Hidden Gem: Dama Rose Middle Eastern Cuisine Opens in West Haven

Restaurant West Haven New Haven Middle Eastern Opening Lunch Homepage

Jessica Ryan February 07, 2026

It’s often the “off the culinary grid” spots that are true hidden gems. We have found one for you.

Let me introduce you to Dama Rose, which opened just about a year and a half ago in a small strip of shops right on the Post Road in West Haven. It might not have the fanciest address but it doesn’t (and shouldn’t) matter, as most gourmands and critics will concur.

Chef Malaz Hayak opened Dama Rose in September 2024. The restaurant industry runs deep in veins – His father owned and ran a successful restaurant in Damascus which remains in the family today. Nearly 20 years ago Hayak left Syria for the States where he joined his brother who then owned Rabia’s, a popular restaurant in Boston’s historic North End. Chef is a formally trained Cordon Bleu Chef and received his training in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There he was exposed to many award-winning restaurants, and landed an externship at the notable Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel where he trained directly under Executive Chef David Daniel.

The Haven Opens in Norwalk Featuring a Speakeasy, Rooftop, Cafe, and Event Space

Features Interview Restaurant Speakeasy Cocktails Pizza Late Night Norwalk Interview Rooftop Opening

Andrew Dominick February 06, 2026

The restaurant space on the corner of Washington and N Main has seen its share of flips. Evarito’s had an over five-year run, then it was The Pompano for a blink. Drive or walk by it now and you’ll notice the dining room is empty-ish, but more like a clearing, and that the lights are on. And the lettering on the glass door reads, “The Haven.” Behind all of those previous concepts, and behind The Haven, is Christian Burns, who you’re familiar with as the brains behind The Ginger Man and The Cask Republic locations. With The Haven, Burns and his landlords, Joe and Aldo Criscuolo, are teaming up on all four aspects of what this is and what it’s going to be when it’s whole.

¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana: Authentic Mexican In Stratford

Interview Restaurant Mexican Reopening Stratford Interview Tacos

Andrew Dominick February 04, 2026

Look up the phrase “¡Ay, güey!” and you’ll see it’s got a lot of meanings. In Mexico, it’s commonly used slang to express shock, fear, amazement, and surprise, much like “Wow!”, “Oh, man!”, “Oh my god!”, “Holy crap!”, and, well, you get the idea. In Stratford, ¡Ay Güey! Cafe & Cocina Mexicana hopes to “Wow!” you with their traditional Mexican menu, just like they wowed our writer, James Gribbon, back in 2021 when they first opened. Why they’re getting more shine in 2026 is simple…they had closed for three months at the end of last year for renovations in a Facebook post that read like a postmortem, sparking some concern and a Reddit that followed.

100+ Valentine’s & Galentine's Dinners and Events in Connecticut (2026 Edition)

Features Valentine's Day Holiday Guide Homepage

Carly Terzigni February 01, 2026

This winter has been especially cold and snowy, so why not heat things up this Valentine’s Day with a special date night at your favorite Connecticut restaurant? Businesses across the state are ready to help create a memorable evening with menu specials. Looking to stay in? You’ll find businesses offering everything from entrees to plenty of desserts available for pre-order. And if you’re keen on celebrating Galentine’s Day with your closest friends, there are tons of fun activities and menu specials, too!

Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, so you may spot a few brunch specials along with menu specials that last all weekend long! This guide is organized by county so you can easily find a restaurant nearest you that will have Valentine’s Day specials this year.

Local Celebrity Chefs Cook For A Cause: Taste of Wishes Tix On Sale Now!

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CTbites Team January 29, 2026

Taste of Wishes, Make-A-Wish Connecticut’s annual signature event, returns with an unforgettable evening celebrating inspired cuisine and the power of a wish. On Thursday, March 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., guests are invited to Aitoro Appliance, 401 Westport Avenue, Norwalk, where local celebrity chefs will cook side-by-side with Connecticut wish kids to raise critical funds that help make life-changing wishes come true.

