Waterbury Restaurant Named Best Fast Food in Connecticut By Food & Wine

Recently, Food & Wine Magazine came out with a list of the best fast food restaurants in every state, and Nardelli's in Waterbury is the pick for Connecticut.

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Food & Wine says that the "future of fast food" is all over the place and their updated list of favorite fast food places has changed somewhat. Crediting the pandemic for changing the way people eat and the introduction and expansion of delivery and takeout systems, taste buds also expanded and helped out the industry somewhat. Here is the criteria for Food & Wine for your favorite local fast food restaurant to make the list:

at least a handful of locations and counting, mostly in their home state, though we didn't always discriminate against states that have birthed bonafide regional favorites, or those that remain content with spectacular one-offs. All had to have both counter service and a robust takeout program, optimally a drive-through. Fully sit-down restaurants didn't qualify. Most important of all — did we like the food?

We thought we would share the list that Food & Wine put together for everyone and highlight the "best" fast food restaurants in our neck of the woods, the Northeast.

In case you were wondering, here are the other "best" fast food restaurants in each state according to Food & Wine Magazine.

Alabama: Milo's

Alaska: Lucky Wishbone

Arizona: Eegee's

Arkansas: Eat My Catfish!

California: Zankou Chicken

Colorado: Santiago's

Florida: 4 Rivers Smokehouse

Georgia: Wifesaver

Hawaii: Zippy's 

Idaho: Big Jud's 

Illinois: Al's #1 Italian Beef

Indiana: Rise'n Roll

Iowa: Maid-Rite

Kansas: Spangles (I had heard of this place, including their radio commercials but have never been)

Kentucky: Fazoli's

Louisiana: Creole Creamery

Michigan: Halo Burger

Minnesota: Punch Pizza

Mississippi: Ward's

Missouri: Lion's Choice

Montana: The Pickle Barrel

Nebraska: Don & Millie's 

Nevada: Roberto's Taco Shop

New Mexico: Blake's

North Carolina: Biscuitville

North Dakota: Burger Time

Ohio: Swenson's Drive-In

Oklahoma: Tucker's Onion Burgers

Oregon: Laughing Planet Cafe

South Carolina: Rush's

South Dakota: B&G Milkyway

Tennessee: Hattie B's Hot Chicken

Texas: Taco Palenque

Utah: Cupbop

Thanks for hanging out with me and you can check out all of my other Earth-shattering articles by clicking or tapping right here., including one featuring 21 Connecticut Restaurants that made the list of the top 100 in New England.