Filtering by Tag: Breakfast Sandwich,Darien

Ridgefield Bagels and Bakes: NEW Destination for Sourdough Bagels in Ridgefield

Restaurant Breakfast Breakfast Sandwich Bagels Bakery Bread Shop Opening Ridgefield Homepage

Hannah Goodman

I love bagels. I love anything that has to do with bagels, whether it’s simply a toasted plain bagel with some butter or cream cheese (often I choose both – sue me), or a B.E.C. on a sesame bagel, or it’s an everything bagel stacked with the works, like scallion cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions, and capers, I am all in! If you are from the tri-state area, you know the importance of a solid bagel shop, as we take this stuff very seriously, because what the heck would we do without a hearty breakfast sandwich in the morning? As luck would have it, Ridgefield needed a new bagel shop to take the place of what had previously been Steve’s Bagels, and in November of 2023, the same location on Main Street became Ridgefield Bagels and Bakes. 


Chan Bake Shop Opens in Cromwell: Japanese Milk Bread, Asian Sandwiches+

Restaurant Bakery Japanese Asian Desserts Cromwell Opening Breakfast Breakfast Sandwich Lunch

Leeanne Griffin

At this new Cromwell bakery, guests are treated to flaky croissants, cinnamon rolls with thick, rich icing; giant chocolate chip cookies and sugar-dusted palmiers. But beyond the classic  French and American treats, the offerings spotlight tastes of Asia: jewel-toned ube and pandan custard tarts, an egg sandwich with Spam, garlic and soy sauce; a Korean galbi sandwich with crispy tempura onion rings.

The menu at From Chan Bake Shop is autobiographical for owner Chan Graham, who was born in Laos, emigrated to Texas as a young girl and earned a culinary arts degree at Johnson & Wales University, where she was classically trained in French cooking. She’s traveled the world, with a particular love of Paris and its renowned pastries. Now she’s channeling her culinary curiosity into her new venture.


The Tasty Yolk Opens 3rd Location in Branford: Ultimate Breakfast & Lunch Sandwiches

Restaurant Opening Breakfast Sandwich Breakfast Lunch Branford Sandwiches

Stephanie Webster

The uber popular Tasty Yolk has opened their third third location in Branford this week at 539 Main Street. For those not yet familiar with The Tasty Yolk experience, Chef Felitto (Food Network Chopped Champion), his wife Allison McHale, and partner, Michael Bertanza, have created the gold standard for to-go breakfast and lunch comfort food, primarily sandwiches and wraps (and then there is that loaded potato and the buttermilk pancakes with citrus mascarpone and crumbled bacon…drool). These are not just ANY Bacon, Egg & Cheese sammies.


Cucina Daniella: Authentic Italian Specialty Foods & Sandwich Shop Opens In Darien

Ingredients Restaurant Darien Italian Italian Deli Specialty Market Sandwiches Italian Sandwich Prepared Food Homepage

Katie Simons

Ever find yourself daydreaming about salty, oily tuscan bread with fresh prosciutto and earthy lettuce? Instead of booking that eight hour flight to Italy, the easier — yet equally tasty option — is located on Tokeneke Road in Darien. Cucina Daniella brings a mix of prepared Italian classics, fresh sandwiches on homemade bread and Italian-imported quality ingredients to Fairfield County. 

While the gourmet grocery store opened in January, the project has been a long time coming for Chef and Owner Daniella Palazzolo. Palazzolo grew up in a food-centered Italian home with a love for the food her family in Sicily made. After 30 years in corporate America, she began selling her favorite imported Italian products — namely olive oil — at local farmer’s markets in 2019. During the pandemic Palazzolo obtained her carterring license and began selling prepared foods like meatballs and homemade pasta sauces. After seeing her success on a small scale, she worked with a women’s business development team to apply for a loan for a physical storefront and expansion of her team.  


Birdcode, A CT-Based Hot Chicken Restaurant, Opens In Darien (via Darien Patch)

Features Restaurant Opening Fried Chicken Sandwich Fried Chicken Hot Chicken Lunch Darien

Richard Kaufman via The Patch

This Hot Chicken Sandwich News just in from Darien Patch…

Bird is definitely the word in Darien these days.