This one-of-a-kind culinary experience brings together the region’s most talented chefs to create everything from savory appetizers to decadent desserts. As attendees enjoy tastings throughout the evening, they’ll also meet wish kids and families whose lives have been impacted by Make-A-Wish Connecticut—offering a powerful reminder of how generosity helps turn hope into reality.

Guests will sample exquisite dishes prepared by the following local celebrity chefs:

Robin Selden, Managing Partner & Executive Chef, Marcia Selden Catering and Naked Fig Catering
Matt Storch, Chopped winner and Chef/Owner, Match (Norwalk) and Match Burger Lobster (Westport)
Jes Bengtson, Executive Chef, Terrain Garden Café (Westport)
Dan Kardos, Chef/Owner, Café Melba (Stratford)
Anthony Kostelis, Greenwich Country Club
Chris Gonzalez, Kawa Ni
Prasad Chirnomula, Chef/Owner, Chef Prasad (Indian Cuisine)
John Nealon, Crust Issues

75+ Sports Bars, Restaurants, Caterers, BBQ Joints & Pizzerias for Super Bowl LX

Features Super Bowl Catering Sports Bar Homepage

Hannah Goodman January 28, 2026

While it felt like just yesterday that week one of football season kicked off, we are already a couple weeks away from Super Bowl LX. Two teams will battle it out for a chance to win the highest honor in football, to get that ring, and to show everyone why they deserve to be the champions. Maybe the New England Patriots will earn another, yes another, ring. Or maybe the Seattle Seahawks will cap off a remarkable season with a Super Bowl win, though I have yet to encounter a single Seahawks fan my entire life…they must be out there somewhere, right? Unfortunately, the Eagles are out of the running and won’t get the chance to two-peat…you’re welcome, Pats fans.

Whether you are in it for the touchdowns, missed extra points, and bad calls or you’re just there for the halftime show, commercials, and beer, we can all agree on one thing: Game Day food must be on point. In this guide we have listed many wonderful restaurants and bars throughout Connecticut that are doing it up for Super Bowl LX. Get your SB Sunday catered or take your friends & fam out to your local bar. You can even enjoy this great food without the game…in the dark…staring into the abyss, thinking about how and why your favorite team is not playing another game until September – truly anything goes! Yay sports! Yay wings! Let’s go.

Super Bowl LX: Sunday, February 8th, kickoff @ 6:30 p.m. ET.

Cowboy Butter in New Milford: Hindsight BBQ's Sister Restaurant, a "Boujee" BBQ Joint + Steakhouse

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant BBQ New Milford Opening Interview Steak Homepage

Andrew Dominick January 27, 2026

When CTbites last covered Hindsight BBQ in 2021, its founder, Jeff Schmidt was quoted as saying, “When you get obsessed with something, and when you get bit by the BBQ bug, once you go down that rabbit hole, you can only go further.” In 2025, his “further” ended up being Cowboy Butter, best described as “a New England live fire cookery and boujee BBQ bistro,” in New Milford’s quaint downtown area.

Places To Celebrate Lunar New Year 2026 in Connecticut

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CTbites Team January 24, 2026

The 2026 Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, February 17th, starting a year of the Fire Horse. and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on March 3rd. Here are a few spots to celebrate here in CT.

The Smithy Cafe & Market in New Preston: A New Approach to Community Building

Restaurant Features New Preston Litchfield County cafe Breakfast Gourmet Market Homepage

Bree George January 23, 2026

On a speck of Main Street in New Preston, the Smithy Cafe feels like it’s always been there. Coffee cups clink, steam hisses from the espresso machine, and customers pick up loaves of Farmers & Cooks sourdough while waiting in line to place their order at the counter. Across the street, in a 200-year-old former blacksmith shop, the Smithy Market carries the everyday and the aspirational in equal measure: bread, eggs and coffee, alongside gourmet Bridgewater chocolates from Brookfield, micro-batch Wonderland Jam made in Newtown, and East Street Arts handmade printed tea towels from New Haven.

