The doldrums of winter are behind us, and spring is starting to show some signs of life around Connecticut. In addition to milder temperatures and the first flowers starting to pop up, restaurants around the state are preparing their specials for St. Patrick’s Day! Don’t be fooled by March 17 falling on a Monday this year, as these restaurants are ready to party. If you prefer to stick to the weekend, there are plenty of events and menu specials leading up to the holiday, too.
Whether you are looking for a green beer, a corned beef dinner out with friends, or a catering menu to bring St. Patrick’s Day to your home, the following businesses are ready to celebrate. This guide is organized by county so you can quickly locate a restaurant near you that’s taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
I still remember a time when Connecticut was a barbecue desert. Brisket could seem like an exotic item, and getting quality smoked meats usually meant a trip to New York City or further out of state. Those dark ages have, thankfully, long since passed. Today Connecticut is home to many good and several great barbecue destinations that are drawing people from out of state. In the story below, I highlight my five favorites, two of which were also featured in Texas Monthly in a feature about the best Texas barbecue outside of Texas. But before we dig into these picks, I have two caveats. First, though I love what is happening at several barbecue popups — I’m looking at you Broken Symmetry, Rise Doughnuts and Mason Sreet BBQ — this story is focused on establishments with more regular hours. Second, though I’ve tried many barbecue places in the state, I’m always on the lookout for new destinations. So if your favorite spot isn’t here and I’ve never been or you think it’s worthy of a revisit because something improved recently, I’m all ears. Now grab some napkins because we’re getting hands-on with barbecue.
Most Connecticut residents who were unfamiliar with Hugh Mangum before he and his family started making donuts in Wilton four years ago, may be oblivious to a few tidbits. Mangum, you see, isn’t only a French Culinary Institute graduate who worked under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, but he’s the founder of the popular Mighty Quinn’s BBQ. Now that his family’s donut shop, Rise Doughnuts, has gone from a pop up to its own physical location, paired with the fact that the Mangums reside in Wilton, the time to open another Mighty Quinn’s in nearby Norwalk in the former Bobby Q’s and the short lived Lechon Smokehouse space at The Waypointe.
Breaking BBQ news from Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque. We’ll bring you more on this exciting opening very soon!
Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque (Mighty Quinn’s), the acclaimed NYC-born restaurant known for its all-natural slow-cooked meats, announced today the grand opening of its new location at The Waypointe in Norwalk (11 Merwin Street). The opening will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Greater Norwalk Chamber and Mayor Harry Rilling on December 18 at 3 p.m., ahead of the grand opening on December 20. As part of the opening celebration, Mighty Quinn’s will donate 10% of all grand opening sales to Norwalk based charity Filling in the Blanks, which works to fight childhood hunger.
For those unfamiliar with Mighty Quinn’s, it was the first authentic barbeque experience in a fast-casual setting after co-founder, Pitmaster, and CT resident, Hugh Mangum smoked brisket and pulled pork out of a mobile smoker hitched to his pickup truck in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). The brand’s process begins with the best, all-natural meats and poultry, seasoned with perfect spice blends and then smoked with wood for many hours until the perfect harmony of smoke, flavor and time emerges.
Get those stretchy pants out of the deep, dark depths of your closet…don’t worry, we all have a pair! Once a year, these pants are necessary, as holiday excitement overtakes the part of the brain that tells us we’re full. We fight that voice that tells us to stop, that third and even fourth helpings of mashed potatoes and red wine aren’t going to help us cope with that obnoxious uncle your mom sat you next to out of spite. You know what will help? Pie and pie only. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, as you can eat as much as you want without being judged, though they’ll still try. But keep your head held high, as this year you can brag about the wonderful pies you’ve spent hours upon hours picking out. You even preheated the oven and scooped out perfect balls of vanilla ice cream. So don’t let anyone tell you that you did nothing, because ice cream is not easy to scoop.
All throughout Connecticut you can find plenty of delicious pie options, whether you want your pies fruity, custardy, creamy, or gluten free. As they say, Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, and while we celebrate our family, friends, furbabies, and crazy uncles we’ve never met, it is important to recognize the true Thanksgiving savior: pie. Lucky for you, this guide is organized by county, so scroll down to find yours! Gobble, gobble.
It’s time to get spooky! Halloween is right around the corner, and restaurants across Connecticut are preparing to throw festive parties and host seasonal gatherings with plenty of decorations, costumes, and ghoulish menu specials.
Whether your vibe on Halloween is to order from your favorite pizza place as you hand out candy or you want to go all-out and attend a lavish costume party until the wee hours of the morning, there’s an event for you happening in late October! There are events for all ages as well, with the littlest trick-or-treaters to the young at heart having plenty of options this month to celebrate the season. You’ll also find businesses across Connecticut featuring Día de Muertos celebrations in early November.
We’ve broken this guide up by county so you can easily find a Halloween event nearest you!
As the holiday season approaches, finding the perfect venue for your corporate holiday party in Norwalk, CT is key to setting the right tone for celebration. From classic restaurants to modern event spaces, Norwalk offers a range of venues designed to accommodate every style of corporate gathering. Join us as we discover seven standout locations known for their charm, amenities, and ability to create memorable experiences for your team.
Barbecue is one of those things that people will travel for. Just over the Connecticut line, specifically in Bedford Hills, is a small, mostly takeout BBQ “shack” in a residential neighborhood, that’s actually not too far of a drive for folks in Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, New Canaan, and their surrounding areas.
