Downtown Westport’s newest restaurant, Sushi Jin, has quickly become a hotspot. Located by the parking lot on Elm Street (across from Serena & Lily), Sushi Jin offers an expansive menu with authentic Japanese fare. The food is delicious and the decor is upscale, but the overall atmosphere is inviting. The space is long and narrow with options to sit at a standard table, an intimate booth, the bar, or sushi counter. Regardless of where you dine, you’ll immediately notice all of the decor details; the walls are lined with intricate wooden patterns, a Japanese technique called Kumiko, and the wood details are carried all the way to the ceilings.
The restaurant is run by a husband and wife duo, whom you’ll most likely spot while dining there —though they’re both very shy, so there’s a good chance they won’t introduce themselves as the owners. Their love story started around 20 years ago while they were both working at a restaurant in Flushing; he was in the kitchen and she was a server. As they were building out Sushi Jin, owner He Chen, kept a big surprise from his wife for several months: he named the restaurant “Jin” after her. Currently, the pair lives in Queens with plans to relocate closer soon.
After months of not-so-patiently waiting, the day is almost here. Tomorrow, Jeff Taibe and Steph Sweeney, co-owners of Taproot, are officially opening the doors to their new restaurant Bar Bushido, a traditional Japanese izakaya. While the restaurant is new, the idea isn’t; Taibe actually has been working on the concept for Bar Bushido for over five years. The name originates from Taproot’s former pop-up series, called “Bushido,” that took place prior to COVID. Taibe introduced the one-Sunday-per-month experience as a way to fuel his passion for Japanese cooking, something he missed dearly from his days at Kawa Ni in Westport. Bar Bushido has been years in the making, but it wasn’t until the 51 Wall Street space opened up, that it became a reality.
What are you doing on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.? If you’re tuned into the Japanese cuisine scene in New Haven, we know where we’ll find you: Standing in line to be one of the first to experience The Loop, a brand-new marketplace, food court, and kitchen by the enlightened crew that brought us Hashiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar, and Hachiroku Handroll Bar & Tapas. CT Bites was lucky enough to get a private preview, and we’re here to tell you: The Loop is about to revolutionize the way we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
To catch you up: Yuta Kamori was a stranger to New Haven when he opened the first Hachiroku on Orange Street in 2022. But soon, very soon – in spite of not even a sign out front -- he had a passionate fan base and, much to his surprise, an outpouring of support from local chefs and restaurateurs. “I walked in cold,” he recalls, but found “good people here – people who spread the word.” By 2023 he had premiered the second Hachiroku, a spare, elegant sushi bar on State Street, which opened to great acclaim and which, like his first place, quickly became a statewide favorite.
Nestled among the charming mom-and-pop shops on Sound Beach Avenue in sleepy Old Greenwich, Sushi Bar is turning out some of the highest quality sushi we’ve tried in Connecticut. Two years ago, Chef Rio Yonathan quietly opened his restaurant and changed the Fairfield County sushi scene for the better. Using ultra-premium ingredients from near and far, such as Montauk whitefish and fresh wasabi from Shizuoka prefecture in Japan, Yonathan puts immense effort into fabricating almost everything from scratch. Luckily for us, the fruits of his labor have created an epicurean destination with the accessibility and family-friendliness of a neighborhood haunt.
Yonathan’s story is nothing short of inspiring: 20 years ago, after immigrating from Indonesia, he worked as a busser to fund English classes in New York City with his sights set on a law degree. Observing sushi chefs in their element, he fell in love with the cuisine and changed course, shadowing them on his own time for two years before he was allowed to touch a piece of fish “the old school way.” After attending culinary school, he cooked at Aquavit and Morimoto and then landed a job as head sushi chef at foodservice giant Compass Group. During Covid, he found himself working at a Japanese restaurant in Greenwich and was inspired to open Sushi Bar down the road.
You’ll have to drive a little ways to find some of the best sushi in Connecticut. This one isn’t in any of the tony coastal towns. Incredibly you will find it in a small strip of storefronts in Brookfield. There might not be much to do in this sleepy little town, but there is some damned good sushi to be had.
You’ve likely never heard of Amai Sushi, we hadn’t. We were tipped off by CTBites friend Chef Jeff Taibe (Taproot Restaurant) who’s quite familiar with the area. When a chef tells us they’ve eaten somewhere really good, we’re all ears, especially when it’s someplace no one seems to have heard of. So last week we took a little road trip.
In Japan, the best sushi is often found in unexpected places: on the 7th floor of an office building, for example, or, famously, in an underground hallway leading to a subway station. Who would think the same could be said for Connecticut, where one of the state’s most outstanding omakases is located beneath an overpass connecting to New Haven’s Temple Street Garage?
