Coracora Peruvian Cuisine Opens Flagship Location in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square Restaurant West Hartford Blue Back Square Hartford County Peruvian Opening Lunch Homepage Leeanne Griffin February 22, 2026 Back in 2011, Hector Ludena and Luisa Jimenez took a chance and opened their first restaurant in West Hartford’s Shield Street Plaza, naming it for the Peruvian city they hailed from. Coracora took over a former McDonald’s building, its kitchen turning out pollo a la brasa and lomo saltado instead of Chicken McNuggets and Quarter Pounders. It became another local international favorite in the plaza that’s also home to Pho Boston, Shu and the A Dong Asian supermarket. The staff even ended up using the former fast-food drive-through window during the pandemic to offer minimal contact takeout. Then in 2022, things shifted in a way the Ludena family still says is surreal and hard to grasp. Coracora was named as a nominee for the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restaurant award, and Macarena Ludena, Hector and Luisa’s daughter, was a semifinalist in the Best Chef: Northeast award category. Suddenly, the local spot was on a national stage. Read More
First Look: Norwalk's Valencia Luncheria Reopens as Valencia Cocina Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Valencia Norwalk Valencia Luncheria Venezuelan Latin American Reopening Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick February 18, 2026 After a little over three weeks closed for menu changes and renovations, Valencia Luncheria is back in action! Only now you have to call it by its changed name, Valencia Cocina, representing it’s new chapter that we teased you about at the beginning of the year. Now reopened with a sexier, but still chill vibe, a brand-new bar, and a reimagined menu, founder Michael Young, co-owner Luis Chavez, and executive chef Marv Bryce are ready to welcome you back in. Read More
TIX & VOTING LIVE: Woman's World EVENT- Celebrating CT's Women in Culinary Features Events EVENT It's A Woman's World Homepage Stephanie Webster February 15, 2026 On April 27th, CTbites will host “It’s A Woman’s World: An Evening To Inspire, Connect & Celebrate CT's Women in Culinary“ honoring the many inspiring and trailblazing females in Connecticut’s culinary industry. TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW.The evening will include great food, signature cocktails created by Banfi Wine & Sprits, tastings from Fifth State Distillery, awards, and of course, plenty of time to mingle and meet the women in our community at the beautiful Hotel Marcel in New Haven. Award winners will be announced at the event in 11 categories, and we NEED YOU to VOTE for the women whose work and influence have shaped the industry in meaningful ways.THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE WOMEN IN CULINARY-from chefs & restaurateurs to farmers and winemakers, artisans, bartenders, cheesemongers, and influencers. PUBLIC VOTING IS NOW LIVE HERE Read More
Yama Tsuki: Outstanding Sushi Right off Greenwich Avenue Restaurant sushi Sushi Bar Greenwich Omakase Japanese Homepage Bree George February 12, 2026 I subscribe to the idea that a piece of perfectly presented fish is one of life’s great pleasures. Silken bluefin belly with a sprinkle of caviar; soft salmon draped over a sliver of torched rice; a slice of supple baby yellowtail, delicate but insistently flavorful. At Yama Tsuki, on Greenwich’s West Putnam Avenue, you’ll find all three. Family-owned, the business operates this restaurant alongside a wholesale seafood business and several restaurants in Long Island and Baltimore, personally sourcing very high-grade fish on twice-yearly scouting trips to places like Japan, Indonesia, the Faroe Islands, and New Zealand. Read More
Guide To The Best Cheesemongers in Connecticut Features Cheese Cheese Shop Cheesemonger Best of CT Highlight Homepage Amy S. White February 12, 2026 Connecticut’s best cheesemongers are more than just retailers—they are conveyors of craft, both local and beyond. With their displays of cave-aged wheels from Italian mountain cellars, butter-yellow wedges from snowy Switzerland, delicate soft cheeses from the fields of France, or even fresh curds still warm from their own vats, they connect pasture to plate, guiding customers through the stories of the dairy farmers and their herds, terroir, and traditions that give each cheese its nuanced flavor, texture, and character. This alphabetical list celebrates the destination cheese farms, shops, and creameries from across the state where the counters are classrooms, and the owners’ devotion keeps the culture of good cheese alive, one wedge at a time. At these counters, tasting is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and discovery is part of the experience. Those who work in them are experts in knowing not only what to cut, but when, and why. Whether you’re seeking something for a special occasion or a new favorite for a weeknight snack, these shops invite you in to ask, taste, and support the makers far and wide who keep this ancient foodstuff thriving. Read More