Getting the Scoop: Behind the Scenes at Gioia's Gelateria

Ice Cream Ingredients Interview New Haven Restaurant Gelato Ice Cream New Haven Gioia Interview Dessert

Andrew Dominick January 20, 2026

Just past the original locations of Sally’s and Pepe’s on New Haven’s legendary Wooster Street is Gioia. Opened by restaurateurs and longtime industry guys Avi Szapiro and Tim Cabral in 2023, Gioia is a fascinating concept. It’s not only a restaurant, it’s got a gourmet market, a rooftop that switches its theme seasonally, and a walk-up window where you can snag square pizza slices and gelato. That last part is what this is about. And when we’re talking about great ice cream in Connecticut, Gioia would like to enter the conversation.

Guide To Connecticut Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants & Bakeries

Features Vegan Vegetarian Highlight Juice Bar Farm To Table Health & Wellness Healthy Eats Guide Homepage

Carly Terzigni January 16, 2026

Connecticut has many wonderful plant-forward restaurants to check out this year. Whether you are looking to eat less meat in 2026 (don’t worry, you can have more than just a salad) or you already follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and want to explore restaurant and catering options in the state, this guide is for you!

In addition to restaurants, we included a second section dedicated to plant-forward bakeries. Keep these places in mind the next time you need to order a cake for a special occasion or you’re simply in the market for a plant-based bakery in your area.

Fire & Spice Opens in Bridgeport With A+ Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken & More

Ingredients Interview Restaurant Peruvian Indian Bridgeport Interview Fast Casual Opening

Andrew Dominick January 13, 2026

A former Jamaican restaurant on Bridgeport’s Boston Avenue doesn’t only have two new tenants, it’s cooking up different culture’s cuisines, too. At Fire & Spice, the concept is Peruvian, with some Indian and Pakistani, and good ol’ American burgers, cheesesteaks, and fried chicken. Behind Fire & Spice is the team of Shiraz Choudhary and his chef, Emilio Malpartida, and if you’ve been to either of the Swift Fresh Market locations, two in Fairfield and one in Norwalk, you’re at least a little familiar with who they are.

Breaking News: Valencia Luncheria in Norwalk Announces New Concept + Renovations

Features Interview Restaurant Valencia Luncheria Venezuelan Latin American Norwalk Interview Homepage

Andrew Dominick January 08, 2026

Valencia Luncheria as you know it is closing. Maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but it made you sit straight up, didn’t it? In a social media post on January 7, 2026, Valencia announced that after service on January 18, they’ll be closing for renovations. But those first four words in the caption on their Instagram reel is what you should be focused on…

Craft Beer + Music: Twelvenote Brew Co. Opens in Black Rock

Brewery Interview Features Brewery Twelvenote Brew Co Black Rock Bridgeport Music Craft Beer Beer Opening Interview Brewer Homepage

Andrew Dominick January 08, 2026

Brian Pietrzak has had some “pinch me” moments lately. As the brewer and co-owner of Twelvenote Brew Co. in the former Aspetuck Brew Lab space in Black Rock, he’ll tell you candidly that it’s all a bit surreal. “I wake up sometimes at 3 a.m. and I can’t believe I own a fuckin’ brewery, like, I can’t believe this is my job now,” he says. Originally from Erie, PA, Pietrzak’s brewing story started as you might expect it to, with a home brewing kit he received as a gift from his brother-in-law, who’s his now partner at Twelvenote.

Bangkok Republic in Wilton: Top Notch Thai Food Hidden in Plain Sight on Route 7

Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Thai Wilton Asian Interview

Andrew Dominick January 07, 2026

Raise your hand if you’ve driven past a strip mall, plaza, a couple of storefronts clustered together, or whatever you call it, countless times without giving it any thought. We’re all guilty of this. In this case, we’re talking about a Thai restaurant that’s located on Route 7 that so many of us drive up and down so many times per week. And unless you’re a Wilton local who has obviously been gatekeeping this hidden-in-plain-sight gem, you may not even know it’s there, despite the fact that Bangkok Republic has been open for almost a decade.