Otaru Sushi Bar, which Chef Sunny Cheng and his wife Kathy opened in 2018, is serving up some of the most sophisticated yet playful bites of sushi on the Eastern Seaboard, without a hint of the austere service that marks many sushi restaurants of a similar caliber across the Pacific. Rather, Sunny employs a diner-first attitude in his joyful omakase, featuring a diverse symphony of flavors, textures, and, of course, top-quality fish. When we requested no squid or abalone in our omakase, he immediately understood: “no chewy, no problem.” And when neighboring diners inquired about the fish that created the glistening bites in front of them, Sunny whipped out a dog-eared sushi guidebook to provide an informative visual reference while narrating his take.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Yuki’s Kitchen, a charming Korean, Japanese and Chinese culinary haven that left me utterly impressed and thoroughly satisfied. From the moment I stepped in to this primarily take-out spot, the quaint friendly ambiance and attentive service set the stage for a memorable gastronomic experience. Ken and Yuki Piao, a husband and wife team, have been in the Fairfield/Westport area for more than +10 years and decided in November of 2022 to open a lovely tiny haven of authentically excellent Asian food. We also had the pleasure of enjoying some special dishes prepared by Yuki’s mother visiting from Korea for 2 months.
Ice cream on a hot day. Ice cream on a rainy day. Ice cream for dinner or to delight a toddler. Ice cream just because. It’s summer and all of these reasons are 100% legit. Hell, any time of the year they are, right? Connecticut currently ranks #15 in the US for the most ice cream consumed (zippia.com) nationally. However, NY, NJ, VT, and RI eat more…guess this list is just what we need to show them what us Nutmeggers are made of. Or at least, what we enjoy on a hot summer afternoon. Grab a cone, enjoy the drips, and have a summer piled high with the creamy, dreamy stuff. One more thing: for your ease of finding these sweet establishments, we have broken the list down by counties in CT!
Warmer weather has finally arrived, meaning it is time to head outside and enjoy the many waterfront restaurants and bars the state of Connecticut offers. Whether you are craving a tasty seafood dinner or a refreshing cocktail, the state is filled with excellent restaurants with top-notch views of the water. Simply put, nothing says “summer” like waterfront dining, which is why we are back this year with a comprehensive guide to read through and decide where to grab lunch or dinner.
For your convenience, we have broken the guide up into counties so you can easily find exactly what you are looking for, whether you want to dine somewhere local or try someplace new! And keep in mind, we are not just talking about Long Island Sound – Connecticut has several riverfront restaurants as well with equally beautiful views and delicious food, so we have those included here as well.
Fans ofHachiroku Shokudo & Sake bar, which quietly opened in New Haven 2022, will be excited to hear that this team has expanded their portfolio of outstanding Japanese eateries with a NEW restaurant in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven. The new spot is called Hachiroku Handroll Bar & Tapas, and much like the original, you will not find a sign outside….ya just have to know. Hachiroku Handroll Bar features a few highlights from Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake bar, but while the OG delivers a traditional izakaya menu with a few uber-fresh cuts of sushi, the new spot leans in on expertly executed, positively mouthwatering handrolls. And make no mistake, while the flavor profiles you will find here are not strictly “traditional,” the dining room looks and feels like a traditional sushi bar. With roughly 16 seats highlighting the artists/ sushi chefs in the center, dining here exudes the austere reverence that these handrolls deserve.
To celebrate Black History Month 2023, we have updated our guide to black owned restaurants across the state of Connecticut. If you see a place that is missing, please let us know. Big ups and thanks to Molly Alexander for compiling an excellent start to this list with her Google Map posted to Eat in CT. Get out there and support these restaurants.
We did our best to compile a comprehensive list, but if you know of a spot we missed, please contact us here.
One fish, two fish, red fish…lobster. And seafood in all its forms. Oh yeah, baby! Get the bibs, the frosty beers and get crackin’, shuckin’ and lovin’. Nothing signals the start of summer quite like eating by the water while the sunshine sparkles on the waves. Picture, if you will, your teeth sinking into a lobster roll dripping with drawn butter, or wistfully dragging fresh steamers through (more) butter or popping hot-out-the-fryer clam strips and fritters into your mouth. Whether dining on land or by sea, seafood rules the roost this season. These simple summer pleasures make time stand still for a few blissful moments. Summer is here, and food is easy.
