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60+ CT Spots to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day 2026

Features Restaurant Events St. Patrick's Day Guide Homepage Events

Carly Terzigni March 06, 2026

Could this long, cold, and snowy winter finally be coming to a close? It looks like things are heating up fast! Not only do I detect warmer days on the horizon, but St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. I, for one, am ready to swap the cold gray for some bright green! Restaurants across the state are feeling the same and are ready to celebrate. With towns hosting parades over the next couple of weeks, there are multiple opportunities to gather with friends and family and spread some Irish cheer. This guide is organized by county to help you easily find a restaurant near you celebrating. Simply scroll to your local county and see where you can enjoy some corned beef and a Guinness this March!

Amazing Graze Wagyu: Redding Resident Gene Nazzaro Fulfills Lifelong Dream of Becoming a Cattle Farmer

Ingredients Interview American Wagyu Farmer Redding Cattle Interview beef Amazing Graze Wagyu

Andrew Dominick March 05, 2026

Don’t tell Gene Nazzaro it’s too late to realize a dream. After a lifetime in his family’s namesake excavating business, he’s moved onto greener pastures, and that’s in the literal sense. While he’s still semi-active in Nazzaro Inc., which specializes in residential, commercial, and municipal excavation, and pond dredging, his newfound passion is cattle farming for beef production for his brand, Amazing Graze Wagyu.

Via Emilia: An Italian Love Letter Written in Mystic

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Italian Interview Espresso Martini Fresh Pasta Mystic Homepage

Andrew Dominick March 03, 2026

Love letters aren’t always inked on parchment, sometimes they’re cooked in a kitchen and served to hungry customers. That’s the case at Mystic’s Via Emilia where co-owners Shaun Golan and Jakub Andros are dishing out Italian comfort food that’s uncomplicated and pays respect to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region since it opened in 2020. On the brink of celebrating six years at the very end of Coastal Connecticut, how Via Emilia came to be, what they’re cooking and why they’re cooking it, and the tale behind their popular espresso martini is a story that should be told.

TICKETS ON SALE: Join Us To Celebrate CT's Women in Culinary April 27th

Features Events EVENT It's A Woman's World Homepage

Stephanie Webster February 25, 2026

On April 27th, CTbites will host “It’s A Woman’s World: An Evening To Inspire, Connect & Celebrate CT's Women in Culinary“ honoring the many inspiring and trailblazing females in Connecticut’s culinary industry. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW.

The evening will include great food, signature cocktails created by Banfi Wine & Sprits, tastings from Fifth State Distillery, awards, and of course, plenty of time to mingle and meet the women in our community at the beautiful Hotel Marcel in New Haven.

Award winners will be announced at the event in 11 categories, and we NEED YOU to VOTE for the women whose work and influence have shaped the industry in meaningful ways.

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE WOMEN IN CULINARY-from chefs & restaurateurs to farmers and winemakers, artisans, bartenders, cheesemongers, and influencers. PUBLIC VOTING IS NOW LIVE HERE

Vyne Restaurant & Bar: Fine Dining Meets Comfort Classics in Middlebury

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Middlebury Mediterranean Italian Interview Cocktails Fine Dining Homepage

Andrew Dominick February 24, 2026

Unless you live near or in Middlebury, there’s a very real chance you’ve never dined there. Ask a few guys who now work in Middlebury at Vyne Restaurant & Bar and they’ll tell you that before they got there, they hadn’t either. “I had never even heard of Middlebury and I spent a lot of my life in Hartford,” says Vyne’s general manager Justin Morales. What Morales, an industry veteran both behind the bar and as a GM (and most recently of Fire by Forge), and executive chef James Piccolo are doing in this part of Connecticut is putting their stamp on a restaurant idea that began many years ago as a small cafe inside of a furniture store, Middlebury Consignment.

