Paul’s Pasta Shop in Groton, CT is the kind of Italian restaurant people return to again and again because it delivers exactly what a great dining experience should: generous portions, housemade pasta, warm service, and a setting that feels both relaxed and memorable.
Family-run and proudly rooted on the riverfront, this beloved spot brings together the comfort of classic Italian cooking with the charm of a local favorite.
Whether you are stopping in for a leisurely lunch, planning a satisfying dinner, or simply looking for a welcoming place to enjoy a great meal, Paul’s Pasta Shop offers the kind of dependable quality and inviting atmosphere that makes every visit feel worthwhile.
What sets this restaurant apart is the way it combines hearty, comforting Italian food with thoughtful convenience and a strong reputation for guest satisfaction. Guests enjoy fast service, standout desserts, and signature local specialties, along with a menu that makes it easy to find something for every craving.
From cocktails and happy-hour drinks to small plates, quick bites, vegetarian options, and comforting pasta dishes, the experience is designed to suit everything from solo dining to casual gatherings.
With outdoor seating, dine-in service, takeaway, kerbside pickup, and on-site service available, Paul’s Pasta Shop makes it simple to enjoy quality Italian food in the way that works best for you.
The restaurant’s high rating of 4.70 out of 5 from 2,588 reviews reflects the trust and enthusiasm of the people who have made it a favorite in the area. Customers appreciate the cozy, historic feel, the welcoming counter-service style, and the assurance of practical features like wheelchair-accessible seating, entrance, and toilet access.
Reservations are accepted, though there is often a wait because so many diners are drawn to its reputation for excellent food and authentic character.
Conveniently located at 223 Thames St in Groton, with debit cards, credit cards, and NFC mobile payments accepted, Paul’s Pasta Shop offers both comfort and convenience in a setting that feels special from the moment you arrive.
Our Specialties
Every dish tells a story. Explore our carefully curated menu featuring seasonal favorites and signature creations.
Our chef's signature creations featuring locally-sourced ingredients and innovative culinary techniques.
We partner with local farmers and suppliers to bring you the freshest seasonal ingredients every day.
Every plate is prepared with attention to detail, combining traditional recipes with modern presentation.
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Green leaf lettuce, carrot, cucumber, and cherry tomato.
Green leaf lettuce, carrot, cucumber, and cherry tomato.
Crisp romaine, homemade croutons, and our special caesar dressing.
Crisp romaine, homemade croutons, and our special caesar dressing.
Our garden salad loaded with Italian meats, cheese, tuna, and marinated vegetables with vinaigrette dressing.
Our garden salad loaded with Italian meats, cheese, tuna, and marinated vegetables with vinaigrette dressing.
A large sampling of the day's cold pasta salads.
A large caesar salad topped with a chilled dijon mustard and lemon marinated chicken breast.
Delicate baby spinach, chopped walnuts, pear, and gorgonzola with vinaigrette dressing.
Italian bread pepperoni pizza served with a tomato dipping sauce.
A rich blend of vegetables, bread crumbs and cheese.
Our freshly baked garlic bread smothered in mozzarella served with a tomato dipping sauce.
Mushrooms, artichoke hearts, olives, and peppers in a garlic vinaigrette.
Spaghetti and our homemade red sauce.
Spaghetti topped with one large meatball and our red sauce.
Spaghetti topped with hot and sweet Italian sausage, with bell peppers and our red sauce.
Linguini with fresh chopped clams, herbs, garlic, and olive oil.
Linguini with fresh chopped clams, herbs, garlic, olive oil, and our red sauce.
Everyone's favorite! A perfect combination of Italian cheese and cream over fettucini.
Fresh garden vegetables sautéed in garlic and olive oil, over linguini.
Crushed meatballs, hot and sweet Italian sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers simmered in red sauce over fettucini.
Four homemade ravioli filled with a homemade cheese filling. Topped with red sauce.
Four homemade ravioli filled with a homemade meat filling, Topped with our red sauce.
Two homemade cheese ravioli and two meat ravioli. Topped with our red sauce.
Lightly breaded eggplant topped with mozzarella cheese, baked and served over pasta in red sauce.
Spaghetti and our homemade red sauce.
Spaghetti topped with two large meatballs and our red sauce.
Spaghetti topped with hot and sweet Italian sausage, with bell peppers and our red sauce.
Linguini with fresh chopped clams, herbs, garlic, and olive oil.
