Filtering by Tag: Mediterranean,Caterers

BarVera Modern Mediterranean Restaurant Opens in Stamford

Restaurant Stamford Opening Mediterranean Homepage Middle Eastern

Jessica Ryan

Newly opened in the heart of Stamford’s Bedford Street, BarVera, brings us an authentic taste of the Mediterranean that might just be unmatched in the area. Celebrity chef, Chef Charbel Hayek, created the concept of this coastal Mediterranean culinary journey. Known for his West Coast restaurants Ladyhawk in West Hollywood and Laya in Los Angeles, the Lebanese chef won Bravo’s Top Chef Middle East and North Africa, and has authored the cookbook Lemon & Garlic: Middle Eastern Cuisine (2023). 


Modern Kosher Mediterranean & Israeli Fare at Gveenah, West Hartford

Restaurant Mediterranean Israeli Kosher West Hartford Opening Homepage Hartford County Lunch Pizza

Leeanne Griffin

Roi Graber is a long way from home, but has brought a taste of Israel and the fresh, healthy flavors of the Mediterranean to his new residence in West Hartford.

In January, Graber opened Gveenah, a modern kosher “Mediterranean fusion” restaurant, taking over the former Black Bamboo space on Farmington Avenue as owner Sonny Chen moved his popular Chinese eatery to a new location. Gveenah means “cheese” in Hebrew, Graber said.

Graber owned restaurants in his home country, but he and his wife and children fled after the terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023 and came to the United States to stay with family members. He thought it would be a temporary measure for a few months, but the Jewish community in West Hartford helped them settle in, finding them a home and getting the children into school. Graber began thinking about a longer-term plan. 

Just a few months after arriving in Connecticut, Graber was on track to open his first American restaurant, with the help of business connections in West Hartford. Less than a year later, Gveenah opened its doors, welcoming guests in for a fusion experience blending “the rich traditions of Mediterranean and Italian cuisine,” according to its website.


2024 Catering Guide: 20+ Connecticut Caterers for Your Special Event

Ingredients Events Catering Guide Caterers Caterer Catering

April Guilbault

Ah, the “ber” months-filled with so many great holidays and events! I think we can all agree that while we are excited for the holiday season, it can also be a bit daunting. Happily, at our beck and call are a plethora of fabulous resources, such as these skilled, creative, and enthusiastic caterers. Your work just got easier, your event just got more memorable, and the food just got more delicious. Book ‘em soon so you can lean back and enjoy these “ber” months! A note: We are listing towns where the caterers are based, but many of them work throughout CT, so don’t hesitate to call them. Enjoy!


Kabab & Hummus House Opens in Southport with Focus on Egyptian and Moroccan Fare

Restaurant Middle Eastern Mediterranean Westport Opening Homepage

Hannah Goodman

As a resident of Westport and a lover of Mediterranean cuisine, I often notice the lack of such restaurants available in Fairfield County. Fortunately for you (and me), a great new spot just opened up, serving mainly Middle Eastern food, with a focus on Egyptian and Moroccan fare. Fairfield County, meet your new tasty resident: Kabab and Hummus House!

Yasser Khedewe opened Kabab & Hummus House in December of last year. With its prime location on Post Road in Southport, Yasser is excited about all of the food lovers he’ll meet, especially those that are new to this type of cuisine. 

Yasser Khedewe’s occupation was originally that of a computer scientist, though he always had a deep passion for food and cooking. While he is originally from Egypt, Khedewe spent a favorable amount of time working and living in Dubai, which is primarily when his food journey began, as he loved cooking for his friends as a way to share his culture. He eventually moved to the United States in 2015 and then to Connecticut in 2016, where he gained culinary experience by working in restaurants and kitchens. 


The Luke Brasserie Opens in Downtown New Haven with Beautiful Fine Dining

Restaurant Opening Mediterranean American Bar New Haven Seafood Pasta Homepage

Chloe Zale

Walking into The Luke Brasserie in downtown New Haven, it’s apparent that this isn’t your average restaurant. The soaring space exudes grandeur, boasting ornate coffered ceilings, mosaic tile floors, and a wraparound mezzanine flanked by double-height Ionic columns. Impeccably prepared Mediterranean fare is served in oversized carved crystal bowls and wide-rimmed fluted plates. Deep red leather banquettes beckon, warmed by chandeliers and flickering candles.

