Filtering by Tag: Fast Casual,Dining Guide

Haven Hot Chicken Opening 2nd Location in Orange CT

Restaurant Openings Orange Fried Chicken Sandwich Fried Chicken Sandwich Not Chicken Vegetarian Comfort Food To-Go Fast Casual

Stephanie Webster

Haven Hot Chicken, which brings Nashville Hot Chicken and “Not Chicken” to the area as one of the first fully dedicated Nashville Hot Chicken concepts in New England, has announced its opening of a second location in Orange, Connecticut. Located at 550 Boston Post Road, the 1400 square foot location will feature the brand’s signature menu of crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, delicious chicken and vegetarian options ranging from Country (not spicy) to Haven (extremely spicy), along with their famous fries and seasonal limited-time offerings.(Read our review of their New Haven location here.)


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.


Dogtown: West Coast Meets East Coast Fast Casual Dogs, Burgers, + More from Son of Former Swanky Franks Owner

Features Interview Restaurant Milford Burgers Hot Dogs Fast Casual Homepage

Andrew Dominick

If you’re a hot dog connoisseur in Fairfield County, you surely remember the legendary roadside eats at Swanky Franks. It’s safe to say that a lot of us still miss the ripper style dogs, THAT CHILI, and the fresh cut skin-on fries that were served to you in a plentiful heap.

Things like that have a way of coming back. Well, almost.

For Bobby Manere Jr. there is a full circle kind of feeling at Dogtown, located in a half commercial, half residential area off of a busy main road in Milford.

If Manere’s last name sounds familiar, it should. His father, Robert Manere Sr., was the fourth owner of Swanky Franks from the late 1980s until the later 2000s. He might be the Swanky Franks head hot dog honcho that a younger generation remembers the most.


50+ Restaurants & Caterers for Christmas Eve & Christmas in CT: 2021 Edition

Features Restaurant Christmas Eve Christmas Holiday Catering Dining Guide Homepage

April Guilbault

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and with it comes plenty of wonderful eats! For your Christmas celebrating on the day or the eve, restaurants and caterers in all corners of the state have lovingly assembled delicious menus, kits and take out packages for you and your family. What a gift-spending time together, enjoying a beautiful meal and not being holed up in the kitchen. Wishing you all a very merry and delicious holiday!

Here are 50+ restaurants and caterers for your Christmas festivities.


Miami Road Trip: MIABites.com's Guide To Dining Out In Miami

Features Restaurant Miami Dining Guide Travel

ellen bowen

With Winter upon us, and CT residents itching for some warmth and sun, we asked our sister site MIABites.com for a little dining advice for all those heading to Florida this season. Here are some of MIAbites Contributors Best Bites for "am to pm" dining in and around Miami, Miami Beach, Wynwood and the Design District.

Obviously, all of the Miami Beach hotels have top restaurants and prices to match. Jose Andres The Bazaar and Katsuya at the SLS South Beach, Scarpetta, StripSteak and Pizza Burger by Michael Mina and Hakkasan at The Fontainebleau , Mr. Chow at The W South Beach, Pao by Paul Qui and Los Fuegos at Faena and Jean Georges, The Matador Room at the EDITION, the relocated NOBU in the Nobu Hotel Eden Roc, are all popular and top picks where chances are you will have a delicious albeit expensive meal. But if you’d like to dig deeper into the Mimi food scene, check out our guide by category…


Pataka: Vibrant Fast casual Vegetarian Indian in New Haven

Restaurant Indian new haven Vegetarian vegan Fast Casual To-Go Healthy Eats Openings Homepage

Kristin L. Wolfe

It makes sense that the name of this now one-year old, bright spot in New Haven means FIREWORK. Its innovative, delicious dishes are bold and vibrant and the space pops out like none other. I typically prefer a dimly lit space when eating out and yet Pataka’s electrifying, glowing design, produced in part by Box 8 Creative, will mesmerize you and make you a believer; this fast casual, one-of-a-kind, veggie Indian experience, could not be any other way. It’s as if it is Diwali everyday. In addition to being a part of his father’s restaurant Sitar (in New Haven since 2006), Harry Singh has already created a local institution with House of Naan under his belt since 2016; so, knowing the demands and demographic of New Haven, a serious pocket of CT’s culinary creativity, was a given.