Linguini with fresh chopped clams, herbs, garlic, olive oil, and our red sauce.
Everyone's favorite! A perfect combination of Italian cheese and cream over fettucini.
Hand picked basil, olive oil, garlic, and parmesan cheese with a delicate, short twisted noodle.
Fresh garden vegetables sautéed in garlic and olive oil, over linguini.
Crushed meatballs, hot and sweet Italian sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers simmered in red sauce over fettucini.
Eight homemade ravioli filled with a homemade cheese filling. Topped with red sauce.
Eight homemade ravioli filled with a homemade meat filling, Topped with our red sauce.
Four homemade cheese ravioli and four meat ravioli. Topped with our red sauce.
Lightly breaded eggplant topped with mozzarella cheese, baked and served over pasta in red sauce.
A combination of 5 Italian cheeses baked and topped with red sauce.
We've taken our cheese lasagna and added hot and sweet Italian sausage and ground beef. Topped with red sauce.
A Paul's Pasta classic! Spaghetti baked in a deep dish with ricotta, hot and sweet Italian sausage, meatballs, green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Topped with red sauce.
Just like it sounds! Drenched in a cheddary buffalofredo sauce, a kick of heat, and light gorgonzola crumb topping.
A very wide pasta topped with prosciutto and peas, cooked in a black peppercorn alfredo sauce.
A breaded fried chicken breast baked with mozzarella cheese and served over pasta with red sauce.
A house favorite! Breaded fried chicken breast baked with mozzarella cheese and served over our fettucini alfredo.
A Paul's original! A marinated chicken breast baked and served in a dijon mustard, lemon, and crushed red pepper sauce with mushrooms over angel hair pasta.
Four homemade ravioli stuffed with a lobster and cheese filling. Topped with your choice of sauce.
Our classic fettucini alfredo with four sautéed shrimp.
A combination of 5 Italian cheeses baked and topped with red sauce.
We've taken our cheese lasagna and added hot and sweet Italian sausage and ground beef. Topped with red sauce.
A Paul's Pasta classic! Spaghetti baked in a deep dish with ricotta, hot and sweet Italian sausage, meatballs, green peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Topped with red sauce.
Just like it sounds! Drenched in a cheddary buffalofredo sauce, a kick of heat, and light gorgonzola crumb topping.
A very wide pasta topped with prosciutto and peas, cooked in a black peppercorn alfredo sauce.
Two breaded fried chicken breasts baked with mozzarella cheese and served over pasta with red sauce.
A house favorite! Two breaded fried chicken breasts baked with mozzarella cheese and served over our fettucini alfredo.
A Paul's original! Two marinated chicken breasts baked and served in a dijon mustard, lemon, and crushed red pepper sauce with mushrooms over angel hair pasta.
Eight homemade ravioli stuffed with a lobster and cheese filling. Topped with your choice of sauce.
Our classic fettucini alfredo with seven sautéed shrimp.
A small portion of our homemade garlic bread. Serves one to two.
A half loaf of our homemade garlic bread. Serves 3 to five.
The whole loaf of our delicious garlic bread! Great for larger groups.
A side of one of our homemade sauces. Great for dipping!
A small side of hot and sweet Italian sausage, bell peppers, and red sauce.
Two large homemade meatballs topped with red sauce.
Parmesan and Romano blend
Your choice of one of our homemade dressings. Extra for your salad or a great dip for garlic bread!
Hear from our valued guests
Paul's makes their own pasta. It was delicious. I had the pappardell carbonara. The pasta was perfectly cooked al dente! The views from the patio were fantastic. I would highly recommend Paul's pasta shop!
Lobster Ravioli in pink sauce 10/10!!! Words cant describe how delicious this is !! Large order was a huge bowl with 9 pieces
Paul’s Pasta was my first time, and it truly exceeded all my expectations. It’s one of those places that makes you feel at home as soon as you walk in, with a very cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The food is absolutely delicious. The pasta tastes fresh and made with care, and every dish is full of flavor. Everything was just perfect. The staff is incredibly kind, attentive, and always smiling, which makes the whole experience even more special. I will definitely be coming back. It’s a beautiful place to enjoy great food and spend a lovely time 🤍
Absolutely amazing! Great staff, great view of the sunset, old school vibe inside, pasta pie was a 10/10!
