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Video Chef Talk Interview Japanese Westport

Chef Brian Lewis: It's All In The Details at Japanese Inspired OKO Restaurant

CTbites Team February 13, 2020

WestchesterBites writer, Sibylla Chipaziwa, sits down with Chef Brian Lewis to discuss the inspiration for his Japanese inspired restaurant, OKO, with a new location in Rye, NY (in addition to CT’s Westport spot). Have a listen.

Read our review of OKO here.

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UPDATE: Chef Bill Taibe's NEW Restaurant, hi’Amba, Opens in Westport October 14th

You’ve heard the buzz. You may have walked by the “soft opening” events this weekend. The wait is over. Chef Bill Taibe will be opening the doors to his new spot in Westport, CT, on October 14th.

What’s the concept? “Eastern Mediterranean Kawa Ni,” says Taibe. Are we here for it? Heck yes we are.

Meet hi’Amba, an all-day bakery, café and restaurant built around a working bakery and the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Southwest Asia.

NEW IN CT: 11 Connecticut Restaurant Openings for October 2026

Here are 11 of the hottest restaurant openings and foodie finds for the month of October in Connecticut.

Scroll down to check out a new spot from Chef Bill Taibe, the highly anticipated opening from Chef Jared Falco, and a pasta concept from the folks at OLMO Bagels in New Haven.

Note: Keep in mind that new restaurants’ menus and hours may vary. Please check their individual websites and social media pages for the latest information.

RSVP Reopens in West Cornwall Under Chef Bolivar Hilario

For many chefs, there’s a moment where they face a fork in the road on their culinary journey. For Bolivar Hilario, who gained lots of notoriety as the executive chef of Community Table the past three years, he was due to choose a path. Coming off of two Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association CRAZIES wins for Best Restaurant in Litchfield County and for overall Connecticut Restaurant of the Year while he led Community Table’s kitchen, plus a nomination for Chef of the Year, Hilario, in the back of his mind knew he had to do something for himself, something he could put his stamp on.

Sneak Peek At Chef Bill Taibe's NEW Restaurant, hi’Amba, Opening in Westport...VERY Soon

You’ve heard the buzz. You’ve tried to peek into papered garage door windows. In a few short weeks, Chef Bill Taibe will be opening the doors to his new spot in Westport, CT.

What’s the concept? “Eastern Mediterranean Kawa Ni,” says Taibe. Are we here for it? Heck yes we are.

Meet hi’Amba, an all-day bakery, café and restaurant built around a working bakery and the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Southwest Asia.

At launch, hi’Amba will focus on breakfast and lunch with house-made breads and pastries coming out of the ovens throughout the day, alongside a robust coffee program featuring Ilse Coffee and some unique Middle Eastern inspired beverages.

The menu will feature Jerusalem bagels, pita straight from the oven, Man'oushe (Lebanese Flat Bread), with beautiful lacquered pastries. For those of you seeking your protein fix, breakfast will also involve hot eggs and shakshukas.

“As we get into the day, we’ll expand the bread, get into big sandwiches, big bowls of salad, and a really big “dip” program-those are kinda the base of it- dishes like hummus (many varieties), baba ghanoush, creten mash, muhammara, hindbeh” Sandwiches will include things like “swordfish shawarma and lamb kebab”, says Taibe.

Flat Out Burger Expands from NYC to CT with Fairfield Location

The smash burger trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anywhere. Especially not in Connecticut. Popping up all over the state, well after big chains like Five Guys and Shake Shack arrived on the scene, are smash burger spots, both independent ones, and micro chains. 7th Street Burger, which operates over 40 locations, just opened in New Haven, with another set to debut in Stamford in November 2026. The New Jersey-based Mashed Burger, a smaller chain that also serves Nashville hot chicken and churros, got into Stamford back in February. Also growing and recently making its entry into the Connecticut market is another Big Apple burger joint is Flat Out Burger, which started slinging crispy-edged, cheesy, saucy burgers at the busy corner of Grasmere Avenue and the Post Road on August 15.

