Stamford's Hop & Vine Taproom Wrote Connecticut's Self-Pour Bill Features Interview Restaurant Stamford beer Craft Beer Homepage self pour Interview Gastropub Andrew Dominick February 19, 2025 Sakarin Seedasome recalls a memory from 2017 when he was in San Diego. He walks in after work, wanting a beer, when he wondered, “Wait. What is this place?” “I love craft beer,” he says. “I think they had 20 or so taps, wine as well. I was confused at first, wondering if I had to buy a full 16 ounces of each one, but no, you pay per ounce. I was like, ‘Oh my god. I can try all of these.’ I stayed there all night.” Now one of the owners of Hop & Vine Taproom, which opened in Downtown Stamford in early January 2024, Seedasome and his partners Matthew Ventura and Connor Rasmussen, wanted to get it open much, much sooner. The problem? They couldn’t because it wasn’t legally possible. Read More
It’s A Woman’s World: Silvia MacLean of Silvia’s Kitchen in Norwalk Interview It's A Woman's World Baker Bakery Interview Norwalk Andrew Dominick February 04, 2025 In the middle of 2024 at my dear friend, Anne Grossman’s Rebel Daughter Day, I just about stopped in my tracks when I saw what was on one of the vendor’s tables. Boxes of beautiful, chocolatey brigedeiros, alfajores, and an array of different hand rolled truffles and baked goods that weren’t just from Latin American countries, but a mixture of confections we’re familiar with in the states, too. Silvia’s Kitchen, created by Silvia MacLean, is the face behind the brand, and she bakes out of Rebel Daughter Cookies’ commercial space where you can preorder for pickup or delivery, plus you can find her sweets at various stores and farmers markets in the general area. Read More
Rye Bird Opens in Fairfield with Southern American Comfort Food Features Interview Restaurant American Southern Cocktails Interview Openings Fairfield Homepage Andrew Dominick January 09, 2025 Since April of 2024, a new restaurant by the name of Rye Bird, located in the longtime former home of Isla in Fairfield, teased a tasty, affordable, neighborhood restaurant concept. Operated by Post Road Hospitality, Rye Bird officially cracked open its doors on October 19 after hosting some patio preview parties prior to its grand opening. Rye Bird’s founder and president Frank Klein hopes it’ll catch on as the “next neighborhood joint” for a bunch of reasons. Read More
First Look: Mighty Quinn's BBQ Opens at The Waypointe in Norwalk Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant BBQ Norwalk Mighty Quinn's BBQ Openings Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick January 07, 2025 Most Connecticut residents who were unfamiliar with Hugh Mangum before he and his family started making donuts in Wilton four years ago, may be oblivious to a few tidbits. Mangum, you see, isn’t only a French Culinary Institute graduate who worked under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, but he’s the founder of the popular Mighty Quinn’s BBQ. Now that his family’s donut shop, Rise Doughnuts, has gone from a pop up to its own physical location, paired with the fact that the Mangums reside in Wilton, the time to open another Mighty Quinn’s in nearby Norwalk in the former Bobby Q’s and the short lived Lechon Smokehouse space at The Waypointe. Read More
Restaurateur Jody Pennette Opens Live Music Venue Meets "French Dive Bar" Music & Industry in Norwalk Features Interview Restaurant Cocktails Bar Live Music French Norwalk Music Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick December 29, 2024 Veteran restaurateur Jody Pennette is no stranger to opening restaurants and bars all over the world, but his latest, Music & Industry in South Norwalk is different from the rest. This one, you see, is his, and his alone. “This is the 505th one I’ve opened, and it’s the only one I own,” he says. “I’m like a songwriter versus being a singer—I’m creating things for other people to perform. I size them up to see what I can do for them and try to deliver something that’s going to be a market worthy story.” Read More
Stone Row Kitchen + Bar: Don't Miss This CRAzies Awards Winner Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Willimantic Windham Interview Cocktails Homepage Andrew Dominick October 27, 2024 Anyone in this state that follows the Connecticut Restaurant Association’s CRAzies Awards might have noticed a perennial nominee out of Windham County, specifically in the borough of Willimantic, not far from the campus of Eastern State Connecticut University, by the name of Stone Row Kitchen + Bar. Read More
Allium Eatery in Westport: Nominated for Best CT Chef 2024 Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Restaurants French Modern American Westport Chef Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick October 09, 2024 Now almost three years old, Michelle Greenfield’s Allium Eatery started out, as she puts it, “small.” Her restaurant, inside, is also small. Put a dozen people in there and it feels full. When the weather cooperates, Allium can take some walk ins for patio dining, otherwise you have a choice between either the 5:30 seating or the 7:30. n this case of “small,” small is good, and Greenfield’s restaurant is one of the hottest tickets in town. No website, just social media, and they’re more active on Instagram, FYI. And chances are, when a table does wiggle free from a prior reservation on busier nights, it’s a given that someone will see their Instagram story announcement and snatch it right up. Read More
