The people demand tacos, and on October 15th at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, they shall receive tacos. And also margaritas. Naturally.
The 2022 Connecticut Taco and Margarita Festival at The Amp is available to anyone with $15 and dream to eat tacos, drink margs, see live wrestling from Adrenaline, maybe get their face painted, have access to shop vendors, test their courage at the hot sauce expo, and possibly gain a championship of their own at the taco eating contest.
It’s Nantucket meets the Mediterranean. Arden’s, Rowayton’s newest eatery, is a community cafe offering up simple seasonal fare that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Inside the beachy décor is minimalist with hints of flea-market vintage finds. You’ll find antiquated oyster tins, vases filled with vibrant fresh flowers, beechwood furniture, a curated marketplace with specialty gourmet food items, locally fabricated linens alongside local honey, assorted spices, hot chili oil in beautiful glass jars, ceramics and other wonderful finds. Wonderful, whimsical floppy rattan shades resembling oversized straw hats hang from light fixtures overhead. Arden’s welcomes you in immediately with a warm embrace that doesn’t want to let you go.
Stay a while and linger over a simple menu of salads, sandwiches and toasts. While the concept is simple the recipes are elevated using ingredients from several local purveyors including Wilton’s Millstone Farm and Darien-based Flour Water Salt Bread, Nit Noi Provisions and Ilse coffee. Ingredients matter at this health-forward café. At the helm of the kitchen is Moises Aguilar formerly with Southend Backend. Here he is tasked with delivering the ultimate flavor profile from the simplest of ingredients which he has clearly mastered.
In an endless sea of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, it’s always refreshing to stop by a local cafe for breakfast and a cup of coffee. Combine with that a charming spot on Main Street and you have a recipe for a quintessential Connecticut morning – and that’s exactly what we found at Toasted OAT Cafe on Main Street in Newington.
If you’re fond of Toasted OAT Cafe in Canton which first opened its doors in 2018, then you’re in for a treat: a second location in Newington has opened in 2022, bringing their popular Packed Bowl among many other breakfast and lunch favorites to a second location in Connecticut. Just like Canton, the vibes are relaxed and welcoming.
There’s only one way to begin an article about a restaurant that bears the name RoadRunner, and that’s with very Looney Tunes-like MEEP, MEEP!
Now that we’ve gotten the silliness out of the way—for now—it’s time to dish on this Bridgeport newcomer.
RoadRunner Kitchen + Bar comes to the Black Rock neighborhood from the New Canaan Restaurant Group whose restaurants include Gates in New Canaan and Bruxelles Brasserie in South Norwalk.
RoadRunner, though, is the polar opposite of its sister restaurants in terms of its high energy, casual vibe that suits families as well as adults who simply want to kick it at the bar and crush a few tacos.
But make no mistake, just because you read “tacos” doesn’t mean this is a Mexican joint. It’s New Mexican inspired. No, not like New American, but with Mexican food. We’re talking Santa Fe street eats and easy drinking cocktails with some fun shots thrown into the mix.
The iconic Po Café is located in the heart of Washington CT and lives in a charming historic white clapboard house right next to the town’s post office – hence the nickname. The building, once home to a pharmacy and grocery store, sits across from the idyllic town’s church. The area served as the inspiration behind fictional town Stars Hollow made famous by Rory and Lorelei Gilmore. As soon as you walk through the front door you can almost imagine Luke standing behind the counter of the old fashioned soda fountain pouring a cup of coffee.
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!
Coffee for Good is now open in downtown Greenwich, and it’s not your ordinary high-end coffee shop. Sure, you can grab yourself a perfectly pulled shot of espresso or a latte c/o their well trained baristas and the fine roasters at PATH Coffee in PortChester. But Coffee For Good provides much more than a daily caffeine fix for our community.
Coffee For Good was spearheaded by Greenwich resident, Deb Rogan, in partnership with Abilis, as a self-sustaining, nonprofit organization, to serve as a training platform and employer for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The coffee shop, which provides espresso based beverages, smoothies, local baked goods, as well as sandwiches and salads, gives their trainees the opportunity to succeed and be a part of the local workforce.
The bright white space drips with psychedelic funk as I step into Berlinetta Brewing this summer. A few decades of listening to Georges Collinet's "Afropop Worldwide," I recognize Hugh Masekela and am beaming, not just at that, but at the racks of books (actual paper books!) in reach of tables lit by huge windows. This is a very, very promising start for the downtown Bridgeport brewery.
