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Malby Bakery Opens in New Haven with Creative Pastries & Elevated Classics

Features Restaurant Bakery New Haven Opening Baked Goods Bread Shop Bread

Aaron Gruen November 03, 2025

Malby, a new bakery in New Haven is churning out superlative sourdough alongside croissants, cookies, and Latin American baked goods.

Owned by married couple Malby Rojas and Karla Tejada Arias, Malby opened in late May and is steadily expanding its offerings. “Every day, we add a little more bread, a little more pastry,” Rojas says. The neighborhood is already well-acquainted with Rojas’ bread, as she has been baking and delivering loaves from the basement of their home. Now, at her brick-and-mortar location, Rojas sells pastries, breads, and beverages inspired by the couple’s Latin heritage.

Bake Zone CT: Handcrafted Small Batch Brioche Donuts in Stamford

Events Features Ingredients Interview Donuts Woman Owned Pop-Up Bakery Baker Stamford Interview

Andrew Dominick October 29, 2025

Covering the hospitality industry for as long as I have, it’s a given you’ll come across people who left a completely different career to pursue their passion in cooking or baking. Sandeep Gupta is one of those people. She left her job doing app design and once she moved from San Francisco to Stamford, she started her own donut business. “I told my husband (Mayank), who’s also a developer and does IT, that I love designing apps and logos and everything, but that I want to follow my passion as a baker,” Gupta says. “I actually liked my job! It was creative and I wasn’t just coding. I made buttons, themes, making apps look pretty. That was me.”

Guide To Connecticut Caterers (2025 Edition)

Features Highlight Guide Catering Guide Caterers Best of CT Homepage

Carly Terzigni October 28, 2025

Want to take the stress out of cooking for a crowd? Let Connecticut caterers handle things! There are a number of reasons you may want to reach out to your local catering company. You may be hosting a large gathering, and the thought of preparing food for so many people seems daunting. Maybe it’s your turn to have everyone over for the holidays, and you want to spend less time in the kitchen and more with family and friends. There are major life events, like weddings, that you’ll definitely want a caterer for. Or, you may simply be in charge of planning an upcoming event at work. No matter the occasion, there are many catering companies across Connecticut ready to make your next meal memorable.

To help you navigate this guide, we’ve organized the listings by county. Simply find your local county and see which businesses are nearby!

Dos Hermanos Guatemalan Bakery & Cafe Opens in Bridgeport

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Guatemalan Bakery Latin American Black Rock Bridgeport Opening Homepage Interview

Andrew Dominick October 24, 2025

If you notice a bunch of people in Bridgeport’s Black Rock neighborhood entering a tiny storefront on Brewster Street, follow them, and the smell of fresh baked bread, inside. Welcome to Dos Hermanos Bakery & Cafe, owned by two brothers (hence the name), Giovanni and Nelson Castellon, who had a goal of opening a place of their own for a while to show the community an accurate representation of Guatemalan food.

Guide To Connecticut Halloween Parties, Events, Bars & Restaurants (2025 Edition)

Features Halloween Events Homepage

Carly Terzigni October 21, 2025

Halloween is right around the corner, so hopefully you have your costumes picked out and you are stocked up on candy! Restaurants around Connecticut are ready to celebrate over the next couple of weeks with one-night events, parties, and menu specials to immerse you in the spooky season. From family-friendly gatherings to adult-only soirees, make this Halloween one to remember with good food, drink, and company!

To help you find the nearest Halloween event, this guide is organized by county. Scroll to your local county and see what is going on through the end of October!

Connecticut Chefs Open Up About Wellness, Bad Habits, Mental Health, Addiction, and the 86 Challenge

Features Interview Homepage Interview Health & Wellness Mental Health Addiction Chefs Beto Ortiz Damon Sawyer Carlos Perez Dante Cistulli

Andrew Dominick October 16, 2025

To “86” or to “eighty-six” something is a term commonly used in the hospitality industry. It’s defined, maybe best so, in the Urban Dictionary, where it’s summarized as “getting rid of something, removing it, or refusing service.” If a dish is popular for the evening, and thus, sold out, you might hear a chef say something like, “86 pasta special.” But to “reject, discard, or cancel” or to 86, has a different meaning to Beto Ortiz in the present day. Ortiz, the founder of Humans of the Kitchen (think Humans of New York for the service industry), a chef in his own right, and someone who’s open about his own struggles with mental health, substance abuse, and an overall rebellious nature, started the 86 Challenge, a wellness program for chefs and restaurant professionals.

