La Luna Ristorante (Branford)

No meal ever feels so decadent, so luxurious or downright awesome as brunch. In addition to being one of the few socially acceptable contexts for day-drinking (outside of sporting events), brunch is generally a conglomeration of rich foods of both the sweet and savory varieties. And La Luna has its visitors covered with its mammoth brunch buffet.

For $21.95 per person, customers at La Luna can choose from a carving station, an omelet station, a waffle station and a breakfast station – and that's in addition to its other buffet offerings, which include several kinds of smoked salmon. (Eggs Benedict devotees, don't fret: unlike so many others, this brunch buffet has you covered.) Customers also receive a complimentary bloody mary or mimosa with their meal. And, with such variety, brunch is always packed – and you'll need a reservation to get a table.

La Luna's excellence extends beyond the brunch buffet to a dinner menu that includes fresh pasta made on the premises and cooked to order, in a style that chef-owner Edgar Ortiz describes as “very New York.” And even though they've been in business for 15 years, La Luna is keeping up with the times: when customers are seated, they receive an iPad – with their menu on it.

Winner of Best Place for Brunch in the New Haven Advocate Best Of Readers' Poll 2012.