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.
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, 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...
Brewery Legitimus, the 7 barrel craft brewery co-founded by husband and wife team Chris and Christina Sayer, is partnering once again withBarden 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:
Driving down Bedford Street recently, you may have noticed some activity taking place in a storefront along the east side of the street. It’s good news for all, because a popular local restaurant is getting ready to open their doors!
With locations in South Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven, Mecha Noodle Bar has dropped a flag in Stamford Downtown!
Known as a noodle lover’s paradise, Mecha serves up Asian comfort dishes, and is widely known for their Vietnamese Pho & Japanese Ramen. Among other things, they also do riffs on Southeast Asia street foods. The menu is replete with steamed baos, egg rolls, dumplings, spare ribs, and wings. But do not call them a “fusion” or a sushi restaurant, as they state on their website, they are: American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-Korean-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired.
Cafe Silvium has been open nearly 18 years. I first heard about it six months ago. Yeah, stuff like that happens. I couldn’t possibly know about every single restaurant in this part of Connecticut, could I?
What bugged me about Cafe Silvium is the number of random people who dropped it in casual conversation. And there was no collusion here. Every mention of it came from different aspects of my life or from loosely connected friends. The first whispers of Cafe Silvium came from a Bumble match. No, we didn’t ever meet up for a meal there, in case you were wondering.
Spring is always a welcome thing, but as part of the CTBites team it also means that a trip to Prime Stamford is in order to check out their spring offerings and we are always eager to see what magic Chef Julio Geno has up his sleeve. As we waited to get a sampling of the Easter Menu we sipped some of the restaurant’s most popular choices, the Babylon Express, made from Crop cucumber vodka, St. Germaine, lime and pineapple juices, the Pineapple Mojito and the Passion Cosmo, made from passion vodka, passion fruit purée, triple sec and lime and cranberry juices.
The time has come, where college hoops dominate schedules, dinner plans & most of all – your / your significant others / your friends’ social life. If you’re looking for that special place that everyone can enjoy ... look no further than Bobby V’s Restaurant & Sports Bar. They’re literally the ultimate sports destination, and as they call themselves … “the newest concept in sports entertainment.” With two unique destinations in Connecticut - Stamford & Windsor Locks, you’re going to want to check them out! The Stamford location features over 200 TV’s, along with a MASSIVE 2 story media wall, while the Windsor Locks location is equally impressive with over 80 TV’s & a HUGE 17’ LED screen … there’s not a bad seat at either location!
The burger at Harlan Publick is always the right move. You know, the one on the Wave Hill Breads English muffin, with the sweet, salty bacon jam, and the cheddar ale sauce that drips down the plump brisket blend patty. No one would blame you if you ordered it every damn time. It’s that good and should be mentioned amongst Connecticut’s best burgers.
Spoiler: Harlan Publick is more than just a burger. I knew this, but it was still tough to look past. Even when I went for dinner and ordered something else, I still thought about the Harlan Burger. I felt guilty. It felt like cheating. And it’s not that the food wasn’t good, it was! Fact is, I’ve never had a bad experience at any of the Harlan restaurants.
I’ll continue to blame the burger for clouding up all my Harlan experiences, including Sundays, because that’s a thing, a thing I overlooked every time I had brunch in South Norwalk. When Harlan Publick reached out to CTbites with a brunch invite, I jumped all over it. SoNo’s my ‘hood and I needed to know if I could get over their burger or at least forget about it for one freaking visit.
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.
Located in a 2-story townhouse on Downtown Stamford’s Restaurant Row, the brick façade of Kashi Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant gives way to a multi-sensory experience. Introduced to the city’s thriving restaurant scene in January of 2016, Kashi’s modern industrial design element combined with its innovative and artistic approach to sushi and Japanese food preparations quickly landed this exciting new restaurant on the radar of local food enthusiasts.
Finding a good spot for cocktails by the water is not tough to do in Stamford. Between rooftop bars in Harbor Point, The Beer Garden in Shippan Landing, Prime, Mexicue, or Crabshell, you can always find a great restaurant by the water. Though, with the addition earlier this summer of Fairfield County’s only floating tiki bar, there’s now even a place where you can drink ON the water.
Captain John’s Tiki Tours & Boat Rentals launched earlier this summer and has been making waves in the Stamford Harbor ever since. The floating tiki bar is the brainchild of (Captain) John Davis. I had a chance to tour the harbor with the Captain recently and can say it’s really a great experience!