Mystic Cocktail Classic With 12 Semi Finalists Competing Nov 7-10

Features Cocktail Contest

CTbites Team October 16, 2025

This fall, Mystic will play host to the Mystic Cocktail Classic (November 7–10), a new event celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship that define modern mixology. Presented by Veritable Distillery, the festival will bring together some of the most respected voices in the spirits world for conversation, competition, and coastal hospitality.

Today, organizers announced the 12 semi finalists who have advanced to the next round of the Mystic Cocktail Competition, which takes place during the event’s finale on Monday, November 10.

Bartenders and mixologists from across the country were invited to submit entries across four key spirit categories - liqueur, gin, rum, and whiskey. Submissions arrived from over 25 states, reflecting the competition’s nationwide appeal. Entries were evaluated on originality, balance, technique, presentation, and storytelling, by a panel of industry experts.

BOOK SIGNING: Meet Cookbook Author Dana Pollack of "Bake it Gluten Free"

Features Cookbooks Author EVENT

CTbites Team October 14, 2025

Join 365 Collective by Abigail Fox + Serendipity for a special evening with Dana Pollack, founder of the cult-favorite Dana’s Bakery and author of the brand-new cookbook Bake It Gluten Free: 100 Recipes for Classic Treats (out October 21, 2025), on November 6, 2025 from 6 - 7:30pm.

In her first fully gluten-free baking collection, Dana reimagines beloved desserts and baked goods, think Confetti Birthday Cake, Babka French Toast, Monkey Bread, and Strawberry Shortcake Cookies so everyone can enjoy them, without sacrificing any of the flavor of the original. With her trademark creativity and expertise as a trained pastry chef, Dana makes gluten-free baking approachable, fun, and irresistibly delicious.

Chefs For Chef Tasting Dinner To Benefit CT Hospitality Foundation Oct 26th

Events Features Dinner Events Chef's Tasting Fundraiser

CTbites Team October 13, 2025

Gioia, an Italian restaurant, market, gelateria and rooftop space located at 150 Wooster Street, New Haven, is hosting “Chefs for Chef,” a 5-course tasting dinner on Sunday, October 26 beginning at 6pm. In partnership with the Connecticut Restaurant Association, proceeds from the dinner benefit the Connecticut Hospitality Education Foundation, supporting education and opportunity in the local hospitality community.

The event will begin with a festive welcome cocktail and passed bites, followed by a five-course dinner featuring a signature dish from each chef with wine pairings. Participating chefs include:

Tyler Anderson, Millwright’s Restaurant
Tim Cabral, Gioia, Ordinary
Prasad Chirnomula, Chef Prasad Indian Cuisine
Michelle Greenfield, Allium Eatery
Avi Szapiro, Gioia
Chelsea Tripp, Kouign

Tickets are $175/pp for café and bar seating (not including tax and gratuity), and $350/pp for VIP Chef’s Counter Seats (only 4 are available!).

To purchase tickets, visit https://www.opentable.com/r/gioia-wooster-street-new-haven.

LobsterCraft Food Truck X SONO 1420 Weekend Tasting Room Fireside Collab

Features Norwalk Distillery Lobster Lobster Roll Opening Food Truck

CTbites Team October 13, 2025

SoNo 1420, America’s Maritime Distillery in South Norwalk, CT, recently introduced its new food service partner, Norwalk’s popular LobsterCraft food truck. The partnership between SoNo 1420’s Double Gold Award-Winning whiskeys and spirits and LobsterCraft’s #1 voted lobster roll, make for a great new weekend visit in the Norwalk food scene.