Silvermine Coffee Roasters Opens in Norwalk with Unique Beans From Across the Globe

The smell of freshly roasted coffee greets customers as they step into Silvermine Coffee Roasters in Norwalk. Behind each cup is more than carefully sourced beans- it’s years of experimentation, craftsmanship, and a desire to showcase the unique story each coffee bean has to tell. What began as frustration with bad coffee has evolved into one of Fairfield County's most distinctive specialty coffee roasters, offering nearly 30 carefully crafted blends from around the world.

For owner Thomas Morsanutto, coffee roasting was never part of the original plan. While working at a financial technology company in Wilton, he grew frustrated with the quality of coffee available in the office and began coffee roasting himself.

“I spent hours roasting coffee for friends and family, but eventually it just wasn't sustainable. I decided to take a chance and build a real business that focused on takeout coffee, coffee beans, and online sales. We wanted a concept that could succeed even if people weren't gathering into a cafe,” Morsanutto said.

Chez Jack Opens in Norwalk: Breakfast + Lunch with a Quebecoise Twist

The strip mall right on the Norwalk – Wilton line, has a new tenant who’s come from Canada to do his thing. Taking over the space (and some of the spirit) occupied for the past nine years by The Dilly Duck Shop is Chez Jack, where they’re doing breakfast, coffee, artisan sandwiches, and an authentic poutine, because there is a Quebecoise vibe scattered about the menu. The “Jack” in Chez Jack is Jacques Talbot, a successful veteran chef and restaurateur behind the Cosmos restaurants (or resto-lounges) in Quebec City.

Between Friends Sandwich Co. Opens in Norwalk

Before the first bite, Between Friends was built on one simple belief: the best conversations happen over great food. Today, that idea has become one of Connecticut’s newest sandwich destinations, serving handcrafted sandwiches that are anything but ordinary.

At Between Friends, every sandwich is inspired by real people and their go-to order. The menu features premium ingredients, bold flavors, and crave-worthy combinations that strike the perfect balance between comfort and creativity—designed to leave a lasting impression.

Fan favorites showcase the bold flavors that define Between Friends. The Late Night Romeo layers crispy chicken cutlet with smoky bacon, cheddar, crisp lettuce, onion, and the signature house Russian dressing for the perfect balance of crunch and richness. Cyn City takes indulgence to another level with crispy chicken cutlet smothered in creamy vodka sauce, burrata, Parmesan, and house pesto. For a fresh, vegetarian option, That’s-a-Maury combines crispy eggplant, creamy burrata, sun-dried red peppers, peppery arugula and house pesto for a sandwich that’s as vibrant as it is satisfying.

DoChéri Opens in Darien with Artisan European Chocolate

Summertime in Europe means walking along the Seine, swimming in the Cinque Terre, and enjoying all the pastries and chocolate Europe has to offer. But, if you're like me and staying stateside this season, lucky for you, we've got Europe at home.

At DoChéri in Darien, you'll find a Parisian-inspired interior and French-style chocolates infused with Ukrainian artistry. Founded by Maryna Steadman, DoChéri opened just a few months ago and is quickly becoming everyone's summer bucket-list stop.

Chocolate wasn't always Maryna's dream. Eight years ago, she was living in Ukraine and working in finance, spending more than a decade building a career in banking. But after moving to the United States, a new country ignited a new question: What can I do that I really love?

Minas Carne Brazilian BBQ Replaces Mariposa Taqueria in Danbury

At the end of March, the Reyes Family announced that Mariposa Taqueria would be closing after six years on Mill Plain Road. Technically, though, they weren’t going anywhere. Instead, they decided to change it over to one of their other long-standing concepts in the city of Danbury. Not Amigo’s Deli. Not Mezon Tapas Bar, which was previously in the Mariposa space. But rather, a second, slightly different iteration of Minas Carne Brazilian Barbecue called Minas Carne Brazilian BBQ & Bar.