It’s as much a part of Philadelphia folklore as Benjamin Franklin, the Liberty Bell and Rocky Balboa – just a whole lot tastier. Connecticut foodies can now obsess over a new food truck, M&M Steaks, which will specialize in Philly cheesesteaks. Owned by Philadelphia native, Dan Mullineaux and food industry veteran, Hector Medina, M&M Steaks has launched and hit the streets of Stamford and has parked at 110 High Ridge Road (Lord & Taylor parking lot) with a few Friday evening dates this summer at Half Full Brewery.
Half Full Brewery and CTBites are beyond excited to bring you this year's most creative and collaborative food and beer-pairing event series. Not to be missed, "Beers & Bites" 2018 pairs limited release beers from Half Full Brewery with totally off-menu food items from some of Fairfield County's best chefs and food truck operators. Tickets for our August 15th event with Skinny Pines pizza truck & Chef Geoff Lazlo are going fast, so get your tickets now!
The Hey Stamford! Food Festival is back! The two-day, family oriented food festival will feature a full concert experience on the Minchin Buick GMC mainstage. Joining us is legendary rapper Tone Loc, “The Worlds Best Party Band” Party Rock, Country star, Dylan Scott and regional country favorites, Jump the Gunn to name just a few. The Blind Rhino Beer Garden will highlight the finest in regional and national breweries, the Fairfield County Bank Kids Zone will include a host of games and activities for the family. And it’s not a food festival without some amazing cuisine! Check out the amazing line-ups of food trucks and vendors...
Those who have roamed Stamford for years in search of authentic ramen finally have a new spring to their step. Kyushu Ramen, the sleek re-incarnation of Tengda Asian Bistro on Bedford’s Restaurant Row, lays claim to being Stamford’s first ramen restaurant.
In place of the mish-mash Pan Asian cuisine previously served at this location, the new shop focuses primarily on Japan, sharpening the lens on the island of Kyushu and its most illustrious contribution to ramen cuisine, Tonkatsu.
Distinguished by its cloudy, slowly simmered pork stock, Tonkatsu is the silky star of Kyushu’s menu. Its savory, seasoned broth, anointed with pork belly, spices, herbs and noodles, is crafted by Japanese-born chef, Ito Shigeru. Trained by strict ramen masters, this veteran New York City ramen chef brings an authentic Japanese cooking style to Bedford Street.
Last summer Prime opened its doors in Stamford’s Harbor Point area. The stunning restaurant boasts exquisite views of the Long Island Sound and the Rippowam River. Removable tempered glass walls offer guests unparalleled views, thus making it a perfect dining destination no matter the season and an absolute must during the summertime. Inside the restaurant, the space’s elegant yet relaxed interior offers a New England-inspired decor reminiscent of Cape Cod and the Massachusetts islands.
Dining al fresco at Prime is an experience to remember. Their newly redesigned Cabana Bar is destined to be the “it” place to be this summer. In addition to the many events that will be held there this summer, the Cabana can be reserved for private functions, accommodating parties up to 50. The space itself has been updated with a custom bar from the Vermont islands of white solid core and backlit translucent white face panels integrate the bar with the rest of the décor - soft grays and blues.
On Thursday, June 14th, Chef Geoff Lazlo of Geoff Lazlo Food, in Greenwich, CT will be cooking at the prestigious James Beard House in NYC. The evening's menu will feature Connecticut farms, and is aptly titled "Connecticut Farm Feast." Check out the menu below. and reserve your seat here.
Connecticut Magazine’s Best Chef of 2018 Geoff Lazlo earned his fine dining chops with stints at Gramercy Tavern, Chez Panisse, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the Mill Street Restaurant Group before venturing out to create his own company. Sample the cream of Connecticut’s farm-to-table crop with a sumptuous, organic spring harvest, fresh picked from his lovingly tended plots at Greenwich Community Gardens.
With his sleek and spacious Bull Pan emporium now open on lower Summer Street in Stamford, Paul Ma plans to introduce the region to a fun, mouth-watering secret: Korean BBQ.
Of all Asian cuisines, Korean may be the most flavor forward, zestier than Japanese and considerably more authentic than the Chinese-American imposters that clutter our culinary landscape. Although its savory flavors appeal to a Western palate, this iteration of Asian food is the least known in America. Outside of the K-Towns in New York and California, Korean restaurants have not been easy to find in the hinterlands.