65+ Restaurants, Caterers & Farms for Thanksgiving 2021

Features Restaurant Thanksgiving Holiday Catering Guide Dining Guide Homepage

April Guilbault

Bring on the good food, the gratitude, and the tablecloth you use once a year-Thanksgiving is here! This holiday, thankfully, will be more about in-person celebrating than seeing how many Zoom family chats we can schedule between the appetizer course and the dessert course. Man, doesn’t it feel good to greet a holiday with thoughts of “looking forward to this!” rather than “how the heck are we going to do this?”. To that end, one of your biggest challenges this month will be which of these wonderful establishments to order your food from and you will win no matter who you choose. From turkeys and pies you can bake yourself so they are bubbly warm when you serve them, to vegan and gluten-free options and dine-in options across the state, bellies will be full and happy. You can even send a meal to a loved one or donate one to spread the love. Oh, and make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the list, where you will find places to order fresh turkeys. Eat up, celebrate well. Psst-We’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you that we are grateful for our fabulous readers. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


2021 Guide To Great Coffee In Connecticut

Features Restaurant Best of CT Dining Guide Coffee Tea And Coffee Breakfast Homepage

April Guilbault

September 29th is National Coffee Day. Coffee addicts unite. Or those who just love a good cup o’ joe, stand up. Love learning about coffee and trying new varieties? Raise your hand (or mugs). Coffee is here! Connecticut is happily strewn North to South, East to West with roasters, cafes and lots of folks who know a whole lot about these little beans that captivate our attention. There are roasters who have subscription services, cafes with drink lists a mile long and honestly, many happy and caffeinated faces to go with each. You could spend all of next year jumping around the state and trying each one of these…hey, why not start now? And psst-if we have missed any places you love, please let us know in the comments section!


2021 Guide To Waterfront Dining in Connecticut

Features Restaurant Dining Guide Waterfront Outdoor Dining Best of CT Summer Dining Homepage

April Guilbault

If there is one thing that makes us long for summer all year long it is the ability to eat, play, explore, even sleep and just “be” outside. That carefree feeling of stepping outdoors without the boots and the hats and the puffy coats. Grab your flip-flops, maybe a bit of sunscreen and off we go! Ah, the carefreeness of it! And eating outside? How can it be that a bit of sun and air will elevate even the simplest food? A hot dog never tastes better around a campfire or at a ballgame. A bag of chips at the beach with a sandwich? Perfection. So, to that end, we have compiled a list of GREAT WATERFRONT DINING spots-some of which have indoor dining with fabulous views and many perch you outside on beautiful, expansive decks or docks to enjoy their dishes. If a simple hot dog tastes great outside, these venues will have you giddy.


Guide to Connecticut Lobster, Clambakes and Seafood Shacks: 2021 Edition

Restaurant Features Best of CT Seafood seafood boil Lobster Lobster Roll Lobster Bake Clambake Dining Guide homepage Homepage

April Guilbault

It is doubtful that, when mentioning summer eats, lobster anything wouldn’t be in the Top 3 list of foods that folks love, drive miles for, yearn for during the winter months and spiritedly debate (hot? cold? with mayo? just butter?). Well, summer is here, time to strap on that bib, lick those buttery fingers and well, get crackin’. From piled-high lobster rolls and creamy bisques, to hot fried clams and fluffy fritters, seafood rules the roost when temps rise and those ocean breezes soothe the soul. Whether you are searching for a lunch by the water or hosting a party for friends (weee! finally!), these venues will add some buttery fun to your summer days. Bon appetit! Here, let me tie that bib for you….


75+ Spots For Ice Cream, Gelato & Frozen Desserts In CT (2021 Get Licking Edition)

Features Restaurant ice cream Italian Ices Gelato Kid Friendly Best of CT Dining Guide Summer Dessert Frozen Yogurt Homepage Highlight

April Guilbault

Sitting on a bench, licking a drippy ice cream cone on a warm summer day or a balmy evening can be, well…sublime. The skies are clear, the sun or moon is hanging in the sky-all is right with the world and these are a few moments to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. And creamy rich ice cream or scoop of blissful gelato is one of those pleasures, indeed. Honestly, unless you have dropped that cone (bloop, splat! *tears*), when have you ever gone for ice cream and left unhappy? Cream, fruits, swirls of caramel, bits of chocolate chips, a nut here and there-nothing can beat it. Take a few moments this summer to enjoy those simple things, like a cone with a friend or even by yourself. Here’s a list to point the way…

Enjoy these 75+ Spots for Ice Cream, Gelato and Frozen Desserts in CT.


Brooklyn Dumpling Shop "Automat" Announces 5 Connecticut Openings...New Haven 1st

Restaurant Openings Dumplings Automat Asian Fast Casual

CTbites Team

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, the nation’s fastest growing dumpling automat concept, has signed its first franchising deal to bring five locations to Connecticut. The brand is poised to disrupt the quick-service restaurant industry with their innovative automat technology and contactless format. Even before the first location opens its doors in New York, potential franchisees are eager to sign on to the concept.


