Rebel Daughter Cookies X CTbites Cookie For A Cause: Cookie Drop Sept 3

Features Fundraiser Dessert Homepage

Stephanie Webster September 03, 2025

CTbites has teamed up with Rebel Daughter Cookies to create the NEW “P.B. Jamin’” Cookie- to raise $$ to help feed those In need. With reduced Federal funding, food pantries across the state and nation are struggling to support their communities. Please help us stock the food pantry at FRIDGEPORT by purchasing this signature cookie with 10% of all sales going directly to the Fridgeport food pantry in Bridgeport.

Fridgeport is a stigma free, open access community fridge initiative in Bridgeport, CT. It’s open 24/7, and is a way to get free resources to people in the Bridgeport community, at any level of need.

CTbites will be matching all proceeds

The P.B. Jamin’ is the stuff of dreams with peanut butter cookie dough, stuffed with peanut butter fudge, strawberry jam & topped with peanut butter drizzle, crispy potato chips & freeze dried strawberries.

Score your P.B. Jamin' - RDC x C.T. Bites Collab Cookie For A Cause here, or swing by the Rebel Daughter Cookie storefront in Norwalk.

Q&A with Mighty Quinn's & Rise Doughnuts' Hugh Mangum On His NEW BBQ Cookbook

Features Chef Talk Q & A Cookbooks BBQ CT Authors Homepage

Stephanie Webster September 03, 2025

CT Chef and resident, Hugh Mangum, co-founder of the much-loved Mighty Quinn’s BBQ as well as Rise Doughnuts, recently released a BBQ bible, a cookbook that explores BBQ across the globe.

The new cookbook is titled, BARBECUE: Smoked & Grilled Recipes from Across the Globe, and is the ultimate guide to cooking with fire and smoke, featuring 280 beloved barbecue and grilling recipes from cultures worldwide.

We sat down with Mangum to speak with him about the new cookbook.

Mooooncake Fest Comes To Bridgeport October 11-12 (sponsored post)

Features Events Food Festival Events EVENT

CTbites Team September 02, 2025

Celebrate the magic of the Mid-Autumn Festival at Mooooncake Fest -- a vibrant weekend of food, culture, and community coming to CT Hartford Amp on October 11-12, 2025.

Tradition Meets Celebration

One of Asia's most beloved holidays, the Mid-Autumn Festival is all about reunion, gratitude, and the beauty of the full moon. At Mooooncake Fest, you'll experience glowing lanterns, authentic mooncakes, and cultural traditions brought to life.

A Feast for Every Foodie

Savor 90+ Asian food vendors offering street eats, festival favorites, and seasonal specialties, plus 40+ merch stalls with crafts, gifts, and cultural treasures.

Celebrate Shelton Presents 2-Day Fall Food Trucks on the River Fall Edition (sponsored post)

Features Events Food Festival Events EVENT

CTbites Team August 29, 2025

Celebrate Shelton is bringing their most popular event Food Trucks on the River back for a very special Fall Edition!! This year's event will featuring an amazing lineup of 25+ food trucks, live music by: Mushroom Cloud, The Inside Out, Ros. Co., Doey Joey, Benny Mikula of The Alpaca Gnomes, Seth Adam & more, local artisans & vendors, mobile bar with New Belgium beer & Love Lou wines, Pop-Up Circus performances, and more!

$5 Suggested Donation

Norwalk's Best Kept Secret: Magic 5 Pie Co. Makes Sicilian Style Pizza

Ingredients Interview Restaurant Pizza Limited Pizzeria Norwalk Ingredients Interview Sicilian Pizza

Andrew Dominick August 27, 2025

I can’t put my finger on exactly when it was or where I first saw it, but early in 2025, I spotted a pizza at Magic 5 Pie Co. that left me both curious and confused. Known for their charred, crispy/chewy, light artisan pizza, I noticed a different shape. This one wasn’t round like their everyday pies. It was square. Later in the year while chatting with one of Magic 5’s owners, Shawn Longyear, who co-owns the pizzeria, along with The Spread, and El Segundo with Christopher Rasile, Andrey Cortes, and Chris Hickey, I couldn’t help but ask about it.

