Green & Tonic has announced a collaboration with fitness icon and celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser. The founder of Anna Kaiser Studios who’s known for her revolutionary dance-inspired fitness method, Anna is deepening her Fairfield County roots with the launch of the Anna Kaiser Blue Moves Smoothie—available beginning January 15 at all Green & Tonic locations.
The first 100 customers to purchase the smoothie will get a free week of access to Space With Anna Kaiser, a new app featuring workouts, guided stretches, podcast episodes, and healthy recipes. Green & Tonic will also launch a giveaway where one lucky winner will get a year of access to the Space With Anna Kaiser app and a month of G&T workout meal boxes. Follow G&T on Instagram for updates and more at @greenandtonic
We’ve all walked into rooms that hum with energy. That special kind of vibrancy you can feel in the air, or in the spirit that pours from the people in your midst. In my recent travels, this inspiring energy was felt within the space that is Zesto Market & Juicery in Newtown.
Zesto Market & Juicery is, with its colorful logo and window art, a small establishment that one could easily pass in their daily rounds as it sits on a fairly busy street. I, myself, whizzed by it on my first trip there. However, one should take note of this establishment because it is dishing out huge helpings of good vibes in the form of healthful food and wellness knowledge. Great vibes, actually. These folks are buzzing with enthusiasm about eating clean, nourishing food and they are excited to share it with the community.
When I visited Fryborg in 2023 for a follow up article on its new Trumbull location and expanded menu, owner Johnathan Gibbons tossed me a tidbit that I teased at the end of that piece about a weekend morning pop up featuring something sweet.
Well, well, well, if it isn’t 2024, the dreaded new year. From the Halloween candy and Thanksgiving pies, to the Christmas cookies and unlimited New Year’s bubbly, I think it’s safe to say we are ready to start anew (I will also be buying a new scale because mine is clearly broken). Now it’s time for us to follow through with those dreaded resolutions. Whether you want to eat better, drink less alcohol, consume more sustainable foods, or treat the mind and spirit, this should be your go-to list. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of committing to goals that are almost impossible to stick with. However, with this caliber of options listed below, there is no goal that cannot be accomplished, and that is coming from me, a true pessimist. Let’s march into February excited about how far we have come with our resolutions, because being healthy does not mean forfeiting fun and creativity. C’mon now, say it with me!
Here are 45 spots for HEALTHY EATING and wellness in Connecticut.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Danbury Connecticut has been on a donut driven sugar rush ever since Grounds Donut House has arrived. With completely unique flavors like Arnold Palmer Iced Tea, Orange Milano & Chips Ahoy, there is no doubt that you will leave the donut haven with smile on your face and a yearning for more. We are also excited about their new…wait for it… Ice Cream Injected Donuts available for in store purchase only.
Located off of the Lake Avenue Exit, Grounds Donut House serves donut lovers creative donuts, premium coffee, over-the-top coffee drinks, and for the 21+ crowd, alcoholic beverages featuring local brewers with donut-y friendly flavor profiles. Grounds keeps their menu pretty consistent, as they have their everyday classics, but they also rotate new donuts in to allow their customers to try new flavors each time they come into the donut house.
Picture this: you're at the beach tanning when all of a sudden you hear that dreaded sound of your stomach rumbling. But you aren’t in the mood for the classic hot dog or chicken tenders that are usually served at a beach. You want something a little more gourmet, like a lobster roll or a farm-fresh salad. Have no fear! Hook’d on the Sound can provide you just that and is located only a few feet away from your towel.
It’s always exciting to hear about a new concept opening from one of your favorite CT chefs, but it is even more exciting when that chef partners with a groundbreaking philanthropic organization on a mission to educate young adults and celebrate local artists while creating a free destination for fine art and music in the city of Norwalk.
Chef Bill Taibe and his team (Andrea Dinan, Caitlin McGowan and Kelly Clement) have officially opened the doors to their brand new Art Space Cafe,located inside the breathtakingly beautiful Norwalk Art Space. The Cafe will be open for breakfast and lunch, 9am-4pm, just steps away from Norwalk’s Waypointe and downtown SoNo. The Art Space Cafe is an order-at-the-counter, casual affair, and will likely become a go-to spot for breakfast meetings, grabbing a quick latte, or a lunch hang in the serene sundrenched dining space.
I might have simply walked in, but I had a bounce in my step as I left.
See, you never quite know what you are going to encounter at a self-proclaimed “healthy” eatery, as healthy can be interpreted pretty darned broadly and with some questionable interpretations, let’s be honest. It’s therefore wildly refreshing when you find a place that has their mission clearly defined and they take all the way to the finish line, with no stalls or excuses along the way. From their cheeky website to the very bubbly staff member, Tara, at the register (who, coincidentally, in her mask, bears a startling resemblance to Twyla from Schitt’s Creek-and yes, she’s just as friendly, sweet and sparkly), there is a palpable energy to Barvida.