Enjoy our guide to over 40 summertime—or anytime—spots to get buttery lobster, chow down at a clambake, and sit and eat at a seafood shack!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and with it comes plenty of wonderful eats! For your Christmas celebrating on the day or the eve, restaurants and caterers in all corners of the state have lovingly assembled delicious menus, kits and take out packages for you and your family. What a gift-spending time together, enjoying a beautiful meal and not being holed up in the kitchen. Wishing you all a very merry and delicious holiday!
Here are 50+ restaurants and caterers for your Christmas festivities.
Sometimes where you live is just where you sleep. Maybe the area has a bit of feel, or maybe some real estate conglomerate slapped it together like processed-cheese-food, named it The Crossing At The Shops At The Superfund Site, and well, at least the commute is short and everyone can understand the urge to show I-95 your personal taillights.
In Connecticut’s old – let's be kind and call them historic – cities, there are still to be found that most nostalgic living situation: The Actual Neighborhood. New Haven’s East Rock is one of the latter, and lately, what’s old is new again.
East Rock Market opened this November in a space which rubs shoulders with East Rock Brewing Company, and close enough to the in-building gym to borrow a neighborly cup of protein powder. By Thanksgiving of 2021, the Market’s large, bright space housed five concepts: RAW Bowls & Juice, Panciale pasta and pizza, Nicoll Street Gelato, Rick’s Bar, and Rockfish sushi. Developer Rishi Narang has named the former WWI-era Marlin Arms factory East Rock Center, and market, brewery, and gym are all contained within the massive footprint in a sort of indulgence/repentance love triangle.
With Winter upon us, and CT residents itching for some warmth and sun, we asked our sister site MIABites.com for a little dining advice for all those heading to Florida this season. Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami, Miami Beach, Wynwood and the Design District.
Obviously, all of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuya at the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and Pizza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION, the relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal. But if you’d like to dig deeper into the Mimi food scene, check out our guide by category…
Bring on the good food, the gratitude, and the tablecloth you use once a year-Thanksgiving is here! This holiday, thankfully, will be more about in-person celebrating than seeing how many Zoom family chats we can schedule between the appetizer course and the dessert course. Man, doesn’t it feel good to greet a holiday with thoughts of “looking forward to this!” rather than “how the heck are we going to do this?”. To that end, one of your biggest challenges this month will be which of these wonderful establishments to order your food from and you will win no matter who you choose. From turkeys and pies you can bake yourself so they are bubbly warm when you serve them, to vegan and gluten-free options and dine-in options across the state, bellies will be full and happy. You can even send a meal to a loved one or donate one to spread the love. Oh, and make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the list, where you will find places to order fresh turkeys. Eat up, celebrate well. Psst-We’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you that we are grateful for our fabulous readers. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
September 29th is National Coffee Day. Coffee addicts unite. Or those who just love a good cup o’ joe, stand up. Love learning about coffee and trying new varieties? Raise your hand (or mugs). Coffee is here! Connecticut is happily strewn North to South, East to West with roasters, cafes and lots of folks who know a whole lot about these little beans that captivate our attention. There are roasters who have subscription services, cafes with drink lists a mile long and honestly, many happy and caffeinated faces to go with each. You could spend all of next year jumping around the state and trying each one of these…hey, why not start now? And psst-if we have missed any places you love, please let us know in the comments section!
The team that brought you the uber popular Grammies Donuts + Biscuits is back with another crave-worthy ghost kitchen concept, Little Dumpling House. For those unfamiliar with the notion of a “ghost kitchen,” it simply means there is no dining space. Guests can order online and either get their meals delivered or picked up. In this case, it’s Asian to-go.
Little Dumpling House is the brainchild of owners, Charlie Gilhuly and Molly Healey, but their Asian inspired playlist is all Healey’s handiwork. The menu at Little Dumpling is small but very well executed, and also quite nicely priced. Healey wanted to create healthy clean flavorful Asian cuisine with something for everyone (including the kids), and they have delivered on that promise.
If there is one thing that makes us long for summer all year long it is the ability to eat, play, explore, even sleep and just “be” outside. That carefree feeling of stepping outdoors without the boots and the hats and the puffy coats. Grab your flip-flops, maybe a bit of sunscreen and off we go! Ah, the carefreeness of it! And eating outside? How can it be that a bit of sun and air will elevate even the simplest food? A hot dog never tastes better around a campfire or at a ballgame. A bag of chips at the beach with a sandwich? Perfection. So, to that end, we have compiled a list of GREAT WATERFRONT DINING spots-some of which have indoor dining with fabulous views and many perch you outside on beautiful, expansive decks or docks to enjoy their dishes. If a simple hot dog tastes great outside, these venues will have you giddy.
