The Granola Bar in Westport Launches Dinner Menu & NEW Kid Friendly Fare

If you love the cozy, familiar space of The Granola Bar for your lattes, lunch or gluten free baked goods, well, you can now love them for another good reason.  Dinner—is served! With beloved Chef Jes Bengtson at the helm of The Granola Bar’s kitchen, a full menu of healthy, delicious items, familiar, new and seasonal, are now available to you and your family Wednesdays through Saturdays.  

Owner Julie Levitt speaks passionately about her mission of bringing a healthier food movement to focus, and the restaurant’s kitchen has no fryers…or even a stovetop!  The produce is organic and whenever possible, locally sourced, a nod to Levitt’s commitment to support local farms.  The menu aims to capture the tastebuds of every member of your family at a favorable price point, so when you have that pang of guilt for not having the time to cook and put dinner on the table, TGB is the locals’ no brainer.

There are some new additions to the menu, such as Candied Turkey Bacon Deviled Eggs, which were divine. Strips of smoky, sweet turkey bacon were like the crown jewels that sat atop its thrown, and the deviled eggs are dairy free. I hear this dish had quite the following, “literally,” at the Greenwich Food Festival. Another standout addition is the perfectly executed Chicken Paillard Salad. The thinly pounded chicken, warm and moist, was accompanied by arugula, parmesan and dressed with a memorable, lemony vinaigrette. Simple but very effective.

Two specials will be offered on dinner nights. The Thanksgiving Soup is a holiday dinner in a bowl, minus hours of preparation. Chunks of turkey and the stuffing croutons were the highlight, commingled with a cranberry drizzle to finish the experience. The light broth was brimming with depth of flavor. The consensus…everyone who enjoyed the soup could eat a huge bowl. Chef Jes next used the oven to bake a delicate Veal Bolognese served over spaghetti squash. Who needs the pasta? It was exactly what owners Julie and Dana wish to serve… healthy twists on traditional favorites. I loved the airiness of the Bolognese that complemented the pasta-like strands of squash!

Treating your kids as if they were their kids, TGB is also serving healthy, appealing children’s meals. They offer baked chicken fingers coated in whole wheat panko with a mix of Italian seasonings with a tangy roasted red pepper dip. Perhaps your kids may like to order (and reluctantly share with you), The Post Road, a grilled cheese with brie, roasted  turkey, sliced apples and house made apple butter on sourdough. A grilled cheese sandwich with this many textures and flavors will not last long on the plate.  Not to be over shadowed by the myriad of food choices is their popular, extensive drink list with tongue-in-cheek names. As the weather chills, try their new “Chai-der,” an ethereal, spicy, steamed blend of, well, it’s obvious. Your lips will be smacked with a rim of cinnamon & sugar as you sip…so be ready for kisses, or a napkin!  This one really soothes the soul. The Turkish latte, accented by cardamom and cinnamon is another great addition.

On nights that they serve dinner, choose from either the dinner or breakfast menu, plus the two daily dinner specials. Owners Julie Levitt and Dana Noorily have hit their stride, turning The Granola Bar into an all-day destination, serving you the very best of what means so much to them: clean, healthy food in a community environment. Mission accomplished!

Dinners will be served Wednesdays through Saturdays, starting Wednesday November 5th.

Photography by Kyle Norton