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Where To Celebrate Cinco De Mayo In Connecticut 2019

Features Cinco de Mayo Events Holiday Bar Mexican Homepage

Stephanie Webster

On Saturday, May 4, 2019, Carson + Spencer is hosting the SONO Cinco de Mayo Bar Crawl! You'll have the chance to hop from bar to bar in South Norwalk in one fun-filled evening.  Tickets start at $20. 

Mezon in Danbury is throwing the biggest party of the year in honor of Cinco! Cocktail competition. Live DJ. Drink specials + delicious food featuring the @eatjustice food truck. Sunday May 5th. Doors open at 7.

Ordinary New Haven will be offering an $8 Margarita Special in honor of Cinco de Mayo on Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4 (the bar is closed on Sundays).  The drink special includes Hacienda Blanco Tequila, Blood Orange Shrub, Citrus and Dehydrated Grapefruit Salt.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Bartaco Portchester!  From 3:30-6pm, listen to live music by Rick Reyes & The Pasofino Social Club.  From 6:30-9pm Tangled Vine will take the set.  The night concludes with DJ Teofilis. 

The Acoustic Café welcomes the Cosmic Jibaros for their Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Evarito's is celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend long!  Visit them for happy hour on Friday and then enjoy $7 Margaritas and food specials on Saturday & Sunday.  Their Saturday Night party will feature DJ Mercado and Sunday they’ll have Latin Band Quimbombó from NYC.


50+ Restaurants & Events for Easter in CT 2019

Features Holiday Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Easter in Sunday April 21 and Connecticut restaurants are celebrating with prix fixe menus, spring inspired entrees, brunch buffets, and traditional dinners.  If you’re planning to eat out and haven’t made a reservation yet, you’ll want to hop to it… these meals fill up quickly!  Here are 50+ restaurants with Easter specials so you can dine out with some-bunny special.

  1. Community Table, Washington: Chef Paul Pearson has created a special Easter menu to celebrate the holiday and the beginning of spring at Community Table in Washington. Join them on Sunday April 21.

  2. Artisan, Fairfield & Hartford: On Easter Sunday, Artisan, with locations in Southport and Hartford, will serve a 3 course meal for $65 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at artisansouthport.com.

  3. Millwright’s, Simsbury: Millwrights will offer a 3 course Easter Brunch Prix Fixe meal, which will cost $59 for adults $29 for children under 12. Entrees include Lobster Cake Benedict, Ham, Spring Lamb, Gnocchi, and more.

  4. Hub and Spoke, Bridgeport: On Saturday April 20, Hub & Spoke hosts Easter breakfast with the Easter Bunny! This special event lasts from 9am-12pm.


45+ Restaurants, Bars & Events for St. Patrick’s Day in CT: 2019 Edition

Features St. Patrick's Day Holiday Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday!  That means that Connecticut restaurants and bars are opening their doors even earlier, and, in some cases, festivities are lasting all weekend long.  From buffets to live music to step dancers to Guinness, here is a list of 46+ places where you can get out your green and be Irish for a day in CT.

  1. Tigin Irish Pub, Stamford: Tigin Irish Pub in Stamford opens at 7:30am on Saturday 3/16 and Sunday 3/17. There will be outdoor tents, live music, food specials, drink specials, and more.

  2. EAT IN Connecticut Pub Crawl, Hartford: Eat IN Connecticut will host a “Culinary Corner St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl” in West Hartford, CT on Saturday, March 16 from 1-5pm. Participating venues include Artisan (at The Delamar Hotel), Flora, INDIA, The Cook and The Bear, & Vinted

  3. O’Neill’s, South Norwalk: O'Neill's is celebration St. Patrick's Day all month long! On 3/17, the festivities begin at 7am with an Irish buffet breakfast. The day continues with music, Irish dancers, food specials, and more.

  4. Bobby V’s, Stamford: Bobby V's St. Patrick's Day celebration lasts from March 15-17. There will be food specials, drink specials, and plenty of giveaways.

  5. Wadsworth Athenium Museum, Hartford: At The Wadsworth Athenium Museum, members and nonmembers can enjoy an à la carte brunch with live Irish music by The Executive Session. There are two seatings, one at 10:30 am and one at 12:30 pm.


Valentine's Day CT Gift Guide: Cocktails Kits, Chocolates, Classes, Boozy Treats & More!

Features Gift Guide Holiday Homepage

April Guilbault

Pitter pat, pitter pat. Oh, be still my heart! Although, some might argue that the sound they hear around this time of the year is the sound of pure dread. Embrace this holiday of love and get your cupid on! Back to that pitter pat you are hearing. What to do to surprise your Valentine? There is so much out there beyond the usual bunch of overpriced red roses and glittery greeting card-not that we have anything against glitter, mind you. Behold! We have found cocktail kits, chocolate-making classes, specialty brews and wines. Oh, what fun this day of love shall be! Best part is that so many of these great (lovely?) ideas can be done throughout the year…so that you declare your love again and again and again….


