Interview Restaurant Winfield Street Coffee Stamford Westport Westchester New York New York City Coffee Lunch Winfield Street Coffee Introduces New Culinary + Coffee Directors and Expanded Lunch Menu Andrew Dominick April 05, 2023 Visitors to Winfield Street Coffee’s Westport spot will now notice some of those sandwiches have made their way to Stamford. Their Italian combo (soppressata, ham, salami, mortadella, hot capicola, prosciutto, provolone, lettuce, tomato, EVOO, white balsamic vinegar) is one of ‘em. Breno Donatti recalls being in the Bronx and trying to get back to Stamford’s branch of Winfield Street Coffee. “I punched in Winfield Street Coffee in Google Maps, and for the time, it gave me the ‘see locations’ option,” he says. “I thought, Oh! This is awesome!”Since Donatti purchased Winfield Street, originally a deli with roots dating back to 1925 in East Norwalk, the brand has grown significantly. And while the “Deli” part of Winfield Street’s name was dropped and swapped out for “Coffee,” it hasn’t forgotten where it came from. Yes, sandwiches are still part of the company’s fabric. But in the present day, Winfield Street is a hybrid where exceptional coffee, Italian deli sandwiches, healthy bowls and salads, and fresh pastry all meet. Always a buzz in Stamford Under Donatti and his team, the brand’s growth—while the O.G. Norwalk location no longer exists—has since expanded to Westport and Stamford, with grab-and-go kiosks inside the Croton-Harmon Train Station, at the Rye Train Station (soon to be a full service location after construction) in New York City at 86th St Q Line Subway, 96th St Q Line Subway, and coming soon to the 72nd St Q Line Subway. Outside of the Connecticut – New York area, Winfield has already opened two more shops in Naples, Florida. Donatti (left) and Gonzalez who after Hapa had been a private chef with a brief stint at Kawa Ni before joining the Winfield team. Donatti has even brought in a few big names to help further Winfield Street’s brand. The first being Chris Gonzalez, who Stamford residents will surely remember from his successful Hapa Food Truck. Now serving as Winfield’s culinary director, Gonzalez will oversee menu development for all the locations. So far, he has implemented an expanded menu, first bringing over the sandwiches, salads, and bowls from Westport to Stamford, and has added a bunch of side dishes like bacon mac & cheese, roasted brussels sprouts with hot honey and crispy shallots, different “fries” options (sweet potato wedges, polenta fries, home fries), and homemade baked goods. Winfield’s second big addition has been coffee director Caleb MacPherson, who was the founder of Narrative Coffee Roasters, a highly acclaimed coffee shop in Naples. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Winfield Street Coffee (@winfieldstreetcoffee) “With the additions of chef Chris and Caleb—they started in the same month, October of last year—they both had their respective successful brands and they’re brining us to a new level,” Donatti says. “I was friends with them before they came in and we’re going to have fun with their different skill sets and different ideas. Caleb is incredible and Narrative was one of the hottest coffee shops in Naples. With his background of creating different coffee drinks and roasting beans, who knows what’s to come at Winfield Street.”Now officially in what Donatti calls a “new phase of Winfield Street,” I think it’s only fair we give you a peek at some of it and a ghost kitchen tidbit at the veryyy end…winfieldcoffee.com Need a weekday health fix? This portion of roasted root veggies will do the trick. But you don’t have to keep it meatless. Feel free to add salmon, chicken breast, fried chicken, bacon, ham, roast pork, egg, or turkey to it. Or choose avocado. Totally your call. One of the major additions according to Donatti and Gonzalez are the sides + snacks. Polenta fries topped with shaved parmesan and garlic aioli are an addicting savory accompaniment to your beverage. Bacon mac + cheese, please! “Break My Heart” is suitable for lunch or a healthy early dinner. Salmon, sweet potatoes, chimichurri, pickled onions, avocado, and fluffy rice should do the trick. With Gonzalez aboard, expect him to flex his chef muscle in the baking department, too. Different muffins, puffs, and the like should be available for grab-and-go. He joked, “I didn’t even know I could bake!” And Winfield isn’t just coffee. MacPherson has added some refreshing coffee-less beverage to the menu that expect to be a hot seller come spring and summer. Pictured here and one of the drinks in the next slide is the Strawberry Refresher, a blend of Winfield’s Crimson Iced Tea (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, hibiscus, and organic rosehips), strawberry syrup, and lemonade. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Winfield Street Coffee (@winfieldstreetcoffee) Chicken. Parm. Regarding lunch: “Lunch has always been an afterthought, Donatti says. “Breakfast and coffee do well normally. Now you can get a bowl or a salad and you can have a bowl or a salad in a wrap or you can have a bowl and add a side to it. Three days in a row I’ve had a chicken Caesar salad with crispy potatoes and brussels sprouts in it.” Another bowl/salad mashup consists of pecan fried chicken, oranges, avocado, toasted almonds, romaine, and honey mustard. Chicken salad + grapes on a croissant with lettuce, tomato, and almonds Coming soon for Winfield is a ghost kitchen takeout concept that will focus on Southern Brazilian street food. Think along the lines of sandwiches and smash burgers (just like the one in this photo they snapped in Brazil) on oversized, pressed bread with unique toppings. Donatti and Gonzalez recently went on an R+D trip to where Donatti is from to get inspiration. Don’t worry! We’ll fill you in when the time comes!
