My Favorite Dish: Kawa Ni’s Chicken Katsu Parm w/Kimchi Vodka Sauce Ingredients Interview Restaurant My Favorite Dish Chicken Parm Westport Kawa Ni Ingredients Italian Asian Fusion Homepage Andrew Dominick November 23, 2025 When Kawa Ni messes around with fusion, they don’t miss. Over three years ago, at one of the friends and family previews of Kawa Ni’s expansion into the space next door, I remember asking chef-owner Bill Taibe which newish dishes I should try in addition to my usual pork + garlic ramen, karaage don, spicy lamb dan dan, and pork Szechuan dumplings. His reply: “I gotta tell ya, one of my favorites, and a sleeper on this menu, is the kimchi carbonara.” In the present, Kawa Ni’s carbonara is no longer a sleeper. Also in the present, and another foray into Italian–Asian mashups, is their chicken katsu parmigiana. Read More
Delamar Hotels Opens American-Mediterranean Restaurant, Dandelion, in Westport Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Mediterranean Opening Interview Westport Dandelion Westport Delamar Hotels Homepage Andrew Dominick October 03, 2025 Just a mere mile and change from the Delamar Southport and Artisan, founder Charles Mallory’s Greenwich Hospitality Group has opened a new luxury hotel with a restaurant, Dandelion, that’s been booked solid for weeks right out of the gate. “We took ownership of it 2-3 years ago,” says Delamar’s corporate director of restaurants, Hicham Amaaou. “I’ve been working with Frederic Keifer (Delamar’s corporate chef/partner) since Artisan Southport in 2012, then West Hartford, and we created La Plage together from scratch. But this is two separate entities and the food is very opposite.” Read More
Massimo Tullio Opens Neapolitan Inspired Massi Co. in Westport Features Interview Ingredients Restaurant Neapolitan pizza Neapolitan Italian Interview Homepage Westport Opening Andrew Dominick September 21, 2025 The space at 90 Post Road E in Westport has played host to three different restaurant concepts over the past eight years; Jesup Hall (farm-to-table American), then Don Memo (Mexican), and now, Massi Co., a Napolitano style restaurant. At the helm is a familiar face, co-owner of those previous two restaurants, and The Whelk, Massimo Tullio. The switch to Italian came about earlier in the year when Tullio, and his then partner, Bill Taibe, announced they would be going their separate ways with Taibe taking over both Kawa Ni locations in Westport and in Denver, while Tullio would continue operating The Whelk and Don Memo. Read More
Menu Highlight: Kawa Ni in Westport Introduces "The Katsu Burger" Ingredients Interview Restaurant Kawa Ni Westport Japanese Burger Andrew Dominick May 09, 2025 Chris Gonzalez is never surprised when people (including me) bring up Hapa Food Truck, specifically THAT burger. You know the one. Juicy grass-fed beef, a thick strip of tender pork belly, ultra caramelized onions, Vermont cheddar, lettuce and tomato, all between an eye catching purple ube bun. Admit it. You miss it. But those days are gone and these days are now. Gonzalez, now the chef at Kawa Ni, has, along with owner Bill Taibe, created another show stopper of a burger that’ll have you talking. That is, if you can get your hands on one. Read More
My Favorite Dish: Wagyu Brisket Bao Buns at The Cottage in Westport + Greenwich Ingredients Interview Restaurant My Favorite Dish The Cottage Westport The Cottage Greenwich Westport Greenwich Bao Brisket Ingredients Andrew Dominick October 11, 2024 No trip to The Cottage is complete without…IT. At least one, but probably two. Fans of Brian Lewis’ flagship restaurant in Westport (and in Greenwich in recent years) know that I’m talking specifically about the wagyu brisket bao buns, a day one appetizer (though I could eat these as my main course) when Lewis opened in 2015. The buns have had their share of the spotlight, too, as they’ve been gushed about in TheNew York Times, Forbes, and countless local news sites and blogs. Read More