“I fell in love with the space when I first saw it over a decade ago, and I wanted to do it justice,” says Executive Chef Vincent Chirico, a New York City culinary veteran with three previous restaurants under his belt. Like many of us, Chirico left the city during the height of Covid and was househunting in Connecticut when he happened to reconnect with the owner of the historic Taft Building in New Haven, who was a patron of his Upper West Side restaurant Vai. Years after encountering the space the first time, Chirico found himself weighing the opportunity to open a restaurant there. The timing felt like fate, and thus The Luke was born. 


Siren Restobar Opens with Mediterranean Cuisine in Greenwich

Restaurant Old Greenwich Greenwich Mediterranean Lunch Homepage Tapas

Jessica Ryan

We recently had the pleasure of visiting Siren Restobar in Old Greenwich Connecticut. Owner Anshu Vidyarthi opened this new Mediterranean-inspired eatery in August. No stranger to the restaurant world, Vidyarthi is also the co-owner of Le Penguin and Le Fat Poodle with business partner Antoine Blech. Siren is his first solo project.

The tapas restaurant takes on flavors from throughout the Mediterranean region, and Siren’s culinary range extends to include influences from Syria, Turkey, Sardinia, Morocco, and Lebanon to name just a few.

Vidyarthi’s desire with Siren was to create serious food but whimsically. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and would prefer that you didn’t either. Siren serves the type of food that people who are well-fed and well-travelled are looking for. The authenticity of every dish is evident in every mouthful, simple ingredients that create a depth of flavor. One needn’t overcomplicate things. 


17 Outstanding Connecticut Caterers For Your Next Event

Features Highlight Catering Guide Catering Caterers Guide Entertaining Homepage Private Party

April Guilbault

Back in January did you proclaim 2023 the year when you make things a little easier for yourself? Do you aim to make holidays and events memorable without stretching yourself to your breaking point? Read on and make it happen. Connecticut is overflowing with culinary talent and experts who know how to throw a party to remember, trust us! From setting the tone and creating swoon-worthy atmosphere to creating delicious, unique food and drink that your guests will be thinking about long after the event, these caterers will have you enjoying your event as well as making life just that extra bit more fabulous. Here are 15 of our favorite caterers in CT.


Connecticut Food Trucks Guide: 150 + CT Mobile Caterers (2023 Edition)

Features Restaurant Guide Food Truck Best of CT Highlight Food Truck Guide Caterer Catering Guide Caterers Pizza BBQ Mexican Ice Cream Homepage

April Guilbault

We are all rolling, rolling, rolling into the summer months-Yay! Between parties, vacations, and just plain ol’ exploring, the warm and sunny months have us on the move. And what better info to have in your back pocket than plans for where to eat-trucks offering food of all kinds, whether you’re stopping mid-trip or renting for your next party!  We have broken down this behemoth of a list by categories so you can high-tail it to the foods that interest you: Pizza, Tacos/Mexican, BBQ, Ethnic, Lobster & Seafood, All-American, Plant-Based/Alternative Diet, Ice Cream & Sweets, Cocktails & Beer and Coffee & Tea. Happy summer, everyone, roll on! 


The Blondinit: Israeli Restaurant Coming To Westport

Features Openings Westport Mediterranean Israeli Middle Eastern

Dan Woog

If you want authentic Israeli food, go to Israel.

Or Brooklyn.

Soon though, dishes like shakshuka (poached eggs in a simmering tomato sauce with vegetables and spices) and deep-fried matzo stuffed with cheese will be available in Westport.

On, ironically, Church Lane, in Westport.

The Blondinit will fill the space vacated this winter by Manna Toast. It’s the first restaurant venture for Solomon and Inda Sade, who own several other businesses already. Her background is in retail and fashion.

