Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and restaurants across Connecticut are preparing countless turkeys and pumpkin pies to serve you and your family. Whether you’re preparing a meal at home or you’ve decided to visit your favorite local restaurant, there are tons of businesses that are hard at work to make sure your Thanksgiving is the most memorable one yet.
From roasting a whole turkey yourself to heat-and-serve meals to a fully-plated multi-course meal served at the table, you can find your level of Thanksgiving exertion among the restaurants in this roundup. Time is running out, so don’t delay – order your Thanksgiving dinner or book your reservations today!
For your convenience, the guide is organized by county – simply find yours to see what local options are available! We have also made note of which locations are providing Vegan options this year. And, finally, if you want to pick up a fresh turkey to cook at home, there is a section devoted entirely to Connecticut farms at the bottom of the guide.
Haven Hot Chicken, which brings Nashville Hot Chicken and “Not Chicken” to the area as one of the first fully dedicated Nashville Hot Chicken concepts in New England, today announced that it will be opening two NEW LOCATIONS in Fairfield, CT at 907 Post Road in Oxford, CT at Quarry Walk, later this year.
When I asked the Haven Hot Chicken team how long it took them to arrive at this just about perfect combination of crispy, juicy and flavorful chicken, they laughed and said they have been recipe testing for over a year. Their tagline is “CRISPY CRUNCHY JUICY SPICY DELICIOUS,” and I’m gonna say “nailed it.” You can truly taste the time and commitment to research in every item on this takeout/delivery menu.
Both locations will feature the brand’s signature menu of crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, delicious chicken and vegetarian options ranging from Country (not spicy) to Haven (extremely spicy), including the epic and signature “THE Sandwich,” as well as other featured mains, classic sides and seasonal limited-time offerings.
“Let’s get a drink”. “Come over for a drink!”. There’s nothing more convivial than sharing a drink together with a person or a whole group of favorite persons. And isn’t the ol’ saying -it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? Well, here’s a historical “reason” to raise your glasses high-Oktoberfest, the beloved, ancient event involving mouthwatering beers, so much (too much? never!) merriment and some fabulous lederhosen. Oktoberfest-ivities run pretty much the entire month of September and into October, so there are plenty of chances to raise that stein. And remember, we all put our lederhosen on one leg at a time. Prost!
Of all the lessons I’ve learned in life which turned out to be Actually True, “No one ever laid in bed, late in life, and wished they went to fewer shows” is up near the top. Did a show get away from you this year? Maybe a weeknight concert series in a local park, and you just never found the time? Did a few notes of the Weezer and Future Islands show from the amphitheater in Bridgeport breeze through your car windows as you crept along on I-95? Shaking your head Yes? Well shake it off like you’re erasing an Etch-a-Sketch, and take your last festival opportunity of 2023 in Connecticut this Sept. 30 – October 1 in Seaside Park at Sound On Sound.
The complete setlist for the shows can be found HERE, but we’re not Pitchfork, so here’s a look at the food and drink options to keep you going at this year’s banger...
Calling all Chefs…we hear that the Sound On Sound music festival has a limited number of slots available for local CT talent in their VIP areas (VIP, Sky Deck & Lounges). The fest takes place September 30-October 1, in Bridgeport’s Seaside Park, and festival headliners include: Red Hot Chili Peppers and John Mayer and artists including Alanis Morissette, Ben Harper, Trey Anastasio and Nathaniel Ratliff.
VIP sections are shaping up to showcase some of the best food offerings of our area, with smash burgers, BBQ, pizza (from folks you’ll know and love), and well known local chef's signature items-all to be announced very soon. With only a few limited slots available to round out the program…this is a unique opportunity for our local CT chefs.
CHEFS: If you’re interested in this unique opportunitycontact food curator Lauren Sheftell: Lauren@goodtalkpr.com
Coming in right off of the heels of this summer’s Tequila Fest, Mohegan Sun doubled down by offering a weekend of back-to-back events: Seltzer Social and BrewFest. The perfect way to celebrate fall, the two days of beverage-centric festivities kicked off on Friday, October 7 with Seltzer Social, an evening devoted to all things bubbly. The party continued on Saturday, October 8 with BrewFest, a three-hour celebration of local breweries as well as nationally-recognized brands.
For those attending both the Seltzer Social and BrewFest, the first night’s events served as a fitting warm-up. But that by no means should imply that Seltzer Social was anything less than a main event in its own right. Lively music, tasty wings, and plenty of fizz was on deck for the two-hour soiree.
Van Leeuwenice cream is opening in Greenwich Oct. 1st—Greenwich Wine + Food launches their schedule of weeklong festivities and participants that will comprise its 10-year anniversary celebration October 3-14th—On Sunday, 10/2, 4 - 7pm Barcelona Wine Bar Fairfield is throwing a 13th Annual Asado on the Patio party to pair autumn barbecue flavors and dishes with wines in a communal social-hour soiree—Wakeman Town Center is celebrating fall with an intimate chef's dinner on the Farm c/o Marcia Selden Catering on 10.6.22—bartaco has brought back its iconic #bartacosecret brisket taco to kick off the fall season++
Greenwich Wine + Foodtoday announced its final schedule of weeklong festivities and participants that will comprise its 10-year anniversary celebration this October, with tickets on sale for all events. Beneficiaries include two national non-profit organizations with roots in Connecticut - The Jacques Pépin Foundation and Wholesome Wave. Premium sponsors include Wagoneer and Greenwich Hospital.