Hidden Gem: Dama Rose Middle Eastern Cuisine Opens in West Haven Restaurant West Haven New Haven Middle Eastern Opening Lunch Homepage Jessica Ryan February 07, 2026 It’s often the “off the culinary grid” spots that are true hidden gems. We have found one for you. Let me introduce you to Dama Rose, which opened just about a year and a half ago in a small strip of shops right on the Post Road in West Haven. It might not have the fanciest address but it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) matter, as most gourmands and critics will concur.Chef Malaz Hayak opened Dama Rose in September 2024. The restaurant industry runs deep in veins – His father owned and ran a successful restaurant in Damascus which remains in the family today. Nearly 20 years ago Hayak left Syria for the States where he joined his brother who then owned Rabia’s, a popular restaurant in Boston’s historic North End. Chef is a formally trained Cordon Bleu Chef and received his training in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There he was exposed to many award-winning restaurants, and landed an externship at the notable Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel where he trained directly under Executive Chef David Daniel. Read More
100+ Valentine’s & Galentine's Dinners and Events in Connecticut (2026 Edition) Features Valentine's Day Holiday Guide Homepage Carly Terzigni February 01, 2026 This winter has been especially cold and snowy, so why not heat things up this Valentine’s Day with a special date night at your favorite Connecticut restaurant? Businesses across the state are ready to help create a memorable evening with menu specials. Looking to stay in? You’ll find businesses offering everything from entrees to plenty of desserts available for pre-order. And if you’re keen on celebrating Galentine’s Day with your closest friends, there are tons of fun activities and menu specials, too!Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, so you may spot a few brunch specials along with menu specials that last all weekend long! This guide is organized by county so you can easily find a restaurant nearest you that will have Valentine’s Day specials this year. Read More
75+ Sports Bars, Restaurants, Caterers, BBQ Joints & Pizzerias for Super Bowl LX Features Super Bowl Catering Sports Bar Homepage Hannah Goodman January 28, 2026 While it felt like just yesterday that week one of football season kicked off, we are already a couple weeks away from Super Bowl LX. Two teams will battle it out for a chance to win the highest honor in football, to get that ring, and to show everyone why they deserve to be the champions. Maybe the New England Patriots will earn another, yes another, ring. Or maybe the Seattle Seahawks will cap off a remarkable season with a Super Bowl win, though I have yet to encounter a single Seahawks fan my entire life…they must be out there somewhere, right? Unfortunately, the Eagles are out of the running and won’t get the chance to two-peat…you’re welcome, Pats fans. Whether you are in it for the touchdowns, missed extra points, and bad calls or you’re just there for the halftime show, commercials, and beer, we can all agree on one thing: Game Day food must be on point. In this guide we have listed many wonderful restaurants and bars throughout Connecticut that are doing it up for Super Bowl LX. Get your SB Sunday catered or take your friends & fam out to your local bar. You can even enjoy this great food without the game…in the dark…staring into the abyss, thinking about how and why your favorite team is not playing another game until September – truly anything goes! Yay sports! Yay wings! Let’s go. Super Bowl LX: Sunday, February 8th, kickoff @ 6:30 p.m. ET. Read More
