On the day I stopped by The Parlor to interview Mackenzie Carey, I remember him pausing during our initial chit chat. “You know, today (August 20) is our sixth anniversary,” he says. “My staff just told me.” Six years is better than good, considering Carey, who’s Stratford born and raised, had a completely different career and had never spent a single day working in a restaurant prior to getting into the pizza business.
Five years ago, when we covered the transition of the popular Norwalk restaurant, Sugar & Olives, over to the wild yeast sourdough Badass Bagels, it was just a place-your-order and pickup operation. But since 2021, Badass Bagels has grown beyond their Norwalk baking operation to seasonal farmers markets in Darien, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Rowayton, and Rye, and year-round markets in Westport and Larchmont. They’ve also expanded to storefronts in Armonk, Rye, and New Canaan. And even if you don’t live in Fairfield or Westchester counties, Badass Bagels can be had in various grocery stores all of the country, including Florida, Montana, Utah, Arizona, California, and Maine.
Here are the hottest restaurant openings and foodie finds for the month of November in Connecticut.
Scroll down to check out this month’s list which includes offerings of all kinds imaginable, from smoothies to fine dining, breakfast to dessert, African, Brazilian, Chinese, Greek, Italian, and even a few local favorites expanding their businesses with added locations. What a great month for CT foodies!
Note: Keep in mind that new restaurants’ menus and hours may vary. Please check their individual websites and social media pages for the latest information.
Last April on New Canaan’s busy Main Street, a premium French patisserie opened, and unless you walked by or if you’re a bona fide townie, there’s a chance you don’t even know it’s there. “No need to be embarrassed!” owner-pastry chef Elizabeth Srivastava says. “We’re sneaky! We haven’t done much marketing. We focused on organic growth, so there are still many people out there that haven’t heard of us yet.” Over a year later and her bakery, Saisons Sucrées is gaining traction. Just swing by midday any day of the week and you’ll see. It’s usually buzzing with locals enjoying a coffee, croissant, sweet treat, or sandwich. Take a look in the case and they might be close to sold out of more than a few items.
The legendary 77 year old bakery, Del Prete Italian Pastry is finally set to reopen at 1234 Huntington Turnpike, located right on the Bridgeport-Trumbull-Stratford town line.Del Prete was forced to abruptly close its historic, 77-year-old Main Street Bridgeport storefront in August 2025 after fire damage from the building next door. I can say from personal experience, the Bridgeport community was shocked and dismayed to walk up to the Bridgeport storefront at 1885 Main St. in Bridgeport to find the windows and cookie cases covered in ash. Del Prete served a variety of Italian pastries, cookies, cannoli, signature zeppole, sfogliatelle & Italian cakes for every occasion at the original Bridgeport location, and the same selections will be available in Trumbull.Owner Louis Mezzo says they are working out a few mechanical details, waiting on the new sign, and don’t have the full menu in production yet, but they are ready to welcome customers back to Del Prete.
The motivation behind Mozz & Co was simple. Owner Joe Cusano thought West Hartford needed a dedicated sandwich shop.
“I wanted something that wasn’t a chain, and wasn’t a pizzeria,” he said. Surprisingly, even with the wealth of dining options in the town known for its food scene, what he envisioned wasn’t yet available.
But if you build it, they will come, Cusano learned in April when he opened the doors to his upscale Italian deli on Raymond Road. Word of mouth (and social media video) spread quickly, and long lines quickly formed for the artisanal sandwiches built with crispy chicken cutlets, imported prosciutto, mortadella and salamis; and housemade, can’t-get-any-fresher-than-this mozzarella.
Regardless of its geographical location, when it comes to barbecue, Connecticut brings plenty of fabulous flavor to the table. From slow-smoked brisket and tender pulled pork to saucy ribs, smoky chicken, and all the classic sides (I’m talking about you, baked beans), this state is home to plenty of great barbecue spots that take their craft seriously. Whether you prefer your meat kissed with smoke and served with a tangy sauce or piled high on a sauce-soaked bun, this guide takes you around each county to discover some of the best places to get your BBQ fix. Grab your wet-naps and go get some ‘cue!