Magic 5 Pie Co. Expands Menu in Norwalk...And It's TASTY! Features Ingredients Interview Restaurant Norwalk Magic 5 Pie Co Pizza Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick September 27, 2024 Now almost three years old, Magic 5 Pie Co. has had no problem with repeat diners. But the people have to first find it before they can return.Tucked away in the parking lot of the East Norwalk Metro-North Station, even longtime Norwalkers won’t even see it from the usual slow crawl of East Avenue traffic. You’ll have to go all the way in the back. Or you can plug in “Magic 5 Pie Co.” in Google Maps for an assist. “Lots of people still don’t know we’re in Norwalk,” says Shawn Longyear, who along with Chris Hickey, Andrey Cortes, and Christopher Rasile, are also all co-owners of The Spread and El Segundo just across the bridge in South Norwalk. “But once they find us, they come back.” Read More
Taco Dia Opens in Newtown from the Bailey’s Backyard Team Features Interview Restaurant Ingredients Openings Newtown Homepage Interview Mexican Tacos Cocktails Andrew Dominick September 23, 2024 On the heels of their quarter century anniversary, Bailey’s Backyard, and its original and forever owner, Sal Bagliavio have a sequel. And no, it’s not following in the exact footsteps of Bailey’s—one of Connecticut O.G. farm-to-table restaurants. Ristorante numéro dos for Bagliavio and chef/partner Forrest Pasternack, who returned to Bailey’s recently, are entering the world of tacos with Taco Dia—because every day is taco day, not just Tuesdays. If you’re at least a little familiar with Bailey’s, Bagliavio and Pasternack entering the realm of Mexican cuisine isn’t that shocking. Bailey’s is very New American, and if you’ve eaten there, Mexican pops up on the menu frequently, and especially on their Wednesday night Market Table tasting menu. Read More
Kindness + Cupcakes: Forever Sweet Bakery in Norwalk Interview Cupcakes Bakery Cakes Interview Norwalk Andrew Dominick August 15, 2024
Sarah & Bernard Bouissou Open À Table, a Gourmet Market in Ridgefield Features Ingredients Interview Gourmet Market Ridgefield Homepage Interview Market Andrew Dominick August 11, 2024 “One of the things we hear all the time is, ‘We had no idea you were here!’ And once they’re here, they always come back.” For over 20 years, Ridgefielders and those way further out knew exactly where to find Sarah and Bernard Bouissou. Read More
The Benjamin in Ridgefield Changes Philosophy To Be "More Approachable" Features Interview Restaurant The Benjamin Ridgefield Ridgefield Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick July 25, 2024 From “a uniquely American, French inspired restaurant and bar” to “a uniquely American, globally inspired restaurant and bar.”For The Benjamin—which opened just before last summer in the former Bernard’s Restaurant and Sarah’s Wine Bar space—and owners Rob Moss and Dave Studwell of Washington Prime and B.J. Lawless of B.J. Ryan’s, B.J. Ryan’s East, and BanC House, they knew that a year later they’d have to switch up the restaurant’s philosophy. Call it a pivot if you want, but according to Studwell, it wasn’t just one thing that needed changing.“I’d like to say it was one thing,” he says. “Honestly, we were high on French, but not everyone wants caviar, foie gras, and smoked trout all the time. Ridgefield is a family driven town and we didn’t realize that.” Read More
Trattoria 'A Vucchella: Hidden Italian Gem in Downtown Bridgeport Features Interview Restaurant Italian Bridgeport Homepage Interview Hidden Gem Pasta Andrew Dominick July 23, 2024 Trattoria A’Vucchella is the epitome of a hidden gem. Open for a tick over a decade, directly across the street from The Bijou Theater in Downtown Bridgeport, it might be one of the city’s best kept secrets if you’re not a local, and if you didn’t somehow discover it naturally.“It’s a tough location, but we have a loyal following,” says co-owner Pasquale De Martino. “They all found us organically, and once they find us, they come back and from all over. I love the community here.”Martino—who opened the restaurant back in 2014 with Jennifer Galletti and Thomas Bepko—was formerly the owner of a limoncello factory for 10 years in his birthplace of Sorrento, Italy before selling it and eventually getting into the villa renting business in Italy with Galletti. Read More
