About First and Last Tavern

First and Last is a comfortable, casual dining restaurant with distinctive, dramatic interior, award-winning food and prompt, courteous and professional service.

The menu offers high quality selections of basic Italian foods such as pasta, soups, and salads, as well as traditional and gourmet pizza baked in our unique brick-oven. Prices are considered inexpensive to moderate.

We offer a full bar, a good selection of red and white wines as well as imported and domestic draft and bottled beer. As our bread is baked fresh daily, many customers purchase bread to take home. A complete raw bar is available to customers waiting to be seated. Reservations are taken for parties of eight or more and complete takeout service is available.

At First and Last, we are committed to providing quality food at fair prices with excellent service to our diners.

Reviews and Awards

History

Originating in 1938, five years after prohibition, First and Last Tavern was named for its location – the first tavern inside the town line and the last tavern when leaving the City of Hartford. For many years, it was known as the “tradesmen’s bar” when the “Original Special” of pasta, with a meatball/sausage and salad on a single plate was served inexpensively at the bar or in a booth, often with a draft beer or glass of wine. Over time the special First and Last sauce gained a favorable following in the community. Take out was available to customers bringing pans from home; take out customers were charged accordingly as to the size of the pan.

In 1983 George and Diane DePasquale purchased the First and Last from the original owner, the DiMillo Family. George’s grandfather was a baker who came from Italy at the turn of the century. We decided to incorporate him in the logo of the restaurant.

Other Locations
In 1994 First and Last opened its second location near the intersection of routes 44 and 202/10, maintaining the propriety of its name – First and Last Tavern near the town line of Avon/Simsbury. A third restaurant opened in Middletown, Connecticut. In 2005 we opened a seasonal restaurant on the shore of Scarborough, Maine. In 2007 another Shoreline Tavern was opened in Guilford CT and coming soon is an additional franchise in Plainville, CT.

First and Last Bakery
First and Last Bakery opened in December 2004 in a beautiful art deco building directly across the street from the original tavern. First and Last Bakery offers exquisite artisan breads and pastries, as well as serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week. The bakery has flourished, expanding into wholesaling breads and pastries and catering breakfast and lunches throughout the area.

Our Philosophy
The primary mission of First and Last is to provide our customers with high-quality dining experience, pleasing our customers each time they dine with us. In our competitive world, our restaurant’s survival depends upon making people happy.

Our Staff
We take great care to recruit and employ persons who are:

• Warm, friendly and courteous
• Enthusiastic and efficient
• Experienced and professional

As a team….
Our goal is to provide you with a delightful dining experience that will make you want to return to First and Last again and again.