Allium Eatery in Westport: Nominated for Best CT Chef 2024 Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Restaurants French Modern American Westport Chef Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick October 09, 2024 Now almost three years old, Michelle Greenfield’s Allium Eatery started out, as she puts it, “small.” Her restaurant, inside, is also small. Put a dozen people in there and it feels full. When the weather cooperates, Allium can take some walk ins for patio dining, otherwise you have a choice between either the 5:30 seating or the 7:30. n this case of “small,” small is good, and Greenfield’s restaurant is one of the hottest tickets in town. No website, just social media, and they’re more active on Instagram, FYI. And chances are, when a table does wiggle free from a prior reservation on busier nights, it’s a given that someone will see their Instagram story announcement and snatch it right up. Read More
Don Memo in Westport Introduces a Limited Happy Hour Burger Ingredients Restaurant Burgers Burger Happy Hour Westport Mexican Andrew Dominick October 02, 2024 When Don Memo posted on Instagram that they’d be serving a burger during their Hora Feliz (that’s happy hour in English), their fans were pretty stoked, present company included. Show me a good happy hour AND throw in a limited cheeseburger, something Don Memo has never offered before, and I’m there. Read More
The Cottage Westport Launches Farmers Market Prix Fixe Menu Ingredients Interview Restaurant Seasonal Ingredients Farmers Market The Cottage Westport Westport Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick June 14, 2024 Just over two months from this very publication date, The Cottage Westport welcomed back chef de cuisine, Christian Wilki, after his stints at Villa Mulino in Avon and Swyft and Ore Hill in Kent. Having worked with chef and owner Brian Lewis for five years previously, Wilki is happy to return to further cultivate and create culinary magic at The Cottage. ingredients from the Westport Farmers Market.“We did this a while back, but one day, me, Brian, and Ralph ( León)were sitting down after service sharing a bottle of water—I know, so exciting—and we sat here talking and I said that I wanted to do a farmers market menu again like we did years ago,” Wilki says. “Brian was like, ‘absolutely, let’s do it.’” Read More
The Search for Tony Pizza Napolitano’s Elusive Square Pie Features Ingredients Interview Pizza Weston Westport Pop-Up Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick May 15, 2024 The elusiveness of certain limited foods only makes me want THAT particular thing even more. That’s exactly how I felt trying to track down Anthony Kesselmark’s square pizzas, aka, the grandma pie. Read More
Il Pastaficio Opens in Westport: ‘No Alfredo,’ Authentic Italian Foods (via Westport Journal) Features Ingredients Restaurant Westport Pasta Italian Opening Stephanie Webster October 28, 2022 This just in from Gretchen Webster of Westport Journal, on a new spot for fresh pasta and authentic Italian goods in Westport.Two years after his quest began to bring authentic Italian pasta and sauces to Westport, Frederico Perandin, a native of Venice, Italy, has opened Il Pastaficio, a downtown shop and restaurant.The business, at 135 Post Road East, features a display case filled with samples of more than 15 kinds of freshly made pasta.If linguini and rigatoni sound familiar, some of the other fresh pastas at Il Pastaficio — bucatini, cavatelli, ravioli ricotta e spinaci or raviola Emilla — may not. Another case is filled with freshly made sauces, including pesto Genovese, puttanesca and cacio pepe sauce.Read the complete article here. Read More
Saugatuck Provisions Opens From A Local CT Chef (Matt Storch), A Butcher & A Fisherman (Copps Island Oysters) Ingredients Features Westport Grocery Store Ingredients Seafood Butcher Specialty Market Homepage Opening Stephanie Webster October 26, 2022 What happens when a chef, a butcher and a fisherman walk into a bar? Stay tuned and I’ll tell you…If you’ve noticed some activity behind the brown paper covering the windows of what was once Westport’s Saugatuck Craft Butchery, it’s not just wishful thinking. Big things are happening behind that masked facade …big things that involve a culinary power team including Chef Matt Storch and Susan McConnell (Match Burger Lobster, Match) in partnership with Jimmy Bloom of Copps Island Oysters, and butcher, Paul Nessal, whom you will recognize if you spent any time at the nose to tail butchery, Saugatuck Craft, back in the day. After 5 years of discussion, this group is finally getting ready to open the doors to Saugatuck Provisions, a new concept offering customers a curated selection of the very best ingredients from the land, sea and grocery, enabling guests to create beautiful restaurant quality meals at home.Saugatuck Provisions is conveniently located next to Match Burger Lobster in Westport, and will be ready for customers in early November, with Thanksgiving pre-ordering already live here. Read More