80+ CT Restaurants & Events for Valentine's Day

Features Holiday Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Love is in the air!  Are you feeling romantic?  These Connecticut restaurants, bars, and venues are serving up prix fixe menus, special dishes, and other festivities.  Get your special someone and partake in these dining delights that would make cupid proud.

  1. Homestead Inn, Greenwich: The Homestead Inn will serve a prix fixe Valentine’s Dinner for $90 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

  2. On20, Hartford: At On20 in Hartford, feast on a 6-Course Tasting for $160 per person, which includes beverage pairings.  Dishes include caviar, foie gras torchon, lobster, beef tenderloin, and more. 

  3. The Cottage, Westport: Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a loved one at The Cottage on February 14, where they’ll be presenting a special four-course, prix-fixe dinner prepared by Chef Brian Lewis and his team, with extended hours from 5:30pm – 10:30p.

  4. Harlan Publick, Norwalk: At Norwalk’s Harlan Publick, dine on a 3 course prix fixe menu for $49 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  As a romantic bonus, sip on a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival.


30+ Restaurants for Christmas Eve & Christmas in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Christmas Holiday Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

It’s almost time to deck the halls… Christmas is right around the corner!  While the season is joyous and filled with cheer, there is also plenty to get done from shopping to decorating to travelling.  If you prefer dining out to preparing a giant meal at home, Connecticut restaurants have you covered with tasty menus, buffets, and specials. 

Here is a guide to restaurants where you can spend a festive Christmas Eve or Christmas.


Holiday Afternoon Tea at the Bee and Thistle Inn Through Jan. 5th

Restaurant Holiday Tea And Coffee Events

CTbites Team

Treat your loved ones or take time for yourself this holiday season by making reservations for a really special, festive event at the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme—their annual Holiday Afternoon Tea. The quaint Bee and Thistle Inn is quintessential coastal Connecticut in its interior decor and is a recommended place to visit year-round. But during the short winter days, the Bee and Thistle Inn gets extra dolled up with holiday spirit, making it a memorable place to spend time with loved ones. This special tea is served from November 29th through January 5th.


CTbites 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for CT Food Lovers

Features Best of CT Gift Guide Holiday Homepage

April Guilbault

’Tis the season of holidays, sparkly and bright, there’s baking and partying well into the night 

The children are excited and the adults somewhat stressed, with planning and wrapping and finding the perfect Christmas vest 

What shall we get for Aunt Mo or Uncle Buck, it’s hard to decide, we aren’t having much luck 

But wait, it’s the Guide, the almighty Gift Guide! CTbites to the rescue, we exclaimed, we cried! 

There’s something for everyone, your foodies and friends, we’ve found several classics, along with a few trends

So wrap them up lovingly with great care and great pride, and present these gifts with a gleam in your eye 

How merry, how happy, the recipients will be, and you, the giver, will be brimming with glee!


80+ CT Restaurants & Venues for The Perfect Holiday Party: 2018 Edition

Features Holiday Catering Entertaining

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

They say you don’t need an excuse to throw a party, but if you’re still looking for one the holidays are a good reason!  Connecticut restaurants have beautiful event spaces for your festivities and there are also unique venues that offer creative backdrops for your events.  Click here for a guide to 70+ restaurants and venues for your next holiday party.


55+ Restaurants & Caterers for Thanksgiving in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Thanksgiving Holiday Catering

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

How does a turkey drink its wine?  From a gobble-let!  OK, but seriously… Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s time to consider your holiday plans!  If you want to enjoy the meal with less prep and clean-up, an assortment of Connecticut caterers and restaurants are offering savory take-out options.  Restaurants are also serving prix-fixe menus, brunches, and other specials for those who want the experience of eating out. 

Here are over 50 Thanksgiving dining options, whether you’re dining out or catering your event from your favorite local restaurant.


Guide To Connecticut Caterers: 2018 Holidays Made Easy! (sponsored post)

Features Catering Holiday Best of CT Entertaining Homepage

April Guilbault

Less than 90 days until Christmas and less than 70 until Hanukkah. Please don’t hate us, we want to help you! Wonderful, albeit somewhat stressful holiday gatherings are fast approaching and with them come the planning, cooking, and hosting. Looking to streamline and maybe, eh-hem, enjoy your holidays this year? Toss those oven mitts aside, grab a cold, ice-clinking drink and hire a caterer for your soirees! Courteous and attentive staffs, creative and unique presentations, swoon-worthy and drool-worthy foods. When we put it that way, what’s to discuss? CTbites has assembled a list of caterers that are sure to lend that special bit of flair to your gathering, whether it be grand or cozy. These folks are eager to please and ready to tackle the upcoming season with panache. Book now, though, or those oven mitts might be back on your hands.


