The breakfast/sandwich/grill/grocery place had been around since 1926. It served nearby residents, Staples and Bedford students, and plenty of landscapers and workers nearby or passing through. But it was a non-conforming use, in a residential area. Now it was shut. These things don’t usually end well. Fortunately, this one does.
Chef’s Table is moving in. Rich Herzfeld will pick up right where John Hooper left off.
“It’s about the chicken…” says Chef Chris Scott (Top Chef Season 15), telling his new Connecticut fan base a story at his sold out Pop Up last Thursday night. And he’s about to knock nutmeggers socks off left and right with what he calls Real Soul Food, not the “gentrified” sort we’ve heard about or tasted before. There’s a story attached to the chicken, to the greens and black-eyed peas; there’s a story about the people who originally brought us the food. Real Soul Food is not just the celebrated dishes we’ve come to know and love. Chef wants everyone to understand the heritage behind this cuisine, and really hear about the ones who toiled long and hard for the meals we know as southern soul food. It’s time we learned about the Birdman; and Chef Scott is just the one to deliver the tale. He is passionate, he is immensely knowledgeable, he is experienced, and he just so happens to be one freakin’ amazing Chef.
When food trucks in Connecticut started to become more prevalent, there was one I remembered well. The name “Fryborg” definitely stood out, and the fact that they specialized in hand-cut fries didn’t suck either. I first stumbled upon Fryborg around the time Two Roads Brewing Company opened in Stratford, so that “stumble” was a real one after multiple pints in the brewery’s upstairs tasting room. It was then that Fryborg’s bacon, egg, and cheese fries and their marinara-laden pizza fries perfectly complimented my buzz. If I had to render a guess, I’m not in the minority on similar experiences.
Milestone Restaurant is redefining the idea of a neighborhood gathering spot offering made from scratch, simply prepared food with bold flavors and classic cocktails that are served up in a stylish yet understated setting. Drawing inspiration from the unique character of the area (the restaurant is on the site of a former lumber yard) owners Peter and Andi Fine aspire to do more than serve great food. The restaurant has been designed to be not only a welcoming gathering spot, but also to showcase fun and unique food events. (Stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted!)
Sick of the same old greasy bar food consumed with flavorless big beer brands while out with colleagues or friends on Friday night? Me too. Skip the ho-hum bar and head directly to The Social, a relatively new spot on Bank Street in New London. Providing a new and much needed hang-out spot, the Social gives diners great food, a family-friendly atmosphere, and an extensive beer list; it definitely knocks it out of the park as a new place to spend Fridays after work or Saturday evenings with family or friends.
Largest Selection of Craft Beers on Draft in Southeast CT
The Social has selected hyper-local, local, regional, and U.S. beers, serving a whopping 50 on draft.
Lately, I’ve heard a lot about Blackie’s Hot Dog Stand, a roadside dive that’s been open for 90 years and counting. Blackie’s came up in casual conversation twice; the founder of this site, Stephanie Webster, heard about it from a friend, then a friend of mine mentioned it. Shortly thereafter, Visit Connecticut posted a list of “8 Classic Summer Drive-Ins” with Blackie’s being one of the featured haunts. Well, now I had to check it out. That’s no coincidence, that’s a sign!
One of the best parts about being on the road in the summer in Connecticut is stopping at a drive-in for a quick but tasty meal. The state has many such spots, but here are 8 of the most tried and true.
Sea Swirl, Mystic: It's easy to spot Sea Swirl as the former Carvel location, but the focus now is on fried seafood, especially clams, scallops, and oysters.
The Sycamore, Bethel: Known for its steak burgers and homemade root beer, as well as its carhops and 1950's ambiance. Be sure to check out their web site for cruise nights and and other special events.
Harry's Place, Colchester: Looking for a real juicy burger? Harry's shapes its patties into a ball, puts them on a grill, and then gradually flattens them with a spatula. The results have brought customers back every summer for decades.
I can admit when I have a problem. Connecticut has several great food trucks, and I social media stalk a bunch of them. The addiction is obviously the food, then there’s this game of being able to track down the truck or trucks in question. Will I be free? Where will the truck be? What time? And for how long will they be there?