The Westport Farmers' Market Is Back for the 2021 Summer Season with 50+ Vendors Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport Healthy Eats Farm To Table Farm Fresh Ingredients Farm Stand Local Artisan Bread Bakery Food Truck CTbites Team May 25, 2021 The need to eat strikes in many different forms. Craving something healthy? At The Westport Farmers’ Market, you can grab some freshly grown produce to satisfy that yearning. Want something refreshing? Stop by the handmade popsicle stand to cool down. How about something sweet? Head to the various artisan bakers selling freshly baked pastries and bread.After a brief intermission from the end of their winter season back in March, the Westport Farmers Market has reopened to serve the community fresh produce, baked goods and everything in between. Open Thursdays from 10-2 on Imperial Avenue in Westport, the market is something you will not want to miss.With over 50 vendors determined to provide market-goers with healthy and fresh products, Westport residents can look forward to grabbing organic, local ingredients to prepare a healthy meal, or even a pre-made breakfast or lunch… after visiting all the other vendors…of course.Visit the Westport Farmers Market to enjoy goods from any of their over 50 vendors or check out a few of our favorites below! Read More
Marcia Selden Catering & Pop-Up Bagels Team Up For Epic Weekend Bagel Brunch Features Ingredients Pop-Up Bagels Caterers Stamford Westport Breakfast Brunch Homepage Stephanie Webster February 11, 2021 We love it when two of our favorite food brands team up for a pop-up that involves delicious carb-loaded brunch fare. You may have heard me sing some praise for Adam Goldberg and his ridiculously tasty Pop-Up Bagels. Well, he has found a new regular Stamford pop-up location and dedicated cooking team with Marcia Selden Catering. Last weekend, CTbites got the chance to tag along for some bagel making fun. And, don’t worry…if you missed this past week’s pop-up event, mark your calendars for March 6th, and follow @popupbagels for notifications because these bagels sell out QUICKLY!So, here’s how this bagel making and baking went down. Read More
Field Trip Premium Beef Jerky Opens 1st Retail Shop in Westport Ingredients Features Ingredients Snacks Specialty Market Westport Opening Stephanie Webster December 13, 2018 On December 11th, premium jerky & snack brand Field Trip opened its first store at 153 Post Road East in Westport CT. The 500-square-foot space will be the company’s first ever brick and mortar establishment. You can find Field Trip jerky in 50,000 retails outlets nationwide, but this is, and will be their ONLY dedicated store. The first 1,000 customers over the weekend of December 15th/16th will receive a free meat stick if they mention having read about us on Westport Moms, Dan Woog, CTBites, or via WestportNow! Read More
The Westport Farmers' Market Opens May 17th w/ Great Vendor Lineup, Food Trucks + "Chopped At The Market" Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport CTbites Team May 04, 2018 As a proud sponsor for The Westport Farmers' Market, CTbites is pleased to announce, the 2018 summer season.While it’s fair to say this long, cool spring has taken a toll on many of us, Westport Farmers’ Market shoppers and vendors have especially felt its bite. We’re happy to report the wait is over; the vision of supporting the best market in the area is in sight. In just a over a week, on Thursday, May 17th, the Westport Farmers’ Market will return for its 12th year 50 Imperial Avenue.There will be new faces among other vendors, too, including Grateful Food Company offering plant-based fare, and Norm Bloom & Sons with local oysters. In addition to new faces – even those whose identity is still a secret – familiar favorites will return, including last winter’s newest guest vendor, Cross Culture Kombucha, who will be pouring booch on site, and farm favorites Sport Hill; Fort Hill; Riverbank, Two Guys from Woodbridge; Sankow Beaver Brook; Ox Hollow; Beltane; Woodland; Rose’s Berry; Aradia; and Muddy Feet Flower Farm. Read More
