Stamford has plenty of restaurants, but every now and then one stands out in a way that feels genuine. The Royal Green is one of those places. It doesn’t rely on hype or trends, it wins you over by simply doing everything right. From the moment you walk in, the space feels warm and familiar. The dining room is cozy and inviting, and feels less like a restaurant putting on a show and more like being welcomed into someone’s home (if that home happened to serve exceptional food and offer some of the best service in Stamford). Located inside of a beautifully decorated, old-style New England farmhouse, The Royal Green is located on the grounds of the rolling hills at Sterling Farms. We happened to stop in recently right before the holidays, and it felt like a post-card experience walking into the doors, welcomed by lush wreaths and holiday lights.
With a new chef and a refreshed menu, The Royal Green has quietly become a place people are recommending to friends, and then going back to themselves. What really makes The Royal Green special is how comfortable it feels to be there. The service is thoughtful, relaxed, and genuinely kind. You’re greeted warmly, and never rushed. It’s the kind of service that makes you want to linger, order another dish, and enjoy the evening. In a city like Stamford, where dining out can sometimes feel hurried, The Royal Green stands out by making the experience feel like you have stepped back in time, especially on a cold winter night.
The Royal Green’s menu brings together classic Italian dishes with subtle Asian-fusion influences, and somehow makes the combination feel completely natural, with each dish feeling carefully considered and well executed. The fried artichokes with jalapeños are an easy favorite to start. Crispy, flavorful, and just spicy enough, they’re the kind of appetizer everyone at the table keeps reaching for until they’re gone. Crab-lovers will be ecstatic about both the Maryland crab crumble (briny, deeply savory, and studded with fresh corn and a cornbread crisp) and the crab cake (elevated with corn and chive oil). Classic dishes are elevated (including the goat cheese crostini with cherry peppers and pistachio), while others are just that: classic (by that we mean the perfectly fried calamari with a spicy marinara sauce).
The entrées are where the kitchen really shines. The lamb chops are incredibly tender—rich, flavorful, and cooked so well they practically melt in your mouth. Pasta lovers won’t be disappointed either. The chicken pappardelle is hearty and comforting, while the lemon ravioli offers something brighter and lighter without sacrificing flavor. One of our favorites was the duck confit “mac-and-cheese”, which was a take on the homestyle dish that felt more like a cacio-e-pepe with succulent pieces of duck and mushrooms and a light yet unctuous mornay sauce. Other cannot misses were the wagyu burger (with shoestring fries that melted on the tongue), the ribeye (cooked to a perfect medium rare and able to be cut with a spoon), and the au-gratin potatoes.
Every dish feels familiar in the best way, elevated just enough to make it feel special. If there’s one piece of advice to take seriously, it’s this: save room for dessert. The desserts at The Royal Green aren’t an afterthought, they’re a highlight. The standout is the carrot cake bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. It’s warm, indulgent, and perfectly balanced, and easily one of the best desserts we’ve had, not just in Stamford, but anywhere. It’s the kind of dessert people keep talking about long after the table is cleared, and one that immediately earns a spot in a personal top-five list.
The Royal Green feels firmly rooted in Stamford, Connecticut. It’s the kind of neighborhood restaurant that quickly becomes a go-to, perfect for date nights, family dinners, or those evenings when you just want to know you’re going to have a great meal. You’ll leave satisfied, already thinking about what you want to order next time. And chances are, before you even get home, you’ll be looking at your calendar to figure out when you can come back, because once you eat at The Royal Green, one visit never feels like enough.
The Royal Green at Sterling | 1349 Newfield Avenue