You’ve heard the buzz. You may have walked by the “soft opening” events this weekend. The wait is over. Chef Bill Taibe will be opening the doors to his new spot in Westport, CT, on October 14th.
What’s the concept? “Eastern Mediterranean Kawa Ni,” says Taibe. Are we here for it? Heck yes we are.
Meet hi’Amba, an all-day bakery, café and restaurant built around a working bakery and the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Southwest Asia.
For those of us who grew up in New Jersey in the 1960s, a diner was the place to go for breakfast. A morning stop brought scalding coffee, eggs fried in butter, bacon, ham, sausage sitting alongside, toast lathered in butter. I miss those places when non-GMOs, organic, natural ingredients were not selling points, it was just the way things were.
From Norwalk, depending on the time of day, getting to Newtown can be an excruciating trip. The time it takes to go a few exits north on the Merritt, then onto the backroads from Westport to Fairfield and through Easton, inevitably getting stuck behind someone who’s doing 10 miles under the already low speed limits, is only worth suffering for if Good Old Days Pizza is my destination.
The term “well-traveled” as it pertains to the restaurant industry is fitting for Steve Barone. Before opening the fast casual Heffer in Stratford in 2025, he’d been around the block and back again. Name a restaurant and he’ll probably come back with, “Yeah, I worked there for a bit.” Prior to launching his concept of burgers, fried chicken, hot dogs, and homemade sides, sauces, and desserts at Heffer, you might’ve spotted Barone as the operating partner of Fairfield’s Il Pellicano, general manager at Saltaire Oyster Bar in Port Chester, and everywhere in north or south of both of those, as he’s designed beverage programs in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. Safe to say that he’s made you a drink somewhere or you’ve had a cocktail that he created.
The smash burger trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anywhere. Especially not in Connecticut. Popping up all over the state, well after big chains like Five Guys and Shake Shack arrived on the scene, are smash burger spots, both independent ones, and micro chains. 7th Street Burger, which operates over 40 locations, just opened in New Haven, with another set to debut in Stamford in November 2026. The New Jersey-based Mashed Burger, a smaller chain that also serves Nashville hot chicken and churros, got into Stamford back in February. Also growing and recently making its entry into the Connecticut market is another Big Apple burger joint is Flat Out Burger, which started slinging crispy-edged, cheesy, saucy burgers at the busy corner of Grasmere Avenue and the Post Road on August 15.
If you've stopped into Green & Tonic recently, you may have noticed the menu looks a little different.
Sure, the smoothies, juices, and bowls are still there. But lately they've been joined by burgers, nuggets, wraps and, soon, soft serve as the Connecticut-based brand rolls out a lineup of comfort-food-inspired menu items that feel less like traditional health food and more like the foods people actually want to eat - just made with ingredients you can feel a whole lot better about.
From master baker to burger maker isn’t a natural progression, but for Wave Hill Breads’ owner, Tim Topi, that’s exactly what he did. While simultaneously running Wave Hill’s wholesale location on High Street, and a bakery-cafe on Westport Avenue that opened in 2024, Topi decided to give smash burgers a shot for a few reasons. One, there was a vacancy a couple storefronts away from the cafe where Francesca’s Authentic Italian Deli once stood.
“It wasn’t a decision made lightly with how the last two worked out,” says Joe Attonito, who’s talking about giving restaurant ownership another go after his Ridgefield sports bar, Tiger’s Den, had to close in 2018, and when he decided to shutter jjStacks in Brookfield at the end of 2023. While Tiger’s Den never got a second run, jjStacks never went away. Attonito operated it as a food truck while simultaneously running the brick-and-mortar and when it closed, the Stacks Mobile, its signature chicken wings, burgers, and hefty hot dogs included, kept the brand alive. The “decision” Attonito speaks of is the return of jjStacks, this time in Newtown, and so far, he’s been welcomed with open arms.
