Filtering by Tag: Darien,Ridgefield

Ridgefield Bagels and Bakes: NEW Destination for Sourdough Bagels in Ridgefield

Restaurant Breakfast Breakfast Sandwich Bagels Bakery Bread Shop Opening Ridgefield Homepage

Hannah Goodman

I love bagels. I love anything that has to do with bagels, whether it’s simply a toasted plain bagel with some butter or cream cheese (often I choose both – sue me), or a B.E.C. on a sesame bagel, or it’s an everything bagel stacked with the works, like scallion cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions, and capers, I am all in! If you are from the tri-state area, you know the importance of a solid bagel shop, as we take this stuff very seriously, because what the heck would we do without a hearty breakfast sandwich in the morning? As luck would have it, Ridgefield needed a new bagel shop to take the place of what had previously been Steve’s Bagels, and in November of 2023, the same location on Main Street became Ridgefield Bagels and Bakes. 

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Cucina Daniella: Authentic Italian Specialty Foods & Sandwich Shop Opens In Darien

Ingredients Restaurant Darien Italian Italian Deli Specialty Market Sandwiches Italian Sandwich Prepared Food Homepage

Katie Simons

Ever find yourself daydreaming about salty, oily tuscan bread with fresh prosciutto and earthy lettuce? Instead of booking that eight hour flight to Italy, the easier — yet equally tasty option — is located on Tokeneke Road in Darien. Cucina Daniella brings a mix of prepared Italian classics, fresh sandwiches on homemade bread and Italian-imported quality ingredients to Fairfield County. 

While the gourmet grocery store opened in January, the project has been a long time coming for Chef and Owner Daniella Palazzolo. Palazzolo grew up in a food-centered Italian home with a love for the food her family in Sicily made. After 30 years in corporate America, she began selling her favorite imported Italian products — namely olive oil — at local farmer’s markets in 2019. During the pandemic Palazzolo obtained her carterring license and began selling prepared foods like meatballs and homemade pasta sauces. After seeing her success on a small scale, she worked with a women’s business development team to apply for a loan for a physical storefront and expansion of her team.  

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The Benjamin in Ridgefield Changes Philosophy To Be "More Approachable"

Features Interview Restaurant The Benjamin Ridgefield Ridgefield Homepage Interview

Andrew Dominick

From “a uniquely American, French inspired restaurant and bar” to “a uniquely American, globally inspired restaurant and bar.”

For The Benjamin—which opened just before last summer in the former Bernard’s Restaurant and Sarah’s Wine Bar space—and owners Rob Moss and Dave Studwell of Washington Prime and B.J. Lawless of B.J. Ryan’s, B.J. Ryan’s East, and BanC House, they knew that a year later they’d have to switch up the restaurant’s philosophy. Call it a pivot if you want, but according to Studwell, it wasn’t just one thing that needed changing.

“I’d like to say it was one thing,” he says. “Honestly, we were high on French, but not everyone wants caviar, foie gras, and smoked trout all the time. Ridgefield is a family driven town and we didn’t realize that.”

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Birdcode, A CT-Based Hot Chicken Restaurant, Opens In Darien (via Darien Patch)

Features Restaurant Opening Fried Chicken Sandwich Fried Chicken Hot Chicken Lunch Darien

Richard Kaufman via The Patch

This Hot Chicken Sandwich News just in from Darien Patch…

Bird is definitely the word in Darien these days.

Birdcode, a new Connecticut-based hot chicken restaurant that offers up scratch-made chicken sandwiches, tenders, small chicken bites, southern sides and tasty desserts, opened a new location in Darien this week at 151 Post Road.

This represents the brand's second CT location, with the other being in West Hartford, and the first for the company to feature a convenient drive-thru.

Birdcode uses farm-fresh, 100 percent air-chilled, never frozen, steroid and antibiotic-free chicken that must meet certain specifications.

Guests can choose their heat level for chicken sandwiches, tenders or "Code Bites." Heat level options range from country, mild and medium, to hot and code breaker (eat at your own risk).

Read the complete article on Darien Patch.

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Green & Tonic Announces Opening in Darien CT January 2nd

Restaurant Features Opening Darien Plant Based Health & Wellness Healthy Eats Smoothies Acai Bowl Sandwich Lunch Breakfast

CTbites Team

Green & Tonic is thrilled to announce the grand opening of their brand-new location in Darien! 

The plant-based  fast casual concept can't wait for you to step foot into their new fresh, vibrant space in the Corbin District and experience all the goodness they have to offer.

