Filtering by Tag: Pop-Up Dinner,Pizza

Marygold’s on Main Opens in Newtown From Chef Neugold of The Foundry Kitchen & Bar

Restaurant Newtown Openings American Pizza Cocktails Seafood Oysters

Kristin L. Wolfe

Walking along Newtown’s Main Street has always felt like stepping back in time. From dark painted Colonials with bright colored doors to a classic, yellow Federal house or the more decorative Queen Anne, you know every home has a story and the spirits of the town’s past are within reach. And, like the best pieces of historical fiction, Marigold’s on Main gives us a sense of two worlds. There’s something so exhilarating about being inside a place that has been revived from the past. Time stands still in the middle of yesterday and today. The space feels at once old and new; and, although there are thoughtful nods to another time on the menu, it is as inventive and fresh as you’d hope a new place would be. Not to mention, with Chef Clark Neugold at the helm, you know as worlds collide, he’ll still invent something that stands on its own.

Run by Chef Neugold and his wife Kate, of Foundry Kitchen & Tavern, and barely a mile down the road in Sandy Hook (see CTbites Feb 2019 for info), they know a thing or two or three about breathing new life into an old space. And, despite the setbacks Covid has undoubtedly thrust upon the industry, Marygold’s is off to a successful start. Alongside Chef Neugold, Derek Kustanbauter as Chef de Cuisine, and Steve Roth as Sous Chef, the team has brought forth a menu Connecticut diners will surely want to try.


Mediterranean Favorite, Basso Restaurant & Wine Bar, Opens In Westport TODAY

Restaurant Openings Westport Mediterranean Italian Pizza Spanish Venezuelan Comfort Food

Stephanie Webster

Chef Renato Donzelli, owner of Basso Restaurant & Wine Bar, has moved his longtime favorite Norwalk spot to Westport, CT. Basso opens his doors today in the beautiful two story building that once housed Matsu Sushi on Jesup Road. A loyal following, very favorable word of mouth, and a consistently excellent Mediterranean menu made Basso a huge success, and a neighborhood hangout for 13 years, so why Westport? Donzelli has had his eye on this restaurant friendly town for some time, but most importantly, he wanted to expand his dining capacity, and add al fresco dining to the menu. The new location boasts all of the above in addition to a wood fired pizza oven where Donzelli can now incorporate his family’s Neapolitan pizza recipes to his cooking repertoire. After tasting The Stallion Pizza last night at the soft opening, featuring Spanish chorizo, spicy sofrito, mozzarella, and fresh basil, I can say with great certainty, that I too am happy Donzelli found a new home where his dreams can be realized.


BAR New Haven & Bear's Smokehouse Partner Up for NEW Brisket Pizza, Launching TODAY

Features Restaurant Pizza New Haven New Haven Pizza BBQ News Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

It’s official. It has now been scientifically proven that pizza does in fact bring unbridled joy and happiness upon all who partake. You can thank me for the revelation later. In the meantime get your asses over to BAR for their brand new seasonal pie, which might just knock your jingly socks and ugly Christmas sweater right off.

In what might be the best late-2020-collab since Bieber and Mendes’ “Monster,” BAR and Bears’ Smokehouse BBQ had a baby that you’ve got to try: Brisket Pizza featuring Bear’s BBQ brisket and Kansas City Sauce. White, mozzarella, Cheddar, Brisket, BBQ sauce, jalapeño, red onion and cilantro. Take a minute to read that again and focus on every ingredient. I’m sorry, but it is just down right sexy. Not any one ingredient overpowers the next, but all shine through like a little dance in your mouth. Wash it down with BAR’s own Highland Outlaw and your holiday has been made.


Chef Tyler Anderson Presents "Room Service at the Goodwin", A Theatrical, Interactive 3-Course Private Dinner Experience

Features Restaurant Hartford County West Hartford Private Party Private Dining Dining Experience Pop-Up Dinner Hotel

CTbites Team

weHartford, in partnership with Chef Tyler Anderson and the Goodwin Hotel, is pleased to announce a unique and COVID-safe dining experience beginning January 8th, 2021, running Thursday through Sunday dinner seatings through the winter.

