Would the New Year transition be complete without some kind of purging and rearranging (um, no)? After the cookies and cocktails of the holiday season, vibrant fruit and vegetable juices and some super-duper, feel good cleanses might just be the reset that your bod is craving. Just think of it like a Home Edit for your, well, ultimate *home*. Feel free to label and color coordinate all you please.
Enjoy our ultimate Guide to Juice Bars in Connecticut.
It’s that time of year, when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks, and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. 2022 saw an explosion of restaurateurs and chefs entering the Connecticut culinary scene, and the CTBites team, alongside some special guest reviewers below, did our best to eat it all. There were some clear standouts, restaurants that you’ll find repeated in the “top eats” lists below, and some more hidden gems you should add to your dining dance card.
In 2022 restaurants continued to struggle with both labor and supply shortages, and yet, chefs continued to innovate, creating memorable dishes, and sharing their love for cooking with Connecticut diners. It is critical that in 2023 we continue to support our favorite restaurants, chefs, bartenders, and front of house staff, who work so hard to bring you a unique and tasty experience. Be kind when you dine. And with that in mind, here are CTbites’ TOP EATS 2022.
Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere. Isn’t autumn divine?! And how crazy that we all get so excited about, well, a gourd. Life is funny but it’s that time of year to embrace the crazy and roll with the pumpkins. From fancy-schmancy drinks to sumptuous desserts, handmade raviolis, cakes and sweets, pumpkin has hit everything that stands still. Get on the haywagon, it’s a good one!
Here are 30+ spots to savor pumpkin season in EVERY WAY possible.
September 29th is National Coffee Day. If this listing was a coffee cup it would be a mega-super-duper-de-booper-trente. To make the (brewing) process easier for you to discover fabulous-and sometimes hidden- java joints to caffeinate or simply enjoy the velvety and multi-faced notes of a fine cup of’ Joe, we have divided this list by county. Enjoy the thrill of a new favorite spot or re-visit an old favorite.The slow pour has already begun as you read this…
Enjoy our guide to the best places to get coffee in the state of Connecticut.
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!
Tired of cooking? Or maybe you love to cook but just can’t face the stove one…more…night. There are a million reasons why help is sometimes needed in the kitchen: a dear friend had a baby and hasn’t slept in 3 weeks, a neighbor is sick, your parents are getting older and you want to make sure they eat well, you’ve been away on vacation and would love to have some meals for when you return, or, well, you’re just plain sick of cooking (as we mentioned). It is vacation time, after all. Whether you need prepared meals for someone special or just to supplement your own cooking and streamline life a bit, there are plenty of options that make it easy. And delish! That’s precisely why we are highlighting these eight fantastic services. Some cater to dietary needs, some focus on local or organic ingredients, and all offer many tasty options to satisfy.
Here are 8 home meal delivery services we have enjoyed in Connecticut.
For the giant purses stuffed with everything from snacks to bandaids, hair ties and toys, for the endless wiping of stuffy noses, the endless chauffeuring, the thoughtful advice on just about everything, the laughs and giggles and fun, the ever-listening ear, the big, enveloping hugs just when they were needed, the bowls of soup when you didn’t feel well, the shoulder to cry on, the craft projects during school vacations that killed some time and made a mess, the puddle-jumping on rainy days, the shivering on cold benches during long lacrosse games, the cheerleading from your biggest fan, the notes of encouragement in college care-packages filled with all your favorite things and…for all the things yet to come.
We love you, Moms, in all of your many, wonderful forms.
We are officially into winter and, in addition to the regular flus and colds, all that other “stuff” is still swirling around. Behold, a listing of establishments where you can grab healthy eats, products, and even some classes that will boost your immunity and overall health in an attempt to steel you against whatever might endeavor to chase you. From the humble elderberry and cup of tea to stores that stock all manner of healthy living goods and purveyors specializing in quality goods for your wellness, we want to help you stack the deck in your favor this season.
