Filtering by Tag: Beer Garden,Kids

CITA PARK: New Haven's Night Market Features Beer Garden Built On Inclusion & Culture

Features New Haven Beer Garden Community

Khalid Williams

In the picturesque streets of downtown New Haven, a significant movement is coming to fruition—beer, music, food and vibes, with a heart and soul that’s built around black and brown culture and presence. The vision comes alive with the debut of CITA Park at the New Haven Night Market on May 17, marking the arrival of the region’s first beer garden that is prioritizing a welcoming celebration of black culture and people.

The craft beer industry, known for its creativity and community, has yet to develop its legacy of inclusion. It's a space that thrives on diversity in taste but is often lacking in representation. There has always been a population it comes to the people who want to produce and enjoy thoughtfully made beer. This is where "Change in the Air '' steps in—a foundation created to disrupt and diversify the craft beer industry and be a beacon of light for Black and Brown expression within the craft beer cultural space.


Hop & Vine, A Self-Pour Taproom, Is Preparing To Open In Stamford (Via The Patch)

Features Stamford Wine Bar Beer Garden Beer

Richard Kaufman via The Patch

This just in from Richard Kaufman of The Patch.

There will be 69 beer and wine taps across two floors and 5,500 square feet in a brewery/beer garden-type atmosphere.

Hop & Vine, a self-pour taproom that will offer a wide variety of beer, wine and other beverages along with scratch-made food in a relaxed, brewery/beer garden-type atmosphere, is readying to open its doors in Stamford.

An opening date has not been finalized yet since final inspections and certifications need to be made, but co-owner and general manager Connor Rasmussen hopes the business can be up and running before the end of the year.

Located at 30 Spring St., Hop & Vine Taproom will eventually feature 69 taps across two floors and 5,500 square feet — 23 taps on the ground floor, and 46 on the second floor.

Continue reading on The Patch.


Friday Froth: Mexican Lager, Made In Connecticut

Features Brewery CT Beer Brewery Beer Beer Garden Friday Froth

James Gribbon

Despite expert credibility having recently taken several cannonballs below the waterline, and 60-degree sweater weather remaining in abundance, summer - they tell us - has officially arrived. The days are near their longest, and the months start with “J”, so we must grudgingly accede they have a point. This time each year, in a migration as timeless and majestic as the great herds of the Serengeti - Nutmeggers can be seen dragging our coolers to beaches and backyards. What are we drinking? Hard seltzer! NO! I mean, yes, but also: shut up. 

We are drinking:

  1. Very cold.

  2. Easy drinking.

  3. Usually Mexican lager. Corona, Pacifico, Modelo, ET C.

Why do we drink these? Because 1&2, but also... it’s what we’ve always done. Why are you thinking about this?

BECAUSE I’ve been noticing Connecticut brewers have been trying out the style in increasing numbers, they are delicious, and more people should know, which has always been the entire point of this column.


Beer Garden at Shippan Landing Opens for 2023 Season (via Hey Stamford!)

Features Beer Garden Stamford

Hey Stamford!

This just in from Hey Stamford!

A seasonal favorite in Fairfield County, the Beer Garden at Shippan Landing has officially re-opened for the 2023 season. 

Tucked away in Shippan Landing, a 17-acre office park located right on the water, the Beer Garden is an outdoor oasis with a rotating roster of craft beer, a variety of creative food trucks, live music, and a slate full of special events throughout the Spring, Summer and early Fall. 

Following their grand opening on April 21, The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing are currently opened Thursday 4PM – 10PM, Friday 4PM-12AM, Saturday 12PM-12AM, Sunday 12PM-9PM. 

The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing is located at 290 Harbor Drive. For more follow @beergarden_shippanlanding on Instagram or visit www.beeratthelanding.com


30+ Spots to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2022 in Connecticut

Brewery Features Events Oktoberfest Festival Beer CT Beer Beer Garden Holiday Homepage

April Guilbault

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!


Guide to Kids Cooking Classes & Camps in Connecticut (2022 Edition)

Features Cooking Cooking Classes Kids kids activity Kids Cooking Classes Guide Education Highlight

April Guilbault

Feels like we were all just stuck home together and dreaming of getting OUT and low and behold, now we can! Let’s start with getting those kiddos some cool stuff to do once school lets out. Let’s hear it for cooking camps! To learn (in a fun way) about food, where it comes from, what the heck we can do with it, and yummm, how it tastes-what could be better? Follow it with some parent-kid trips to your local farms or farmers’ markets, and lookie there, you’ve just filled the calendar a bit for the summer months. Here’s to brilliant and tasty new discoveries!


314 Beer Garden Opens at Former SoNo Marketplace

Features Restaurant Craft Beer beer Beer Garden ct beer BBQ Norwalk

Andrew Dominick

Some of you may remember the multi-vendor and artist space known as SoNo Marketplace at 314 Wilson Avenue. Don’t worry if you think it passed you by, it was sadly only open for a blink. But if you do recall, the courtyard area of the “market” was always set up for events and an outdoor bar with draft lines. Some years ago, SoNo Marketplace did host a chili cookoff and a pig roast with Half Full Brewery.

