Filtering by Tag: Westchester,Farm to Table

Border Crossing for Barbecue: Br’ers BBQ in Bedford Hills

Features Ingredients Interview Road Trip Restaurant barbecue BBQ Bedford Bedford Hills Westchester Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Barbecue is one of those things that people will travel for. Just over the Connecticut line, specifically in Bedford Hills, is a small, mostly takeout BBQ “shack” in a residential neighborhood, that’s actually not too far of a drive for folks in Stamford, Greenwich, Ridgefield, New Canaan, and their surrounding areas.


Winfield Street Coffee Introduces New Culinary + Coffee Directors and Expanded Lunch Menu

Interview Restaurant Winfield Street Coffee Stamford Westport Westchester New York New York City Coffee Lunch

Andrew Dominick

reno Donatti recalls being in the Bronx and trying to get back to Stamford’s branch of Winfield Street Coffee. “I punched in Winfield Street Coffee in Google Maps, and for the time, it gave me the ‘see locations’ option,” he says. “I thought, Oh! This is awesome!”


The Taco Project Introduces Former Alinea Chef as Culinary Director—Stamford Location Launches Brunch

Interview Restaurant The Taco Project Stamford Westchester Brunch Interview Chef Talk tacos Mexican Fast Casual Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Less than a year ago, we introduced readers to Stamford branch of The Taco Project, a fast casual Mexican restaurant whose roots began in Tarrytown in 2014.

Since April of 2022, The Taco Project and its brand grew even more outside of its existing Westchester locations (Tarrytown, Yonkers, Pleasantville, Bronxville) and its High Ridge Road spot in Stamford, as they’ve set their sights on the Florida market and opened up shop in Coral Springs.

But with growth comes some additions.


Roadtrip: Augustine’s Salumeria Dazzles with Seasonal, Modern Italian in Mamaroneck

Features Road Trip Restaurant Homepage Mamaroneck Westchester New York Hudson Valley Italian Chef Chef Talk

Andrew Dominick

If you listen to Marc Taxiera talk about his style at his newly opened Mamaroneck restaurant, Augustine’s Salumeria, he speaks about it passionately.

“It’s born in Italian cooking, but I’m using ingredients from the market, things that turn us on,” he says. “My food was always about taking ingredients that we can get and showcasing them in the best way. Most Italian tends to be heavy on the sauce, fried calamari, chicken parm, but we’re taking the seasons and playing with it, doing it a little differently.”


Bona Bona Ice Cream in Port Chester Launches Savory Bites Menu + Boozy Milkshake Bar

Features Ice Cream Interview Restaurant Ice Cream Milkshakes Bona Bona Ice Cream Bona Bona Port Chester Westchester Greenwich

Andrew Dominick

Those who are newly familiar with Nick Di Bona’s namesake Bona Bona Ice Cream should know he’s not just an ice cream man.

It’s no surprise that Di Bona’s small batch Italian interpretation of American ice cream has taken off. Nutella S’mores, Italian Rainbow Cookie, and Key Lime Pie are a few, but throw in Bona Bona’s signature toasted meringue topping, and it’s not only delicious, it’s highly photographable.


2022 Farm Dinners in Connecticut: Grab Your Rez NOW!

Features Farm Dinner Pop-Up Dinner Farm To Table Local Farm Farm to Table Homepage

Oliver Clachko

As summer rolls around, Connecticut’s food lovers look to take advantage of the seasonal ambience and garden produce in order to experience unforgettable meals. And nothing epitomizes the combination of beautiful sights and fresh food more than field-to-table dinners. This summer, a handful of Connecticut’s most beloved farms are offering outstanding on-site prix fixe meals made with locally-sourced ingredients. So that you don’t miss out on these special experiences, we’ve rounded up the best that Connecticut has to offer.


