Pier 131 Restaurant and Bar is poised to be one of CT’s “it” destinations this summer. Nestled along the newly renovated Shelton Riverfront with stunning views of the Housatonic River and the historic Old Shelton Railroad Bridge, Pier131 is located in one of the most stunning spots in Fairfield County.
Although very much a neighborhood restaurant, this high-energy gathering place and urban retreat opened its doors late last summer and quickly became a popular destination drawing diners and photographers from all over Fairfield and New Haven Counties – even on the coldest winter days.
The setting immediately draws you in and the tasty something for everyone menu will keep you coming back. Pier 131 has also done a great job giving diners an entertaining experience with live music several nights a week, a DJ every Sunday afternoon, as well as Trivia Night, a daily Happy Hour, $5 Margarita Tuesday, Pasta Sunday (with half off select bottles of wine). More events will be added to the line-up as the weather starts to warm.
How can I help? What could I possibly do to help?There’s always a way you can show support and no action is too small. On a global scale, these are organizations where you can donate that will help support Ukrainian families and children with much needed food, housing, and medical supplies. Locally, we have listed our state’s Ukrainian and Eastern European restaurants, delis, and grocers. Placing an order or simply stopping by to say hello sends a message of support of our fellow man.
And by all means, please add your favorite Eastern European establishments in our comments section if they aren’t already on the list-the more the better. Thank you.
Emily Mingrone (recent winner for "Chef of the Year" at CT Restaurant Association’s Crazies Awards, and her partner, Shane McGowan, are expanding their presence in the New Haven area with a new spot opening this April, Fair Haven Oyster Co. Co-owners of Tavern on State, as well as the nose-to-tail butchery, Provisions on State, in the East Rock neighborhood, they are poised for a trifecta with this new seafood focused oyster bar on the waterfront of the Fair Haven Marina, a beautiful old water town dating from the late 1700’s.
From beaches to boathouses we’ve been thoroughly enjoying our local waterside dining venues. We recently had the opportunity to dine at The Boathouse at Saugatuck. If you haven’t been in quite a while it’s time to come back, and you’ll be in for a pleasant treat. Located upstairs at the Saugatuck Rowing Club, the restaurant has seen a couple of transformations over the past few years. The newly renovated interior boasts a coastal yet elegant setting along the river - the vibe here is upscale yet relaxed. Another noticeable change is the food. The menu has gotten a whole new wardrobe and wears it well.
We sat down to talk with Scott Greene. The Boathouse’s General Manager joined the team just months before the pandemic gripped our local businesses. His vision, creativity and forward thinking has elevated the restaurant to new heights. He’s responsible for the arrival of Chef Jason Milanese and his newly invigorated menu where his inspiration and presentation is reflected in the flavors. Chef brings his experiences from Tarry Lodge as well as Relais Chateaux’s Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod.
La Plage is officially open in Westport. The Inn at Longshore and adjoining restaurant were recently acquired by the Greenwich Hospitality Group, the parent company of the Delamar hotels and restaurants. La Plage is their gift to Westport.
Pronounced plah-je, plage is the French word for beach, and a fitting name when you have a French chef at the helm in the kitchen. Until recently the restaurant was home to Pearl at Longshore which shuttered its doors in January. The interior has undergone a bit of a facelift to embrace its new coastal, casual vibe. Gone is the darker, refined and urban inspired décor which has been replaced with brighter white-washed walls, wicker lampshades and a livelier, beachier ambiance. Queue in the steel brass drums perhaps, but this isn’t your piña colada/Cheeseburger in Paradise type joint. This upscale yet casual eatery is best perhaps described as a beachy chic shack of sorts.
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.
Ok, not the cran-grapefruit-vodka-lime type of SeaBreeze, the actual sea breezes. I think we can all agree that everything tastes better eaten outside, or better yet, by the water. The warm sun on your face, a slight breath of air coming off the Sound and subtle scents of briny water wafting. You hear the clink-clank of ropes on masts, a boat horn here and there. Hello, seagull, nice to see you and no, I won’t give you a fry. These fries are too good to give to the gulls, that’s why.