Tacos 203 by Taco Guy Opens at South Norwalk Train Station

Features Interview Restaurant Tacos Norwalk Tacos 203 Cocktails Grab-n-Go Mexican Homepage Fast Casual Opening

Andrew Dominick August 25, 2025

As summer dwindles down in Connecticut, lobster rolls are out, tacos are in. At least that’s the case at the South Norwalk’s Metro-North station’s eastbound side. When the vacant space where LobsterCraft once slung rolls, lobster mac, and bisque, is now home to Tacos 203, a spinoff of Taco Guy. Owner Adrian Hurtado, who started his Taco Guy brand, first as a successful food truck, then a brick-and-mortar in Norwalk’s Wall Street area in 2023, snagged the train station spot by putting in an application bid for it with the Norwalk Parking Authority, not knowing whether he’d get it or not.

Bartender Sam Reyes + Mariposa Taqueria Launch Cocktail Pop Up El Jardín

Events Ingredients Interview Restaurant Cocktail Pop Up Danbury cocktails Bartender Pop-Up Homepage

Andrew Dominick August 25, 2025

Audrey Hepburn once had a quote about gardens, where she stated: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Sam Reyes is thinking about and believing in cocktail culture for tomorrow and a lot of tomorrows that will follow. Ever since Reyes (Mariposa Taqueria’s co-owner/bartender) captured a statewide award in 2023, specifically, a Connecticut Restaurant Association CRAZIES win for Bartender of the Year, he’s taken that W and he’s run with it.

Elena's On Orange: Outrageously Good Ice Cream & Test Kitchen in New Haven

Ice Cream Restaurant New Haven Ice Cream

Callie Weyers August 21, 2025

From cookie butter to mango chai, Elena’s has tried it all when it comes to soft serve. Sitting on the corner of Orange and Canner, Elena’s on Orange has been serving the New Haven community since November of 2022. Although, many may argue it feels like it's been around for much longer, because of how seamlessly it blends into its surrounding neighborhood.

They’re recognized for their innovative test kitchen that locals flock to every Wednesday evening where they come out with a new weekly flavor. Their test kitchen is run by Geena Fram who is responsible for creating weekly flavors and sourcing fresh ingredients. The idea for the test kitchen comes from Elena’s having an extra machine available and Geena desiring more freedom to think up her own ice cream creations. “Sometimes there are flavors that are a little too labor intensive or too special to do for the whole week right off the bat” says Fram.

Mr. Cookbop Brings Hearty Korean Soups & Comfort Food to New Haven

Restaurant Opening New Haven Korean Lunch Homepage Asian Food Soups

Leeanne Griffin August 21, 2025

It may not be soup season at the moment, with summer temperatures soaring into the 90s, but this new New Haven Korean restaurant is ready for the winter with its comforting, savory soup specialties.

Owner Kenny Kim, who ran Ramen Kuro Shiro at 128 Crown Street, recently revamped the restaurant’s menu and concept to reflect his Korean heritage. In a July Instagram post introducing Mr. Cookbop, Kim and his team said they took time to “refresh, reflect and reimagine what we wanted to bring to the table.”

Kim said he’s been in the restaurant industry for more than a decade, with experience in his native Korea as well as in New York and Connecticut.
“I saw a real opportunity in New Haven, with its vibrant food scene and diverse community,” he said in a statement. “(It) felt like the perfect place to introduce the Mr. Cookbop concept – something both comforting and culturally rich.”

70+ Spots For Great Sushi In Connecticut

Restaurant Features Highlight Best of CT Sushi Sushi Bar Seafood guide Japanese Homepage

Amy S. White August 17, 2025

In a state known for its culinary diversity, sushi stands out as a favorite dining experience. And an experience it is. Sushi chefs put on a show, using the absolute freshest ingredients possible with the most precise techniques to craft their creations in full view of awe-struck patrons. Across Connecticut, sushi restaurants range from sleek omakase counters to casual family-owned spots. Sashimi, nigiri, maki, chirashi, poke bowls - all can be found in this county-by-county guide to the top sushi restaurants in the state. Mix your wasabi and soy, and get those chopsticks ready to discover where in CT the art of sushi truly shines. Please note that many of these restaurants close between lunch and dinner, so make sure to check the website for hours.