In 2021, that patio space has been resurrected as 314 Beer Garden, complete with 13 taps and all the essential biergarten décor with Adirondack chairs, picnic tables, string lights, and a massive fire pit smack dab in the center of it all.

314’s intro beer list on draft and in cans included a strong Connecticut brewery presence. New England Brewing Co.’s signature, hoppy Sea Hag and Supernaut were both available, as was Evenflow, a crushable lager from Hamden’s own No Worries.


Dave’s Gourmet Paletas: Artisan Ice Pops Opens in Fairfield

Restaurant Openings Fairfield Ices Ice Pops Dessert Kids Kid Friendly Popsicles homepage

CTbites Team

Craving something sweet but not in the mood for the full indulgence of ice cream? Do you want something that tastes just as good without as much guilt? Have no fear, Dave’s Gourmet Paletas has just opened in downtown Fairfield serving up 20 flavors of homemade paletas…made fresh daily. These pops are far cry fro from the average popsicle as paletas are made entirely from whole ingredients, delicious things…like fresh fruit and nut butters. Dave’s Paletas also feature gluten free, dairy free and vegan options with a menu ranging from classic flavors like strawberry and banana to more unique ones like matcha and mango chamoy. Paletas are a traditional Mexican frozen treat and owner and CEO Dave Rock says,

“We wanted to offer standard flavors, traditional ones that everybody likes, but we also wanted to sprinkle in some of the more uniquely Mexican options like a mango chamoy.”


Newtown's NewSylum Brewing Co. is a Pandemic Success Story

Restaurant Features CT Beer Beer Beer Garden Newtown Brewery Openings

Connecticut Magazine

Connecticut Magazine checks out NewSylum Brewery in Newtown. Here’s their review.

It was not the grand opening anyone envisioned.

NewSylum Brewing Co. owners Mark Lennon, David Kingsley and Mark Tambascio had been planning their brewery for several years as a taproom-centered operation. One that took full advantage of their unique location in Newtown within a historic building at what was formerly Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility on a 100-plus-acre campus with more than a dozen buildings.

NewSylum Brewing Co. in Newtown opened during the coronavirus pandemic in a historic building in the former Fairfield Hills Hospital, a psychiatric facility.

Then the coronavirus hit.

The brewery was slated to open the first week in May, but Connecticut was still shut down and the taproom the owners had envisioned as the centerpiece of their business couldn’t be opened. “We had to shift gears from our original plan,” Lennon says.

They hadn’t planned on canning their beer but quickly contracted with a mobile canning company, and began offering curbside pickup.


Chefs At Home: Chia Seed Pudding Recipe from Chef Anthony Rinaldi

Recipe Features Recipe Recipe Video Chia Breakfast Kids Kid Friendly kids activity

Stephanie Webster

Episode #4 of our Chefs At Home series is here…and it’s a heathy, simple and delicious recipe you can make all summer long. Chef Anthony Rinaldi, formerly Exec Chef at Kawa Ni in Westport, currently the Chef for Greenwich Country Day School, has been having some fun in his kitchen with this recipe for the Chia Seed Pudding. This recipe has 15 grams of protein and is easy enough for any kid to make themselves! Get your kids cooking and enjoy!


Chef Dan Kardos Launches Oar & Oak Creamery Ice Cream Truck

Restaurant Food Truck Openings ice cream Kid Friendly Kids Dessert

Maddie Phelps

Chef Dan Kardos has made his mark on the Connecticut restaurant industry over the past two decades. He’s been the operator, the owner, and, of course, the chef of local favorites like Stratford’s Oar & Oak. This summer, he’s turning to something even sweeter.

Kardos recently opened Oar & Oak Creamery, a 10x6 soft serve ice cream truck currently stationed at Knapp’s Landing in Stratford. The truck, Kardos emphasized, isn’t some extravagant ice cream parlor with dozens of flavors and toppings galore. It’s straightforward yet refreshingly original.


World-Class Chef Dan Giusti is Giving School Lunch a Gourmet Overhaul (Starting in New London CT)

Features Kids Celebrity Chef Education News

Connecticut Magazine

Dan Giusti was not used to failing in the kitchen. 

At 29 years old he had been named the head chef at Noma in Copenhagen, making him a de facto high priest of fine dining. As the leader of the kitchen of one of the world’s most critically acclaimed restaurants, he was tasked with executing owner and executive chef René Redzepi’s vision and making sure the culinary dreams of those who had spent years and months planning their visit to Copenhagen to dine at Noma came true. Giusti was good at this. 

But three years into the job, Giusti walked away to tackle the seemingly never-ending enigma that is school lunch. With Redzepi’s blessing and investment, Giusti founded a new company called Brigaid that sought to put skilled chefs at the helm of cafeteria kitchens in schools across America. The idea was “getting chefs who would never choose to do this work to do this work,” Giusti says. 