Birdcode, a new Connecticut-based hot chicken restaurant that offers up scratch-made chicken sandwiches, tenders, small chicken bites, southern sides and tasty desserts, opened a new location in Darien this week at 151 Post Road.

This represents the brand's second CT location, with the other being in West Hartford, and the first for the company to feature a convenient drive-thru.

Birdcode uses farm-fresh, 100 percent air-chilled, never frozen, steroid and antibiotic-free chicken that must meet certain specifications.

Guests can choose their heat level for chicken sandwiches, tenders or "Code Bites." Heat level options range from country, mild and medium, to hot and code breaker (eat at your own risk).

Read the complete article on Darien Patch.


Green & Tonic Announces Opening in Darien CT January 2nd

Restaurant Features Opening Darien Plant Based Health & Wellness Healthy Eats Smoothies Acai Bowl Sandwich Lunch Breakfast

CTbites Team

Green & Tonic is thrilled to announce the grand opening of their brand-new location in Darien! 

The plant-based  fast casual concept can't wait for you to step foot into their new fresh, vibrant space in the Corbin District and experience all the goodness they have to offer.

Grand opening day is on Tuesday January 2nd 2024. The excitement includes:

Free small lattes, free cold pressed juices and BOGO sales (on select juices) special giveaway entry w/ purchase to an epic prize (free year of G&T coffee!) and Free Kaia Yoga Class Passes for everyone who stops by on this special day ($20 value!)

Can't make it to opening day. No worries! Open 7 days a week: Dine in, Pick Up or Delivery is always available. Green & Tonic is a plant-based eatery serving delicious, good-for-you food and drinks! Think salads, warm bowls, seasonal soups, breakfast sandwiches, cold-pressed juices, smoothies & açaí bowls. They've recreated popular coffee chain drinks like the cookie butter latte and peppermint mocha latte to be made with no added sugar and no additives. 


Hartford Baking Company Announces New Location in South Windsor

Restaurant Opening Windsor South Windsor Bakery Breakfast breakf Breakfast Sandwich Lunch Dessert Tea And Coffee Espresso

CTbites Team

Hartford Baking Company announces a new location in South Windsor! It's expansion time! Again!  Hartford Baking Company is delighted to announce that they will be adding a fourth retail location in the Spring of 2024. The new cafe will be located at 150 Sullivan Ave in South Windsor CT, and will have the same vibe, menu, and bread selection of the two current West Hartford locations, plus an expanded menu and some other exciting new offerings.


30+ Spots for Great Bagels in Connecticut

Features Restaurant Bagels Breakfast Sandwich Breakfast Comfort Food carb Bread Shop Homepage

April Guilbault

Nicely sized and expertly formed, with a nice bit of pillowy fluff to its appearance. A firm golden crust that your teeth have to work a bit to pierce, which then leads you to the satisfying crunch and the doughy, chewiness inside. Choose a flavor, from the sweet to the savory to the quirky seasonal, finish with a generous schmeeeeeear (also in the above flavors) and enjoy one of the simple pleasures in life: a good bagel. 

Here are 30+ spots to score yourself some bagel-y goodness in Connecticut.


Restaurant L’Ostal Debuts New Bar-Only L’apero Menu

Features Interview Restaurant Darien Happy Hour Cocktails Burger French Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Evolution is part of the progression of any restaurant, even one as damn good as Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien.

Should you need a crash course in L’Ostal’s Provençal cuisine and on chef-owner and 2022 CRAZies “Chef of the Year” nominee, Jared Sippel, we covered all of that HERE a little more than a few years ago.


NYC Road Trip: Breakfast at Tiffany’s Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud

Restaurant Road Trip Breakfast Sandwich TEA New York City Lunch Celebrity Chef

ellen bowen

May and June in New York City are a special time. The long winter and the soggy April showers give way to sunny days and warmer temps. New York City is a walking city, and on a perfect Spring day, I donned my pearls and a “little black dress” and headed into the city for a visit to the newly reopened Tiffany & Co on Fifth Ave. to check out the Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud for my version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.