Fries and more, The Galley Waterfront Cafe is a place to head this summer. Motor up by boat and grab lunches to go or sit awhile at their outdoor seating and take in views of Norwalk Harbor while you hungrily gobble up bites of their fantastic sandwiches.
The Cardinal Shehan Center is a non-profit organization located in Bridgeport, CT. Since 1962, the Center has served the recreational, educational, and social needs of moderate and low-income families and young people of lower Fairfield County, particularly inner city Bridgeport. Their mission is enriching lives through learning.
The Shehan Center has an active after school culinary program that services children between the ages of 5-14. This cooking program teaching children core cooking and kitchen safety skills that they can take home and utilize. They have 100 kids in the program, and this number will jump up to 300 during the summer. In conjunction with the Westport Farmers’ Market, the kids also take part in “The Farmers to Kids to Community Program” where children can learn to cook with a live chef from the community.
They need your help to build out their kitchen and to give these children a place to learn.
PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING ANY OF THE BELOW ITEMS IN GOOD CONDITION.
Local nonprofit with employment-driven mission supports job recovery for industry hit hard by COVID
Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut today announced “The Goodwill Give Back,” an initiative to support employment recovery in the restaurant industry.For every 5,000 donation instances to Goodwill this April the nonprofit will donate $1,000 to the Connecticut Restaurant Relief Fund. The mission of the CT Restaurant Relief Fund is to provide immediate financial relief to Connecticut’s restaurant industry with funds designed to save these businesses and protect its workforce.
Last week we took a beautiful scenic drive to Essex Connecticut to check out Carlson’s Landing. With stunning views of the Connecticut River, and located next to a bustling shipyard, the restaurant offers a perfect mix of stunning views, safely distanced seating, an elegant interior and delicious food and drink.
The restaurant is spearheaded by seasoned restaurateur Robert Rabine, founder of Cafe Routier in Westbrook, who’s also a former food and beverage writer with over 300 published recipes and reviews. Executive Chef JP Dillon (formerly of Trumbull Kitchen in Hartford, Birch Hill Tavern and The Beamhouse in Glastonbury, and Hidden Still Restaurant & Moonshine Bar in Ellington) recently joined forces with Rabine.
Although we continue to lament the trials of 2020 and all the ways in which IT has put a damper on our spirits, there are still some things bubbling to the surface as pure goodness. If anything, 2020 has called on all of us to be more creative and resourceful than we’ve ever been before. Take collaborations for example. Businesses have been coming together to not only support one another through tough times, but CREATE in ways which raise the bar of possibilities.
Grano Arso, in Chester and Highclere Castle Gin out of Essex, in partnership with the namesake estate in England and location of the beloved series Downton Abbey, have come together to create the ultimate moment of luxury. From November 1 - January 1, diners have the opportunity to delight in, perhaps, the most lavish cocktail ever made. This $99 cocktail is not meant to empty your pockets, although the pleasure itself might be worth the moment, but in fact, go to a wonderful cause. Given the downsides of Covid-19, the Channel 3 Kids Camp, celebrating their 110th year, was unable to run this year, therefore disappointing countless Connecticut children who did not get to experience it this summer. More than ever, the proceeds from this divine cocktail will ensure kids get their camp experience in 2021.
Restaurants around CT are creating swag for purchase, with the proceeds either going to help the struggling out of work restaurant industry, essential workers & hungry families. We encourage you to put your money where your mouth is and support those around you who need your help. The CTbites team is ordering everything we can. Thanks to CTbites writer, Andrew Dominick and @StamfordFoodie’s Raenah Marie for proudly modeling their swag.