Room Service at the Goodwin: Yes-or-No Morgan, is the first event of its kind. Select hotel rooms at The Goodwin have been transformed into private dining spaces for up to four people. Each party will enjoy a theatrical, interactive three-course dinner experience, curated by Chef Tyler Anderson, with clues, hints, and performances that unveil details and secrets about the life of the historic American businessman JP Morgan, a Hartford local and frequent visitor to The Goodwin Hotel.


Bailey’s Backyard is Making Wood-Fired Pizza....And It's Delicious

Restaurant Features Ridgefield Pop-Up Pizza Homepage

Andrew Dominick

After celebrating 21 years of serving the freshest, local, seasonal menu they can come up with, Bailey’s Backyard is switching it up.

Oh, don’t worry, one of Connecticut’s originators in farm-to-table fare will still be doing that.

Sorry for the scare. I had to get your attention somehow, didn’t I?

Bailey’s, however, is doing something new. They’re making pizza.

Past all the outdoor seating that stretches from Bailey Avenue to an outdoor tent by the rear parking lot there’s a custom-made Forza Forni wood-fired oven burning at 800° or higher.

In front of said oven you’ll find pizzaiolo Frank Candullo, who has been in the business for “about 15 years.” Along the way, Candullo has worked in a few parlors, including Victoria’s Wood Fired Pizzeria in Bethel and he has made countless pies in his own backyard for friends and family.

How Candullo ended up slinging pies at Bailey’s is simple. He’s really tight with Bailey’s owner Sal Bagliavio.

“Our kids went to school together and we became good friends,” Bagliavio says. “Frank has been making pizza in his backyard for years and he always has a bunch of us over. We’d joke around back in the day that we should open a pizza place together. In fact, I owned Alphonso’s in Danbury for 2-3 years before I opened Bailey’s.”

Combine the “what ifs” with a pandemic and pizza became a reality. Bagliavio mentioned that after he had to close the restaurant for a few months and geared Bailey’s more towards takeout. Pizza, he said, was the perfect pandemic pivot to offer as a standalone or you can mix and match with Bailey’s dinner menu.

To prepare, Bagliavio and Candullo did some serious dough research. “We spent two days at Forza Forni in Brewster perfecting the recipe,” Bagliavio says. “I think we ate like 75 pizzas!”

The result of what they learned at Forza Forni is a dough made up of all-natural flour, water, salt, and yeast, free of any chemicals or additives. It’s then left to cold ferment for 48 hours.

If you’re thinking wood-fired Neapolitan after Candullo is done spinning it, you’re half right. Bagliavio calls it a hybrid. “It’s like a cross between Neapolitan and New Haven,” he says. “It’s got a char, a thin crust, and a puffy edge. It’s light.”


Rice & Beans Food Truck Owner Opens Bottega Italian Kitchen + Bar in Bethel

Features Restaurant Italian Pizza Cocktails Bethel Homepage

Andrew Dominick

About a year ago, while having a few beers at Decadent Ales, I was formally introduced to Jasson Arias, the owner of the popular Rice & Beans food truck. It was there that I got in on a conversation between he and Chris Gonzalez of Hapa Food Truck. Arias talked about wanting to take that next step in the food industry and open a physical restaurant.

Fast forward to now. Arias has graduated from food truck to brick-and-mortar with his newest venture, Bottega Wood Fired Kitchen + Bar.

Bottega, though, is a completely different concept than the delicious, photogenic bowls Arias has become known for. Bottega, translated from Italian to English, means shop, and at this “shop” they’re firing up Neapolitan style pizza along with reimagined Italian classics, and they made damn sure the bar program wouldn’t be an afterthought.

How Arias got here from that chat at a brewery all those months ago isn’t that crazy of a story. “It’s not as complicated as it might seem,” he says. “The space was open. It used to be a wood-fired concept as well, but it was more traditional.”

The space he’s talking about used to be the Rizzuto’s Italian Restaurant & Bar in Bethel.


Don't Miss The MIKU Sushi Pop-Up at Tony's At The Jhouse

Restaurant Features Openings Pop-Up Dinner Sushi Japanese Italian Greenwich Homepage

Jessica Ryan

About a year ago I was invited to a press event at Tony’s at the J House in Greenwich, Connecticut which I covered for CTBites here. So when we were recently invited back to experience the new Miku Sushi Pop-up I was delighted.