Organic Krush Opens in Westport With Healthy Organic Fast Casual Menu

Restaurant Openings Healthy Eats Juice Cleanse Juice Bar Organic Sustainable Acai Bowl Smoothies Bone Broth Breakfast Lunch Take Out Fast Casual

Stephanie Webster

Organic Krush, with locations across Long Island, the Hamptons and Virginia, has just opened in Westport at 374 Post Road E. Organic Krush is a fast casual restaurant featuring healthy, organic menu, but cooked, juiced, and baked with a lot more love than your might expect from the average grab-n-go spot. The entire menu features ingredients that are 100% certified organic and free of GMOs, hormones, pesticides and really…fake anything. Diners seeking gluten-free, vegan or paleo options will be happy to discover that most of Organic Krush’s extensive menu works for them, and they can accommodate most dietary needs or restrictions. Organic Krush’s motto is “Eat Happy, Spread Love,” and although this is the seventh location for Co-Founders Michelle Walrath & Fran Paniccia, when I walked in just a few days before they opened their doors, the love and attention to every detail was clearly visible. From employee training and safety protocols to the consistency of the dishes coming out of the kitchen, Organic Krush made a strong debut. Open for three meals a day, from breakfast through dinner pick up at 8PM, I have a strong hunch that this will be a go-to spot for many in the Westport area who aren’t feeling like cooking but are seeking a healthy and tasty meal for their family.


La Taqueria Opens in Greenwich: Killer Tacos & More

Restaurant Mexican Greenwich Tacos Lunch Openings Fast Casual

Andrew Dominick

If you turn onto Greenwich Avenue and blink, there’s a chance you blew right by La Taqueria, one of the street’s newest additions where tacos are front-and-center. 

Before we dive into the stellar tacos at La Taqueria, you should get to know some of its backstory. That all starts with chef/owner Dennis Lake, who, like his restaurant, is a newcomer to Greenwich as a resident, but not as a stranger entirely. Years ago, he was a sous chef at Restaurant 64 before it was The Ginger Man.


Bonchon Chicken Opens In Fairfield: Epically Delicious Korean Fried Chicken + More

Restaurant Take Out Fast Casual Korean Fried Chicken Chicken Wings Fairfield Openings New Haven West Hartford Homepage

James Gribbon

"Bonchon," which means "my hometown" in Korean, has locations in a lot of people's hometowns - around 300 locations from Busan to Bahrain, and now, Fairfield. You may have already eaten at a Bonchon if your home is in New Haven or West Hartford, where they've had locations for a while, but I-95 South was just getting their first taste in the last week or so when I popped my head in the door. Here's a look at what's on the plate at downtown's newest hometown.


Pokéworks Opening in West Hartford September 21

Restaurant Openings Sushi Fast Casual Take Out Japanese Lunch West Hartford

Stephanie Webster

Get pumped West Hartford foodies. On Sept 21st, Pokéworks, the much beloved, healthy, fast-casual poke restaurant, will be opening its doors. The new spot is going into Corbin Collection (across from Westfarms mall) located at 1445 New Britain Avenue, and brings a fresh take on Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls and burritos with a convenient and customizable menu. (Check out our review for the Pokéworks Westport location here.)


Yalla Organic Hummus and Grill: Middle Eastern, The Way YOU Want It in Fairfield

Restaurant Fairfield healthy Organic Mediterranean Fast Casual Lunch

CTbites Team

Yalla Organic Hummus and Grill has taken Fairfield County by storm. Yalla Organic is a consumer-oriented experience where you get to choose exactly how your lunch and dinner is prepared down to the last detail. This family-run business has quickly become a town staple of Fairfield…  and their hummus is making me question all previous hummus choices I have made.  


Shake Shack Launches "Chick'n Bites"… A Better Nugget

Features Burgers Westport New Haven Fast Casual To-Go Take Out Kid Friendly

CTbites Team

Shake Shack released their brand new Chick’n Bites nationwide on March 1st, and so far they’ve proven to be an incredibly popular menu item. But don’t call them nuggets! Customers refer to them as chicken nuggets, which implies that the meat is grotesquely blended and not 100% chicken. Shake Shack purposefully diverged from this label and meat process to brand their bites as a cleaner, more pure option. 

I was very interested in the testing process of the Chick’n Bites. I spoke with Mike Maver, the General Manager of the Westport location, who gave me some insight into the Shake Shack lab located on the lower west side of Manhattan. The Shake Shack culinary team brainstorms recipes for the Chick’n Bites and guest chefs come in to give their two cents. The team sells different versions to consumers and then receives feedback. After a long drumroll, the Chick’n Bites are finally here. 


Roost Opens in Hamden: It's All About The Chicken Sandwich (Gluten Free) & More

Restaurant Take Out Kid Friendly Lunch Fast Casual Hamden Openings Sandwich

CTbites Team

A sous vide chicken sandwich is a minor detail, but the minor details make major taste differences - and that makes all the difference for your customers. That's what Roost believes. Completely locally owned and operated, the menu starts with the chicken sandwich - but with several twists: starting with a unique sous vide cooking technique which creates an incredibly juicy on the inside, crunchy on the outside sandwich, and continues with a variety of unique toppings from Napa Cabbage Slaw to Carolina Reaper Pepper Buffalo Sauce that you won't see at just any fast casual restaurant.