Meet Leo Kelly, The 6 Year Old "Shirley Temple King"

Features Kids Kid Chefs Interview Homepage

Stephanie Webster

Leo Kelly, a 6 year old first grader in Fairfield CT has dreams of becoming “King,” well, the Shirley Temple King that is. Leo aspires to be the childhood arbiter of all things Shirley Temple (yes, the popular childhood beverage) , and he is making his way around Fairfield County doing just that. You can find him on Instagram at @theshirleytempleking, so heads up local restaurants owners. Time to get your Shirley Temple game on fleek.


Half Full Brewery Opening 2nd Stamford Location (via Hey Stamford!)

Features Stamford Brewery Beer Garden CT Beer Openings

Hey Stamford!

I remember it like it was yesterday, the doors would open a few days later and I had just left my first interview and brewery tour with founder and “Chief Hoptimist,” Conor Horrigan. Between his passion for the brand and the fact that Stamford was about to get its first craft brewery, I remember being really excited! 

Cut to today. Not only has that little Waterside brew pup been churning out some fantastic award winning beer, they’ve also become a key member of the Stamford community. So, what’s next for Conor’s team?  How about an expansion!  

Over the holiday break , Half Full Brewery announced that they have signed a lease for a second Stamford location at 575 Pacific St. 

Read the complete article on Hey Stamford!


Elicit Brewing Company Sneak Peek Info & Opening November 18

Features Beer Garden Beer CT Beer Brewery Openings Manchester

CTbites Team

It's go time! After much work, construction, beer brewing, game assembly, mixology, and kitchen testing, Elicit (located at 165 Adams St, Manchester, CT) is ready to bring the FUN to Manchester - and you're invited!

Elicit Brewing Co. will be an American-style beer garden featuring a range of food from pizzas and sandwiches to smaller style plates including wings and pretzels. The brewery is expected to be open Monday through Friday late afternoon through late night, with more hours on the weekends To learn more about Elicit Brewing Co., follow us on Instagram (@ElicitBrewing), visit their website: http://elicitbrewing.com

If you would like to get in BEFORE THE PUBLIC, THEY ARE ACCEPTING RSVP’S FOR The PRE-opening weekend EVENTS.


20+ Places for Oktoberfest in CT: 2019 Edition

Features Oktoberfest Holiday Festival CT Beer Beer Garden Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

It may be called OKTOBERfest, but 2019’s Oktoberfest festivities are kicking off as early as September!  Breweries are creating their own German inspired beers while popular restaurants are providing their own renditions of bratwurst and more.  Get your lederhosen ready… Oktoberfest 2019 is here!

The Hops Company, Derby

The Hops Company will be hosting its 4th annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 13, 2019 beginning at 12:00pm.  Featuring Von Trapp Brewery, the day will include live bands, giveaways, and specialty casks.  A highlight of The Hops Company’s Oktoberfest is the Stein Hoisting Contest.  Each winner will receive an overnight stay for two at the Von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT.

Half Full Brewery, Stamford

Oktoberfest in the Park, presented by Half Full Brewery, returns to Stamford on September 27 & 28.  Festivities include food trucks, a Pop-Up Beer Garden, and Live Music from a variety of local and regional acts. The festival is held in support of the Mill River Park Collaborative and takes place on The North Lawn & Grand Steps in Mill River Park in downtown Stamford. 

Troupe429, Norwalk

Saturday October 5 is PRIDEtoberfest at Troupe429 in Norwalk.  The free event features plenty of drinks, food, and live performances. 

Sandy Hook Craft Beer Festival, Newtown

Just in time for your Octoberfest parties comes the Sandy Hook Craft Beer Festival.  There are currently over 45 breweries signed up and 6 food trucks.  Additional vendors will provide food, candy, spirits and other shopping fun.  Join them Saturday October 15 from 1-5pm.


Guide To Kids Cooking Camps & Classes in Connecticut for 2019

Features Cooking Cooking Classes kids cooking party Kids kids activity Summer Camp

April Guilbault

Hot summer days and you don’t feel like cooking. The stove, oven, even the grill…it’s all so hot. But hold on a minute there, maybe *you* don’t have to! With a little foresight (read: now), your kids can learn to cook this summer, get inspired and whoa-oh, looks who’s not in the kitchen anymore?! Beyond your parental joy, though, kids will enjoy learning cooking skills, whipping up some pretty cool menus from around the globe and even having a cooking competition or two just to test their mettle. Just be sure to sign up your aspiring chefs soon, these classes and camps fill up quicker than hot grease will jump out of a pan!


20+ Places To Celebrate Oktoberfest in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Holiday Oktoberfest Beer Garden CT Beer Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Fall is here!  That means spice pumpkin lattes, apple picking, Halloween shopping, and of course… Oktoberfest!  Connecticut restaurants, farms, museums, and fairgrounds are holding their own versions of the German holiday.  These places are serving up German-inspired cuisine, brews, music, entertainment, and more. We will continue to update this list as venues announce events. Check back for more events throughout the month.