Phase Two: The Haven Opens Rooftop Restaurant + Bar in Norwalk

In February, we brought you a piece highlighting The Haven and all its different components; the event space, the speakeasy, and two others that were on the way in a wellness forward cafe and the rooftop. Well, folks, the latter is here, and if you missed the rooftop that was formerly part of Evarito’s, it’s back, and it’s totally reimagined. Co-owner Christian Burns, who, as you know was behind Evarito’s and The Pompano in the same space as The Haven, and his partners, Joe and Aldo Criscuolo, saw a new vision for the roof that got launched just in time the summer season and beyond.

Chef Tom Kaldy & Joe Keane Open The Hidden Kitchen in Manchester, CT

The Hilliard Mills still carry the memory of industry, with brick walls and tall windows that loom over Bigelow Brook in Manchester. The complex is credited as being the oldest woolen mill in the nation, a nationally listed historic site. Where loud machinery once clattered for centuries, today there is something much quieter, the main building now filled mostly with office and business space.

But in October 2025, something else began to take shape in what had been the rather bleak atrium of this historic treasure. The almost 300-year-old space has been transformed, adorned with an eclectic mix of classic album covers, where tunes from these albums like Synchronicity by The Police now echo through the rafters. Two fine dining chefs, long accustomed to pressed tablecloths and tasting menus, have traded china and linen for counter service and take-out containers with their new venture, The Hidden Kitchen at Hilliard Mills. Chefs Tom Kaldy and Joe Keane opened this “Chef-Owned Takeout Café” as part of a larger operation offering full-service catering and themed cooking classes, and it’s as much a reimagining of a typical lunch joint as it is a love letter to the community at large.

TAC Burger: Wave Hill Breads Owner Opens Smash Burger Spot in Norwalk

From master baker to burger maker isn’t a natural progression, but for Wave Hill Breads’ owner, Tim Topi, that’s exactly what he did. While simultaneously running Wave Hill’s wholesale location on High Street, and a bakery-cafe on Westport Avenue that opened in 2024, Topi decided to give smash burgers a shot for a few reasons. One, there was a vacancy a couple storefronts away from the cafe where Francesca’s Authentic Italian Deli once stood.

Norwalk Bagel Co Opens in South Norwalk With Sourdough Bagels & Breakfast Menu

South Norwalk just got a serious bagel upgrade. Husband-and-wife culinary team Chef Gary King and Pastry Chef Emily King are officially opening Norwalk Bagel Co. on Wednesday, May 13, bringing handcrafted sourdough bagels, elevated deli classics, house-made baked goods, and chef-driven breakfast and lunch offerings to the neighborhood. The duo, who launched the popular Ridgefield Bagels & Bakes in November 2023, are now expanding their scratch-made, naturally leavened bagel concept to South Norwalk.

Luca's Beach Kitchen Opens at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk

If you’ve been to Calf Pasture Beach anytime since the end of May, the bright colored, beachy food trailers near the concession pavilion very likely caught your eye and captured your attention. Aiming to make some changes to Norwalk’s beach with Luca’s Beach Kitchen is Anthony Luciani, his wife, Rosa, and their partner, Cory Burns. Luciani, as locals know, is a Norwalk native who owns the popular Mr. Frosty’s Ice Cream Shop nearby and a food truck, Seaside Sliders. As for Burns, he used to work for Luciani as Mr. Frosty’s first ever ice cream truck driver. Long story short, they stayed friends for over 20 years, Burns wanted to leave his career in finance behind and team up with his buddy on a cool concept.

Chef Mogan Anthony + Seleste Tan Open Barnoodle in Greenwich: Handrolls, Noodles + Small Plates

At the beginning of 2025, Greenwich locals and the husband-and-wife team of Mogan Anthony and Seleste Tan opened the doors to La Bistro in Cos Cob. Just over a year later, a mile-and-a-half north on the same street, across the Cos Cob line into Riverside, they’re at it again. And this time around, they’re leaning on their Southeast Asian culture for inspiration at Barnoodle.

Chef Brian Lewis: It's All In The Details at Japanese Inspired OKO Restaurant

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Chef Brian Lewis: It's All In The Details at Japanese Inspired OKO Restaurant

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