Grand opening day is on Tuesday January 2nd 2024. The excitement includes:

Free small lattes, free cold pressed juices and BOGO sales (on select juices) special giveaway entry w/ purchase to an epic prize (free year of G&T coffee!) and Free Kaia Yoga Class Passes for everyone who stops by on this special day ($20 value!)

Can't make it to opening day. No worries! Open 7 days a week: Dine in, Pick Up or Delivery is always available. Green & Tonic is a plant-based eatery serving delicious, good-for-you food and drinks! Think salads, warm bowls, seasonal soups, breakfast sandwiches, cold-pressed juices, smoothies & açaí bowls. They've recreated popular coffee chain drinks like the cookie butter latte and peppermint mocha latte to be made with no added sugar and no additives. 

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Hoodoo Brown BBQ Serves a Smoked Cheeseburger On Sundays and It’s Awesome

Features Interview Restaurant Hoodoo Brown BBQ BBQ Burger Burgers Ridgefield

Andrew Dominick

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.

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Chef Forrest Pasternack Returns to Bailey’s Backyard in Ridgefield CT

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Bailey's Backyard Farm To Table Interview Chef Talk Ridgefield

Andrew Dominick

Ask Forrest Pasternack about being back in Ridgefield and he’ll tell you that “there’s nothing quite like home.”

Already well traveled in this area and in New York as a renowned chef at several acclaimed restaurant, Pasternack may be best known to locals from his five-years when he headed up the kitchen at the O.G. farm-to-table restaurant Bailey’s Backyard from 2013 – 2018.

After a handful of years away, Pasternack is back!

But where’s he been all this time?

Well, a bunch of places and one big one at the same time.

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Restaurant L’Ostal Debuts New Bar-Only L’apero Menu

Features Interview Restaurant Darien Happy Hour Cocktails Burger French Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Evolution is part of the progression of any restaurant, even one as damn good as Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien.

Should you need a crash course in L’Ostal’s Provençal cuisine and on chef-owner and 2022 CRAZies “Chef of the Year” nominee, Jared Sippel, we covered all of that HERE a little more than a few years ago.

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NYC's Fast Casual NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill Brings Middle Eastern Cuisine to Darien

Restaurant Darien Fast Casual Opening Middle Eastern

CTbites Team

In just a few short weeks, the Fairfield County dining scene will welcome NAYA Middle Eastern Counter & Grill opens its doors on June 23rd in Darien, CT. Originating from the heart of New York City, NAYA has gained widespread acclaim for its Middle Eastern flavors. Renowned for drawing long lines during the bustling lunch hour in NYC, NAYA is now set to captivate the vibrant community of Darien, nestled within the lively Darien Commons at 146 Heights Road, Darien, CT 06820. With a commitment to delivering an unparalleled fast casual dining experience, perfected in the Big Apple, NAYA is poised to serve the Fairfield County community.

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First Look: Washington Prime and BJ Ryan’s Owners Open The Benjamin in Ridgefield

Features Interview Restaurant French American Ridgefield Homepage Openings Interview

Andrew Dominick

Ridgefield’s West Lane is about to look a whole lot different after the transformation of Bernard’s Restaurant and Sarah’s Wine Bar to The Benjamin, brought to you by a trio of well-known Norwalk restaurateurs in Dave Studwell and Rob Moss of Washington Prime and B.J. Lawless of BJ Ryan’s Restaurant Group.

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Seamore's, Sustainable Seafood Restaurant from NYC Opening in Darien June 9

Features Restaurant Opening Darien Sustainable Seafood Fish American Homepage

CTbites Team

Seamore's, the sustainable seafood restaurant group based in New York City, will expand into Connecticut with the launch of a location in Darien. Their mission is to make sustainable, local fish more accessible to everyone, with their entire menu featuring sustainably caught or farmed fish. Restaurateur Jay Wainwright has partnered with local chef Shannon Sturz to curate a menu that reflects local flavors and supports the local fisheries. Executive Chef Shannon Sturz, who grew up in the area, was previously Sous Chef at The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges. Seamore’s will make its debut at Darien Commons on Friday, June 9.

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Brasserie St. Germain Opens In Ridgefield From Sucre Sale Team

Restaurant Opening Ridgefield French Lunch Raw Bar Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Brasserie St. Germain opened quietly though to much fanfare this past week. Named after St Germain des Pres, the quaint Parisian neighborhood, in the 6th arrondissement. Owners Frank Bonnaudet and Virginie Kharouby are no strangers to the Ridgefield restaurant scene. After nearly 10 years, the owners of the former Sucre Sale decided to shut down the smaller, casual eatery to make way for this newer, slightly more formal concept with its larger menu and more expansive dining areas.