In 2015, three longtime friends and lifers in the hospitality industry decided to open a sports bar in South Norwalk. Over 10 years later, The Blind Rhino, and co-owners Casey Dohme, Matt Bacco, and Jamie Pantanella have seen one location in SoNo grow into another in Black Rock, another in Milford, and two food trucks. And that’s not all. They’re present at events all over Connecticut and beyond and they do a lot for charity—including hosting their own golf tournaments to raise funds for local organizations. Still…not done.
Brunch has just launched from 11am-3pm every Saturday and Sunday ONLY AT SALLY’S APIZZA’S STAMFORD location!
The Brunch menu menu is filled with fun takes on the classics like the Potato Rosemary Frittata, modeled after Sally's Potato & Rosemary pie, and the Tiramisu French Toast which is composed of house-made focaccia, soaked in an espresso custard, topped with a scoop of tiramisu and finished with cocoa powder.
Chances are you’ve seen Japanese souffle pancakes on Instagram or TikTok – tall, thick and fluffy confections that jiggle at the slightest movement, topped with maple syrup, powdered sugar and berries. These have been hard to find in Connecticut, but they’re on the menu at a Simsbury Asian-fusion cafe that opened earlier this year.
Blossom Cafe owners Amanda Liu and Albert Zhang traveled through Asia last summer and fell in love with the cafe cultures in the countries they visited, coming back home to Connecticut inspired by what they’d seen.
Nestled in the hills of Litchfield County’s charming New Milford’s Bank Street is Sparrow Bar and Restaurant. John Bourdeau who’s been a fixture in the restaurant scene since opening Lucia Ristorante right next door, Main Street Grill in Watertown, and The Owl Wine & Food bar in nearby New Preston, has teamed up with Chef Mike Sorenson, formerly at the acclaimed Foundry Restaurant in Newtown. Here Bourdeau hangs up his chef’s hat and leaves the menu entirely up to Sorenseon who has created an eclectic, global selection with influences from South America to Asia. You won’t find specials on the menu as it tends to get changed up every few days.
Bourdeau who once owned a successful high end cabinetry business in New York City was greatly influenced by the food scene there and those exposures have parlayed into his, thus far, successful restaurant career. Sparrow, which has been open since mid-December, is already showing signs of success. “The response has been so overwhelming,” he told us. “People come in to check us out and then return with friends.” He’s modest with receiving compliments and credits his team, some of which have been with him for 15 years, since his Lucia days. “The restaurant isn’t mine, it’s ours,” he explains.
The quiche Lorraine was fluffy, flaky, and mile-high, served with a crunchy wedge salad on the side. Crab Cakes Benedict glistened alongside seasoned home fries, while tender slices of smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers on a bagel made the New York transplants at our table nod with approval. Mimosas and Bloody Marys appeared and disappeared, as did the occasional espresso martini; our server was on-the-spot and full of wit.
Were we at a boutique hotel, a swanky resort, or a storied antique tavern? No: our delightful Sunday brunch, which easily stretched out into a two-hour party, was at 168 York Street, a laid-back gay bar on the lower level of a brownstone in downtown New Haven. The 30-seat dining room is simple and somewhat bare-bones, and the prices are equally modest: all the entrees on the brunch menu are just $12. Jumbo omelettes with veggies and meats of your choice? $12. French toast, Birds in a Nest (just like Mom used to make), even steak and eggs? Each dish only $12. Miraculous but true, and all prepared by Eddie Swanson, who has been the man behind the pan at 168 York Street for 27 years. Eddie has always managed to create big flavors in a tiny kitchen – seriously, it measures 10 by 16 feet -- with generous portions and appealing plating (orange slices are always a plus).