But this is their passion project. They love food and entertaining. And they’re putting their money where their, um, mouths are: They’re funding it themselves.

While not Israeli, the Sades have strong ties there. Solomon’s parents were born in Israel. His father had 10 siblings, his mother, 8.

Growing up on Long Island, his family visited there every summer. More recently, he and his wife honeymooned in Israel.

When COVID struck, they and their 1-year-old left New York for their second home in the Poconos. But after 6 months of boredom — “the event of the day was standing outside Walmart with rubber gloves,” Solomon recalls — they moved to suburban New Jersey.

The Blondinit’s meats, pitas, pickled goods and beers will all be “authentic” from Brooklyn.

It will be delivered fresh daily. The Sades will not use freezers or microwaves. All leftover food will be donated to pantries and food rescue organizations.

Read the complete article on Dan Woog’s 06880.


60+ Restaurants & Caterers for Christmas Eve & Christmas in CT: 2022 Edition

Features Restaurant Christmas Eve Christmas Guide Holiday Guide Caterers Homepage

April Guilbault

Sparkles and decorations, music and merriment, parties and gift-giving and of course, holiday dining. New traditions to begin or a revisiting of favorites from year’s past. We all have those special dishes or holiday sweets that make us pause as nostalgia fills our hearts. For those reasons and more, it is one of the most wonderful times of the year. We would like for you to be able to create new memories with those you love, so we have compiled a list of Connecticut eateries that are going above and beyond for the holiday season. They are categorized by county-Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Windham-so you don’t have to waste time researching, you can just swan dive into celebrating the season. From our plates to yours, Happy Holidays. May it be delicious!


2022 CT Catering Guide: 18 Caterers For Your Next Event

Features Catering Caterers Catering Guide Holiday Entertaining Meal Delivery Guide Homepage Highlight

April Guilbault

You’re probably still recovering from the seasonal avalanche of candy corn, but the “other” holidays are now peeking around the corner-and it’s always better to be ready for them when they jump out at you. Whether for cozy and familial Thanksgiving gatherings, spirited and sparkly holiday parties, a Let’s-Get-2023-Right New Year’s celebration or any of your special events and holidays next year, these caterers will help you feast and fete with panache. Best part about this listing is that many of these caterers work throughout the entire state of Connecticut and even the tri-state area. Go forth and celebrate! Here are 18 Connecticut Caterers who will make your next event a stress-free delicious success!


2022 Connecticut Food Truck Guide: 100+ Local Food Trucks

Features Restaurant Best of CT Roundup Food Truck Food Truck Park Caterers Catering

CTbites Team

Summer means travel, fun, parties, festivals…and food trucks! Our state is happily overflowing (in a good way) with great eats and many of them will be rolling through your town in the coming months. You can also book many of them for your next event, which translates to easy-unique-delicious as far as parties go. We have broken down this behemoth of a list by first featuring a variety of trucks and then we break all this fun into categories so you can quickly get to the foods that interest you: Pizza, Tacos/Mexican, BBQ, Ethnic, Lobster/Seafood, All-American, Plant-Based/Alternative Diet, Ice Cream/Sweets, Coffee/Cocktails & Beer. Happy summer, everyone, roll on!

Enjoy our guide to 100+ Connecticut Food Trucks!


Urban Greek Kitchen: Delicious Fast Casual Greek With A Twist

Restaurant Shelton Greek Mediterranean Grocery Store Special Dietary Needs Gluten-Free Lunch Take Out To-Go Openings Healthy Eats Homepage

Jessica Ryan

In a bleak midwinter, in the midst of a great Pandemic, Sophia Diakoloukas left a successful marketing career to open her restaurant, Urban Greek Kitchen. This fast-casual eatery serves up modern Greek food with a flair. “It’s Greek with a twist” she describes. “I use traditional family recipes and adapt them to satisfy the way we eat today.” Inspired by the fresh flavors of the Mediterranean, Urban Greek focuses on healthy, fresh vibrant ingredients that are satisfying and delicious. Having grown up in the restaurant business, here in Connecticut, Sophia is no stranger to the inner workings of this complicated, fast-paced industry. It’s immediately apparent that she runs a pristinely organized and tight ship. Most of her staff has been with her since the doors opened…and so have her loyal customers.