Cowboy Butter in New Milford: Hindsight BBQ's Sister Restaurant, a "Boujee" BBQ Joint + Steakhouse Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant BBQ New Milford Opening Interview Steak Homepage Andrew Dominick January 27, 2026 When CTbites last covered Hindsight BBQ in 2021, its founder, Jeff Schmidt was quoted as saying, “When you get obsessed with something, and when you get bit by the BBQ bug, once you go down that rabbit hole, you can only go further.” In 2025, his “further” ended up being Cowboy Butter, best described as “a New England live fire cookery and boujee BBQ bistro,” in New Milford’s quaint downtown area. Read More
Places To Celebrate Lunar New Year 2026 in Connecticut Features Lunar New Year Chinese New Year Homepage CTbites Team January 24, 2026 The 2026 Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, February 17th, starting a year of the Fire Horse. and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on March 3rd. Here are a few spots to celebrate here in CT. Read More
The Smithy Cafe & Market in New Preston: A New Approach to Community Building Restaurant Features New Preston Litchfield County cafe Breakfast Gourmet Market Homepage Bree George January 23, 2026 On a speck of Main Street in New Preston, the Smithy Cafe feels like it’s always been there. Coffee cups clink, steam hisses from the espresso machine, and customers pick up loaves of Farmers & Cooks sourdough while waiting in line to place their order at the counter. Across the street, in a 200-year-old former blacksmith shop, the Smithy Market carries the everyday and the aspirational in equal measure: bread, eggs and coffee, alongside gourmet Bridgewater chocolates from Brookfield, micro-batch Wonderland Jam made in Newtown, and East Street Arts handmade printed tea towels from New Haven. Read More
Guide To Connecticut Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants & Bakeries Features Vegan Vegetarian Highlight Juice Bar Farm To Table Health & Wellness Healthy Eats Guide Homepage Carly Terzigni January 16, 2026 Connecticut has many wonderful plant-forward restaurants to check out this year. Whether you are looking to eat less meat in 2026 (don’t worry, you can have more than just a salad) or you already follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and want to explore restaurant and catering options in the state, this guide is for you! In addition to restaurants, we included a second section dedicated to plant-forward bakeries. Keep these places in mind the next time you need to order a cake for a special occasion or you’re simply in the market for a plant-based bakery in your area. Read More
Breaking News: Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk Announces New Concept + Renovations Features Interview Restaurant Valencia Luncheria Venezuelan Latin American Norwalk Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick January 08, 2026 Valencia Luncheria as you know it is closing. Maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it made you sit straight up, didn’t it? In a social media post on January 7, 2026, Valencia announced that after service on January 18, they’ll be closing for renovations. But those first four words in the caption on their Instagram reel is what you should be focused on… Read More
Craft Beer + Music: Twelvenote Brew Co. Opens in Black Rock Brewery Interview Features Brewery Twelvenote Brew Co Black Rock Bridgeport Music Craft Beer Beer Opening Interview Brewer Homepage Andrew Dominick January 08, 2026 Brian Pietrzak has had some “pinch me” moments lately. As the brewer and co-owner of Twelvenote Brew Co. in the former Aspetuck Brew Lab space in Black Rock, he’ll tell you candidly that it’s all a bit surreal. “I wake up sometimes at 3 a.m. and I can’t believe I own a fuckin’ brewery, like, I can’t believe this is my job now,” he says. Originally from Erie, PA, Pietrzak’s brewing story started as you might expect it to, with a home brewing kit he received as a gift from his brother-in-law, who’s his now partner at Twelvenote. Read More
CTbites Staff Picks For Top Eats of 2025 (+Guest Eaters) Features Restaurant Top Eats Best of CT Roundup Homepage CTbites Team January 04, 2026 It’s that time of year, when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks, and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. 2024 saw an explosion of restaurateurs and chefs entering the Connecticut culinary scene, and the CTBites team, alongside some special guest reviewers below, did our best to eat it all. There were some clear standouts, restaurants that you’ll find repeated in the “top eats” lists below, and some hidden gems you should add to your dining dance card.Here are CTbites’ TOP EATS for 2025. Read More
