West End - Hartford, CT

The West End straddled the border between Hartford and West Hartford until the 1870s, when Prospect Avenue became the official boundary. Along with neighboring Asylum Hill, the West End was originally farmland and underwent massive housing development in the late 19th century to draw wealthy and upper-middle-class families migrating from the congested, industrialized city center.

Early developers commissioned grandiose homes in lavish architectural styles, such as Georgian, Tudor and Queen Anne, but construction gradually shifted towards multifamily homes in the early 1900s. The introduction of UConn Law School's Gothic-style campus in the 1920s attracted a new student element, which accounts for much of the modern neighborhood's transient population.

Explore local architecture at Mark Twain House or Carriage House Theater, a late-19th-century home that hosts plays and improv showdowns. Hartford holds impressive festivals all year, so mark the Samba Fest and First Night New Year's Eve celebration on your calendar.

The West End's Farmington Avenue and Sisson Avenue dining districts appeal to the neighborhood's two main groups: settled, community-oriented sophisticates and young adults in search of low-cost food and drinks. For a wider variety, expand your restaurant search to the West Hartford section of Farmington Avenue. Newcomers inevitably hear intriguing reviews of Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe and wander in to try the inventive cuisine. The Tisane Cobb salad mingles east and west, incorporating Asian ingredients such as bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, hoisin-marinated chicken and ginger dressing. Locals swear by the chilled soba noodles with grilled chicken and praise the cafe's clever concoctions, ranging from espresso-rubbed steak to cinnamon bun bread pudding. Order from the restaurant's diverse tea, coffee and cocktail menus while listening to live DJ tunes or karaoke battles.

Monte Alban serves up authentic Mexican food meat-eaters and vegetarians crave. Indulge in a plate of fish tacos or veggie quesadillas, but be aware of the restaurant's lack of free soft drink refills. Enter the vegan paradise at Fire & Spice for crowd-pleasing dishes that aren't merely meat substitutes. Load up on your favorite combinations of Jamaican-style cuisine, whether you prefer curry with plantains and steamed kale or jerk tofu with okra, rice and beans.

The Pond House Cafe at Elizabeth Park wins diners over with its breathtaking gardens and whimsical American cuisine. Locals recommend trying the delectable eggs Benedict, served over a choice of salmon and polenta, crab cake and cornbread, or ham and an English muffin. For a cheap, filling lunch, try the freshly fried blue corn nachos loaded with chili and toppings.

Gastropubs and dives keep the West End population busy at night. Students fill up The Half Door for beer, live bands and late-night refreshments such as smothered waffle fries and Reuben sandwiches. When you want to change up your routine, check out the pub fare and musical guests at Red Rock Tavern.

The West End's well-connected residential layout, centralized shopping and dining, and sidewalk-lined streets make the neighborhood one of Hartford's most walkable and bikeable areas. Biking downtown takes only 10 to 15 minutes, while walking typically takes about 35 minutes. If you prefer public transportation, catch buses 60 and 66 at Farmington Avenue or bus 72 near UConn Law School or Asylum Avenue.

Residents enjoy free on-street parking near their homes, but bring cash for meters or parking garages when bringing your car downtown. Cab traffic isn't heavy enough to consistently catch one on the spot, but you can easily call for a taxi or Uber car in this student-centric neighborhood.

When you need to zip out of town, drive to Route 44 near the neighborhood's north border for east-west commutes to East Hartford, Avon and other towns. Locals frequently commute along Farmington Avenue, or Route 4, which passes through several Greater Hartford and Litchfield towns, including West Hartford, Farmington and Burlington. Drive southeast out of the West End to hop on Route 6, Route 46 or I-84, popular highways for traveling to New Haven County and Massachusetts.

Once nicknamed "the city of parks," Hartford still bears the signs of the 19th-century push to bring horticultural beauty to the widely urbanized environment. This citywide reform led to the establishment of Elizabeth Park Conservancy in 1897, and the modern-day park shines as a picturesque recreational oasis of the West End.

Elizabeth Park lies on the historic estate of Charles Pond, and the 101.45-acre grounds include botanical gardens, basketball courts, softball fields, tennis courts, gazebos and a playground. Families and pets walk the scenic pathways free of charge, passing through floral gardens and stopping to picnic in beautiful groves. Freshly cut fields provide an ideal environment for lawn bowling or working out with a group. The conservancy hosts horticultural shows and lectures throughout the year, and locals gather in the summer for relaxing outdoor music concerts.

If you fancy a swim, jog over to Pope Park in Frog Hollow. In addition to an indoor and outdoor pool, this 79-acre park offers a playground and athletic fields, and locals wait all year for the annual carnival to take place in the summer.

Living costs for West End residents are approximately 14 percent higher than average expenses in Hartford. One-bedroom apartments in the West End have a median rent of $932. Riding the city bus downtown or around Hartford requires only about $3 a day, but fueling up your car for a trip means paying gas prices roughly 15 percent more expensive than the national average. If you like to wind down after a long day, pay $2 to $4 to drink a pint of beer at local pubs.

West Enders can pick up odds and ends locally, but the bulk of your shopping needs may take you to West Hartford or the surrounding northern Hartford neighborhoods. Shoppers across the county make regular forays to West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square to tour 200-plus stores and restaurants. This commercial district is a high-end franchise hub, home to unique chains such as Ten Thousand Villages, a fair-trade home goods store featuring international artisan crafts.

You can make over every room in the house with upscale furnishings from the Ikasa showroom. Build a bedroom around a colonial-style dresser, or modernize your dining room with an art nouveau table and chairs. Take the family to Claypen to find hand-painted pottery décor, or let your own creative skills loose on a custom-painted vase or plate.

Discount and specialty grocery stores provide price variety for West Enders who love a good home-cooked meal. Save-A-Lot and Stop & Shop service the immediate area, but many locals prefer to drive to West Hartford to take advantage of the extensive stock at Whole Foods. Make the farm-to-table concept a reality in your home by supporting the West End Farmers' Market on Farmington Avenue every Tuesday.