Hidden Gem: Little Riggs Opens In Branford With Elevated Comfort Food + NOW Dinner

Little Riggs sits on the edge of the Stuart, McKinney National Wildlife refuge on the Long Island Sound. Riggs opened 6 months ago from Chef John Kronfeld, who operated the very successful breakfast truck, The Chef Truck, until he opened Little Riggs, transitioning his uniquely delicious breakfast menu into a sit down experience. To call this place a hidden gem isn’t wrong, but this clichéd term is a tad overused these days… It’s like a half buried treasure. Among the locals it isn’t buried at all, and they have taken it by storm.

This little outpost that seats just 30 in the wintertime, is slightly larger than a hole in the wall and certainly significantly more elevated. It’s the type of place you want to go to for a leisurely comforting breakfast on a Sunday morning. But it’s not just a breakfast joint, offering significantly more than just morning fare, and lucky for us who do love his breakfast menu, we can now enjoy it beyond traditional breakfast hours. Kronfeld has launched dinner service this week, and we will be the first in line.

Chef and owner John Kronfeld has a lot to talk about and his storied life unfolds right in front of us, by way of his menu. He sat down with us and shared his tale filled with many twists and turns, starting at his childhood home in Weston, CT where he confessed to having been a ridiculously fussy eater.

That all changed when, as a young teenager and away at prep school with a packed schedule of school and sports, he developed quite the appetite. He had no choice but to eat the food in front of him which he discovered was actually pretty good. 

Then, as many Gen X kids did back in the day, he got a job in a restaurant. He started off waiting tables and really enjoyed what he did and continued working while enrolled in college when he found himself skipping classes so he could spend more time at the restaurant.

One day an opportunity opened up in the kitchen and his world changed. Kronfeld was accepted to the renowned Culinary Institute of America and while there he developed a keen interest in wine. He would spend a significant part of his career in the wine industry which brought him to California then back to the East Coast, as Sommelier for the Russian Tea Room before returning to Connecticut as Sommelier for numerous restaurants, including David Burke’s Prime, and Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, before returning to the kitchen at Prime 16 then The Omni in New Haven.

It was the purchase of a little food truck, The Chef Truck, in 2020 that would change the trajectory of Kronfeld’s story. We all know what happened that year and yet, in spite of it all, Covid had been quite good to this little restaurant on wheels. The Chef Truck served customers from the parking lot of The Friki Tiki seasonal cocktail bar, and served guests who willingly stood on long lines for his unique and delicious breakfast menu.

Fast forward to 2023. The property for the little tiki bar was up for sale, and Little Riggs was born in July of 2023. The menu is simple – Light Fare, Full plates, Sweet Starts, and Sammi’s.  Though the menu is small in size, it’s huge in creativity and flavor.

Every dish, and every name on the menu is a story unto itself. The names are whimsical, but the ingredients are serious. We started with a piping bowl of Sunny Side Grits, made with organic corn, white cheddar, beef lardons, Redeye hot sauce, scallions and a fried egg. These were by far the best grits I have had up in these parts – pure comfort and velvety smooth. The beef lardons were crispy without grizzle. Their deep flavor and texture offered the perfect counterbalance to the creaminess of the grits and the soft egg, offering layer upon layer of flavor and texture.

The Sweet Corn Waffles are truly otherworldly. There’s nothing complicated about these mini sweet corn waffles topped with powdered sugar, honey butter and brown butter syrup that are so perfect looking they look fake. The caramel-like brown butter syrup kicks it next level. 

Everything Kronfeld creates is familiar until it isn’t. Let’s talk about the B-B-B-Benny. Everybody knows Eggs Benedict. This is so subtly and yet so wildly different. I didn’t know that I needed this in my life and now I don’t think I will ever be able to go back to the traditional version ever again. Here, two perfectly steamed eggs sit on top of delicious sweet corn waffles, topped with delicate slices of prosciutto, the familiar Hollandaise sauce and some micro greens for a lovely burst of color.

Got a sweet tooth? Need a little snack while you wait for your meal? Try the griddled Muffin of the Day or the Donut Holes, Snickerdoodle sugared, no less! Don’t let anyone tell you that all donut holes are alike. They are not! I don’t know the secret, but the exteriors are so incredibly crispy only to reveal a beautifully light and airy interior. It’s like a little bite of heaven.

Breakfast not your thing? Burgers are served after 11 AM. and with each burger you’ll get 7 ounces of perfectly seasoned beef. These patties have so much flavor that you need nothing on them except for maybe the requisite lettuce and tomato, but in true Kronfeld fashion, there are many innovative versions to choose from. Can we recommend the Joe Exotic? Butter lettuce, roasted wild mushrooms, truffle garlic aïoli, Brie and a brioche bun is a definite win. 

On the lighter side let me recommend (strongly) the Mushroom Toast. Pain au levain toast with a smear of ricotta, copious amounts of shiitake, oyster and beech mushrooms, with a charred scallion vinaigrette. Smooth and creamy meets acid meets earthiness for a nice bit of puckery acid to complement the creamy ricotta and mushroom medley.

We are thrilled to share that Little Riggs will soon be opening up for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. Diners can expect to find entrées including Steak Frites and a Mole-Braised Short Rib with cheddar grits (those grits!) along with a couple of his burgers, small plates, and pub fair. A dish called Peas and Carrots, another tie to his childhood… The summer of carrots as he described, and a bet to eat a bowl of peas for $1 dollar! 

Kronfeld has a way of taking the familiar and twisting it just so slightly to give you an unexpected, unanticipated delight. He has an incredible way with flavors, pairing them in ways one might not think to do. The food is simple yet elevated without being fancy or pretentious. Little Riggs truly has something for everyone. His pizza truck is booked Thursdays through the month of December. There are so many things I want to return for and I will.

Little Riggs is currently offering Breakfast & Lunch Thursday through Sunday, 8am-2pm. Dinner service starts December 15th and will be offered Thursday through Saturday at 5PM.

@litttle_riggs_ct

 (203)-499-7930
3 Linden Avenue, Branford