The owners of MIKU SUSHI K Dong, and Chef Steve Chen, have created a special partnership with Tony Capasso, managing partner at Tony’s at the J House, to launch an all-new “elevated” sushi bar at the upscale steakhouse.

The MIKU x Tony’s pop-up is led by Executive Chef Joe Liu, former head sushi chef at Tao and Masa in Manhattan. The special menu features many of MIKU signature rolls as well as two new rolls, exclusive to Tony’s. The Tony Roll is made with bluefin toro, avocado, scallion and spicy lobster salad, and J House Roll with king salmon, avocado, wasabi sesame and spicy yellowtail.


Pizza for a Good Cause: Letizia’s Pizza Creates Specialty Pies for Two Local Charities

Restaurant Events Pizza Norwalk Letizia's Pizza charity

Andrew Dominick

Letizia’s Pizza is no stranger to helping out local charities. It’s a simple win-win concept; buy a specialty pizza, devour it, and ALL the proceeds from each pie sold are donated to a good cause.

This September, Letizia’s brought back their taco pizza to benefit Filling in the Blanks, a charity that’s geared towards fighting childhood hunger by providing children with meals on the weekends.

Partnering with charities is something Letizia’s owners Dennis Letizia, Dave Cook, and Danny Segers say they’ll always be a part of. “It’s our way to give back,” Segers says. “Our community is so supportive of us whenever we ask, so when we find local charities like Filling in the Blanks and see all the hard work, they put in to end childhood hunger, we’re ecstatic to help.”


Da Legna Opens Da Legna x Nolo: Restaurant & Brewery

Restaurant New Haven Brewery Beer CT Beer Pizza Openings Lunch Homepage

James Gribbon

If you've ever held one of those “I [pizza] New Haven” shirts in your covetous gaze, here's where to get one. There's your first bit of info in this story. Finding this place isn't difficult, it's right next to the entrance to I-91 on State St. in New Haven. That parts are easy. Finding out about Da Legna x Nolo is a bit more of a story. Thankfully, it involves pizza and drinks, and I'm here to tell you the whole thing.

You may already be familiar with Da Legna's earlier space, located farther down State Street's restaurant row, and separating itself from the scrum of the Elm City's pizza scene by focusing on creative, sourdough based pies inside a setting designed in a recent century. Seating space and parking were issues at the former spot, so when owner Derek Bacon and chef Dan Parillo spotted the old Jet Cleaners space (probably the only laundromat to be designed by a famous architect) open up down the street, they jumped on it.


MIKU SUSHI Launches a Pop-Up Sushi Bar at Tony’s At The J House in Greenwich

Restaurant Sushi Pop-Up Bar Pop-Up Dinner Greenwich Openings

CTbites Team

The owners of MIKU SUSHI on Greenwich Avenue, K Dong, and Chef Steve Chen, have partnered with Tony Capasso, managing partner at Tony’s at the J House, to launch an all-new “elevated” sushi bar at the trendy boutique hotel, J House, in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The MIKU x Tony’s pop-up is led by Executive Chef Joe Liu, former head sushi chef at Tao and Masa in Manhattan. Chef Liu trained uber master sushi Chef Daisuke Nakazawa, featured in the documentary film, Jiro Dreams of Sushi alongside world-renown master sushi chef, Jiro Ono.

The menu soft-launched this week and features almost a dozen of the MIKU signature rolls including two new exclusives, Tony Roll made with bluefin toro, avocado, scallion and spicy lobster salad, and J House Roll made with king salmon, avocado, wasabi sesame and spicy yellowtail.


Nibble: Tasty CT Events & Food News for Week of Aug 16-23

Events Features Events News Pop-Up Dinner

Stephanie Webster

“PHO KING” Happy Hour is back at MECHA Noodle Bar Monday-Friday 3-6PM including $5 cocktails, wine and beer and a Happy Hour menu.

Register now for the August 16th Hoodoo Brown BBQ class. Come learn from the Hoodoo Crew, as the Pit Crew takes you behind the scenes for a four hour barbecue school from 8am-12pm.

The Lachat Farmers Market is back!! The new online ordering system will make it even easier for you to buy local - you simply sign up for a time slot and then pick up your order at Lachat between the hours of 4pm-8pm.

