Arden’s Opens in Rowayton with Beautiful Seasonal Breakfast & Lunch Menu

Jessica Ryan August 05, 2022

It’s Nantucket meets the Mediterranean. Arden’s, Rowayton’s newest eatery, is a community cafe offering up simple seasonal fare that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Inside the beachy décor is minimalist with hints of flea-market vintage finds. You’ll find antiquated oyster tins, vases filled with vibrant fresh flowers, beechwood furniture, a curated marketplace with specialty gourmet food items, locally fabricated linens alongside local honey, assorted spices, hot chili oil in beautiful glass jars, ceramics and other wonderful finds. Wonderful, whimsical floppy rattan shades resembling oversized straw hats hang from light fixtures overhead. Arden’s welcomes you in immediately with a warm embrace that doesn’t want to let you go.

Stay a while and linger over a simple menu of salads, sandwiches and toasts. While the concept is simple the recipes are elevated using ingredients from several local purveyors including Wilton’s Millstone Farm and Darien-based Flour Water Salt Bread, Nit Noi Provisions and Ilse coffee. Ingredients matter at this health-forward café. At the helm of the kitchen is Moises Aguilar formerly with South End The Back End. Here he is tasked with delivering the ultimate flavor profile from the simplest of ingredients which he has clearly mastered.

A stunning sunshine-colored corn off the cob salad with mixed greens, paper-thin slices of zucchini, watermelon radish and avocado in a mustard vinaigrette tasted like a breezy summer day. We also enjoyed a truly unforgettable salad of peaches, tomatoes, burrata, and thinly sliced red onion in a verdant pesto. This was truly a flavor marriage made in heaven.

The hummus, avocado, cucumber, pickled onion and microgreens with herb tahini and 3 goat cheese on whole-wheat sourdough play beautifully together – bold flavor profiles that complement one another wonderfully. Flavorsome and decadent without being too filling this sandwich is begging me to go back for more. For those of you pondering, “where’s the beef?” Don’t worry, Arden’s has that too. There’s a skirt steak sandwich with heirloom tomatoes, pickled onion and black garlic aioli that might pique your interest. Other protein options include a BLT or a shredded chicken sandwich with spicy chili mayo, scallions Bibb lettuce and microgreens. Be sure to check out the daily specials.

A few main plates grace the menu as well. We were curious about the Turkish eggs with an eggplant yogurt puree, seasoned with aleppo, z’atar and dill. Oh wow was this special creamy, smoky and resplendent with those quintessential middle eastern spices, this was comfort food elevated to new heights. I’ll be back for this one as well…next time I’ll order an entire loaf of multi-grain to dredge in the wonderful eggy-creamy mixture. Try this kids, I implore you! Each vibrant, uncomplicated plated seems to burst with flavor without being overcomplicated.

Recently, Arden’s hosted an after-hours dinner. This “pop-up” dinner of sorts fed 35 people a four-course meal with passed hors d’oeuvres and featured live music. The sold out event was BYOB. It was such a success that there are plans of holding another one in the near future. Arden’s will also be renting out their space for special events – more on that to follow soon.

Arden’s was founded by Rowayton residents Jill Brody and Laura Jayson who wanted a to create a neighborhood café that would capture the spirit and coastal charm of Rowayton and serve as place where people can go “put up your feet, let your hair down and stay awhile.”