The CTBites team paid a visit to Gioia right before it opened last fall— you can read about it here. This past weekend, CTBites returned to check out the newly launched brunch menu where you’ll be sure to find everything your brunch-craving heart desires. In typical fashion, we browsed the menu with discerning eyes, deciding which items seemed particularly delicious as well as photo-worthy. While doing so we nibbled on some Weekend Pastries – a selection of 3 different baked treats served with honey butter and a fruit preserve. Included was a flaky cherry turnover loaded with fruit and a cornmeal scone. This was not your run of the mill scone; this one was particularly light. The cornmeal added a lovely texture and a touch of sweetness which paired beautifully with the honey butter. These were joined by an old-fashioned glazed cake doughnut, reminiscent of eras past — the kind you want to dip into your cappuccino and savor slowly.
For many chefs, there’s a moment where they face a fork in the road on their culinary journey. For Bolivar Hilario, who gained lots of notoriety as the executive chef of Community Table the past three years, he was due to choose a path. Coming off of two Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association CRAZIES wins for Best Restaurant in Litchfield County and for overall Connecticut Restaurant of the Year while he led Community Table’s kitchen, plus a nomination for Chef of the Year, Hilario, in the back of his mind knew he had to do something for himself, something he could put his stamp on.
You’ve heard the buzz. You’ve tried to peek into papered garage door windows. In a few short weeks, Chef Bill Taibe will be opening the doors to his new spot in Westport, CT.
At launch, hi’Amba will focus on breakfast and lunch with house-made breads and pastries coming out of the ovens throughout the day, alongside a robust coffee program featuring Ilse Coffee and some unique Middle Eastern inspired beverages.
The menu will feature Jerusalem bagels, pita straight from the oven, Man'oushe (Lebanese Flat Bread), with beautiful lacquered pastries. For those of you seeking your protein fix, breakfast will also involve hot eggs and shakshukas.
“As we get into the day, we’ll expand the bread, get into big sandwiches, big bowls of salad, and a really big “dip” program-those are kinda the base of it- dishes like hummus (many varieties), baba ghanoush, creten mash, muhammara, hindbeh” Sandwiches will include things like “swordfish shawarma and lamb kebab”, says Taibe.
The smell of freshly roasted coffee greets customers as they step into Silvermine Coffee Roasters in Norwalk. Behind each cup is more than carefully sourced beans- it’s years of experimentation, craftsmanship, and a desire to showcase the unique story each coffee bean has to tell. What began as frustration with bad coffee has evolved into one of Fairfield County's most distinctive specialty coffee roasters, offering nearly 30 carefully crafted blends from around the world.
For owner Thomas Morsanutto, coffee roasting was never part of the original plan. While working at a financial technology company in Wilton, he grew frustrated with the quality of coffee available in the office and began coffee roasting himself.
“I spent hours roasting coffee for friends and family, but eventually it just wasn't sustainable. I decided to take a chance and build a real business that focused on takeout coffee, coffee beans, and online sales. We wanted a concept that could succeed even if people weren't gathering into a cafe,” Morsanutto said.
The strip mall right on the Norwalk – Wilton line, has a new tenant who’s come from Canada to do his thing. Taking over the space (and some of the spirit) occupied for the past nine years by The Dilly Duck Shop is Chez Jack, where they’re doing breakfast, coffee, artisan sandwiches, and an authentic poutine, because there is a Quebecoise vibe scattered about the menu. The “Jack” in Chez Jack is Jacques Talbot, a successful veteran chef and restaurateur behind the Cosmos restaurants (or resto-lounges) in Quebec City.
Before the first bite, Between Friends was built on one simple belief: the best conversations happen over great food. Today, that idea has become one of Connecticut’s newest sandwich destinations, serving handcrafted sandwiches that are anything but ordinary.
At Between Friends, every sandwich is inspired by real people and their go-to order. The menu features premium ingredients, bold flavors, and crave-worthy combinations that strike the perfect balance between comfort and creativity—designed to leave a lasting impression.
Fan favorites showcase the bold flavors that define Between Friends. The Late Night Romeo layers crispy chicken cutlet with smoky bacon, cheddar, crisp lettuce, onion, and the signature house Russian dressing for the perfect balance of crunch and richness. Cyn City takes indulgence to another level with crispy chicken cutlet smothered in creamy vodka sauce, burrata, Parmesan, and house pesto. For a fresh, vegetarian option, That’s-a-Maury combines crispy eggplant, creamy burrata, sun-dried red peppers, peppery arugula and house pesto for a sandwich that’s as vibrant as it is satisfying.