Here are 35+ Spots for Healthy Eats & Wellness: Markets, Apothecaries, Nutritionists, Spice Shops, Juice, Teas and More!
It’s that time of year, when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks, and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. In 2021, much like the year prior, food was critical to our collective covid endurance. Connecticut restaurants struggled with both labor and supply shortages, and yet, chefs continued to create memorable and beautiful dishes that gave diners something to look forward to and savor. Bravo to the CT culinary scene for making it through another challenging year, and to you, the diners, who supported this industry.
Here we go again, roaring into the 20s, this time #22! To celebrate this flip of the calendar, whether you choose to dine out or partake in a delicious and fun takeout with friends or family, there are a myriad of delicious menus and restaurant events that await you as we kiss goodbye one year and welcome another. Raise that glass, belt out Auld Lang Syne, hope for the best, and support our favorite restaurants while we do! Happy 2022, everyone. May we all have a happy, healthy, and delicious New Year (fingers crossed).
Long before the term ghost kitchen became part of our vernacular, Jonathan Brennan was busy building his in the heart of Stamford. Today his virtual food hall features six farm to table kitchens under one roof, is bustling and has plans for expansion in the very near future. Each kitchen features a unique menu with a different flavor profile to accommodate a wide range of different tastes and lifestyles with a focus on heath and sustainability. While Flavorism could be touted as a Ghost Kitchen, it’s really so much more. It’s a focus on sustainability, the elimination of excess waste, serving the local communities and hiring local talents.
I’ve got to be honest. I really don’t like to cook. I LOVE to eat, but like many parents, the daily dinner drama is, well, just that…a ground hogs day “oh lord not again” situation. For this reason, I have spent a good deal of time, sampling and reviewing the local meal delivery services/caterers who can provide me with a dinner experience that feels “home cooked” but only involves my heating things up in and around my oven. #lazyandlovingit
One might think that identifying this type of local ‘heat & eat’ meal delivery service would be an easy task, but the requirements involved in successfully prepping large quantities of food that fares well in transit, and then is to be re-heated by an “at home cook,” is trickier than you might think. Meal prep like this requires determining the proper balance of par-cooking dishes, heating instructions for dummies, and developing meal plans that work for any and all family dynamics.
Ok folks, LET’S GET ROLLIN’! Summer is here and it’s looking like it might be a helluva lot better than the last one. Halle-freakin-lujah! Events? Parties? Going out to eat in public? Could it be? Let’s refresh our memories and gild them with bites of pure deliciousness. Saunter up to these ever-popular trucks when you are out and about or have one roll right into your own yard or venue! Let’s spin into a new, sunny summer with a drink in hand, tasty food on our plates, and friends by our side (after we’ve given them a big hug)!
Is there anything more perfect than hosting a dinner party for 6-8 people, where the meal is delivered to your doorstep, arrives in a single pre-made pot, and you don’t have to do ANY of the work? I think not. It is for this reason that I sing ALL the praises for THE FOOD CRATE’s customizable ATLANTIC STEAMPOT. This quintessential New England seafood experience comes ready to cook in its own container, complete with Snow Crab, Peeled White Shrimp, Atlantic Clams, Mussels, Smoked Sausage (optional), Potatoes and Corn….and the best part is…everything has been done for you. This dinner party in a box arrives perfectly layered. No muss. No fuss, All you need to do is pour wine or beer and cook as per the directions on the label. Bonus: Want more yum? Add up to 2.5LBS of mixed King Crab, Lobster, Shrimp and more Snow Crab a la carte and invite a few more guests.
BONUS!! CTbites Readers Get 10% OFF with Code FC10
Olmo, established as New Haven’s first bagelry at 93 Whitney Avenue, has launched its Olmo@Home ready-to-eat meal subscription service, offering customers the option to receive their choice of weekly or on-demand prepared meals for pick-up or delivery. The service, which offers dinner and breakfast options for two, as well as beer, wine and grocery add-ons, offers flexibility and control over the menu, number of meals per week and more.