20+ Places To Celebrate Oktoberfest in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Holiday Oktoberfest Beer Garden CT Beer Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Fall is here!  That means spice pumpkin lattes, apple picking, Halloween shopping, and of course… Oktoberfest!  Connecticut restaurants, farms, museums, and fairgrounds are holding their own versions of the German holiday.  These places are serving up German-inspired cuisine, brews, music, entertainment, and more. We will continue to update this list as venues announce events. Check back for more events throughout the month. 


33+ Restaurants for Father’s Day: 2018 Edition

Features Holiday Events

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Father’s Day in Sunday June 17!  Connecticut restaurants are celebrating with special prix fixe menus, brunches, BBQs, and more.  Or, start the celebrations early with beer festivals on Saturday!  Here are 33+ ways to make Dad feel special this year.

  1. Bar Rosso, Stamford: Bar Rosso will have a special prix fixe menu in honor of Fathers Day. Plus, Dads get a complementary beer!

  2. Griswold Inn, Essex: The Griswold Inn's Sunday Hunt Breakfast is legendary- it dates back to the war of 1812! Treat Dad for $24.95/adult, $12/kid age 7-12, and free for under 6.

  3. Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art, Hartford: The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art will host a Fathers Day brunch. Tickets include museum admission, jazz, brunch, and one complimentary bloody mary or mimosa. After, explore the galleries on your own or take a tour with a docent.

  4. Cask Republic, South Norwalk: Cask Republic SoNo will serve Father's Day brunch starting at 11:30am.

  5. Washington Prime, South Norwalk: Washington Prime in SoNo presents a Father's Day buffet-style brunch. There are 4 seatings: 11:00AM, 12:30PM, 2:00PM, and 3:30PM. It costs $49.95 per adults and $24.95 per child.


50+ Restaurants for Mother’s Day in CT: 2018 Edition

Restaurant Features Holiday Brunch Events Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Mother’s day is right around the corner!  Treat the special lady in your life with prix fixe dinners, delicious brunches, special holiday dishes, cocktail specials, and more.  These 50 Connecticut restaurants will help you show Mom just how loved she is!

  1. Rosie, New Canaan: Rosie in New Canaan invites you to Mothers Day Brunch from 9am-4pm. Treat her to favorites like Huevos Rancheros, the gigantic Lobster Club, and Brioche French Toast.

  2. Roia, New Haven: At Roia in New Haven, Chef/owner Avi Szaprio has created a two-course prix fixe menu. A kids a la carte menu will also be available.

  3. Essex Steam Train, Essex: All aboard! The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat has a range of Mother's Day packages available. Take a scenic ride or enjoy dinner on the train.

  4. Griswold Inn, Essex: The Griswold Inn in Essex will treat Mom with a "dinner" buffet and featured "pink drinks." The Mothers Day meal will be served from 11am-7:30pm and costs $45 for adults and $19.95 for children under 12.

  5. Washington Prime, Norwalk: Washington Prime's Mother's Day Brunch Buffet will feature a carving station, raw bar, sushi, ham, and so much more. $49.95 for adults includes a drink while children are $24.95. Choose from 3 seatings: 11am, 12:30pm, and 2pm

  6. Bar Sugo, Norwalk: Bar Sugo's Mother's Day brunch will include ½ price wines, $17 unlimited bloody marys and mimosas, and the regular brunch menu


25+ Restaurants & Bars for Cinco de Mayo in CT: 2018 Edition

Restaurant Holiday Events Cinco de Mayo Bar

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill, Fairfield and New Haven: Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill will be offering “Five Days of Cinco” at its New Haven and Fairfield locations.

  1. Mezon, Danbury: Mezon in Danbury will host its annual Cinco de Mayo block party with $7 plates and drinks, a live DJ, a cocktail competition and more. Doors open at 7pm.

  2. Dos Amigos, Torrington: Karaoke meets Cinco de Mayo at Dos Amigos in Torrington.

  3. CINCO Norwalk Block Party, Norwalk: CTBites, Ken Tuccio, and Don Carmelo's Mexican Grill & Tequila Bar in Norwalk are teaming up for CINCO, a massive Cinco De Mayo Block Party event. The event kicks off at 12pm and it is an all day party four live bands, two culinary competitions and the debut of Evenflow Mexican Lager from No Worries. 

