New London
Tucked away off the main thoroughfares of New London is the Dutch Tavern. It is the oldest tavern in New London, having opened for business in 1933, shortly after the end of prohibition. I didn't know that in Connecticut, there is a difference between a bar and a tavern. A true tavern has a license to sell only beer, wine, cider and food, if they so desire. With such a restrictive license, the once popular neighborhood taverns have dwindled in numbers and it is thought that there are only 10 taverns as such left in Connecticut. This tavern has a bit of history associated it with it. Playwright Eugene O'Neill, who spent his summers growing up in New London, is said to have frequented this establishment during the years before prohibition, when it was known as "The Oak".