The seasonal menu is available on a weekly basis with one rotating, weekly special. Beer and Wine pairings and a la carte options are also available, as well as grocery provision add-ons including Torres potato chips, mixed marinated olives, Grady’s Cold Brew coffee, Swords into Plowshares Honey, Ortiz Tuna and more.
Chefs realized a long time ago that “farm to table” was more than a phrase, it was a healthier way to eat, tasted better and improved the diversity of local economies by helping make farming economically viable. In addition, this growing trend has another major benefit, increasing access to a wide range of different food options across our community.
We, in Connecticut, are incredibly lucky with access to a large and growing number of farms and farmers’ markets, but sometimes a visit to that local farm stand during its business hours is difficult. For people who are not members of a CSA (community supported agriculture) program and would still like to incorporate ultra-fresh products into their everyday lives, CT based Berkshires Direct now gives customers greater access to the resources of farm-fresh products delivered to your home. They are based in Connecticut and currently making deliveries in Connecticut and NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens).
CTBites Readers USE CODE CTFriends10 for 10% off your first order!
Instead of the usual sports equipment, players, and fans, Super Bowl 55 will also be brimming with masks, wipes, sanitizers and safety cards this year. The stadium will be 1/3 full and sitting next to those real folks will be cardboard cutouts of more “fans”. Where is Flat Stanley when we need him? We can only hope a flat Bernie will be somewhere in that crowd. Pandemic aside, one bit of equipment for *any* Super Bowl remains the same: food. And lots of it. Crammed in a stadium or at home with just your pod, food reigns supreme on Super Bowl Sunday and Connecticut eateries and caterers are offering great packages for you (and Bernie. And Stanley). So eat up, cheer loud, and thank the heavens above that there are only cardboard cutouts of fans, not food!
Here are 45+ Restaurants, Sports Bars, and Caterers for Super Bowl 2021.
Ok, let’s face it…2020 was no bueno, and the restaurant industry was one of the hardest hit. In an effort to normalize a year where nothing feels normal, we leaned heavily on America’s favorite past time…eating. Whether we comforted ourselves with homemade bagels or ordered takeout to support our local restaurants, food was critical to our collective covid endurance.
While we would all like 2020 to dissolve into the depths of history, and never look back, it is that time of year when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. In the spirit of 2020 and the restaurant community that came together to support one another, we have added something special for you this year. We invited a few friends from the Connecticut blogging and social media scene to join in our Top Eats roundup. Start drooling and take notes.
Chef Geoff Lazlo has been cooking delicious locally sourced, elevated comfort food for years in Fairfield County. CT diners will remember him from Bill Taibe’s The Whelk in Westport, and most recently from the very popular Mill Street in Greenwich, but he also spent time at both Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill Stone Barns. When I got on the phone with Lazlo last week to discuss his new chef driven gourmet food delivery service, I had to laugh when I asked “what’s going on chef?,” and he replied with “honestly I don’t even know anymore.” Restaurants and chefs across the state have had to be nimble and do some pivoting to stay relevant in the current pandemic economy, and Lazlo is no exception. “I’m always figuring out the next thing to do, and I’m always thinking about moving forward,” says Lazlo. That forward motion propelled him to launch Geoff Lazlo Food, serving Fairfield and Westchester Counties, and giving food-lovers the opportunity to enjoy hand-cooked meals in the comfort of their own homes.
CT based startup, THE FOOD CRATE has launched in the tri-state area (and just beyond) with overnight delivery of chef-sourced specialty and high end prepared foods to residents of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Why is this food delivery service different from all others? After eating my way through several of these fully loaded crates, enjoying everything from gluten-free chicken meatballs and marinated shrimp kabobs to Hawaiian Baby Back Ribs, a Lobster Pot for 8 and restaurant quality crab cakes, I can report with great certainty that The Food Crate is a delivery service that relieves the pressure of the dreaded nightly “what’s for dinner” conundrum, and will surely be on repeat order in my home. (Also thru Aug 31st CTbites readers get 15% OFF with Code: CTB15)