Step up through the back doorway the tasting room shares with lofts in the newly refurbished building and you'll enter a mini in-brewery record store. Racks of LPs beside a twin turntable setup are for sale or maybe trade if you're feeling barter-y. Co-owner (co-brother), and head brewer Rich Ruggiero has also crafted a tube amp powered reel-to-reel Hi-Fi stereo which can drive the sound system at the click of a toggle switch. Walk in the front door, and you'll see it (and likely him) behind the taproom bar.
They call it a "slider," but it is not a slider. They call it "Hot Chicken," and it is definitely, exactly, most assuredly, guaranteed and board certified to be both of those things. Good lord. I have never been to Nashville, because I have never been a member of a southern lady's bachelorette party, but I have both been to Bridgeport, and Enjoyed-to-Tolerated many a chicken sandwich. If this is what they're like in central Tennessee, I may take the trip.
Howling Hot Chicken is just past the Bridgeport/Trumbull line down from the mall, and will shortly share a wall with a Milkcraft creamery, whose owners identified a bit of vacuum in the Connecticut landscape which needed filling with Extremely Hot Chicken (or mild, or simply fried with no spice, your call) and created a new franchise. Recognizing a similar void in my lunchtime, I recently swung by.
Donny Raus of Raus Coffee has been intimately involved with coffee for most of his life. As coffee roasters go, Donny is at the top of his game in the fair state of Connecticut. He also claims responsibility for inventing a drink that every coffee enthusiast should get involved with, a cold brew based delicacy called the Cold Roman, served at farmers’ markets around CT. This blend of hand crafted fresh brewed espresso, a touch of raw sugar, his own “cuore di caffe” natural flavor infusion, served over ice with a splash of cold foam, might be the ONLY way a person should be asked to wake up in the morning. No…seriously. But Donny’s passion goes far beyond the perfect brew or roast. His mission is to “change the way the world drinks, connects, and interacts over coffee, creating a sense of excitement around their daily cup, while also having it serve as a reminder to reconnect not only with those around us, but with ourselves.”
Donny Raus is a true artisan, fastidious and supremely knowledgeable when it comes to his craft and product. Now, you can benefit from his years of training, research and experience with the launch of his new “virtual espresso training workshops.”Home-users and aspiring amatuer baristas can learn how to make proper espresso from their home machines, pull the perfect shot, and get the right grind, via his new private zoom classes. Umm…Holiday gift idea? I think yes.
Want some great espresso, specialty iced tea, frozen drinks? How about acai, pitaya, matcha or spirulina bowls alongside killer bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, basmati rice bowls, gluten free, vegan dishes, and mouthwatering desserts? The Westchester favorite, Bobo’s Cafe has crossed the border, and is opening in Connecticut…Ridgefield to be exact. According to their Facebook page, doors open today at 32 Danbury Road.
After completing their domination of Northern Westchester, owner Craig Bernardi said, “We look for communities that allow us the opportunity to really get to know people in town.”
John Dimarco and his renown Luigi's Bakery, served up Italian sweets on Main street in Bridgeport for 50 years. Two years ago, Dimarco closed the bakery and joined in a partnership with three longtime friends to expand the wholesale side of his business. Luigi’s was famous for its Original Cannoli Pie and their killer tasty cannoli cream. Hence, for the new spot, they chose the name “The Cannoli Pie Company” and relaunched and refocused their wholesale distribution business around being "Cannoli Specialists" and "Masters of All Things Cannoli."
This little bakery that could has some big news for the holidays. In between making wedding cakes for most of Connecticut and running a full Italian Bakery, John managed to get his amazing cannoli pies into 85 local Stop & Shops along with scattered Price Rite, Shop Rites and specialty stores. And now, two years later, their cannoli pie is in EVERY SINGLE STOP & SHOP – over 400 stores in 5 states!
Restaurateurs all over the CT are pivoting in response to the new pandemic reality facing both restaurant owners and diners, and while we all wish we could go back to 2019, smart entrepreneurs continue to reinvent themselves in unique and interesting ways. The team behind Taco Daddy and The Lila Rose, John Nealon and Morgan Machette are doing just that. With diminished dine in capacity, this duo, with the help of partner, Juan J Henao have expanded the reach of their new dinner spot, The Lila Rose, into an all day breakfast and lunch affair with their new, ‘Es Ok Cafe’.