Chef Nick Martschenko Opens Second SE Uncorked in Redding

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant SE Uncorked Redding Georgetown Gastropub Cocktails Burger Interview Bar Opening

Andrew Dominick August 13, 2025

Right before New Canaan’s SE Uncorked celebrated its 10-year anniversary, chef – owner Nick Martschenko opened a shiny new sequel of his popular gastropub concept at the end of June in the Georgetown section of Redding. “I knew the area because initially, we looked in Redding for South End, but that idea folded,” Martschenko says. “All these years later, we’re here with Uncorked. Ryan Kundrat helped get me into this place (on Main Street). We wanted it to be this pubby sort of vibe, but you can see it’s a little different in the dining room. It’s still much like the original Uncorked.”

Suburbia Sandwich Co Hits The Road in Fairfield CT In a Vintage 1969 Citroën

Restaurant Food Truck Sandwiches Fairfield Fairfield County Opening

Kendall Arkay August 12, 2025

Phone is on DND this weekend, and if you’re looking for me, I’ll be in Suburbia. Lucky for you, it’s closer than you think.

Right down Old Post Road in Fairfield, CT, lies “The Humbug,” home to Suburbia Sandwich Co. Suburbia is described as an “epicurean utopia, where pleasure and tranquility are the ultimate goals, achieved through the pursuit of simple, sustainable pleasures.” This European vintage 1969 Citroën HY van is exactly that: a food truck filled with artisanal sandwiches, drool-worthy pastries, and various lattes.

John's Cafe: 25 Years of Tasty Italian in Woodbury, CT

Restaurant Woodbury Italian food Pasta

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger August 11, 2025

Has there ever been a place where you constantly drive by without a second thought. You think the sign is cute, you tell yourself you will go at some point, and you never do. Suddenly, people mention the place in conversation, twice, three times in the same week, you ask around and everyone loves it. You finally remember to look on-line, decide to go and look to make a reservation but do not see a “reservations” tab on their website. You finally do what was popular 20 years ago, you pick up the phone, call and ask if they accept reservations and are surprised when they say, “of course.” And then you go and enjoy a great meal.

So was my experience at John’s Café in Waterbury.

John’s Café is located on Route 67 just east of where it meets Route 64. With its non-descript sign over the door, John’s Café looks like it would serve coffee, pastries and breakfast, but enter and the aromas of homestyle Italian cuisine will tell you otherwise. Overseeing the kitchen for close to 25 years is Chef / Owner Dennis DeBelllis.

Panda Fest Comes to Hartford September 27-28

Features Hartford Food Festival Asian Food kids activity Homepage

CTbites Team August 10, 2025

Get ready, Hartford — Panda Fest is bringing a feast for all the senses! This vibrant, family-friendly outdoor festival celebrates the richness of Asian culture through over 100 authentic street food dishes, live performances and panda-themed fun. With 55+ food vendors serving everything from Samsa to skewers, and a lineup of performances featuring K-pop, Thai dance, Chinese acrobatics and live music, Panda Fest promises an unforgettable experience that connects culture, cuisine and community in the heart of Connecticut.

Guests will also enjoy panda inflatables, themed merchandise and more than 10 local vendors showcasing crafts and goods. Each General Admission ticket includes two free gifts—a custom Panda pin featuring a Connecticut twist and a stylish hand fan (valued at $16). Whether you're there for the flavors, the music or the family-friendly vibes, Panda Fest is where food meets fun and everyone is welcome.

Don't Miss "Reflections of a Summer in Kent at Ore Hill" Dinner August 23rd

Events Features Events Pop-Up Dinner

CTbites Team August 07, 2025

"Escape to Ore Hill, an intimate, seasonally driven restaurant set in a beautifully restored 18th century farmhouse in idyllic Litchfield County. Executive Chef Ryan Carbone presents a summer tasting menu, featuring the bountiful produce, dairy, and heritage Randall beef from partner Rock Cobble Farm. Prior to returning to his native Connecticut to helm the kitchen at Ore Hill, Chef Ryan was Chef de Cuisine with James Beard Award Winner Debbie Gold in Chicago, then at Jupiter, the second restaurant from the team of the celebrated restaurant King in NYC. Supporting Chef Ryan at Ore Hill and the adjacent casual Tavern Swyft, is Culinary Director and multiple James Beard Award semifinalist® Tyler Anderson, who will be on hand in the kitchen for this exclusive experience.

