Gruel Britannia Opens 2nd Spot in Westport With Events + Pop Ups Coming Soon Features Interview Restaurant British Cuisine British Westport Interview Gruel Britannia Karen Hubrich Opening Homepage Prime Rib Andrew Dominick April 08, 2026 Karen Hubrich isn’t shy about telling anyone she’s a late bloomer. After a long career cooking in country clubs and as a private chef for Michael Bolton, she emerged on the Connecticut food scene in 2019 when she opened her Fairfield flagship, Gruel Britannia. Now a young 69-years-old, she’s opted for a second helping of Gruel, not too far away from the original, in Westport’s Coleytown neighborhood that debuted last July. Read More
"It's A Woman's World" Awards Semi-Finalist Announced Features It's A Woman's World Awards Homepage Stephanie Webster April 07, 2026 e are pleased to announce the semi-finalists for the “It’s A Woman’s World” awards, celebrating CT’s women in culinary.Four thousand people voted in eleven categories. The top three nominees can be viewed below. Finalists in each category will be announced at the event on April 27th at Hotel Marcel in New Haven. If you still need tickets to the event, you can purchase tix here. The $50 ticket covers the cost of the event. This is non-for-profit community event.Congratulations to all of our semi-finalists. We hope to see you on April 27th when we announce the award winners and celebrate ALL of Connecticut’s amazing women in culinary. Read More
TICKETS ON SALE: Join Us To Celebrate CT's Women in Culinary April 27th Features Events EVENT It's A Woman's World Homepage Stephanie Webster March 30, 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
Hotaru Opens in Southport Featuring an Affordable, Intimate Omakase Experience Features Interview Ingredients Restaurant Omakase Sushi Japanese Opening Interview Southport Homepage Andrew Dominick March 24, 2026 3363 Post Road in Southport is no longer the home of the $5 footlong, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a deal to be had. In the bones of a former Subway franchise, right next to Dunkin’, is Hotaru, a predominantly Japanese restaurant where the star of their show is a very affordable omakase experience. Hotaru opened very quietly to friends, family, and random curious customer walk-ins on March 16 with an abbreviated menu that’ll soon expand. The team behind Hotaru is Yingying Yan, who owns Gingko Sichuan Cuisine in Fairfield, her chef at Ginkgo, Jerry, and Ken Piao, the owner of Yuki Kitchen in Westport. Read More
Masa Taco Bar + Chicho's Cocina in Stamford: Rooted in Family Tradition and Travels Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Tacos Stamford Masa Taco Bar Chicho's Cocina Interview Homepage Mexican Andrew Dominick March 17, 2026 Almost 10 years to the day, CTbites found itself covering La Esquina Latin Grill in Stamford, where chef-owner Robert Monegro served up classic Latin American dishes. In the present, the Stamford-raised Monegro is still pretty busy. La Esquina is well behind him, though, and you’ll see him bouncing back and forth between his two popular taqueria’s, Chico’s Cocina, and as of 2024, Masa Taco Bar. For Monegro, his culinary journey didn’t start 10 years ago at his first restaurant. It actually began in 1995 at his father’s Dominican restaurant, Flamboyant Chico Cocina. Read More
Guide to Kids Cooking Camps & Classes (2026 Edition) Features Kids Cooking Camp kids activity kids cooking party Cooking Classes Summer Camp Education Homepage Carly Terzigni March 11, 2026 It may be hard to believe, but we’re weeks away from spring, which means warmer weather is right around the corner. That also means it’s time to start planning your summer camp schedule, and if you have budding home chefs in the family, a cooking camp may be the perfect option! In addition, we have provided a list of businesses across the state that are offering kids' cooking classes this spring. These classes and camps range from one-day classes to week-long (sometimes longer!) camps for kids of all ages. You’ll find several private chef-led cooking parties here as well. Some of the following classes are offered as early as this month, with others not kicking off until later this summer, but, as with any summer camp, slots fill up quickly! Don’t delay in signing your kids up for the following programs. Read More
60+ CT Spots to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day 2026 Features Restaurant Events St. Patrick's Day Guide Homepage Events Carly Terzigni March 06, 2026 Could this long, cold, and snowy winter finally be coming to a close? It looks like things are heating up fast! Not only do I detect warmer days on the horizon, but St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. I, for one, am ready to swap the cold gray for some bright green! Restaurants across the state are feeling the same and are ready to celebrate. With towns hosting parades over the next couple of weeks, there are multiple opportunities to gather with friends and family and spread some Irish cheer. This guide is organized by county to help you easily find a restaurant near you celebrating. Simply scroll to your local county and see where you can enjoy some corned beef and a Guinness this March! Read More
Via Emilia: An Italian Love Letter Written in Mystic Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Italian Interview Espresso Martini Fresh Pasta Mystic Homepage Andrew Dominick March 03, 2026 Love letters aren’t always inked on parchment, sometimes they’re cooked in a kitchen and served to hungry customers. That’s the case at Mystic’s Via Emilia where co-owners Shaun Golan and Jakub Andros are dishing out Italian comfort food that’s uncomplicated and pays respect to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region since it opened in 2020. On the brink of celebrating six years at the very end of Coastal Connecticut, how Via Emilia came to be, what they’re cooking and why they’re cooking it, and the tale behind their popular espresso martini is a story that should be told. Read More
Vyne Restaurant & Bar: Fine Dining Meets Comfort Classics in Middlebury Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Middlebury Mediterranean Italian Interview Cocktails Fine Dining Homepage Andrew Dominick February 24, 2026 Unless you live near or in Middlebury, there’s a very real chance you’ve never dined there. Ask a few guys who now work in Middlebury at Vyne Restaurant & Bar and they’ll tell you that before they got there, they hadn’t either. “I had never even heard of Middlebury and I spent a lot of my life in Hartford,” says Vyne’s general manager Justin Morales. What Morales, an industry veteran both behind the bar and as a GM (and most recently of Fire by Forge), and executive chef James Piccolo are doing in this part of Connecticut is putting their stamp on a restaurant idea that began many years ago as a small cafe inside of a furniture store, Middlebury Consignment. 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
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
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