  4. Bartaco, Stamford, Westport, West Hartford: Bartaco Westport is kicking off the summer with their Cinco de Mayo fiesta! Visit them for live music, a summer bucket list contest, and surprise giveaways.

  5. Cinco Five Festival, Stamford: The first annual CINCO FIVE FESTIVAL will take place in Stamford on Saturday, May 5 from 3-9pm at Stamford's Mill River Park! There will be food trucks, DJs, and plenty of beer and sangria. 21+.


Mrs. Leonard’s Naked Ham with Maple Pecan Bacon Glaze Recipe

Features Recipe Recipe Holiday

Stephanie Webster

Stew Leonard’s Naked ham is sourced from local farms in Pennsylvania and is antibiotic and hormone free.  Mrs. Leonard loves to serve her Easter ham with a sweet glaze that includes maple syrup and brown sugar, making this dish a delightful combination of sweet and salty.  She has shared her recipe below, but don't feel like you need to save this dish for Easter. Ham is great any day! 


50+ Restaurants for Easter in CT: 2018 Edition

Restaurant Holiday Special Occasion

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Even though snow’s been in the forecast, spring is actually on its way and Easter is right around the corner!  Connecticut restaurants are celebrating the occasion with prix fixe menus, traditional dishes, brunches, buffets, and more.  Click here to see all of the egg-cellent options… and don’t forget to reserve ASAP so some-bunny doesn’t beat you to it!

  1. Hub and Spoke, Bridgeport: On Wednesday March 28, get into the Easter spirit at Hub & Spoke in Bridgeport. The Easter bunny will make an appearance for dinner at 4pm.
  2. Homestead Inn, Greenwich: Dine on a 3 course Easter prix fixe menu at The Homestead in for $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
  3. Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point, Old Saybrook: They will serve an Easter Brunch from 10am to 4pm.
  4. Harbor Lights, Norwalk: Harbor Lights in Norwalk will have a three course prix fixe Easter Dinner for $49 per person, plus tax, gratuity, and drinks.
  5. Anthony’s Ocean View, New Haven: At Anthony's Ocean View, enjoy Easter brunch with seatings at 10:30am, 11am, 1pm, and 1:30pm or come for supper at 3:30pm or 4pm. Choose from a meal in the dining room or reserve a private family suite.
  6. Madison Beach Hotel, Madison: The Wharf at The Madison Beach Hotel will serve Easter brunch from 10:30am-3:30pm. They'll have salads, breads and pastries, omelet and carving stations, entrees, house made desserts, and more. It is $54 per adult, $20 for children 6-12, and free for kids under 6.

Stew Leonard’s Chocolate Bunny Milk is BACK March 20th

Ingredients Features Specialty Market Holiday Ingredients

CTbites Team

Yup...It's back for Easter. A half-gallon glass jug of Stew’s Chocolate Bunny Milk will be available for $5.99 starting on March 20, 2018 at all six Stew Leonard’s locations.  Stew Leonard’s signature farm fresh milk is mixed with creamy milk chocolate to create a sweet, irresistible chocolate milk that tastes just like a classic chocolate Easter bunny.  Stew Leonard’s milk is delivered fresh to our stores from award-winning dairy farms in upstate NY and is free from artificial growth hormones (rBST) and antibiotics.  The milk will only be available for a limited time. 


50+ Restaurants & Bars for St. Patrick’s Day in CT: 2018 Edition

Features Restaurant Holiday Bar

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

Corned beef!  Guinness!  Carbombs!  Let’s be honest, March 17 is as much about the delicious food and drinks as it as about St. Patrick.  Connecticut restaurants, bars, and venues will be serving up plenty of Irish-themed specials in honor of the holiday.  Get out your green, and head to these 50+ spots!

  1. Tigin Irish Pub, Stamford: Tigin is always St. Patrick's Day headquarters, and this year they are shutting down the area behind the pub for a giant block party! There will be live bands, outdoor bars, Guinness, and Irish whiskey. less
  2. BJ Ryan’s, Norwalk: St. Patrick's Day is a weekend long affair at BJ Ryan's in Norwalk. On Saturday March 17 they'll serve up corned beef and a full Irish menu. On Sunday they'll host a recovery brunch until 3pm. 
  3. New England Cider Company, Wallingford: On March 17 from 10am-12pm, partake in a St. Patrick's Day Brunch at New England Cider Co. The meal will showcase barrel-aged and cask ciders alongside Irish classics like Shepherd's pie, Irish sausage, cabbage, potatoes, 12 hour smoked corned beef, and more. 
  4. O’Neill’s, South Norwalk: O'Neill's in Norwalk always puts on an epic St. Patty's Day bash. This year, they promise an Irish breakfast, drinks, Irish dancers, bag pipers, and live music all day.