The Granola Bar in Rye Launches After Hours Upscale Bar Menu

Features Interview Road Trip Restaurant The Granola Bar Rye Westchester bar cocktails bar food burgers Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Riddle me this. The Granola Bar begins each morning frothing lattes, stacking egg sandwiches, and spreading avocado on sourdough. If they switch it up after hours by dimming the lights, mixing cocktails, popping corks, and serving up dry-aged smash burgers, caviar topped hash browns, and trout roe deviled eggs, what’s it called then?

The Bar.

Sorry that wasn’t as clever as a puzzle presented by a certain Batman villain.

But nevertheless, what’s happening at The Granola Bar’s Rye location is something worth spilling. And it all goes down in a setting that’s fit for Gotham City. All the marble, mirrors, palms and live garden walls make it feel like a cross between Manhattan chic and Miami Beach. It’s fit for date night, girl’s night (or guy’s night!), and a quick after work drink. Psst! The Bar opens at 5. Just an FYI for those who need a fast post-work fix.


Fortina Stamford Launches New Brunch Menu...And It's Damn Tasty

Features Interview Restaurant Italian brunch Homepage Stamford Westchester Fortina

Andrew Dominick

Paul Failla uses the word “afterthought” when describing the brunch that was previously offered at all four Fortina locations in Stamford, Armonk, Rye Brook, and Yonkers.

“The old menu was like five items,” he says. “People didn’t come here for brunch. They’d always get pizza. Brunch was always an afterthought here.”

One of Failla’s first orders of business as the restaurant’s sole culinary director was to all but scrap the former “barely a brunch” format and make Fortina a place you’d seek out for daytime drinks, yolky goodness, breakfast sandwiches, sweets, and more.

Failla joked that the only thing that would stay on the brunch menu are the bottomless mimosas, and while that’s true, the only other holdover will be a tweaked version of eggs in purgatory, but with a spicier marinara sauce.

The rest of the menu is a switch-up entirely.


Road Trip: Crotty's Cheesesteaks: A Taste of Philly in New Rochelle

Features Interview Restaurant Road Trip cheesesteaks New Rochelle Westchester Hudson Valley Fast Casual Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Imagine NOT having to drive over 100 miles for a cheesesteak.

No, I don’t mean just any cheesesteak. I’m talking about thin-sliced, practically shaved steak, drippy golden yellow Cheez Whiz, translucent onions, and a hoagie roll that strikes that balance of soft and chewy.

Your neighborhood pizza joint that claims to have a “Philly” doesn’t count. It’s fine if you made the mistake and ordered that dry, sorry excuse for a cheesesteak once, just don’t let it happen again.

You no longer have to settle for less. Crotty’s Cheesesteaks—located directly across from Hugenot Park and a hop, skip, and a jump from Iona College—is here to save you from all the bad cheesesteaks that exist in the general area and beyond.


Tina Zaccardi: The Woman Behind The Italian Cookie

Features Baker Cottage Bakers Custom Cakes Cakes Cookies Caterers Westchester

Donna Monaco Olsen

Do you follow Tina Ziccardi Bakes, aka @theItalianCookie? Her media pages are loaded with baked deliciousness that is not only drool worthy, but is downright eye-candy perfection! Following her grand win on “The Great American Baking Show” Season 4 (Hulu), Augustina Zaccardi (Tina) became a bit of a local celebrity right here in Westchester. Her huge fan base from her hometown of Eastchester rooted her on with each baking challenge, becoming more difficult as each week passed. We all watch in amazement as contestants fly through the challenges on each food competition, but meeting with Zaccardi and listening to her describe what it is really like to be on a cooking show was enlightening. She described the experience, which filmed in England, to be competitive yet jovial and the contenders to have more comradery than might be expected in a contest pitting bakers against each other in difficult timed elimination assignments. Although they were in a heated competition, they became somewhat of a family and are still in close contact with each other today.


Berkshires Direct: Farm-to-Consumer Delivery To Your Doorstep

Features Ingredients Subscription Box Farm to Table Farm Fresh Farm To Table Delivery Service

Stephanie Webster

Chefs realized a long time ago that “farm to table” was more than a phrase, it was a healthier way to eat, tasted better and improved the diversity of local economies by helping make farming economically viable. In addition, this growing trend has another major benefit, increasing access to a wide range of different food options across our community.