Kris and Shane McGowan Open Wildcat, a "Cocktail Forward" Bar + Restaurant in Hamden Features Interview Restaurant Cocktails Hamden Openings Homepage Interview Restaurants Andrew Dominick July 16, 2024 The word “ferocity” is used to describe the small, but mighty, wildcat. While the cat is native to Africa and Eurasia, the name “Wildcat” has been floating around Hamden and it has nothing to do with an animal, but rather, a cocktail bar that’s hoping to capture you with its ferocity.Both from Pawling, NY, Kris ended up in Connecticut working for the Barteca Restaurant Group and Shane, though he was originally pursuing a possible career as a lawyer, found himself bartending in New York City instead. Wildcat is brought to you by twin brothers, Kris and Shane McGowan, whose names you’ve definitely heard before as they’ve been in the industry near and far for well over a decade after they graduated college.“I opened the West Hartford bartaco and it was a great learning experience to be somewhere that was sort of becoming corporate at the time,” Kris says. “Then I got the hell away from there because I didn’t want anything to do with corporate. It was a good structure, system, and rule that I learned a lot about. I started as a bartender, then moved up to bar manager, assistant general manager, and helped open Westport (bartaco) to train new managers.” Read More
Soulber Kitchen & Market Expands from Bowl Delivery Business to Full Service Café in Bethel Features Interview Restaurant Healthy Eats Interview Bethel Vegan Gluten-Free Openings Andrew Dominick July 03, 2024 Sara Oberhammer recalls the day she got her driver’s license at 16. The first thing she did was cruise around her hometown of Bethel to apply to jobs in the hospitality industry. She even quit high school softball so she could waitress.In February of 2024, just a mere three-minute walk away from where she got her foot in door at Greenwood’s Grille & Ale House, Oberhammer, who’s mostly been a bartender later in her restaurant career, now has a spot of her very own. And it has nothing to do with mixing cocktails, pouring drafts, or serving pub food. Read More
Connecticut’s First Georgian Restaurant, Cheese & Bread, Opens in Norwalk Interview Restaurant Norwalk Georgian Restaurants Opening Interview Andrew Dominick June 28, 2024 As a Norwalk lifer, I’ve seen the restaurant scene grow (and take some dips) tenfold. But one fact I’ll always tell people who aren’t familiar with Norwalk or to those who are visiting, is that we have a lot of cultures represented in our restaurants. One you haven’t seen in Connecticut as a whole is a Georgian restaurant. Read More
The Cottage Westport Launches Farmers Market Prix Fixe Menu Ingredients Interview Restaurant Seasonal Ingredients Farmers Market The Cottage Westport Westport Interview Homepage Andrew Dominick June 14, 2024 Just over two months from this very publication date, The Cottage Westport welcomed back chef de cuisine, Christian Wilki, after his stints at Villa Mulino in Avon and Swyft and Ore Hill in Kent. Having worked with chef and owner Brian Lewis for five years previously, Wilki is happy to return to further cultivate and create culinary magic at The Cottage. ingredients from the Westport Farmers Market.“We did this a while back, but one day, me, Brian, and Ralph ( León)were sitting down after service sharing a bottle of water—I know, so exciting—and we sat here talking and I said that I wanted to do a farmers market menu again like we did years ago,” Wilki says. “Brian was like, ‘absolutely, let’s do it.’” Read More
Scoop This: OGGI Gelato Opens First Shop in the U.S. in Norwalk Features Ice Cream Ingredients Interview Gelato ice cream Ingredients Norwalk Interview Italian Andrew Dominick June 03, 2024 Udine, Trieste, Pordenone, Rome, Barcelona, Santiago, Athens, and…Norwalk, Connecticut? So, you usually don’t see six European cities and one South American city mentioned in the same breath as Norwalk, but when it comes to gelato and master gelato maker, Carmelo Chiaramida, this is perhaps the one time it applies. What Chiaramida is doing in Norwalk, opening his first OGGI Gelato shop in America, is simply every local ice cream lover’s good fortune.Call it a coincidence through connection, actually. And it’s best spelled out by Maurizio Ricci, who along with his brother, Graziano, are the founders of Romanacci and Norwalk’s Osteria Romana. Read More
It’s a Woman’s World: Amanda Eng of Kash & Liv Coffee Creations Ingredients Interview Coffee Coffee Shop It's A Woman's World Interview Newtown Sandy Hook Andrew Dominick May 17, 2024 From corporate America to…coffee?!That’s exactly what Amanda Eng did. And now she’s making waves with her craft coffee concoctions that have included creative, original flavored lattes, cold brews with fruity sweet cream cold foams, and decadent cups of hot cocoa.Amanda, and her coffee biz that’s named after her twins, Kash and Liv, is seemingly everywhere in the Newtown with pop ups at PTA meetings, to Newsylum Brewery, and others. Now with a home base inside of Uncle Matt’s Bakery and Café in nearby Sandy Hook, you’ll at least always know where to find her for your caffeine fix.I recently caught up with Amanda to get Kash & Liv Coffee Creations’ origin story, to talk coffee and coffee inspiration, and what’s in her very near future.Grab a cup (of her coffee if you have access) and check out our Q&A! Read More
The Search for Tony Pizza Napolitano’s Elusive Square Pie Features Ingredients Interview Pizza Weston Westport Pop-Up Homepage Interview Andrew Dominick May 15, 2024 The elusiveness of certain limited foods only makes me want THAT particular thing even more. That’s exactly how I felt trying to track down Anthony Kesselmark’s square pizzas, aka, the grandma pie. Read More