First Look: Norwalk's Valencia Luncheria Reopens as Valencia Cocina

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Valencia Norwalk Valencia Luncheria Venezuelan Latin American Reopening Interview Homepage

Andrew Dominick February 18, 2026

After a little over three weeks closed for menu changes and renovations, Valencia Luncheria is back in action! Only now you have to call it by its changed name, Valencia Cocina, representing it’s new chapter that we teased you about at the beginning of the year. Now reopened with a sexier, but still chill vibe, a brand-new bar, and a reimagined menu, founder Michael Young, co-owner Luis Chavez, and executive chef Marv Bryce are ready to welcome you back in.

Guide To The Best Cheesemongers in Connecticut

Features Cheese Cheese Shop Cheesemonger Best of CT Highlight Homepage

Amy S. White February 12, 2026

Connecticut’s best cheesemongers are more than just retailers—they are conveyors of craft, both local and beyond. With their displays of cave-aged wheels from Italian mountain cellars, butter-yellow wedges from snowy Switzerland, delicate soft cheeses from the fields of France, or even fresh curds still warm from their own vats, they connect pasture to plate, guiding customers through the stories of the dairy farmers and their herds, terroir, and traditions that give each cheese its nuanced flavor, texture, and character. This alphabetical list celebrates the destination cheese farms, shops, and creameries from across the state where the counters are classrooms, and the owners’ devotion keeps the culture of good cheese alive, one wedge at a time. At these counters, tasting is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and discovery is part of the experience. Those who work in them are experts in knowing not only what to cut, but when, and why. Whether you’re seeking something for a special occasion or a new favorite for a weeknight snack, these shops invite you in to ask, taste, and support the makers far and wide who keep this ancient foodstuff thriving.

Buzzed: Connecticut Distillery SoNo 1420 + Local Breweries Get in the THC Seltzer Game

Brewery Features Ingredients Interview THC Seltzer THC Seltzer Cannabis Beverage Cannabis SoNo 1420 Two Roads Brewing Company Thomas Hooker Brewery Interview Non Alcoholic

Andrew Dominick February 12, 2026

If you ask Ted Dumbauld, the owner of the Norwalk-based distillery SoNo 1420, about pivots he’s had to make as a result of alcohol consumption being in a major decline, he has a lot to say. “They used to tell you, if you have a beer or a wine, that it’s healthy for you, but studies have shifted showing that alcohol use is linked to causing cancer,” he says. “If you’re prediabetic or you’re older, you’re probably told to stop drinking, and younger generations aren’t consuming as much alcohol.” And he’s not just saying that. A Gallup Poll from August 2025, a survey that has tracked our drinking behavior since 1939, says that only 54% of Americans reported drinking alcohol, a record-low.

2026 Mardi Gras Guide: 15 CT Spots To Let The Good Times Roll

Features Mardi Gras

Carly Terzigni February 09, 2026

It’s time for music, Hurricanes, and plenty of King Cake. Mardi Gras is right around the corner, with restaurants across Connecticut ready to throw some of the biggest parties of the season. While many of these one-night-only events are being held on Fat Tuesday, February 17, you’ll also find a number of restaurants with parties and menu specials that last a little longer throughout February. And don’t forget about those bakery orders, so you can enjoy your own King Cake at home!

The Haven Opens in Norwalk Featuring a Speakeasy, Rooftop, Cafe, and Event Space

Features Interview Restaurant Speakeasy Cocktails Pizza Late Night Norwalk Interview Rooftop Opening

Andrew Dominick February 06, 2026

The restaurant space on the corner of Washington and N Main has seen its share of flips. Evarito’s had an over five-year run, then it was The Pompano for a blink. Drive or walk by it now and you’ll notice the dining room is empty-ish, but more like a clearing, and that the lights are on. And the lettering on the glass door reads, “The Haven.” Behind all of those previous concepts, and behind The Haven, is Christian Burns, who you’re familiar with as the brains behind The Ginger Man and The Cask Republic locations. With The Haven, Burns and his landlords, Joe and Aldo Criscuolo, are teaming up on all four aspects of what this is and what it’s going to be when it’s whole.

¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana: Authentic Mexican In Stratford

Interview Restaurant Mexican Reopening Stratford Interview Tacos

Andrew Dominick February 04, 2026

Look up the phrase “¡Ay, güey!” and you’ll see it’s got a lot of meanings. In Mexico, it’s commonly used slang to express shock, fear, amazement, and surprise, much like “Wow!”, “Oh, man!”, “Oh my god!”, “Holy crap!”, and, well, you get the idea. In Stratford, ¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana hopes to “Wow!” you with their traditional Mexican menu, just like they wowed our writer, James Gribbon, back in 2021 when they first opened. Why they’re getting more shine in 2026 is simple…they had closed for three months at the end of last year for renovations in a Facebook post that read like a postmortem, sparking some concern and a Reddit that followed.

100+ Valentine’s & Galentine's Dinners and Events in Connecticut (2026 Edition)

Features Valentine's Day Holiday Guide Homepage

Carly Terzigni February 01, 2026

This winter has been especially cold and snowy, so why not heat things up this Valentine’s Day with a special date night at your favorite Connecticut restaurant? Businesses across the state are ready to help create a memorable evening with menu specials. Looking to stay in? You’ll find businesses offering everything from entrees to plenty of desserts available for pre-order. And if you’re keen on celebrating Galentine’s Day with your closest friends, there are tons of fun activities and menu specials, too!

Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, so you may spot a few brunch specials along with menu specials that last all weekend long! This guide is organized by county so you can easily find a restaurant nearest you that will have Valentine’s Day specials this year.

Local Celebrity Chefs Cook For A Cause: Taste of Wishes Tix On Sale Now!

Features Fundraiser Celebrity Chef

CTbites Team January 29, 2026

Taste of Wishes, Make-A-Wish Connecticut’s annual signature event, returns with an unforgettable evening celebrating inspired cuisine and the power of a wish. On Thursday, March 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., guests are invited to Aitoro Appliance, 401 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, where local celebrity chefs will cook side-by-side with Connecticut wish kids to raise critical funds that help make life-changing wishes come true.

This one-of-a-kind culinary experience brings together the region’s most talented chefs to create everything from savory appetizers to decadent desserts. As attendees enjoy tastings throughout the evening, they’ll also meet wish kids and families whose lives have been impacted by Make-A-Wish Connecticut—offering a powerful reminder of how generosity helps turn hope into reality.

Guests will sample exquisite dishes prepared by the following local celebrity chefs:

Robin Selden, Managing Partner & Executive Chef, Marcia Selden Catering and Naked Fig Catering
Matt Storch, Chopped winner and Chef/Owner, Match (Norwalk) and Match Burger Lobster (Westport)
Jes Bengtson, Executive Chef, Terrain Garden Café (Westport)
Dan Kardos, Chef/Owner, Café Melba (Stratford)
Anthony Kostelis, Greenwich Country Club
Chris Gonzalez, Kawa Ni
Prasad Chirnomula, Chef/Owner, Chef Prasad (Indian Cuisine)
John Nealon, Crust Issues

75+ Sports Bars, Restaurants, Caterers, BBQ Joints & Pizzerias for Super Bowl LX

Features Super Bowl Catering Sports Bar Homepage

Hannah Goodman January 28, 2026

While it felt like just yesterday that week one of football season kicked off, we are already a couple weeks away from Super Bowl LX. Two teams will battle it out for a chance to win the highest honor in football, to get that ring, and to show everyone why they deserve to be the champions. Maybe the New England Patriots will earn another, yes another, ring. Or maybe the Seattle Seahawks will cap off a remarkable season with a Super Bowl win, though I have yet to encounter a single Seahawks fan my entire life…they must be out there somewhere, right? Unfortunately, the Eagles are out of the running and won’t get the chance to two-peat…you’re welcome, Pats fans.

Whether you are in it for the touchdowns, missed extra points, and bad calls or you’re just there for the halftime show, commercials, and beer, we can all agree on one thing: Game Day food must be on point. In this guide we have listed many wonderful restaurants and bars throughout Connecticut that are doing it up for Super Bowl LX. Get your SB Sunday catered or take your friends & fam out to your local bar. You can even enjoy this great food without the game…in the dark…staring into the abyss, thinking about how and why your favorite team is not playing another game until September – truly anything goes! Yay sports! Yay wings! Let’s go.