We, in Connecticut, are incredibly lucky with access to a large and growing number of farms and farmers’ markets, but sometimes a visit to that local farm stand during its business hours is difficult. For people who are not members of a CSA (community supported agriculture) program and would still like to incorporate ultra-fresh products into their everyday lives, CT based Berkshires Direct now gives customers greater access to the resources of farm-fresh products delivered to your home. They are based in Connecticut and currently making deliveries in Connecticut and NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens).

CTBites Readers USE CODE CTFriends10 for 10% off your first order!


"The Barn" at The Bedford Post Inn: Yep...It's THAT Good

Restaurant Bedford Westchester American Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

There are very few meals that truly linger days after I have them. Ohhhh, but when one does, I’m inclined to get out my imaginary megaphone and shout. The Charred Octopus at The Barn has had me positively awestruck. Our very editor here at CTbites asked me, “It was that good?” “Yes, Boss Lady, it was realllllllly good.” As one of three new eateries housed within The Bedford Post Inn, The Barn is in the midst of a fresh start. Again. Chef Roxanne Spruance and her crew had only just taken on the restaurants, and restructured and revived The Barn, just a few months before the pandemic hit, so the June Phase 2 re-opening has given them yet another chance to really open. Chef feels lucky. She says, “Thankfully, despite the timing, we’ve hardly skipped a beat.”


Turning Sap Into Syrup At Ambler Farm's Tap-A-Tree Program

Ingredients Features Farm to Table Local Farm Ingredients kids activity Kid Friendly

Natalie Levitt

It was a warm February morning and my son and I joined a group of families as we gathered at Ambler Farm in Wilton, CT to kick off the maple sugaring season. We were greeted by Program Director Kevin Meehan and received an introductory lesson on how to tap a maple tree. Most of us stood in awe as the sap started to drip out of the tree upon tapping it. Many cheered with excitement for what was about to begin was a fantastic winter farming adventure and a great lesson in farm-to-table. We then received our buckets from Assistant Program Manager Jennifer Grass and proceeded to carefully select our “Giving Trees” on the farm. We hung our buckets on the trees and captured photos to commemorate the day. (Our tree was number 42 and pretty far from the sugar shack! It was an adventure after all!) Then we waited. We waited a week. During that week, many of us wondered just how much sap we would find in our buckets when we returned to the farm.


Local Spotlight: Mike Geller of Mike's Organic in Stamford

Features Ingredients Delivery Service Home Delivery Organic Specialty Market Stamford Westchester Interview Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Hello, CTbites readers! 

Most of the time we bring you pieces on chefs but we’re trying something new that puts the focus on interesting food and beverage industry folks that ARE NOT chefs but have a tale to tell; think bartenders, independent bakers, farmers, maybe some brewers, or even that waiter everyone seems to know. 

It’s only fitting to kick it off with Mike Geller, the owner of Mike’s Organic Delivery in Stamford. He’s not a chef, he has a story, and he’s really easy to have a conversation with. He’s one of the reasons why I thought of this series in the first place, so making him number one was a no-brainer. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Mike’s Organic, it opened in 2009, strictly as a grocery delivery service. Now, celebrating its decade-old birthday, Geller expanded his business and opened his doors to the public with a mini market filled with carefully selected organic goods, fresh produce, and lots of local products. To boot, they host lots of special events and cooking classes with the likes of Geoff Lazlo, Ross Bread, and Nit Noi Provisions

How it all started, though, is quite something. Cue the Q&A! 


Guide To Our Favorite CT Summer Farm Stands

Ingredients Features Best of CT Farmers Market Farm Stand CT Farms Local Farm Farm to Table

Maddie Phelps

With the glorious warmth that summer brings to Connecticut comes a plethora of delicious fruits, vegetables, and other produce that are sure to highlight any and every meal of the season. If you’re looking to get a taste of the incredible produce CT offers when the temperature is at its hottest, you’ll surely want to make a trip to some local farm stands. As late July is upon us, however, the number of summer days left are ticking away at a startling speed. But fear not; your life just got a little bit easier. Some of the best summer farm stands in the state are listed below, ranging from the eastern most points of Connecticut to down in Fairfield County. All you have to do is find one that catches your eye and take the drive.