The coronavirus pandemic's outsize effect on the restaurant, bar, and brewing industries has been apparent and catastrophic, but hope greets us in the knowledge that even as we all stay at home, we're finding new ways to stand together in support of the people who need us. The American craft brewing industry's will to work with one another is famous, and All Together - a collaboration spearheaded by Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn - is a way consumers and brewers alike can join up to support service industry, breweries, and healthcare workers. Fifteen Connecticut breweries have already joined up to produce an All Together beer.
The owners of Other Half share the message, recipes, and label designs on the All Together website:
CTbites is proud to be a part of Food For The Front Lines, a grassroots effort to support both our local Connecticut restaurant industry and the tireless work of our healthcare workers. What we do is simple. Our struggling local CT restaurants prepare food deliveries for hospitals and EMS workers. If you care about our struggling CT restaurants, Food For The Front Lines is a great way to keep money flowing into their businesses. We have put over 80K back into the restaurant community and fed over 10,000 meals to date.
We interrupt your daily dose of horror to tell you how a few chefs are changing the landscape and helping people in the community WHO NEED YOUR HELP NOW. Whether they are feeding school children, providing meals to people out of work in the restaurant industry, or donating meals to first responders and hospitals, these are a few programs we can ALL get behind. If you have the resources, please consider making donations to these incredible programs, and celebrate those just doing good work.
If YOU have a program that you would like to tell us about, please contact us.
During the month of December, diners can help feed the hungry while eating at their favorite local restaurants. CTbites is thrilled to announce the return of Food Rescue US ‘ Hunger Bites program which allows restaurants and diners to join together in the fight against hunger. If you see the Hunger Bites logo at your local restaurant, please consider donating $1 (or more) on your guest check. By giving just $1 today on your bill you'll provide 10 fresh, nutritious meals to people in need in your community.
We encourage you to dine and donate at these participating restaurants: Whelk Jesup Kawa Ni, The Whelk, Match Restaurant, Taproot Restaurant, ,Match Burger Lobster, The Spread, El Segundo, Terrain, Amis Trattoria, Cask Republic, The Ginger Man, Evarito’s, Little Pub (all locations) & Rowayton Seafood.
The owners of the Little Pub have announced they will open their next venture at the location of the former Marnick's on the Stratford seawall. Little Pub will also take over the attached seaside residence, which is being extensively redone, and renamed the Surfside Hotel. Expect the new pub to open on the beach this month, with the hotel opening shortly thereafter. Read on to see what Little Pub owner Doug Grabe had to tell CTBites...
After a two-and-a-half-month hiatus, SoNo Seaport Seafood is open once again, serving up the ocean’s bounty with a few exciting changes.
In mid-April, the 35-year-old South Norwalk mainstay announced they would shut down shop while the restaurant, outdoor bar, and patio all underwent renovations. To oversee it all, SoNo Seaport’s owners, the Bloom Family, brought in a legit Fairfield County chef to consult on the project.
That’s where Matt Storch enters the fray. But make no mistake, the chef/owner of Match and Match Burger Lobster wasn’t merely brought in to make decisions on what furniture to buy and what color paint should go on the walls. One of Storch’s focal points at SoNo Seaport was to give an outdated menu a much-needed refresh.
Ok, slow down, Chef Kevin, you’ve got a lot on your plate….I mean that literally and figuratively.
I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Kevin O’Neil of EP Experience Catering at the Flavors of Connecticut Gala at the Aqua Club in Southington last month for the American Liver Foundation. Chefs from all over the state come out for the foundation’s signature event and what an event it is. No one is paid, but everyone gives one hundred percent of their time, effort, and creativity for such a great cause. Chefs and their crew turn everything up a notch and create a special event for the guests that will be seated around their tables. It becomes a party within a party and each diner enters a world of the chef and crew’s creation. From a Ziggy Stardust theme table complete with smoke and music to a French Revolution scene decked out with a guillotine (!), many tapped the artist within and created a theatrical experience where in the food was the bonus. Others kept their space more classic with bursts of color from flowers and dishware or a built-on-the-premises rustic pergola. Either way, creative people came together for a tremendous show of that artistic flare and amazing food, for a great cause.
