Executive Chef Eren Polat and his wife Nigjar invite you to their newest restaurant, Sofra Turkish Grill a cozy neighborhood restaurantin Waterbury, Connecticut. The restaurant, which opened in late July 2023, has been drawing healthy crowds from Cheshire to Fairfield. No stranger to the restaurant world, Chef has over 25 years of experience in prominent restaurants in Turkey and Greece before opening his own Eren’s Grill in Fairfield. He opened Sofra to be closer to home and his family.
Chef hails from Adana, Turkey’s fourth largest city, located in the south where the Seyhan River meets the Mediterranean. One of the oldest cities in the world, it’s a major agricultural area and known for its distinctive cuisine, specifically the “Adana Kebabi,” a unique dish comprised of hand-minced meat prepared with a special knife called a Satir that closely resembles a machete. Authenticity is paramount as Chef remains true to his roots using the skills and techniques so prevalent in his country. So determined is he to do this, that many ingredients are imported directly from Turkey, some from Adana specifically.
The lights and decorations are up, the presents are wrapped, and the only thing left to do is figure out what to eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There are a ton of unique traditions around these two days – dinner at 2:00 in the afternoon, Feast of the Seven Fish, brunch with mimosas – and you may choose to cook at home or head out to one of the state’s many fine restaurants. And, if you choose to stay at home but want to take some of the work out of prepping Christmas Dinner, several restaurants and markets are offering meals to-go.
If you’re in that second category, this guide will be a helpful tool in determining what restaurants are going to be open for the holiday! Not every business will be open on Sunday, December 24, or Monday, December 25, but the ones that are will typically offer special brunches, lunches, or dinners to celebrate Christmas. We’ve broken this guide up by county to make it easier to find a restaurant near you – Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, New London, Middlesex, and Windham. Simply scroll down to the region of the state you live in (or the region of the state you’re visiting family!) and check out which restaurants are open on December 24 or 25. Happy holidays!
Sparkles and decorations, music and merriment, parties and gift-giving and of course, holiday dining. New traditions to begin or a revisiting of favorites from year’s past. We all have those special dishes or holiday sweets that make us pause as nostalgia fills our hearts. For those reasons and more, it is one of the most wonderful times of the year. We would like for you to be able to create new memories with those you love, so we have compiled a list of Connecticut eateries that are going above and beyond for the holiday season. They are categorized by county-Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Windham-so you don’t have to waste time researching, you can just swan dive into celebrating the season. From our plates to yours, Happy Holidays. May it be delicious!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and with it comes plenty of wonderful eats! For your Christmas celebrating on the day or the eve, restaurants and caterers in all corners of the state have lovingly assembled delicious menus, kits and take out packages for you and your family. What a gift-spending time together, enjoying a beautiful meal and not being holed up in the kitchen. Wishing you all a very merry and delicious holiday!
Here are 50+ restaurants and caterers for your Christmas festivities.
Thanksgiving has passed and snow is on the ground… it’s almost time for Christmas! It’s a festive time of year, but also a busy one full of shopping, cleaning, decorating, baking, and travelling. Why not save some time on the cooking? These 40+ CT restaurants are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas with special menus, festive cocktails, and more. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at CTBites!
The first thing I noticed when I walked into Eren’s Grill was the neatness and precision of the refrigerator case. Platters of perfectly aligned kebabs await the grill. Bowls of bright-red-hued eggplant-tomato salad and pale, fluffy humus. Glistening rows of dark-green stuffed grape leaves. Then Eren, a young man wearing chef’s white’s embellished with the Turkish flag, stepped out from the open kitchen and proudly started telling me about his fresh and homemade food.
Fairfield’s new and only Turkish restaurant is a small joint in a strip mall. With just a few tables, it does a lot of take-out and catering. Whether eat-in or take-out, it’s a welcome addition to the Tunxis Hill section of Fairfield, a neighborhood that could use more good food. And the food here is good: fresh and full of flavor. Ottoman cuisine has a long and noble history, and Eren – who was head chef of the Athens’ Tike, an international group of Turkish restaurants in places like London, Cyprus and Kiev -- for 8 years -- is proud to put his signature on it. “I want to play a little,” he says.
Last spring we told you about Bereket, an tiny authentic Turkish eatery tucked behind a gas station in Bridgeport. This fortuitous find primarily offered takeout, but if you were lucky enough to get one of the 3 small tables, you were served food worthy of an Ottoman emperor. While we loved hiding out behind the Citgo station, we were pleased to hear that owner Selahattin Cinar had moved his very reasonably priced menu and talented cooks to a much larger space in Blackrock (the old Helados Vazquez). With an upgraded interior worthy of the excellent fare, Selahattin can now focus on the customer experience...and a more gracious host you've never seen. Warm up your car for a quick departure to Bridgeport.
It's been 24 hours since I left Bereket, a tiny hole in the wall Turkish restaurant located behind a Citgo station on Bridgeport's Main Street. As I write this I wonder, is it too soon to go back?
Bereket has been dubbed by people in the know as Fairfield County's best kept secret, and I finally understand what all the fuss is about. Mind you, this place is not fussy. Hidden beside of the gas station's mini mart, Bereket's small dining space has only 3 tables and boxes of Turkish beverages and pantry staples lining the walls. But what this single room Turkish delight lacks in ambiance, it makes up for in the quality, freshness, and flavor of the food.
Owner Selahattin Cinar has been in business for 6 years, and chats with customers while holding court in the kitchen preparing a steady stream of take-out orders. He greeted us warmly as we walked in, and we were relieved to find that he spoke enough English to answer questions and help us navigate their extensive menu. When we asked what was good, we were led to a display case filled with cold mezes (appetizers) and kebabs awaiting the heat, and simply told,it's all good. And it was.
