Milestone Restaurant in Redding will be hosting a social-distance-friendly Oktoberfest celebration Sunday, October 11 from 2PM - 8PM. Guests can enjoy beer, brats, pretzels, and live music featuring Fuzz Sangiovani & Friends. Live music begins at 4PM. Reservations are required. Visit milestonect.com to make your reservation.
Fairfield Cheese Company takes you to school via Zoom on October 15, 7-8:30 PM in their class “Unlocking the Mysteries of Raw Milk Cheese.” Sign up here.
WeHartford’s Picnic in the Park series was such a success that they have extended it through October with 3 more picnics. The October series will be held on three Saturdays from 1-4pm (Oct. 10, 17, and 24th) and this time around thanks to a generous donation from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the series will work with all minority-owned restaurants, including Mofongo, Banh Meee, Stella's African Eatery, and Capital Icecream. Each restaurant has curated a one-time-only picnic basket for their event date.
On May 14, Chef Geoff Lazlo will host a virtual cooking class to benefit The United Way of Greenwich. A $40 box comes with all of the ingredients that you need to make a 2 course dinner at home. Start by creating a Lionni Latticini Burrata & Sugar Snap Pea Salad. As an entrée, follow along to cook a Half Chicken, Roasted Tomato & Chickpea Ragü with Asparagus. Email geoff@geofflazlo.com for more information.
Chef Tyler Anderson of Millwright’s will lead a virtual cooking class on May 15. Purchase a kit ahead of time, which includes all the ingredients you will need for an hour long cooking class with Chef Tyler Anderson via Zoom. Pan roasted asparagus with sauce gribiche, Lobster gnocchi with spring vegetables and pesto, and Lemon bars with chantilly cream are all on the menu. Wine add-ons available!
Ordinary & Roia of New Haven are teaming up for a Virtual Cocktail & Food Pairing Class on Friday, May 15th at 7:30pm. Cocktails by Ordinary and Food prepared by ROIA! All options will be vegetarian and all kits will be picked up at Ordinary. https://roiarestaurant.square.site/
Everyone is Italian on October 12 and 13 when the That’s Amore Italian Street Festival comes to Stamford. There will be plenty of Italian food as well as concerts, games, and Italian-inspired entertainment.
TASTE of Fairfield returns on Sunday October 13 at Delamar Southport. Over 25 vendors will offer tastes of their delicious food. There will also be local vendors, wineries, and specialty cocktails to check out. Purchase a general admission ticket or upgrade to VIP for early admission to the event.
Cousins Maine Lobster and Bad Sons Beer Company are teaming up on Friday October 11. From 4-8pm, head to Derby for refreshing brews and a pop-up from the Hartford-based seafood eatery.
On Friday October 4, HAPA's Chef Chris Gonzalez, SoNo 1420 craft distillery, and Ria Rueda of Bread & Butter Marketing are teaming up to bring you the first ever Kamayan style dinner to celebrate Filipino American History Month. A kamayan meal is a communal feast served family-style eaten with a large group of friends, featuring a variety of Filipino dishes served on banana leaves over rice and eaten with your hands. A $75 dinner includes 2 cocktails, dinner, and dessert.
116 Crown is celebrating its 12th anniversary! Join them on Saturday October 5 at 6pm for a cocktail hour, seasonal dinner, bocce, and live music. Return on Sunday October 6 for a “Family Happy Hour” featuring pumpkin painting, cocktails, and more.
Washington Prime in SoNo kicks off their fall/winter wine series with a Caymus Wine Dinner on Wednesday October 2. The five course pairing dinner kicks off at 7pm with limited seating. Reservations can be made by calling (203) 857-1314 or by visiting the restaurant.
In an unusual but convenient industrial park in Groton, just near the Groton Airport, Mystic Cheese Co. is opening a new location this month to serve homemade and artisanal cheeses to the after-work crowd and cheese connoisseurs alike. Upon stepping into the front doors at the new site of Mystic Cheese, visitors are welcomed into a cozy tasting room in which they can perch on barstool seating that offers glimpses into the impressively sized cheese maturation room.
The feeling that the owners, Brian Civitello and Jason Sobocinksi (former owner of the beloved Caseus Cheese), have tried to create with their events and cut to order cheese is relaxed, fun, and unpretentious. Mystic Cheese has definitely accomplished this with their communal tables, friendliness, and awesome narwhal logo. By doing this, their overall aim is to attract people to the world of artisanal cheeses by offering cheeses at multiple price points, cheese-centric food, and educational classes.
Dare I say they have some of the best freshly made pasta in the state? Yes! I’ll tell anyone who asks — Paul’s Pasta serves my favorite pasta dishes in Connecticut. This family-owned pasta shop is nearly as old as I am, and I have two decades of experience dining at Paul’s Pasta to share with you in this review.
If the tell-tale sign of a great restaurant is a crowded establishment with smiling customers eating with gusto, then Paul’s Pasta is definitely one of the best in the state. When coming during the height of mealtimes, Paul’s Pasta always has a waiting list, but this shouldn’t dissuade visitors — turnaround times are generally not substantial and the wait is always worth it. Reservations are not accepted.
Inspired by a recent inquiry from a local chef, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite places to take a flavorful break on the way to or from Connecticut’s casinos. No need to gamble on where to stop for a bite; the southern shoreline towns along I-95 dish up some amazing food—from banh mi to seafood, donuts, Greek specialties and more.
Branford
You’ve heard us say it before, but the recommendation bears repeating: look no further than Takumi Sushi, Ramen & Lounge for the finest sushi and ramen around!