NYC's Fast Casual NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill Brings Middle Eastern Cuisine to Darien

Restaurant Darien Fast Casual Opening Middle Eastern

CTbites Team

In just a few short weeks, the Fairfield County dining scene will welcome NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill opens its doors on June 23rd in Darien, CT. Originating from the heart of New York City, NAYA has gained widespread acclaim for its Middle Eastern flavors. Renowned for drawing long lines during the bustling lunch hour in NYC, NAYA is now set to captivate the vibrant community of Darien, nestled within the lively Darien Commons at 146 Heights Road, Darien, CT 06820. With a commitment to delivering an unparalleled fast casual dining experience, perfected in the Big Apple, NAYA is poised to serve the Fairfield County community.


Seamore's, Sustainable Seafood Restaurant from NYC Opening in Darien June 9

Features Restaurant Opening Darien Sustainable Seafood Fish American Homepage

CTbites Team

Seamore's, the sustainable seafood restaurant group based in New York City, will expand into Connecticut with the launch of a location in Darien. Their mission is to make sustainable, local fish more accessible to everyone, with their entire menu featuring sustainably caught or farmed fish. Restaurateur Jay Wainwright has partnered with local chef Shannon Sturz to curate a menu that reflects local flavors and supports the local fisheries. Executive Chef Shannon Sturz, who grew up in the area, was previously Sous Chef at The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges. Seamore’s will make its debut at Darien Commons on Friday, June 9.


Meraki: Revisiting A Hidden Gem in Litchfield CT

Restaurant Litchfield Sandwiches Breakfast Sandwich Breakfast Lunch Burgers Homepage

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger

It is with GREAT pleasure that I re-introduce you to an old school CTbites writer who has recently moved back to the Nutmeg state (where he belongs). His name is Jeff Schlesinger, AKA “Jfood.” Welcome back!

As you travel through the rolling hills of Litchfield County, you are mesmerized by its beauty, the intertwining of scenic farms, silos and barns dating back hundreds of years nestled amongst wineries, with their vines reminding you of the connection to the land. Surrounding the bucolic town of Litchfield, the gastronomic options are staggering, from brilliant Italian, to farm-to-table dinners that will satisfy your wildest culinary desires to glorious ice cream. About a mile west of the Litchfield common sits a small, unassuming, side of the road, hidden gem, Meraki, serving some of the boldest combinations I have tasted in quite some time. 


Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal

Features Q & A Interview Celebrity Chef Awards Darien

Christopher Hodson

Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for 2022’s CRAZIES AWARDS “BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR” in this 5 part series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien, CT.


Flour Water Salt X Karla's Kreamery Bomboloni Ice Cream Sandwich Pop-Up Sept 24th

Features Events Dessert Ice Cream Doughnuts Darien Pop-Up

Stephanie Webster

Big news for doughnut ice cream sandwich lovers everywhere. On September 24th, starting at 11:30 AM (and I’d get there nice and early as these will sell out quickly), Karla Sorrentino of Karla’s Kreamery and Rob Vankeuren of Flour Water Salt Bread will come together for a few hours to create some cream sandwich magic. The uniquely delicious Flour Water Salt bomboloni (Italian style doughnut) will have a chance to get intimate with Chef Karla’s new micro batch ice cream. These are two “best in class” desserts so get excited.

This unique culinary opportunity will go down at Flour Water Salt located at 20 Grove Street in Darien. While the shop will hold normal hours that day, the ice cream sandwiches won’t get started until 11:30 AM. While both businesses generally take pre-orders, there will be no ordering in advance for this collaboration. Karla and Rob will be assembling sandwiches to order, and expect to simply wait in line for your sweet reward.


Más Tacos Por Favor! La Taqueria Expands to Darien

Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Margaritas Mexican Fast Casual Openings Darien Homepage

Andrew Dominick

A little more than two years ago, Dennis Lake opened his fast casual, but gourmet approach to a taqueria right at the top of Greenwich Avenue. Now he’s taken his homemade blue corn tortilla tacos, Mexican side dishes, and margaritas to Darien’s The Corbin District with a second location of La Taqueria.

But don’t call it a franchise. Maybe don’t even ask him if that’s the plan, even if it does lend extremely well to damn near every city and town. Instead, Lake would likely prefer you call it a well thought out expansion.