On certain days on or in the vicinity of Greenwich Avenue, take a whiff of the air and the woods you smell are in fact oak and hickory. Get a little closer to Mason Street and you’ll spot blue smoke coming off a Lang and that smell won’t just be logs, it’ll be…meaty.
Winter is quickly coming to a close, and things are starting to look a little more GREEN around the state of Connecticut. That can only mean one thing…St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! Whether you celebrate for the corned beef, the Guinness, or simply to enjoy the company of family and friends, there are plenty of restaurants around the state offering menu specials and events. This guide is broken up by county so you know exactly where to go to find the perfect St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
I can count on one finger how many times I’ve had a smoked cheeseburger in our general area.
The smoked burger is seemingly elusive. My first came in 2019, in Irvington, at a BBQ joint that’s no longer there. I’m not saying it’s impossible to find one, I’m just saying it’s rare—that’s an on-purpose meat pun.
In Connecticut, two spots where you absolutely can find a smoky, beefy, beast of a burger, are Hoodoo Brown BBQ and Hindsight Barbecue that were both recently named in terrific piece on Texas Monthly (link HERE) that you absolutely should read.
We don’t have to explain how big of a deal Thanksgiving dinner is. Arguably, it is one of the most highly anticipated meals of the year – not just for the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie, but for the time spent with loved ones.
Some years, you want to go all out and embrace your inner Martha Stewart. There are businesses in Connecticut ready to supply you with the highest quality fresh turkey. Other years, you want to kick back and let someone else do the cooking. There are countless restaurants and catering companies across the state ready to take your order for a fully prepared meal. Or, maybe, you want to switch things up and take the family gathering on the road – as you might imagine, there are tons of excellent Connecticut restaurants open on Thanksgiving with special menus just for the holiday.
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. The time is now to make your Thanksgiving dinner plans, and either place your orders for a catered meal or book those reservations at your favorite restaurant!
There’s a chill in the air, the leaves are turning, and the sun is setting earlier and earlier each day. That can only mean one thing – Halloween is right around the corner! Restaurants across Connecticut are celebrating the season with an array of special events to take part in. Whether you want to find something for the family or for a fun date night the weekend before, there are plenty of parties to choose from (many of which include costume contests, so be sure to dress up!). And on the night of Halloween (don’t forget it’s on a Tuesday this year), there are even more special events in case you want to take this year off from passing out candy to trick-or-treaters.
It won’t take too long to find a spot in the state to dance the night away this Halloween while you enjoy a bite to eat with a specialty-themed spooky beverage. Check out what the restaurants below are offering, and be sure to check ahead of time if they recommend making a reservation.
Whether it’s the dog days of summer or life just has you too busy to be bothered with cooking, some of the simplest, and often the most delicious meals, come in bowls. Chock full of healthy and delicious ingredients like grains, veggies, meats and fish or brimming with fresh fruits and icy smoothy-ness, bowls in all shapes and sizes make eating fun. They are convenient, interesting and delicious-what a trifecta! Here are some of our favorite bowls in Connecticut. Go build one for yourself!
There’s a new resident at The Waypointe and they’re likely the only ones allowed to smoke indoors.
But this “new neighbor” doesn’t occupy an apartment, they took over the Merwin Street space that was created for Bobby Q’s Cue & Co. that was vacant since 2021 after owner Bob LeRose sadly passed away.
We are all rolling, rolling, rolling into the summer months-Yay! Between parties, vacations, and just plain ol’ exploring, the warm and sunny months have us on the move. And what better info to have in your back pocket than plans for where to eat-trucks offering food of all kinds, whether you’re stopping mid-trip or renting for your next party! We have broken down this behemoth of a list by categories so you can high-tail it to the foods that interest you: Pizza, Tacos/Mexican, BBQ, Ethnic, Lobster & Seafood, All-American, Plant-Based/Alternative Diet, Ice Cream & Sweets, Cocktails & Beer and Coffee & Tea. Happy summer, everyone, roll on!
Flowers are blooming and temperatures are rising, which can mean only one thing – Mother’s Day is right around the corner! Flowers and hand-written cards aside, Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to treat that special person in your life to a memorable outing. Restaurants around Connecticut are preparing for the big day with special brunch and dinner menus that any mom would enjoy.
Show that special mother, grandmother, aunt, wife, sister, cousin, friend, or any important “mom” figure in your life just how much you appreciate them by treating them to a special meal at any of the restaurants listed below. Just like our other dining guides, this one is organized into county so you can easily look up which local restaurants are offering a specialty Mother’s Day menu.
“In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, you’ll be the grandest lady (or fella) in the Easter Parade..”, or so the song goes. The bonnets and parades may have gone by the wayside since that song was a hit, but Easter dinner, with its traditional ham, springtime vegetables, and pastel-colored desserts, remains something to look forward to. Gather your family and friends (and fellow jelly-bean lovers), and enjoy a beautiful day with good food and celebration of a new season.
“I remember we had just unlocked the doors at Walrus + Carpenter, and the first two customers that came in ordered a Bud Lights and a Coors Light. I heard Adam (Patrick) go, ‘Oh, we don’t have that.’ And one of the guys goes, ‘Fuck you! You won’t last’ That was our first reaction.”
Whether you are rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs, or Rihanna, nothing can bring the whole family around the television like the Super Bowl. And whether you are into wings, nachos, pizza, or all of the above (like us), there is no shortage of great food options to munch on while watching the game (or the commercials).