“With the one-month countdown officially ON, I’m thrilled to share the final details for our monumental anniversary celebration,” said Suni Unger, founder and CEO of Unger Media, the parent company behind Greenwich Wine + Food and Serendipity magazine. “We are especially thrilled to be co-hosting more than ten events throughout the week, on-location at our favorite restaurants and bars in our local communities. These carefully curated, intimate celebrations are truly allowing us to applaud local talent in the area, and paired with our Gala on October 7, I am so proud of the programming we’re offering this Fall and our partner beneficiaries.”
Hops is on the brain and Oktoberfest is on the calendar. It’s that delightful time of year to gather with friends, German-style! Chomp into a giant pretzel, grill a brat, raise a stein (or 20, if you are partaking in a competition), and then toast, toast, and toast some more. Across our state, Oktoberfest celebrations are happening and you’ve simply got to get in on one of them. A better time will not be had! Prost!
Occasionally, food writing doesn’t go as planned. And with lots of restaurants taking summer breaks, it’s easy for us to screw up a random visit, like a recent one at Dante’s Pizza in New Canaan.
Steph and I both pulled into their parking lot, then we grabbed a seat at a picnic table on their patio only to notice a note on the door saying, “We’re on vacation until September 13.”
Summer bummer.
This sucked for two reasons: we desperately wanted pizza and from a writing standpoint we needed content!
The people demand tacos, and on October 15th at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, they shall receive tacos. And also margaritas. Naturally.
The 2022 Connecticut Taco and Margarita Festival at The Amp is available to anyone with $15 and dream to eat tacos, drink margs, see live wrestling from Adrenaline, maybe get their face painted, have access to shop vendors, test their courage at the hot sauce expo, and possibly gain a championship of their own at the taco eating contest.
Live music, tasty food, and a healthy dose of tequila were front and center at the Sun Tequila Tasting, which returned on July 23rd in the Earth Ballroom at Mohegan Sun. The jam-packed event brought together dozens of vendors and plenty of guests ready to “Call the Shots” amongst a sea of artificial palm trees.
Not that the palm trees were all that necessary to evoke a sense of a warmer, tequila-appropriate climate: in the midst of a week-long sorcher of a heat wave where temperatures hovered in the low to mid 90’s for most of the event, Sun Tequila Tasting packed the heat in more ways than one!
It’s hard to fathom there might be someone in Fairfield County not yet familiar with Layla’s Falafel. With locations in Stamford, Westport, and Fairfield, Layla’s is bustling with activity – and with good reason, their food is delicious. Layla’s offers something for everyone, satisfying a variety of palates and diet preferences, with options for vegans and vegetarians as well as those with celiac/gluten issues. This Middle Eastern fare is wonderful, fresh, and not to mention healthy.
And with that we are happy to share the great news that Layla’s Custom Bowls have been added to the menu. They’re healthy, incredibly satisfying and delicious. And just like the other menu options the bowls can be made vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.
Have you ever had that experience where you wanted to order everything off the menu? Do you want to sample some of the best cuisine from the Hartford region in one convenient place? Look no further than the Hartford Taste Festival. If you missed it, mark your calendar for next year!
The first-ever Hartford Taste Festival (presented by The Hartford) was developed “to further generate and extend community pride in Hartford and Connecticut, via a collective experience that proudly recognizes, showcases, and celebrates our restaurants, musical talent, businesses, and people.”
This two-day festival brought together some of the top eateries from around the Greater Hartford region, in addition to live music, crafts, and vendors. With support from The Hartford, the Hartford Chamber of Commerce is providing the opportunity for area restaurants to participate in the festival at no charge. Most of the restaurants featured at the festival can be found in Hartford, with other restaurants coming from West Hartford, East Hartford, Windsor, New Britain, and Bloomfield.
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, 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.
Pho Fans, Darien’s newest eatery is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant which opened just a couple of months ago and has already created quite the reputation for itself. The name suits this restaurant well – as those who enter will all quickly become fans! The Connecticut location is the second of the same name; the first is located in Huntington, NY. Vietnamese food is known to be one of the healthiest cuisines with minimal use of oils and dairy. As a result, flavors are light, fresh and balanced. Pho Fan relies on generations-old family recipes that translate well to the modern, health-inspired American palate. Their focus is on health and nutrition while delivering delicious food. You won’t find anything artificial or any additives whatsoever in their food.
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.
If you don’t know Dave Kuban from Dave’s Planet Pizza, you really should go introduce yourself. Sure, he runs Planet Pizza’s highly successful Norwalk location, but this restaurateur offers so much more to the Norwalk community beyond pizza and oversized grinders. Dave is the guy who will unfailingly step up to help his neighbors or support a local fundraising effort. Whether he rolls in with his pizza truck to raise money for a family whose house has burned down overnight, or is feeding the homeless in the midst of Covid, he has been there for Norwalk for 30 years, and continues to be an anchor with his mobile pizza truck and storefront.
Now, Kuban has a new project underway, and again, he has stepping up to support Norwalk. Kuban and his brother in law have taken over Marinelli’s deli in the town’s Strawberry Hill neighborhood. Marinelli’s was an institution, serving Norwalk for over 70 years, and locals were devastated to see it shut its doors in the midst of the pandemic. Kuban is taking the reins to preserve the heritage and community spirit that Marinelli’s had embodied.