Wildacre Rotisserie to Debut in Greenwich (via Hey Stamford!)

Restaurant Openings Chicken To-Go Take Out Lunch Cos Cob Greenwich Mediterranean Gluten-Free

Hey Stamford!

Wildacre Rotisserie, a new fast casual rotisserie restaurant, will make its debut in Greenwich, CT in Spring 2022. Led by former Starbucks and sweetgreen culinary leader and Fairfield County resident Ben Pote, the restaurant will bring a fresh take on traditional rotisserie to Cos Cob. The concept of the eatery, both in cuisine and design, is inspired by California with a thoughtfully curated menu that offers something for everyone.

Rotisserie chicken and slow-roasted cauliflower are at the heart of the menu, complemented by entree-style salads, plant-forward sides, and sauces that are made in-house daily, with thoughtful pops of flavor throughout. The chicken, for example, is rubbed with bay leaf, oregano, and fennel pollen, giving it an herbaceous, savory flavor, while the whole-roasted cauliflower is sprinkled with za’atar, a Middle-Eastern herb blend. Wildacre’s salads are hearty enough for lunch and dinner, or to eat alongside a whole roasted chicken or cauliflower. Guests can order a la carte or select a bundled meal, which offers the choice of either a rotisserie chicken or slow-roasted cauliflower main plus two sides and two sauces. Side dishes range from french fries to roasted brussels sprouts, and the majority of the menu is gluten-free. The California influence shows up throughout the menu, which features ingredients like fennel pollen, meyer lemon, and avocado, and flavors inspired by Mediterranean, Central American, and Asian cuisines.

Read the complete article on Hey Stamford!


RAWA: Middle Eastern Fusion in New Haven

Restaurant New Haven Middle Eastern Mediterranean Kid Friendly

James Gribbon

Several years ago, hungry and lost on a ski trip in the hinterlands of northern Vermont, I convinced the crew to stop at the first sign that said "brew" on it, which is how we all discovered (and loved) Trout River Brewing, then up in Lyndonville. Another time, half the Earth's orbit away on a sweltering evening before a show at the Bowery Ballroom, a little A-shaped chalkboard got us to check our stride with the words "Cheap Drinks," and an arrow pointing down stairs revealed by open steel doors in the sidewalk. The cellar bar was a riot of antique lamps, taxidermy, and, well, us after several of the promised drinks - some of which they even asked us to pay for.

The point is: places found when I've been lost or without particular plans have been some of the bookmarked highlights of my adult life, and RAWA in New Haven is one.


A Guide to Catering The Jewish Holidays

Features Catering Caterers Jewish Holidays Holiday Catering Guide Homepage

April Guilbault

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are going to be here before you know it, and if you have been a little caught off guard while you wrap up your summer and get those kiddies off to school, we’ve got your back. And your Brisket. And your Matzoh Ball soup. This delicious listing includes delis and caterers who are serving up scrumptious dinners, plenty of a la carte options, and even staffing for your holiday get-together. Shanah Tovah!


Arugula Bistro in West Hartford Celebrates 25 Years with A New Look

Restaurant Hartford County West Hartford Mediterranean Middle Eastern Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

Have you strolled down Farmington Avenue lately? West Hartford is BAAAACK! And, Arugula Bistro is now all dressed up and ready to party. The colorful block mural and beautiful lavender plants along the front of the restaurant are just two visual signs that Arugula is awaiting your arrival. Back open this summer after some much needed reno, your spirit and belly will be delighted by the changes. Like many restaurants, some time closed during the pandemic was spent fixing to-do list projects. What went from much needed new flooring to some equipment and furniture overhauls, became the redo Chef Christiane Gehami and Chef Michael Kask had always wanted it to be. The pair have run Arugula together for twenty-five years and they’ve worked hard to evolve; behind them, in long-time starring roles on the team are also Steve Reynolds and Shari Warbelow.