Super Bowl LX: Sunday, February 8th, kickoff @ 6:30 p.m. ET.

Cowboy Butter in New Milford: Hindsight BBQ's Sister Restaurant, a "Boujee" BBQ Joint + Steakhouse

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant BBQ New Milford Opening Interview Steak Homepage

Andrew Dominick January 27, 2026

When CTbites last covered Hindsight BBQ in 2021, its founder, Jeff Schmidt was quoted as saying, “When you get obsessed with something, and when you get bit by the BBQ bug, once you go down that rabbit hole, you can only go further.” In 2025, his “further” ended up being Cowboy Butter, best described as “a New England live fire cookery and boujee BBQ bistro,” in New Milford’s quaint downtown area.

Places To Celebrate Lunar New Year 2026 in Connecticut

Features Lunar New Year Chinese New Year Homepage

CTbites Team January 24, 2026

The 2026 Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, February 17th, starting a year of the Fire Horse. and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on March 3rd. Here are a few spots to celebrate here in CT.

The Smithy Cafe & Market in New Preston: A New Approach to Community Building

Restaurant Features New Preston Litchfield County cafe Breakfast Gourmet Market Homepage

Bree George January 23, 2026

On a speck of Main Street in New Preston, the Smithy Cafe feels like it’s always been there. Coffee cups clink, steam hisses from the espresso machine, and customers pick up loaves of Farmers & Cooks sourdough while waiting in line to place their order at the counter. Across the street, in a 200-year-old former blacksmith shop, the Smithy Market carries the everyday and the aspirational in equal measure: bread, eggs and coffee, alongside gourmet Bridgewater chocolates from Brookfield, micro-batch Wonderland Jam made in Newtown, and East Street Arts handmade printed tea towels from New Haven.

Getting the Scoop: Behind the Scenes at Gioia's Gelateria

Ice Cream Ingredients Interview New Haven Restaurant Gelato Ice Cream New Haven Gioia Interview Dessert

Andrew Dominick January 20, 2026

Just past the original locations of Sally’s and Pepe’s on New Haven’s legendary Wooster Street is Gioia. Opened by restaurateurs and longtime industry guys Avi Szapiro and Tim Cabral in 2023, Gioia is a fascinating concept. It’s not only a restaurant, it’s got a gourmet market, a rooftop that switches its theme seasonally, and a walk-up window where you can snag square pizza slices and gelato. That last part is what this is about. And when we’re talking about great ice cream in Connecticut, Gioia would like to enter the conversation.

Guide To Connecticut Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants & Bakeries

Features Vegan Vegetarian Highlight Juice Bar Farm To Table Health & Wellness Healthy Eats Guide Homepage

Carly Terzigni January 16, 2026

Connecticut has many wonderful plant-forward restaurants to check out this year. Whether you are looking to eat less meat in 2026 (don’t worry, you can have more than just a salad) or you already follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and want to explore restaurant and catering options in the state, this guide is for you!

In addition to restaurants, we included a second section dedicated to plant-forward bakeries. Keep these places in mind the next time you need to order a cake for a special occasion or you’re simply in the market for a plant-based bakery in your area.

Fire & Spice Opens in Bridgeport With A+ Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken & More

Ingredients Interview Restaurant Peruvian Indian Bridgeport Interview Fast Casual Opening

Andrew Dominick January 13, 2026

A former Jamaican restaurant on Bridgeport’s Boston Avenue doesn’t only have two new tenants, it’s cooking up different culture’s cuisines, too. At Fire & Spice, the concept is Peruvian, with some Indian and Pakistani, and good ol’ American burgers, cheesesteaks, and fried chicken. Behind Fire & Spice is the team of Shiraz Choudhary and his chef, Emilio Malpartida, and if you’ve been to either of the Swift Fresh Market locations, two in Fairfield and one in Norwalk, you’re at least a little familiar with who they are.