two dozen homemade varieties.

Some fillings sound classic, like meat, spinach, and lobster. Others get adventurous, with puttanesca, Gorgonzola, sweet potato, and roasted eggplant.

Broccoli rabe and sausage might be the boldest pick for Sunday. Wild mushroom and pumpkin are great if you like earthy flavors.

The pasta starts as fresh semolina dough. It’s shaped using a pasta maker imported from Italy.

Marinara and Bolognese are ready to carry home. You’ll also find lasagna, manicotti, stuffed shells, gnocchi, and tortellini.

Here’s a handy move for a mixed crowd. Buy two or three ravioli flavors and let everyone sample, like a pasta tasting party.

Hungry while you shop? Lunch runs Monday through Friday from 11 to 3 with table service.

Saturday lunch is take-out only.

The menu includes grinders, chicken parmesan, eggplant parmesan, salads, and desserts. Just try not to eat your Sunday dinner on the drive home.

Address: 338 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT 06109

5. Durante’s Pasta, West Haven

Angelo Durante learned to make pasta by age four. Most of us were still mastering shoelaces.

His family recipes come from Ruviano, a small Italian village. His father, Amedeo, came to the US in 1967 and opened Durante’s Market in Derby in 1977.

Amedeo’s wife, Carmelina, joined him, and they began making pasta by hand. In the mid-1980s, the family moved to West Haven and opened Durante’s Pasta.

Angelo now runs the company, carrying on a three-generation tradition. The team still rolls and presses dough by hand, turning out about 1,000 pounds weekly.

The pastas are air-dried and made without preservatives. The lineup includes capellini, linguine, pappardelle, ricotta cavatelli, and stuffed cheese rigatoni.

Bestsellers make your choice easy. Cheese ravioli, cheese manicotti, and the Homestyle Marinara top the list.

Filled pastas use fresh ricotta, Parmesan, and Romano. That cheesy trio is a Sunday classic.

Timing matters, so plan ahead. The storefront is open weekdays 9 to 4 and Saturdays 9 to 2, and it’s closed Sundays.

Missed the window? The pasta also reaches restaurants, gourmet shops, and supermarkets across state.

Address: 78 Fenwick Street, West Haven, CT 06516

6. Fratelli Market, Stamford

Brooklyn energy found a home in Stamford around 2001. That’s when owner David Squibb, a Brooklyn native, opened Fratelli Market.

The pasta numbers are impressive. You’ll find 15 varieties of fresh pasta and 10 kinds of ravioli.

Ravioli fillings include lobster, mushroom, meat, cheese, and pumpkin. Butternut squash appears seasonally, so grab it while you can.

Ten different sauces wait on the shelves too. With those numbers, you could eat a new combo every Sunday for a long time.

Fresh mozzarella gets hand-pulled several times a day. Slice some with tomatoes for an easy starter, and you’ll look like a pro.

Pantry lovers, this is your stop. The market stocks imported dried pastas, San Marzano tomatoes, olive oils, and cheeses.

Cured meats like soppressata and mortadella make an antipasto board simple. Add Italian cookies, and the dessert question is handled.

Many deli items and frozen foods come from Fratelli’s own Brooklyn facility. That link keeps the borough’s flavor close at hand.

Hungry for lunch? The Brooklyn-Style Sandwiches are a big part of the market’s identity.

Desserts from BINDI of Italy can finish your meal. Hours run 10 to 6 on weekdays and 10 to 5 on weekends, so Sunday shopping works.

Address: 17 Cedar Heights Road, Stamford, CT 06905

7. Sorrento Importing, Fairfield

Few shops survive a fire and come back stronger. Sorrento Importing did exactly that.

Brothers Giuseppe and Gaetano Milazzo came from Sicily and opened the business in 1966. Their Bridgeport store ran for more than 50 years.

A fire destroyed that store in August 2018. Just months later, on January 16, 2019, Sorrento reopened in Fairfield.

Fresh and dried pastas line the shelves. Gluten-free pasta is available too, which helps when your guest list has needs.

The oven-ready meals are a lifesaver for busy cooks. Choices include Tortellini with Blush Sauce, Gnocchi al Sugo, and Meat Lasagna.

Cavatelli with Broccoli and Sausage sounds like a full Sunday on one tray. Baked Ziti and Stuffed Shells cover the classics.

Sausage is made fresh on-site each day. Brown some links to serve beside your pasta, and dinner feels complete.

The market also carries fresh and aged cheeses, cold cuts, and antipasto items. Imported olive oils, vinegars, sweets, and coffees fill out the shelves.

The deli sandwiches have a strong reputation too. Lunch for the shopper is only fair, right?

Check the clock before you go. Hours run Tuesday through Saturday 8:30 to 4, and Sunday from 8 to 1, with Mondays closed.

Address: 1838 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, CT 06825

8. Liuzzi Gourmet Food Market, North Haven

Cheese runs deep in this family, all the way back to 1826. That’s when the Liuzzi cheesemaking story began in Noci, Puglia.

Pasquale “Lino” Liuzzi came to the US in 1961. His brother Nick followed in 1972.

They founded the North Haven market in the early 1980s. They were among the first in America to make fresh mozzarella.

Pasquale’s son, Domenic, runs the business today. In 2012, the market won two first-place gold medals from the American Cheese Society.

More than 200 cheeses are in stock. House-made picks include burrata, caciocavallo, and two kinds of ricotta.

For your Sunday pasta, grab fresh or frozen pasta and a jar of Liuzzi Brand Pasta Sauce. Top it with their fresh mozzarella, and you’re set.

Short on time? Grab-and-go dishes include lasagna, gnocchi with meat sauce, and spaghetti with clams.

Ravioli with broccoli rabe and stuffed manicotti are other strong choices. Add meatballs, and you’ve got an even heartier meal for the whole family.

Fresh bread, truffle oils, aged balsamic vinegar, and Italian chocolates make easy upgrades. A butcher counter and made-to-order pizzas round things out.

Plan your trip for Saturday at the latest. The market opens Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closes Sundays, so this favorite rewards early planners.

Address: 322 State St, North Haven, CT 06473

9. More Italian Pasta Lab, West Hartford

Most career changes involve a new desk, but Anna Landi traded spreadsheets for semolina. She worked as a financial controller in Italy before winning an award as best emerging pastaio.

She and Davide Di Pietro now run this shop under a perfect motto: Born in Italy, Made in Connecticut. Honestly, that slogan could double as the family tagline for half the state.

The pasta case reads like a shape lover’s wish list. You’ll find paccheri, pappardelle, stuffed ravioli, lasagna, and cannelloni.

The shop uses Italian semolina along with local organic ingredients. That mix of old country flour and nearby produce fits the motto nicely.

Sauce is where your Sunday plan comes together. Choose tomato with fresh basil, a hearty Bolognese, or butter and sage.

Butter and sage with stuffed ravioli is a classic pairing for a reason. It feels fancy, yet it takes about five minutes to finish at home.

Short on oven energy? The shop also offers ready-to-bake dishes, so lasagna can happen without the layering marathon.

Save room for dessert, because cookies and sweets are on the shelves too. Your guests don’t need to know who did the baking.

Cooking classes are a big draw here as well. If you’d rather learn the craft yourself, signing up beats watching endless videos at midnight.

Address: 54 LaSalle Road, West Hartford, CT 06107