Summertime in Europe means walking along the Seine, swimming in the Cinque Terre, and enjoying all the pastries and chocolate Europe has to offer. But, if you're like me and staying stateside this season, lucky for you, we've got Europe at home.
At DoChéri in Darien, you'll find a Parisian-inspired interior and French-style chocolates infused with Ukrainian artistry. Founded by Maryna Steadman, DoChéri opened just a few months ago and is quickly becoming everyone's summer bucket-list stop.
Chocolate wasn't always Maryna's dream. Eight years ago, she was living in Ukraine and working in finance, spending more than a decade building a career in banking. But after moving to the United States, a new country ignited a new question: What can I do that I really love?
At the end of March, the Reyes Family announced that Mariposa Taqueria would be closing after six years on Mill Plain Road. Technically, though, they weren’t going anywhere. Instead, they decided to change it over to one of their other long-standing concepts in the city of Danbury. Not Amigo’s Deli. Not Mezon Tapas Bar, which was previously in the Mariposa space. But rather, a second, slightly different iteration of Minas Carne Brazilian Barbecue called Minas Carne Brazilian BBQ & Bar.
In February, we brought you a piece highlighting The Haven and all its different components; the event space, the speakeasy, and two others that were on the way in a wellness forward cafe and the rooftop. Well, folks, the latter is here, and if you missed the rooftop that was formerly part of Evarito’s, it’s back, and it’s totally reimagined. Co-owner Christian Burns, who, as you know was behind Evarito’s and The Pompano in the same space as The Haven, and his partners, Joe and Aldo Criscuolo, saw a new vision for the roof that got launched just in time the summer season and beyond.
The Hilliard Mills still carry the memory of industry, with brick walls and tall windows that loom over Bigelow Brook in Manchester. The complex is credited as being the oldest woolen mill in the nation, a nationally listed historic site. Where loud machinery once clattered for centuries, today there is something much quieter, the main building now filled mostly with office and business space.
But in October 2025, something else began to take shape in what had been the rather bleak atrium of this historic treasure. The almost 300-year-old space has been transformed, adorned with an eclectic mix of classic album covers, where tunes from these albums like Synchronicity by The Police now echo through the rafters. Two fine dining chefs, long accustomed to pressed tablecloths and tasting menus, have traded china and linen for counter service and take-out containers with their new venture, The Hidden Kitchen at Hilliard Mills. Chefs Tom Kaldy and Joe Keane opened this “Chef-Owned Takeout Café” as part of a larger operation offering full-service catering and themed cooking classes, and it’s as much a reimagining of a typical lunch joint as it is a love letter to the community at large.
South Norwalk just got a serious bagel upgrade. Husband-and-wife culinary team Chef Gary King and Pastry Chef Emily King are officially opening Norwalk Bagel Co. on Wednesday, May 13, bringing handcrafted sourdough bagels, elevated deli classics, house-made baked goods, and chef-driven breakfast and lunch offerings to the neighborhood. The duo, who launched the popular Ridgefield Bagels & Bakes in November 2023, are now expanding their scratch-made, naturally leavened bagel concept to South Norwalk.
If you’ve been to Calf Pasture Beach anytime since the end of May, the bright colored, beachy food trailers near the concession pavilion very likely caught your eye and captured your attention. Aiming to make some changes to Norwalk’s beach with Luca’s Beach Kitchen is Anthony Luciani, his wife, Rosa, and their partner, Cory Burns. Luciani, as locals know, is a Norwalk native who owns the popular Mr. Frosty’s Ice Cream Shop nearby and a food truck, Seaside Sliders. As for Burns, he used to work for Luciani as Mr. Frosty’s first ever ice cream truck driver. Long story short, they stayed friends for over 20 years, Burns wanted to leave his career in finance behind and team up with his buddy on a cool concept.