CTbites Staff Picks For Top Eats of 2025 (+Guest Eaters)

Features Restaurant Top Eats Best of CT Roundup Homepage

CTbites Team January 04, 2026

It’s that time of year, when the CTbites staff temporarily puts down our forks, and contemplates our most memorable annual eats. 2024 saw an explosion of restaurateurs and chefs entering the Connecticut culinary scene, and the CTBites team, alongside some special guest reviewers below, did our best to eat it all. There were some clear standouts, restaurants that you’ll find repeated in the “top eats” lists below, and some hidden gems you should add to your dining dance card.

Here are CTbites’ TOP EATS for 2025.

Wire Mill Saloon & Barbecue in Georgetown: On CT's Best BBQ List for 12 Years

Features Interview Restaurant BBQ Wire Mill BBQ Redding Georgetown Interview Pitmaster Homepage

Andrew Dominick January 04, 2026

In January 2014, when Gino Marsili opened the doors to Wire Mill Saloon & Barbecue, his recollection is, “There were maybe only a few of us doing BBQ; me, Bobby (Bobby Q’s), and Wilson’s in Fairfield.” Approaching his twelfth year running the pits in Redding’s Georgetown section, Marsili still has a smile on his face doing what he loves, serving the community his brand of BBQ that locals love—including a few of my personal friends who say it’s their favorite ‘cue in Connecticut.

Joylark Plant Kitchen & Bar Opens in Fairfield

Restaurant Vegan Plant Based Vegetarian Opening Fairfield Breakfast Lunch

Jessica Ryan December 30, 2025

Located at 260 Post Road Joylark Plant Kitchen & Bar is a stunning, modern, elegant casual eatery. Designed by locally-based Thiel Architecture + Design, the 2,500-square-foot spaces features a dining room that very comfortably seats 50, as well as a bar and casual café. During the warmer months the outdoor patio accommodates 30 more guests. The colorful multi-layered interior, dressed in sages, purples, plums and eggplant with bold whimsical wall papers, reflects the layer of color and flavor in each dish. The vision behind Joylark is Chef Jenna McPartland, a trained plant-based chef.

Farm to People Online Farmers Market Delivery Service Expands To Connecticut

Features Farm To Table Local Farm Delivery Service Grocery

CTbites Team December 24, 2025

Farm to People, New York City’s premier online farmers market delivery service, is expanding its reach in Southern Connecticut — while continuing to bring seasonal and sustainably sourced produce and products from over 150 local farms and makers.

Customers in the new delivery areas will enjoy the same curated selection of local produce, pasture-raised meats, small-batch pantry goods, and chef-crafted prepared foods that New York City residents have loved since Farm to People’s launch in 2013. Offerings include products from Ronnybrook Dairy, Hudson Valley Fisheries, She Wolf Bakery’s fresh-baked sourdough breads, Snowdance Farm Heritage Chicken, Halal Pastures Produce, Autumn’s Harvest Beef and Pork, Knead Love Gluten-Free Bakery, Black Seed Bagels, Jasper Hill Farm Cheeses, and many other local farms throughout the region. The selection also includes an array of heat-and-serve meals, for parents and kids alike, prepared by the FtP culinary team using these ethically sourced products.

Chef Peter X. Kelly Takes Over The Waveny Tavern in New Canaan

Restaurant New Canaan Opening Celebrity Chef

Jeff "jfood" Schlesinger December 23, 2025

"It’s about great food, a vibrant atmosphere, and a level of hospitality that makes you want to return before you’ve even left.” - Chef Peter Kelly

The Waveny Tavern by PXK is the newest restaurant to take over the space in the Pine Street mini-mall in New Canaan. The location previously housed one of my longtime favorites, South End, and when it first reopened as The Waveny Tavern, my early visits left me feeling it hadn’t quite hit its stride.

That changed when Chef Peter X. Kelly arrived earlier this year. Widely regarded as one of Westchester County’s top restaurateurs, Kelly opened his first restaurant, Xaviers, when he was just 23 years old. Since his young entrance into the culinary world, he has opened additional restaurants, including a second Xavier's, Freelance Café, Restaurant X, Bully Boy Bar and X20. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including Westchester Magazine’s Best Chef in 2003 and the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast in 2010. His move into Fairfield County is a welcome addition to the local dining scene.