"Mafaldine al limone from a Milanese chef in a fashion designer's room — Westport's most polished Italian. Book it for date night."
About Casa Me
Mario Fontana and Pina Ferlisi opened Casa Me in November 2022 on a corner of Sconset Square, Westport's shopping courtyard, after pandemic lockdowns sent the Southport couple back to their Italian roots. Fontana built the Bodega restaurants in Fairfield and Darien; Ferlisi spent a career directing fashion at Henri Bendel and Alexander McQueen and now art-directs the dining room. The kitchen belongs to Emiliano Miglionico, a Milanese who cooked across Italy and Spain, and his mafaldine al limone has become the dish Fairfield County drives in for.
The Kitchen
Miglionico's menu is northern Italian with a Roman detour. Every pasta is made in house, gluten-free included: the mafaldine al limone with parmigiano, crispy capers and aromatic breadcrumbs; bucatini cacio e pepe built on Sardinian pecorino; agnolotti filled with sheep's-milk ricotta and sweet corn; and a rigatoni alla bolognese, $25 on the online menu, that folds beef, pork, veal and pancetta into one sauce. The pinsa romana section, a lighter Roman flatbread, runs from a burrata-topped margherita to a gricia bianca with guanciale and toasted peppercorns.
Secondi stay classic: pecorino-crusted milanese di pollo at $28, branzino with preserved lemon and salsa verde, a prime hanger steak with salmoriglio. Most diners land between $60 and $85 a head with a cocktail. The room earned its local-press coronation early, with CT Bites covering the opening in November 2022, and the bar program is a reason to come on its own. How it ranks against the old guard is in our Italian fine-dining guide.
The Room
Ferlisi's eye is everywhere: terracotta and cream tones, paper-shaded lamps, a long marble bar that stays open past the kitchen. The room photographs like a Milan apartment and behaves like a neighbourhood clubhouse, which means sound climbs to a proper din on Friday and Saturday nights. Tables run close; the banquettes are the seats to request. Dress is smart-casual with Westport polish, more blazers than gowns. Lunch and brunch keep the daytime civilised, dinner runs Tuesday through Sunday, and the bar pours late for the after-dinner crowd.
Best for a First Date
Book Casa Me for a first date because it hits the genre's three requirements: a room attractive enough to flatter both of you, food worth talking about when conversation stalls, and a bill, $60 to $85 a head, that neither party will wince at. Share a pinsa and the mafaldine and the ordering becomes the icebreaker. The Friday-night din is an asset for nervous daters and a liability for whisperers; go Tuesday to Thursday for the quieter version. The birthday case is just as strong at the long table by the bar.
Not for
Not for a quiet business dinner: weekend nights run loud, tables sit close, and Westport comes here to be seen rather than to talk terms.
Frequently Asked
Is Casa Me in Westport worth it?
Yes for the pasta and the room, with one caveat: you are paying Fairfield County prices for trattoria formats. The housemade mafaldine and the pinsa romana justify the trip, and the Ferlisi-designed room is the best-looking dining space in Westport. Diners chasing white-tablecloth Italian formality should look elsewhere; the Westport dining guide maps the alternatives.
How do I get a reservation at Casa Me?
Through Resy, where prime Friday and Saturday slots go several days to a week out; midweek tables are an easy get. The marble bar seats are held for walk-ins and stay open late, which is the local workaround when the books look full. Lunch and Sunday brunch are the unhyped entry points with the same kitchen behind them.
What should I order at Casa Me?
The mafaldine al limone is the signature: lemon zest, parmigiano, crispy capers and breadcrumbs on ribbon pasta made that day. Back it with the arancini or the burrata with pistachio pesto, a pinsa for the table, and the rigatoni alla bolognese if you need the comfort register. The cannoli siciliani with fresh ricotta close it out properly.
What is the dress code at Casa Me?
Smart-casual, executed the Westport way: blazers, good denim, dresses at the weekend dinner hour, and nobody enforcing anything. The room's fashion pedigree, Pina Ferlisi directed at Henri Bendel and Alexander McQueen, rubs off on the crowd, so weekend nights skew dressed-up. Lunch is casual in practice and nobody blinks at shopping bags.
Does Casa Me have gluten-free pasta?
Yes: the housemade pasta program offers gluten-free versions across the dinner card rather than a single penne afterthought, and the menu flags it directly. Vegetarians do well with the melanzane alla parmigiana and the verdure section, from grilled artichoke hearts to crispy brussels sprouts with hot honey. The kitchen treats dietary requests as cooking problems, not nuisances.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Casa Me
Prime weekend slots go about a week out; bar seats held for walk-ins.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address7 Sconset Square, Westport, CT 06880
NeighbourhoodSconset Square
CuisineNorthern Italian
Price$25–$40 mains · ~$60–$85 pp
Dress CodeSmart casual
SeatingDining room · marble bar · banquettes
ReservationResy