This collab takes place amongst outdoor firepits, SONO 1420’s outstanding cocktails c/o mixologist Blake Poon, every Thursday-Saturday 5-9PM, with live music every Friday!

60+ Connecticut Event Spaces For Your Next Celebration

Features Catering Event Rental Events Private Party Highlight Homepage

Amy S. White October 09, 2025

Whether you're planning a holiday party, corporate retreat, dream wedding, or milestone celebration, the right venue sets the tone for the entire event. Across the state, there are countless hidden gems and well-known favorites that offer the perfect backdrop for gatherings of all kinds, each with its own charm, amenities, and atmosphere. Scenic shoreline locales. Historic mansions. Elegant ballrooms. Rustic barns. Wineries, distilleries, and breweries. Restaurants, inns, and pizza joints. A vintage car club. A lace factory. A historic opera house. A room dedicated to Vlad the Impaler. And yes, much, much more. Connecticut offers an incredibly diverse range of unique event spaces that cater to every style and occasion and transform any event from ordinary to extraordinary. In this guide, we’ve curated a list of the best event spaces across the state, each selected for its ability to create unforgettable experiences. No matter your vision or guest count, there's a perfect space waiting for you here. This list is organized by county for your convenience.

Chef Jared Falco Hosts Pop-Up Dinner at BJ Ryan's to Honor Chef Michael Maroni

Features Pop-Up Dinner

Stephanie Webster October 09, 2025

TThis is a dinner you won’t want to miss. On October 22nd, Chef Jared Falco, of Bar Rosina’s is teaming up with BJ Ryan’s for an iconic Italian family-style dining experience, to honor the legendary Chef Michael Maroni, of Maroni’s Cuisine. Yes, there will be black burgundy and white truffles from NUNZIA involved, as well as caviar from Pierless Seafood.

Hidden Gem: You'll Wanna Know About Downright Breads Micro Bakery

Features Bread Baker Bakery Farmers Market Micro Bakery Homepage

Kendall Arkay October 08, 2025

’Tis the season of football, hayrides, haunted trails, apple picking, pumpkin cold brews—I could go on and on. But in honor of the first weekend of fall, let me set the scene: it’s a crisp 60-degree Sunday morning, you’re heading back from the farmers market with a slightly overstuffed bag of fall goodies, just to go rot on the couch and alternate between RedZone and Gilmore Girls. A New England fall is like no other and, in my opinion, one of the best times of year.

The farmers market in question is New Haven’s Edgewood Park Market, and the bag in question is filled with treats from Downright Breads—a micro bakery in the greater New Haven area where the wonderful baker Soli, alongside her family, serves up absolute heaven in bread form. We’re talking sourdough, cookies, challah, cinnamon rolls, English muffins—the list goes on. After a quick trip down Whalley Ave, I indulged in a full feast of Downright Breads’ offerings, and I’m here to report back on my five favorites.

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.”

Connecticut Launches First-Ever Connecticut Pizza Trail

Features CT Pizza Trail

CTbites Team October 02, 2025

After drawing more than 13,000 votes and months of anticipation, the State of Connecticut officially unveiled the Connecticut Pizza Trail — the first-ever statewide trail celebrating the pizzerias, makers, and partners that earned the state its title as the Pizza Capital of the U.S.

The launch event took place at Modern Apizza in New Haven, the number one vote-getter in the statewide survey that determined the trail’s Top 100 pizzerias.

“Pizza is one of America’s most beloved foods, and nowhere does it better than Connecticut,” said Anthony Anthony, Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Connecticut. “For more than a century, our apizza has been a source of pride, community, and economic strength. The Connecticut Pizza Trail brings that story to life – and this new experience for residents and visitors alike shines a global spotlight on the people and places that make this state the undisputed Pizza Capital of the U.S.”

