Chef Geoff Lazlo Opens The Country Table in Greenwich

The Country Table recently opened its doors in the Glennville area of Greenwich, but the story behind this new popular eatery started roughly 25 years ago. Greenwich residents, Geoff Lazlo and Greg Oshins have known each other since childhood, and this concept has been in the works since the age of 10, when the highlight of their day was scouting the best deli sandwiches in the Greenwich area (shout out to their beloved Rinaldi Country Deli, still in business today). The search for the best sandwich was a strong part of their culture, deeply nostalgic, and the driving force behind this new brick-and-mortar extension of Geoff Lazlo Foods.

CT residents will recognize Lazlo’s name from le Farm and The Whelk in Westport, where he was the executive chef before opening his own farm-to-table restaurant, Mill Street Bar & Table, in 2015. He left Mill Street in 2018 to start Geoff Lazlo Food, a catering company that also provided a weekly food delivery service during the pandemic. Lazlo’s business and marketing partner, Greg Oshins, has a background in commercial real estate and development with a focus on retail, thus creating a dream team for the new venture.

The Country Table focuses on accessible, ingredient-focused, family-friendly fare, like gourmet sandwiches, made-to-order salads, and an array of house-made prepared foods. But it also focuses on community, as did the original building that stood in this spot, a saloon and general store, built in 1885. Glenville was the earliest settled part of Greenwich, and history buffs will be fascinated to learn that a revolutionary war battle took place at this exact location. Lazlo and Oshins love being a part of this rich history, and as a nod to its predecessors, The Country Table’s interior weaves a rustic country store look into its brightly elegant modern design.

So, what can we expect to see on the menu at The Country Table?

Lazlo says “When I left Mill Street, I was doing catering and private events. Our customers would say, ‘we love what you do, but how do we get your food in our house without having to staff it.’ The Country Table offers customers three ways to enjoy our food: made to order, where hot food comes right off the grill, grab n go for busy people, and catering for events big or small.”

Part of the appeal of this locations was that fact that it used to be Watsons Catering, complete with a full catering kitchen, where Lazlo can create everything from his killer homemade chocolate chip cookies to a 7 course dinner for a 300 person gala.

Those of you who are familiar with Chef Geoff Lazlo will know that the the sourcing for his menu is always hyper local and seasonal. He works with regional farms and farmers’ markets to create his menus, and to that point, Lazlo actually transplanted the fruit trees from Mill Street, and brought them to the new spot. Take a stroll around The Country Table, and you will find 2 Quince trees, a few apple trees, and a fig tree behind the market. Lazlo says there are also plans to do a beehive and pollinator garden.

What makes The Country Table special? EVERYTHING is made in house. Lazlo has taken his experience in fine dining to create an absolutely beautiful grab-n-go menu. And if you’d prefer to grab, but not go, there is seating for roughly 20 guests in the sundrenched market.

Lazlo says.” ”There are core dishes that our customers have come to expect. Customers love our meatballs and you’ll always find a chicken cutlet on the menu, alongside house smoked brisket (Lazlo wakes up at 4:30 to make this), roast beef, and turkey that is brined and roasted in house.” “This is a country market, as it was 100 years ago, and we wanted to embody the wholesomeness of this experience,” says Lazlo. “ We are not trying to create a michelin dish, but I guarantee you, this will one of the best sandwiches you’ve ever eaten.” And they are.

As I waited for chef to come out of the kitchen, a customer next to me, entirely unprompted, offered his two cents on the meal he was clearly enjoying. “ The is the best breakfast burrito I’ve ever had. I’ve come back for it twice this week.” The aforementioned Breakfast Burrito comes with three scrambled eggs, chorizo, cheddar, salsa, black beans and avocado…and yes…it’s delicious. Other breakfast items include: Green Eggs & Ham (well priced at $8.50) griddled ham, pickled green tomato, green goddess gribiche (deviled egg-y-yolk spread), on a Brioche, and then there’s the Delancey Street Bagel (brought in daily from NYC), an everything bagel, smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled green tomato, red onion and capers. The list goes on but I’ll allow you to do some self exploration.

For lunch, we sampled the seriously stacked Muffuletta Sandwich, with salami, mortadella, capicola, fontina, olive salad, peppers, arugula, on extra pluffy, but structurally sound semolina (from Sullivan Bakery in NYC). It was everything you’d want this classic sandwich to be. Another favorite was the “Wich Came First?” a throwback to Lazlo’s time cooking at The Whelk, featuring fried chicken, deviled egg spread, and pickled onions. The crispy exterior on this is just plain stunning, and the egg spread is uniquely pleasing. Crunchy. Creamy. It’s all there. There is also a full salad menu with local greens and wonderful add-ons, as well as the ability to build your own sandwich or salad. We will be coming back for that housemade Roast Beef. PS, the guest fanboying over the burrito, made us promise to return for what he described as the best Chicken Parm sandwich around. Heard.

While Lazlo and Oshins state that The Country Table is not a market with a ton of skus, they do showcase a few products from local vendors and farms, and the bread used in their sandwiches is also for sale. The curated selection of market goods include Red Bee Honey, a wonderful hot sauce, potato chips made in Maine, BBQ sauce from a buddy who makes it on the Vineyard, specialty salts, and a few other items. You can certainly score a last minute hostess gift here or stock a few specialty items for your pantry.

They even have a small “general store” vibe-y ice cream stand with outstanding ice cream from Hastings On Hudson’s Penny Lick, which is allergen free and and all natural.

Oshins states “Our goal was to create to create a community hub, a place where people can come together, and a place where people know the food is convenient and accessible…it’s great for busy parents, kids grabbing lunch from local schools, a quick breakfast, really a quick bite, any time of the day. Even when people are in a rush, there is never any reason to sacrifice taste and quality. We are focused on convenience and delicious food.”

Amen.

The Country Table

1 Glenville Street
Greenwich, CT 06831

HOURS

M - F 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Sat 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Sun 8:00am-3:00pm