Food was amazing, price was great & Taylor was awesome. Fresh, homemade pasta wow. Will definitely come back. Atmosphere, if you can get a view of the water or eat out on the deck would be even better, otherwise it's fine for eating great food.
We were very surprised by Paul’s as we stopped by while passing through CT. We saw other restaurants across the river offering food for $30-50 per person, but Paul’s offered us fresh house made pasta for a much more reasonable price. The pasta itself was all good, although the spaghetti pie was a bit confusing for me, so I would highly recommend if you are in the mood for pasta, order a standard pasta dish. The pizza(bread) was good also. Their marinara has a touch of sweetness my wife enjoys. The service was excellent and they did offer us a non-egg pasta due to allergy. Inside gets hot, try to dine outside if possible, but you might need to wait a while. Let us say that Groton the town has seen better days, but Paul’s offers excellent value and a reason to make a stop. Its a casual place which is friendly and offers hearty meals. Saving this one for any future trips in this direction.
Perfect spot for gathering/ catch up! Food was amazing, we ordered the caesar salad, garlic bread, and their specials of the day seafood ravioli with creamy scampi sauce, and shrimp linguine with spinach and cherry tomatoes in white wine sauce. Their caesar salad with their homemade dressing surprised me. I’m never a condiment person but their dressing was not too heavy or oily, it was like perfect. Both pastas were amazing and the sauce is in perfect portions for dipping garlic bread. We also ordered tiramisu, but were slightly disappointed since it was more on the sweet side and the mascarpone didn’t taste very creamy. The staff were very friendly, and the only thing we didn’t like about would be the wait, but it’s wasn’t too bad if you go on a Sunday night.
Best pasta in Groton! :) Lots of options, all delicious. Great desserts. Nice view of the Thames River in warmer weather. Nice staff and good prices / portions.
I recently visited Paul’s Pasta Shop and had an absolutely wonderful dining experience that exceeded all expectations. From the moment we walked in, the team made us feel genuinely welcomed—warm smiles, attentive service, and a friendly atmosphere set the tone for what turned out to be a memorable meal. What truly stole the show was the pasta sauce. The flavors were an exquisite balance of rich, savory depth and bright, fresh ingredients—each bite felt layered and thoughtfully crafted. It was clear the sauce had been simmered with care and paired beautifully with the fresh pasta they make in-house. It’s rare to taste something that hits both comfort and sophistication in equal measure. If you’re looking for a place with incredible pasta, a standout sauce, and warm, welcoming service, Paul’s Pasta Shop is a must-visit. Highly recommended! 🍝
A true gem, delivering an unforgettable Italian dining experience. The chicken Parmigiana is a crispy, golden masterpiece, perfectly paired with their homemade fettuccine. The chicken fettuccine Alfredo is rich, creamy, and downright dreamy, while the hot tender sausage and flavorful meatballs are a meat lover’s dream. Save room for dessert... the pistachio cheesecake and Snickers pie are indulgent finales that linger long after the last bite. Add in a wonderful wine selection that complements every dish, and you’ve got something special. Don’t miss the lobster ravioli with their house pesto sauce... a decadent indulgence that transports your taste buds straight to the Italian coast. Paul’s Pasta is a premier destination for Italian cuisine and easily some of the best Italian food you’ll ever have. Every visit feels like a delicious adventure.
Common questions about Paul's Pasta Shop
Paul's Pasta Shop is located at 223 Thames St, Groton, CT 06340, United States, Groton, CT, United States.
You can reach Paul's Pasta Shop by calling +1 860-445-5276.
Paul's Pasta Shop has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 based on 2588 customer reviews.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible toilet.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following service options: Outdoor seating, Kerbside pickup, On-site services, Takeaway, Dine-in.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following highlights: Fast service, Great dessert, Serves local specialty.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following popular for: Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following offerings: Cocktails, Comfort food, Happy-hour drinks, Quick bite, Small plates, Vegetarian options.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following dining options: Lunch, Dinner, Counter service, Dessert, Seating.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following amenities: Restroom.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following atmosphere: Casual, Cozy, Historic.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following crowd: Groups, Tourists, University students.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following planning: Usually a wait, Accepts reservations.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following payments: Debit cards, NFC mobile payments, Credit cards.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following children: Good for kids, High chairs, Kids' menu.
Paul's Pasta Shop features the following parking: Free parking lot, Free street parking, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Somewhat difficult to find a space.
Business Features
We look forward to welcoming you. Make a reservation or stop by - walk-ins welcome!
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