If the buzz around KFC’s 2020 rollout of their fried chicken and donut sandwich says anything about our appetite for this decadently delicious combo, I’d say with great certainty that the new Citizen Chicken & Donuts, opening today in West Hartford, has some serious legs. From the folks who brought you Hartford Baking Company, Citizen Chicken & Donuts has made a smart addition to the team, a chef who knows things about Southern cooking, and definitely knows his fried chicken. Texas born, Chef Van Hurd, of Sayulita’s, Taino Smokehouse, and Riverhouse Catering, will be at the helm alongside Hartford Baking Company founder, Scott Kluger, who will handle the carb-ier side of Citizen’s menu, including the donuts, brioche sandwich breads, cronuts and other goodies. Kluger says “Fried chicken is not our background or culture so it’s nice to have somebody from that world to bring real authenticity to the menu.” It’s really the perfect pairing, and you can find this comfort food mecca at Hartford Baking Company’s original location on New Park Avenue in West Hartford.
Want some great espresso, specialty iced tea, frozen drinks? How about acai, pitaya, matcha or spirulina bowls alongside killer bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, basmati rice bowls, gluten free, vegan dishes, and mouthwatering desserts? The Westchester favorite, Bobo’s Cafe has crossed the border, and is opening in Connecticut…Ridgefield to be exact. According to their Facebook page, doors open today at 32 Danbury Road.
After completing their domination of Northern Westchester, owner Craig Bernardi said, “We look for communities that allow us the opportunity to really get to know people in town.”
Organic Krush, with locations across Long Island, the Hamptons and Virginia, has just opened in Westport at 374 Post Road E.Organic Krush is a fast casual restaurant featuring healthy, organic menu, but cooked, juiced, and baked with a lot more love than your might expect from the average grab-n-go spot. The entire menu features ingredients that are 100% certified organic and free of GMOs, hormones, pesticides and really…fake anything. Diners seeking gluten-free, vegan or paleo options will be happy to discover that most of Organic Krush’s extensive menu works for them, and they can accommodate most dietary needs or restrictions. Organic Krush’s motto is “Eat Happy, Spread Love,” and although this is the seventh location for Co-Founders Michelle Walrath & Fran Paniccia, when I walked in just a few days before they opened their doors, the love and attention to every detail was clearly visible. From employee training and safety protocols to the consistency of the dishes coming out of the kitchen, Organic Krush made a strong debut. Open for three meals a day, from breakfast through dinner pick up at 8PM, I have a strong hunch that this will be a go-to spot for many in the Westport area who aren’t feeling like cooking but are seeking a healthy and tasty meal for their family.
The newest addition to the healthier eating scene in downtown Westport is GG & Joe, a cafe specializing in “Acai, Coffee and Toast”. Located in the former Talbots Kids space, this new space is light, bright, and airy, with cafe-style seating indoors as well as a lovely outdoor patio area.
Acai (pronouced “ah-sigh-ee”)—What is it? It’s a purply-red fruit from the Acai Palm tree, which is found in Central and South America. It has earned its buzz due to high levels of antioxidants in the pulp, its fiber content, heart-healthy fats (believe it or not), and calcium, all of which combine to leave many berries, including blueberries and cranberries back in the berry basket. At GG & Joe, acai berry puree forms the foundation of many a colorful, fruit-filled bowl.
When Catch A Healthy Habit opened its doors 10 years ago, this raw, vegan, gluten-free cafe was one of the first of its kind in CT, and certainly the first in Fairfield County. Owners Lisa Storch (yes, she is related to Matt Storch)and Glen Colello did a wonderful job creating an extensive healthy and delicious menu of items you can’t believe taste so darn good given everything that’s NOT included in the ingredients list. Storch, is a CIA trained chef and has always made everything from scratch, including their almond milk, cashew cheese, and coconut whipped cream (which is divine). They have also managed to source the single best gluten-free bread I’ve found in the fine state of CT. And now they’re 10 years old! To celebrate they will giving all their loyal guests 10% off everything in the store (including their juice cleanses) on Nov 30th, Small Business Day.
West Hartford, Connecticut is about to get a bowl full of sunshine with the opening of PLAYA BOWLS in Blue Back Square this November. Serving up bowls and smoothies made from açaí, pitaya, coconut, greens, chia, banana, and oatmeal, Playa Bowls uses the freshest high-quality ingredients, with sustainability and community in mind.
Furthermore, on Opening Day (exact date and time to be announced in the coming weeks on instagram at @playabowlsweha), the first 50 people in line will get a FREE bowl or smoothie of their choice!
Donut Crazy is happy to announce the opening of its newest location in West Hartford today. The store, located at 993 Farmington Avenue, offers all of Donut Crazy’s food and beverage items.
For those uninitiated into Donut Crazy’s world of over-the-top sugary doughnut confections, this location feels like a giant step forward both in selection and ambiance. All of their baked goods are made in-house in a Donut Crazy Kitchen by an overnight team of bakers. In West Hartford, Donut Crazy will offer its typical selection of “Dailies” and “Crazies.”