Donut Crazy Launches the “Cruffin” Croissant-Muffin Hybrid Ingredients Features Bakery Dessert Kid Friendly Breakfast Doughnuts New Haven Shelton Westport Bridgeport Homepage Stephanie Webster November 02, 2017 Donut Crazy, a local, family-owned eatery specializing in unique donut flavors (lovingly called Dailies & Crazies), announced a tasty new menu item called the “Cruffin.” The croissant-muffin crossover is the company’s way of celebrating the first sugar-filled year of its New Haven location near Yale University. The “Cruffin” will be available at all Donut Crazy locations for $4.25, starting on Friday November 3, weekends only and while supplies last. The “Cruffin” has quickly become the food world’s newest bakery obsession, much like the “Cronut” before it. The buttery, flaky pastry is shaped like a muffin and filled with different flavors. Donut Crazy plans to offer coconut, dulce de leche, chocolate mousse, and pumpkin. More exciting flavors to come! Read More
Newbrook Kitchen & Paleo Cafe Opens in Westport Ingredients Restaurant Specialty Market Special Dietary Needs Lunch To-Go Take Out Westport Peter Dunay July 28, 2017 I first walked up to Newbrook Kitchen, on Riverside Avenue in Westport, with no idea what cuisine the two cartoon girls that are stuck on the front window of their restaurant would be serving. I did no prior research into their business because I wanted the element of surprise to truly hit once I uncovered who they are. What I found at Newbrook was a very pleasant surprise. Stationed in Saugatuck, Westport in a little strip mall, this mother daughter operation is here to make you a believer. As their name would definitely lead you to believe, they are a Paleo restaurant, catering service, and landmark pumping out some of the best health food you can find in the Fairfield County. Read More
Savannah Bee Company Opens in Downtown Westport's Bedford Square Features Ingredients Ingredients Specialty Market Westport Stephanie Webster July 07, 2017 Savannah Bee Company is bringing its Southern charm and hospitality to the Northeast, summer 2017. One of the leaders in all things Honeybee has just opened a boutique in Westport's Bedford Square.Savannah Bee Company is known for its premium artisanal honeys, honey-based health and beauty products, and mission to educate people about the wonders of the Honeybee and preserving the art of beekeeping. Read More
Guest Chef Lineup for Westport Farmers' Market's 2017 Summer Season Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport Chef Peter Dunay May 22, 2017 Personally, I have always wanted to be a judge or even a guest at one of Top Chef’s cookout challenges; where the chefs are tasked with using locally sourced ingredients and doing them justice by creating an epic meal. Whether, your dreams are as ornate as mine or you would just like to have a chef cook you a delicious snack, the Westport Farmers Market is the place to be.Every Thursday between 10- 2, a special guest chef will be at the market and tasked with finding some key local ingredients and making a meal for everyone to taste. (View the complete guest chef schedule below.) Read More
Westport Farmers’ Market Enters Its 12th Year: Vendor List for 2017 Features Ingredients Farmers Market Westport Local Farm Local Artisan Stephanie Webster May 03, 2017 Mark your calendars for opening day of the Westport Farmers’ Market, Thursday, May 18th, from 10 to 2 at 50 Imperial Avenue. (View the complete market vendor list below.)Chefs from area restaurants will return this year to provide a source of inspiration to area shoppers. Each week they will create easy, healthful, delicious meals using fresh, local products found at the market. These seasonal recipes and others from top chefs throughout the area will be distributed each week at the market and available on the WFM website. Read More