One that I played cat and mouse with recently was The Colombian Hot Dog, a mobile trailer that specializes in Colombian fast food. They were put on my radar by a local photographer friend who spent some time shooting The Colombian Hot Dog crew in action one summer night. He suggested I check them out, but it took a while since the truck is only parked in Norwalk one night per week.
SoNo’s biggest recent mystery involved the space where Washington and N Main streets meet. Stacked piles of wood blocked all hopes of peeking inside. A fox shaded on the ends of the wood made passersby more curious. What stumped a bunch of us even more was another fox that popped up in the windows, this time in emoji form, accompanied by the hashtag #Hola.
What was this riddle? A restaurant? Another bar? In SoNo, that’s what it usually is. But definitely something with a Spanish cuisine theme, right?!
I was puzzled. I posted about it many times. I asked around to no avail. People asked me what it was. I had no freaking clue. Eventually, I heard it would be a Mexican restaurant concept by the good folks at Skal Restaurant Group, who run things at The Cask Republic locations and The Ginger Man Greenwich. All of this was later confirmed (sort of) by a fittingly odd Instagram account that tagged me in a lot of posts as they did food and drink research in Mexico.
It’s a secret no longer! Evarito’s is now open in South Norwalk!
For the past few years, CTBites’ annual Top Ten Burgers has crowned the best premium hamburgers in Southwest Connecticut. Featuring the usual suspects, the rankings didn't vary much each summer. (In fact, our 2018 roundup would have welcomed only one new candidate, the robust Tavern Burger just introduced at GreyBarns.) By focusing on those elite burgers, had our list become elitist?
This year we decided to widen the lens to include both Fairfield and New Haven Counties and shift the focus to the casual, every-day burgers that we usually crave: a really succulent beef patty adorned with our favorite fixings at a reasonable price. Convenience ups the appeal.
Ironically, two candidates from last year’s gilded list qualified by value and ambience as casual, neighborhood hamburgers. Four of the entries are indigenous to the state, including one that is steamed not fired. Surprisingly, half of the patties are not even served in conventional, soft buns.
We paid close attention to bread/beef ratios. A limp bun immediately disqualified any contender.
Most prices hover around 10 dollars, one as cheap as 5.25, but none more costly than 15.
Herewith, the best of our local, “grab-able” burgers.
After seven years in business, it feels like it's about time to celebrate one of the old school CT food trucks, Weenie Lynn's. Weenie's is a family-owned & operated hot dog and specialty sandwich truck that has been serving the local food scene since spring of 2011. The truck is based in Danbury CT, but they are more than happy to bring their delicious dogs (and five kids) all over the tri state area...and they do. Weenie's serve two sizes of 100% All-Beef Hot Dogs (over 20 toppings & condiments), as well as Bratwurst, Kielbasa, and fresh-cut (never frozen) french fries, They also feature an ever growing menu of delicious sandwiches, many of them riffs off the classic grilled cheese.
Escape to a different era where comfort food is locally sourced, you are served with compassion and a smile on a garden patio, and you can experience a country feel that makes our fast-paced world slow down just a bit. This cute date (BYO), family fun and good vibe spot is something special to CT that you simply shouldn’t miss.
Heibeck’s in Wilton opened in 1931 and has been family run for four generations. Back then, George Heibeck and Katherine Dhly Heibeck stayed up all night to hand churn over 100 of their original ice cream flavors to perfection, and then served the creamy goodness to their loyal customers daily. Though their ice cream is no longer produced on premises, the family prides itself upon the use of local food sources.
It’s just as you’d imagine a perfect lobster shack to be – small, somewhat quirky, a whole lotta fun and absolutely delicious. LobsterCraft opened its retail doors a few months ago in Fairfield, just off of the Post Road. You have to look for it. If you blink you’ll likely drive past the sandwich board sign, the first time you go. But once you find it you’ll never forget.
Parked next to the shop is their truck, and a tented, casual seating area, reminiscent of those great roadside eateries along the coast of Maine. I think those are the truest gems – lobster rolls the way lobster rolls are meant to be. This is a paper plate and paper napkin eatery which only enhances the whole lobster roll experience.