Wire Mill Saloon & Barbecue in Georgetown: On CT's Best BBQ List for 12 Years Features Interview Restaurant BBQ Wire Mill BBQ Redding Georgetown Interview Pitmaster Homepage Andrew Dominick January 04, 2026 In January 2014, when Gino Marsili opened the doors to Wire Mill Saloon & Barbecue, his recollection is, “There were maybe only a few of us doing BBQ; me, Bobby (Bobby Q’s), and Wilson’s in Fairfield.” Approaching his twelfth year running the pits in Redding’s Georgetown section, Marsili still has a smile on his face doing what he loves, serving the community his brand of BBQ that locals love—including a few of my personal friends who say it’s their favorite ‘cue in Connecticut. Read More
70+ CT Restaurants To Celebrate New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day (2025 Edition) Features New Years Holiday Homepage Hannah Goodman December 19, 2025 Well folks, we are another year older and dare I say, wiser? Every year has its ups, its downs, its dead plants (sorry I forgot to water you for six months), and its lasting impressions, however big or small. I like to say that every year is the best year that ever was because with each passing one, we live, learn, and grow – hopefully for the better! The holidays are a time in which we reflect on the past and present, while New Year’s Eve helps us look toward the future, what may lie ahead for us in the next 12 months, even if it’s a fresh start, which we all need sometimes. While nothing in life stays the same and sometimes there are more downs than ups, one thing is always true (for me at least): food is the greatest thing in the world and a day without being able to recognize this self-proclaimed fact is truly a day wasted. Sharing that food with friends, family, and other loved ones makes it all the more special – the creation of shared memories through eating, as we are no one without each other. Get out your party hats, glitter, champagne flutes, and any other supplies needed to celebrate New Year’s Eve. This list contains restaurants, bars, caterers, and dance clubs all over the state of Connecticut that are looking forward to hosting you, your friends, and family for the holiday. Some places require reservations or ticket purchasing ahead of time while others are walk-in friendly. Goodbye 2025 and cheers to 2026 – let’s make it a good one! Read More
tacobarn Opens in Newtown From Restaurateur David Boyajian Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Newtown Sandy Hook Cocktails Tequila Interview Opening Homepage Andrew Dominick December 17, 2025 “I don’t know what got me looking, but I saw this building roughly 27 months ago for the first time, and I just fell in love with it.” Once filled with random storage, a barn on Glen Road in Sandy Hook has new life as a taqueria thanks to Newtown local and restaurateur David Boyajian. At the appropriately named tacobarn, Boyajian isn’t calling it traditional Mexican and he’s not even remotely pretending it’s that. And this particular nontraditional taco space is something he’s quite familiar with from his past as bartaco’s director of operations and part of that microchain’s expansion. Read More
75+ Connecticut Restaurants & Caterers for Christmas (2025 Edition) Features Holiday Christmas Christmas Restaurant Guide Homepage Carly Terzigni December 12, 2025 Christmas is a time to gather with loved ones around the table and enjoy a festive feast. That feast can come in many forms, whether it's home-cooked, catered, or at your favorite restaurant. No matter how you choose to spend the holiday, restaurants and businesses around Connecticut are ready to make sure this Christmas is as tasty as it is memorable. In this guide, you’ll find everything from catering options to local markets supplying all of the holiday fixings to restaurants featuring limited-time specials on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. To help you find a business nearest you, we’ve broken this guide up by county so you can easily scroll to your local area and find places to help cook up a delicious Christmas dinner. Read More
Guide to Matcha Tea Shops in Connecticut Restaurant Tea And Coffee Matcha Tea Shops Homepage Aaron Gruen December 10, 2025 From Blank Street to Starbucks, matcha is taking the country by storm. But there’s a wide gulf between mass-produced and high-quality matcha. Matcha can get a bad rap, with many people only having tasted the tea from a chain. Luckily, those living in southwest CT have access to several shops brewing up thoughtfully sourced, top-notch matcha. Here are some of our favorite places to get matcha drinks, pastries, and other sweets: Read More