Located in Stamford’s Harbor Point area, The Lila Rose was already closed during the day, except for brunch on Saturday and Sundays, so it was the perfect spot to house the cafe that this group had dreamed of creating pre-Covid. “Machette, Henao (JJ), and his brother, Juan Camillo Henao, have always been passionate about coffee and tea, so putting the concept together has been really fun. I also just like saying Sexy Lattes and Slutty Paninis,” says co-owner Nealon.
Those who know me, know I’m an equal opportunity caffeinator; I start my day low-key and sort of lady-like with a cup of Twinings Earl Grey. BUT, if I haven’t been punched in the face by mid-morning with a good strong cappuccino, then watch out. By the sheer number of places in our great state to get a jolt, I know I’m not alone. The list is long, but please, let us know if we’ve missed one of your favorite spot for java and we’ll add it to the caffeinated compilation. Go forth and get buzzed.
In his grandmother’s tapas restaurant in Dallas, a young Daniel Moreno grew up hidden away in the kitchen, learning, listening while cultivating a dream of becoming a chef. Over a thousand miles away in Connecticut, a young Brittany spent her days baking for her family, guided by the dream of running her very own bakery one day. Now married, Daniel and Brittany Moreno’s dreams have turned into a reality as they open Kneads in Westport.
With coffee, sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries and, of course, bread, Kneads offers a fresh, diverse “chalkboard” menu that features 100% whole grain organic flour. And, with a heavy focus on local products within a simple, cafe format, this husband and wife duo hope to bring a newfound appreciation of milling to town.
With the likes of Barcelona Wine Bar, Colony Grill, and ramen newcomer Haruki all filling vacancies at The Waypointe in Central Norwalk, it’s only fitting that potential visitors have a place to get caffeinated, too.
Allora Coffee & Bites—located at the development’s Orchard Street side—can provide you with a pick me up in the form of a classic cup of an exclusive house blend, a refreshing and equally jolting cold brew, or a foamy vanilla latte, complete with a fancy leaf decoration, all super fresh and roasted weekly by Redding Roasters out of Bethel.
The idea for a simple menu of well-made coffee drinks came from the husband and wife team of Reid and Kim Steinberg. Allora, though, was derived from Kim’s background. Her dad was born in Italy. She studied abroad in Florence. And as it reads on their website, she has fond memories of the smell of espresso being prepared on the stove as a child, and her parents showed their hospitality by offering a cup of coffee to a neighbor, post dinner, at a gathering, and to one another.
The Steinbergs wanted to bring that same warmth to their business, not only with fast, friendly service, but with a simple aesthetic design that’s inviting, and reminiscent of Italian coffee shops.
As Stamford kicks Phase 2 of its reopening plan into high gear, one Stamford Downtown cafe has taken the opportunity to make some exciting additions to their menu.
Beginning this Friday, Winfield Street Coffee (96 Broad Street) adds cocktails, beer, wine, and some great happy hour & dinner options to their menu!
The cafe, adjacent to the Ferguson Library, has been serving the Stamford community for just over a year. The menu includes a great selection of coffees and espresso drinks. (serving Counter Culture Coffee) They also serve other local products- like fresh baked goods, great breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, bowls, smoothies, and more!
Winfield’s new dinner options will be available from 4pm – 9pm and as Owner, Breno Donatti, shared with us, will be a great spot for the early crowd or those looking to enjoy a light meal before their night out. The menu is also perfect for date night as it includes a number of shareable plates.
Known for churning out cortados, cappuccinos, cold brews, and their famous crispy, sugared churros, Lorca Coffee Bar has expanded their original location on Bedford Street.
What used to be a tiny 16-seat café—seriously, it was the size of a large walk-in closet—is now around 40 seats.
And that’s not all, according to owner Leyla Dam Jenkins.
“We’re going to put an outdoor patio in the back; it’s already being built out,” she says.
The patio will hopefully be open by the time summer gets here. Dam Jenkins also tossed in a tidbit that Lorca now has a designated 15-minute parking spot for customers who simply want a quick cup of coffee.
But with more space comes a bigger kitchen (it’s triple the size of what is was) and thus, an expanded menu. “We used to only be able to bake 12 cookies at a time,” Dam Jenkins says. “Before, we’d have baked goods delivered but now we’re making our muffins and baked goods in-house.”
Food & Wine writer, David Landsel, has spent 2 years traveling the United States, studying the American coffee culture. His list of nearly 100 of the most essential cafes, coffee shops, and espresso bars in the United States, includes one very special spot in the Nutmeg state, Story and Soil, located in Hartford CT. Congrats on making the cut, and check out the full article in Food & Wine.