There’s a really exciting new project being born in West Hartford. It’s called GastroPark, and it’s a new dining venue providing curated food experience for guests featuring an innovative approach that will deliver delicious mobile food concepts from local small business owners.


Pepe’s Fresh Tomato Pie is Back in Restaurants for the Summer

Restaurant Features Pizza Pepe's Limited Time Delivery Take Out

CTbites Team

Beginning on Wednesday, July 1, world-famous New Haven, Connecticut-based Frank Pepe Pizzeria will be serving up their seasonal Fresh Tomato Pie again for a limited time at all Pepe’s restaurants. For the 12th summer in a row, the famous pizza will be offered July through September at each of the restaurant’s locations in New Haven, Fairfield, Manchester, Danbury, Waterbury, West Hartford and Uncasville (Mohegan Sun).


Takeout Chronicles: Joe’s Pizza, bartaco, Cafe Silvium, & Twelve Percent Beer Project

Restaurant Take Out To-Go New Canaan Mexican Tacos bartaco beer ct beer homepage Pizza

Andrew Dominick

As some Connecticut restaurants begin the slow process of reopening with outdoor dining, you’ll either rush right out, ease back into it, or wait a bit longer when it comes to reintroducing yourself to your favorite eateries based on your level of comfort. Regardless of where you stand, it’s a safe bet that your dining repertoire will still include takeout.

With that said, and on the heels of James Gribbon’s takeout picks, I’ve got a bunch worth checking out.

At the very beginning of quarantine, one of my first orders came from an oldie. Joe’s Pizza has been open since 1967, almost two decades before I was born. I’ve actually had my entire life to try it, but here I am in 2020, a Joe’s newbie.


35+ DIY Take-Out Meals, Desserts & Cocktail Kits From CT Restaurants

Features Ingredients Take Out Delivery Service Entertaining Catering Cocktails Pizza Dessert Homepage

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

After weeks of being cooped up at home, you may be looking at ways to pass the time and explore your creative side. Fortunately, Connecticut restaurants, bakeries, and caterers are here to the rescue with fabulous DIY options to bring their delicacies into your kitchen. Sweet tooths and kiddos can partake in all kinds of cupcake and baking kits while the 21 and over crowd can get all of the ingredients to make their own restaurant worthy cocktails. There are also pizza kits, pasta kits, and more. Check out our full guide here!


Frank Pepe Pizzeria Debuts NEW Meatball and Ricotta Pizza!

Restaurant Pizza New Haven Danbury Fairfield

CTbites Team

Breaking Pizza News! It’s not often that the legendary Connecticut-based Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana debuts a new pizza, so when this classic New Haven-style, coal-fired pizzeria does, it’s a really big deal. Pepe’s has recently started serving its latest master piece, the Meatball and Ricotta pizza crafted with 100% all natural meatballs, ricotta cheese, crushed Italian tomatoes, mozzarella, grated pecorino Romano and drizzled with olive oil.


Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events for Week of January 19-26

Events Features Events News Pop-Up Dinner

Emma Jane-Doody Stetson

The 6th Annual Great Mac And Chili Challenge takes place indoors at the new SoNo Collection in Norwalk CT on Sunday January 26th from 11am – 3pm.

Say Cheese!  Fairfield Cheese Company invites you to Cheese 101, where you can get down to the basics over tasty cheeses .  It runs from 7-9pm and costs $50 per person. 

In honor of National Cheese Lover’s Day, Heirloom Restaurant is hosting an Artisanal Cheese Tour January 19-26th, daily 4pm to close.


Experience the New TASTING Series at Prime Stamford sponsored post

Features Restaurant Pop-Up Dinner Stamford Chef Talk Chef's Tasting

Jessica Ryan

Earlier this week a few of us from the CTBites team made our now seasonal pilgrimage to Prime in Stamford. This time to experience the restaurant’s new TASTING menu.

The summit of cuisine at Prime, the TASTING series is a re-imagined experience in dining. Small tastes are presented in a unique rhythm and play to Chef’s sensibilities on a weekly basis.  In what feels like a restaurant within a restaurant, TASTING places you in the inner sanctum of the kitchen, with the Chef as your guide. The four course TASTING menu is a truly unique table experience.