Reflections of a Summer in Kent at Ore Hill is part of the Friends of James Beard Benefit series; events hosted by generous people, businesses, and organizations outside of JBF that provide critical funding for our programs. Each event supports our mission to champion a standard of Good Food for Good® anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability."

Community table in Washington: Meet Chef Bolivar Hilario

Restaurant Washington Litchfield County Homepage Chef Talk

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger August 05, 2025

Community table is housed in a nondescript, quaint structure on Route 202 in New Preston, and presents a dining experience that blends effortlessly into its rural setting. The only recognizable landmark to announce your arrival is a simplistic roadside sign with a singular orange “Ct” logo on a white background, reflecting the restaurant's core value: a strong focus on community with an upper case "C" and a less formal, more shared dining experience at the table with a lower case "t". A farmer's porch extends across the front of the building, and a large parking lot is located to one side. The entrance is immediately to the left of a striking, vertically soaring, organic, red metal sculpture, leading guests directly into the bar area.

Hidden New Haven Pizza Gem: Ernie's Pizza - Outrageous Pizza for Over 50 Years

Restaurant Pizza New Haven New Haven Pizza

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger July 31, 2025

I guess after making pizza for over fifty years, it comes as no surprise that one of the best pizzas in the greater New Haven area, as well as one of the best pizzas in CT, is made by Pasqual (Pat) DeRiso at Ernie’s Pizza. Pat is the second-generation owner of Ernie’s, which was started by his father and mother, Ernesto (Ernie) and Jennie De Riso, in 1971. Pat purchased the business in 1989 and now continues the family tradition, personally crafting every single pizza that comes out of the oven.

Redding Residents Open Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon: Upscale Gastropub + Craft Cocktails

Features Interview Restaurant New American Gastropub Redding Cocktails Market Interview Homepage

Andrew Dominick July 30, 2025

Owls are, for the most part, a nocturnal species. For the owls that are, they’re probably not used to it being dark on a summer afternoon at 5 p.m. In this case, the “owl” is an owl in namesake, Georgetown Owl Market & Saloon, which experienced a power outage courtesy of a freakishly fast moving, powerful rainstorm on a hot, muggy July day. While brief, strong winds and some fallen branches resulted in a flickering of lights, “Oohhs and aahhs” in the dining room and at the bar, and ultimately, a more dimly lit restaurant than usual. For owners Kate Perry and Gerry Valenti, who opened Georgetown Owl in March of 2025, they rolled with nature’s punch smoothly, moving customers (and deadlifting tables and chairs) into the half of their space that still had electricity, and assuring confused walk-ins that they were still very much welcome.

Quattro Pazzi in Fairfield Celebrates 30 Years With New Look, New Menu Drop & Happy Hour

Restaurant Fairfield Italian Patio Lunch

Jessica Ryan July 24, 2025

Some things are worth commemorating, especially when you’re a restaurant celebrating your 30th Anniversary. Congratulations to Quattro Pazzi for your excellence in food and service over the past three decades!

Quattro Pazzi, known for their house-made pastas and fresh dishes with influences from Mediterranean was founded by Gino Riccio in 1997. Today, the restaurant continues to focus on fresh, vibrant ingredients and flavors. Riccio, who in recent years has stepped away from the kitchen, trained under world-renowned chefs, was known merging traditional recipes with today’s inspirations, and more contemporary influences, which the restaurant still practices today.

Over the decades the restaurant has seen expansions and renovations. Alongside the interior’s most recent make-over, the menu has seen a refresh as well, with dishes that align beautifully with these warm summer months.

In addition to the new menu items Quattro Pazzi recently launched their Happy Hour. Stop by at the end of the afternoon and enjoy a little aperitivo with your beverage. Why not then stay for dinner and check out some of the items that are new to the menu.

Renowned and Michelin Recommended Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao Opens in Stamford

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Nan Xiang Nan Xiang soup dumplings Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao Stamford Chinese Homepage soup dumplings Dim Sum Interview Opening

Andrew Dominick July 23, 2025

From Flushing, New York, Michelin Guide recommended soup dumplings have made their way to the cluster of restaurants outside of the Stamford Town Center. Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, a growing Shanghainese micro chain, held its soft opening and introduction to Connecticut at the beginning of June as part of its expansion that includes locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, Chicago, and soon, again, in our general area when they open in White Plains.