Wood Fire Food Custom Catering Events with Chef Dan Sabia

Features Farm Dinner Catering Entertaining Farm to Table CT Farms

Maddie Phelps

When was the last time you thought about where each element of your dinner came from? The plates, the table, the meat, the cups; each item seems to come from an arbitrary supermarket, creating a culture where the process of making and eating food is incredibly solidarity. That, in a nutshell, is why Dan Sabia left the restaurant industry. And now, he’s using his work with wood, fire, and food to change that norm in a world where very few are trying. Chef Dan Sabia is changing the way we think about private catering with his innovative new business, Wood Fire Food.


"Max Chef to Farm" Pop-Up Dinners At The Farm June-August 2019 Schedule

Features Farm Dinner Pop-Up Dinner CT Farms Farm to Table

CTbites Team

Max Chef to Farm, an award-winning group of events that celebrate the amazing food grown in our backyard, is heading into their 12th year. Guests are transported directly to the farm to experience seasonal and local food.  Their dinners are multi-course feasts showcasing the delicious bounty of Connecticut-grown produce and other locally-sourced ingredients prepared on site by Chef Steve Michalewicz of Max Catering & Events, Chef Hunter Morton, Culinary Director of the Max Restaurant Group, and the entire Max Chef to Farm team.

Max Chef to Farm dinners are adventurous events that celebrate and support CT-grown products. Their host farm for most events this season is the 160-acre Rosedale Farms, located in Simsbury, CT. They have many things in common with the Max Restaurant Group including a commitment to using sustainable farming and business practices. Speaking of support...


Connecticut’s Brewery Legitimus & Barden Farm Partner Again for 2nd CSABC (Community Supported Agriculture, Beer & Cheese) Share

Features CSA Local Artisan Local Farm CT Beer Cheese Farm to Table

CTbites Team

Brewery Legitimus, the 7 barrel craft brewery co-founded by husband and wife team Chris and Christina Sayer, is partnering once again with Barden Farm (New Hartford, CT), to bring a Community Supported Agriculture, Beer & Cheese (CSABC) Share to the community.  Back for a second year in a row, the 10-week “Farm, Beer and Cheese Share” begins July 11th and will run until September 12th. 

The first in the area, the CSABC share brings together locally grown produce from Barden Farm, locally crafted beer by Brewery Legitimus, and locally made cheese from several different farms in CT.

A CSABC share membership is $485 for the 10 Weeks and includes Craft Beer from Brewery Legitimus, Cheese and of course a Farm Share from Barden Farm. It works just like a CSA. Here’s what’s included:


Bailey’s Backyard Offers NEW Market Table Tasting Menu (Wednesdays Only!)

Restaurant Ridgefield Farm to Table American Lunch Homepage

Jessica Ryan

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this charming eatery in the heart of Ridgefield, Bailey’s Backyard first opened its doors nearly 20 years ago as a neighborhood coffee shop before transforming itself into a charming American restaurant with a simple concept; offer exceptional seasonal cuisine in a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. It would soon become a neighborhood hot spot, offering locals a new dining experience.  Several years ago Bailey’s evolved once again and the restaurant is now a farm-to-table establishment with a mission to create a menu based on the freshest local sources. Today meat and produce are still gathered from nearby farms, both in New York and Connecticut, and Seafood is garnered from Connecticut, Massachusetts and the Chesapeake Bay. 

I was recently invited to sample Bailey’s new Market Table Tasting Menu offered every Wednesday night. A new menu is introduced each week, giving diners the opportunity to try something new each time. The menu is Prix Fixe, $40 for four courses or $65 for the four courses and a wine pairing.