CTbites had the pleasure of advising the editors of USA Today's "10 Best," in the category of CT's iconic steamed cheeseburgers. Vote for your favorite here.
While hamburger origin stories are numerous, one of the most enduring (and recognized by the Library of Congress) is that it was first cooked up by Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut. No matter where it was invented, it didn’t take long for burgers to start featuring cheese–a trend that became popular during the 1920s and 30s. Connecticut’s modern-day burger joints range from seasonal stands to gourmet affairs serving up just about every type of cheeseburger you can imagine. One notable offering you’re not likely to find outside the state is the steamed cheeseburger (or steamer), served almost exclusively in Central Connecticut. So who makes the best cheeseburger in the state? Vote for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Tuesday, June 26 at noon ET. Read the official Readers' Choice rules here.
They say life is a highway… and it’s a good thing too because more food trucks are hitting the streets than ever before! Connecticut is home to a bevy of mobile eats serving everything from crepes to tacos to meatballs to grilled cheese. Here are over 50 food trucks based in the Fairfield County area.Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we cover even more in New Haven, Hartford, and Beyond!
Is your favorite Fairfield County food truck not on our list? Let us know.
Milkraft Milktruck, Fairfield: Milkcraft has a Milktruck! They are available for private events and have had as many as 500 customers waiting in line when the truck hits the road.
MamaKitchen, Stamford: MamaKitchen just opened in Stamford on Richmond hill in front of Jackie Robinson Field. It serves up authentic Dominican fare and is the first Chimi truck in the area.
Seaside Sliders, Norwalk: Seaside Sliders by Mr. Frosty's is exactly what the name implies- hand-crafted sliders!
Daniels Food Truck, Stamford: Daniel's Food Truck in Stamford is Guatemalan American fare on-the-go. They have everything from breakfast to burgers to "shukos" to tacos.
Jefes Tacos n Grill, Stamford: Jefe's Tacos n Grill makes authentic Mexican food with fresh ingredients and seasoned spicy marinated meats cooked on a flat top grill. They also salads and burgers.
I visited Liberty Rock Tavern in Milford shortly after they opened, and I distinctly remember Dan Kardos’ description of his menu, “I’m making food that people like to eat, food that I like to eat,” he said.
That “food” is best described as elevated pub grub, which could be surprising to those who followed Kardos’ stints at Napa & Co., Le Farm, and various Barcelona locations. His fine dining background ultimately results in better bar food. It’s the kind of food made for cheat day, where you’ll have to roll up your sleeves, and sit as pulled up to the bar or table as you can get. It’s successful stuff.
Residents of Greenwich are no strangers to The Beach House Café located on Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich. The restaurant, with its beachy-chic interior and seafood fare with a fresh, Asian twist, has been a local favorite since it was re-opened in 2016 by restauranteur Kane Xu.
Just recently The Beach House Café opened a second location in South Norwalk, directly across from the Maritime Center. While it retains a nautical theme with reclaimed wood, dock-line roping, seaside prints and dock-master lanterns, the vibe here is edgier, more urban, lending itself perfectly to the SoNo landscape.
I had the opportunity to visit the new SONO location for brunch a few weeks ago and was struck by the Southern influence, though perhaps I shouldn’t dismiss the fact that the restaurant’s current location once belonged to Mama’s Boy, known for its Southern cuisine. The Brunch Menu boasts a great many choices, seemingly something for everyone, unless you’re like me, indecisive with an extensive palate and healthy appetite.
Shack®is thrilled to announce it will open its doors on Friday, April 27that 11AM. The West Hartford Shack will be located at Corbin's Corner, 1445 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT. This marks Shake Shack’s fourth Connecticut Shack, with existing locations in Darien, New Haven and Westport.
In addition to the Shack classics, the West Hartford Shack will be spinning up a selection of custom frozen custard concretes: Shack Attack (chocolate custard, fudge sauce, chocolate truffle cookie dough, Mast Brothers Shake Shack dark chocolate chunks, topped with chocolate sprinkles), Cookie Butter Blender (vanilla custard, cookie butter, chocolate toffee and chocolate sprinkles)and Pie Oh My (vanilla custard and slice of Four & Twenty Blackbirds seasonal pie).