VOTE!! 2025 CRAZIES Awards Finalists Announced Recognizing CT Culinary

Features CRAZIES Awards

CTbites Team October 01, 2025

The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) has announced the honorees and finalists for the 2025 CRAZIES Awards, an annual event which recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s hospitality community. On Monday, December 8, hospitality owners, operators, chefs, industry staff and vendors from across the state will come together at Foxwoods Resort Casino to celebrate the success of their industry and honor winners across more than 20 award categories. Last year’s CRAZIES gala hosted 1,500 guests and generated more than 25,000 online public votes.

PUBLIC VOTING IS NOW OPEN HERE.

Cosetta Pizzeria and Paninoteca Opens in Fairfield from Bailey's Backyard Team

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Pizza Pizzeria Sandwiches Breakfast Coffee Fairfield Opening Homepage Interview Ingredients

Andrew Dominick September 30, 2025

In 2024, when I interviewed Sal Bagliavio, the co-owner of Bailey’s Backyard, about his second spot, Taco Dia in Newtown, he very cryptically mentioned that he and chef/co-owner Forrest Pasternack were actively looking to open something else, somewhere else to follow up their taqueria.

Cosetta Pizzeria and Paninoteca on the Post Road in Fairfield is that something else—and what it is, simply put, is a more gourmet version of the neighborhood slice shop, plus sandwiches (including breakfast), house-made pastry, and coffee.

Guide To Great Coffee in CT: Celebrate National Coffee Day Sept 29 (2025 edition)

Features Restaurant Coffee Shop Coffee Coffee Roaster Highlight Coffee Guide Homepage

Carly Terzigni September 26, 2025

Coffee is more than just a drink. For many, coffee is an important step in their morning routine and an absolute necessity before starting the day. With National Coffee Day being celebrated on September 29, there’s no better time to check out Connecticut’s vibrant coffee scene. From cozy neighborhood cafés to trendy specialty shops, we’ve rounded up businesses across the state where you can grab your favorite cup of joe. Whether you are into the latest coffee trend or you like to keep things simple with just cream and sugar, there’s a coffee shop in Connecticut perfect for you. To make your search for your new favorite coffee spot even easier, we’ve organized this guide by county. Simply scroll to your local county to find the nearest coffee shops.

Pizza Bagel Tour Raises $$ for Feeding Families: Next Stop-Modern Apizza Oct 6th

Features Pizza Pop-Up Fundraiser New Haven

CTbites Team September 22, 2025

Introducing the New Haven Pizza Club Pizza Bagel Tour, a delicious fundraiser with 100% of all proceeds going direct to Feeding Families- including all costs that are also donated.

The Pizza Bagel Tour is a pop-up pizza bagel collab with Olmo Bagels X New Haven Pizza Club X a rotating New Haven pizzeria. Each pop up will be at a different Pizzeria and their 2nd stop is the iconic Modern Apizza on OCTOBER 6th, 6-9PM at Modern Apizza at 874 State Street in New Haven.

What began as a dream to unite people through a universal symbol—pizza—has evolved into a movement rooted in storytelling, collaboration, design, and immersive experiences. The Pizza Bagel Tour brings together legacy New Haven businesses and iconic culinary voices to create one-of-a-kind moments that transcend art and food. But at its core, the project has always pointed in one direction: toward the mission.

Hidden Gem Alert! Istanbul-Style Turkish Bourekas at Crunch in Woodbridge

Features Woodbridge Dessert Middle Eastern Bakery Opening

Kendall Arkay September 22, 2025

There’s Mozart, Stevie Wonder, Picasso — legendary prodigies who started young and made their mark early. And while Liam Shemi may not be composing symphonies, what he’s doing in the kitchen deserves some attention. At just 22, the chef and owner of Crunch in Woodbridge, Connecticut, is already turning heads with homemade artisanal boreks that are as ambitious as they are delicious.

Boreks are his specialty. Turkish bourekas, or Turkish borek- these traditional Mediterranean pastries are made with homemade filo dough that ferments in-house for two days. Then it’s stretched by hand until it’s paper-thin and filled with all kinds of flavor. At Crunch, they’re available in savory, sweet, and everything in between. Spinach, jalapeno, cheese, Dubai chocolate… but we’ll get to that in a bit.