Brasserie St. Germain is an ode to Paris, from the décor – with hand-painted murals in the main dining and bar area that are bright and lively, to the more formal, high end dining area in the back. The restaurant seats between 75-80 people, and judging by what we saw, the space will fill very quickly. Former Sucre Sale diners have been eagerly anticipating this opening. The cozy ambiance suggests a relaxed dining experience, diners will not be rushed.

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Q&A: CRAZIES Nominee "Best Chef of the Year" Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal

Features Q & A Interview Celebrity Chef Awards Darien

Christopher Hodson

Each year, the CT Restaurant Association recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s restaurant community in the prestigious CRAzies awards. We are excited to showcase the nominees for 2022’s CRAZIES AWARDS “BEST CHEF OF THE YEAR” in this 5 part series. All the candidates worked incredibly hard to receive this nomination, and while many of you may know some of them, you probably don’t know all of them. We sat down with each of these talented chefs to learn a little bit more about what makes them do what they do. This week, we feature Jared Sippel of Restaurant L’Ostal in Darien, CT.

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Flour Water Salt X Karla's Kreamery Bomboloni Ice Cream Sandwich Pop-Up Sept 24th

Features Events Dessert Ice Cream Doughnuts Darien Pop-Up

Stephanie Webster

Big news for doughnut ice cream sandwich lovers everywhere. On September 24th, starting at 11:30 AM (and I’d get there nice and early as these will sell out quickly), Karla Sorrentino of Karla’s Kreamery and Rob Vankeuren of Flour Water Salt Bread will come together for a few hours to create some cream sandwich magic. The uniquely delicious Flour Water Salt bomboloni (Italian style doughnut) will have a chance to get intimate with Chef Karla’s new micro batch ice cream. These are two “best in class” desserts so get excited.

This unique culinary opportunity will go down at Flour Water Salt located at 20 Grove Street in Darien. While the shop will hold normal hours that day, the ice cream sandwiches won’t get started until 11:30 AM. While both businesses generally take pre-orders, there will be no ordering in advance for this collaboration. Karla and Rob will be assembling sandwiches to order, and expect to simply wait in line for your sweet reward.

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Más Tacos Por Favor! La Taqueria Expands to Darien

Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Margaritas Mexican Fast Casual Openings Darien Homepage

Andrew Dominick

A little more than two years ago, Dennis Lake opened his fast casual, but gourmet approach to a taqueria right at the top of Greenwich Avenue. Now he’s taken his homemade blue corn tortilla tacos, Mexican side dishes, and margaritas to Darien’s The Corbin District with a second location of La Taqueria.

But don’t call it a franchise. Maybe don’t even ask him if that’s the plan, even if it does lend extremely well to damn near every city and town. Instead, Lake would likely prefer you call it a well thought out expansion.

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The Prospector Theater: Ridgefield's Mission Driven Movie Theater & Gourmet Popcorn!

Features Ridgefield Movie Food kids activity Snacks

Oliver Clachko

“80% of adults with disabilities are unemployed,” cites Sam Burkhardt, manager of The Prospector Theater. “It’s really difficult for many of them to find work.” “And COVID only exacerbated that,” adds manager James Mase, “with 1 in 5 workers with disabilities being laid off, compared to 1 in 7 in the general public.” Thankfully, the Ridgefield movie theater offers a haven for developmentally and intellectually disabled adults seeking work, with a mission to provide “competitive and integrative employment” for adults with special needs.

But that’s not all….wait till you try their homemade gourmet popcorn!

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Pho Fans Opens In Darien with Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine

Restaurant Vietnamese Darien Take Out Lunch Kid Friendly Asian Noodle Soup Pho Sandwich Homepage

Jessica Ryan

Pho Fans, Darien’s newest eatery is a family-run Vietnamese restaurant which opened just a couple of months ago and has already created quite the reputation for itself. The name suits this restaurant well – as those who enter will all quickly become fans! The Connecticut location is the second of the same name; the first is located in Huntington, NY. Vietnamese food is known to be one of the healthiest cuisines with minimal use of oils and dairy. As a result, flavors are light, fresh and balanced. Pho Fan relies on generations-old family recipes that translate well to the modern, health-inspired American palate. Their focus is on health and nutrition while delivering delicious food. You won’t find anything artificial or any additives whatsoever in their food.

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