Pacifico, New Haven

Chef Rafael Palomino is a busy man. When he's not writing cookbooks—so far, he's authored five—he's working the stove at one of his many restaurants, dotted across three states.

Wherever he goes, Palomino weaves together flavors learned from growing up in Bogotá, Colombia, and cooking in France and New York City. At Pacifico, he and his staff whip up Nuevo Latino cuisine with a focus on seafood, including a signature seafood paella, steaks drizzled in a saffron-mojito sauce, and tapas.

As impressive as Pacifico's food is, the drink menu isn't the least bit overshadowed. CBS Connecticut named its mojitos—of which there are eight, including varieties made with coconut and passion fruit—some of the Top Rum Cocktails in Connecticut. The remainder of the cocktail menu blends spiced-up takes on classic cocktails and Latin America–invented staples such as caipirinhas, demonstrating a breadth and coherence that snagged the restaurant an honorable mention on Connecticut Magazine's list of the best cocktails of 2013. Pacifico's liquor cabinets also host an extensive wine list, a roster of rum and brandy, and a massive collection of tequila.