40+ Restaurants for Christmas Eve & Christmas in CT: 2019 Edition Restaurant Christmas Holiday Christmas Eve Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 11, 2019 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! Read More
CT Distilleries Share Their Favorite Holiday Cocktail Recipes Features Ingredients Cocktails Recipe Entertaining Holiday Local Artisan Distillery Spirits Homepage April Guilbault December 10, 2019 ’Tis the season for merriment annnnd with merriment usually comes festive cocktails. Knowing that Connecticut has some amazing small-batch distilleries, we would like to highlight some delicious cocktails utilizing these spirits to get your party going and get your guests dancing like ol’ Mr. Fezziwig. Enjoy these jovial creations at your next party or pick up a bottle of these local spirits as a great gift for hostesses, friends or family members. Spread the local love, raise those glasses and enjoy the holidays. Cue the merriment! Read More
Food & Wine Picks "Story & Soil" in Hartford as One of The Best Coffee Shops in America: 2019 Restaurant Coffee Hartford Hartford County Homepage CTbites Team December 10, 2019 Food & Wine writer, David Landsel, has spent 2 years traveling the United States, studying the American coffee culture. His list of nearly 100 of the most essential cafes, coffee shops, and espresso bars in the United States, includes one very special spot in the Nutmeg state, Story and Soil, located in Hartford CT. Congrats on making the cut, and check out the full article in Food & Wine. Read More
Chicken Piri Piri Authentic Portuguese BBQ Opens in Stratford Restaurant Stratford BBQ Portuguese Delicious Dives To-Go Take Out Lunch Homepage James Gribbon December 08, 2019 "Piri piri" just means "pepper" in the related languages of sub-Saharan Africa, and you may have had piri piri sauce from a bottle, or used the specific variety under its English name, Bird's Eye Peppers, but the Portuguese found it in Mozambique. The flavor-cultural export found its way into the culinary world of Portugal and took hold the way curries have permeated the U.K. The Vilarinho family of restaurateurs from Porto Cancais outside Lisbon saw an opportunity here, and opened their first Chicken Piri Piri in America about ten years ago. Their newest location is a little storefront by Paradise Green in Stratford. CTBites recently stopped by for lunch, and here's what we found at Chicken Piri Piri Portuguese BBQ. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events for December 7-15 Events Features Events News Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 07, 2019 Red Bee Honey's Holiday Open House returns on Sunday December 8 from 11am-4pm. Shop Local and Shop Small at Red Bee Honey and pick up your holiday honeys, gift boxes, beeswax candles, soap and many other goodies. Tour a working apiary and meet author and founder, Carla Marina Marchese.Jazz Brunches continue at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art on Sunday December 15. Enjoy a buffet brunch in the Untitled Bistro with live jazz by Charmagne Tripp.It’s “all about the braise” on Thursday December 12. Ari Long is coming to Wakeman Town Farm to show us how to prepare leg of lamb and seasonal side dishes in time for the holidays. Don’t forget to BYOB! The class is limited to 16 so book your seats early. The annual Chili Cook-off returns to Cromwell on Saturday December 7 from 5-8pm. There are CASH prizes for the best batches of chili plus the holiday block party and tree lighting. Read More
Mine Hill Distillery in Roxbury: Spirits with a Sense of Past and Place (via CT Magazine) Features Distillery Local Artisan Roxbury Cocktails Spirits Connecticut Magazine December 05, 2019 Time is an ingredient,” Elliott Davis says as he takes me on a tour of Mine Hill Distillery in Roxbury. The venture capitalist turned sheep farmer turned distillery owner is speaking literally. He’s referring to the way the rye, bourbon and other styles of whiskey produced at his distillery will be flavored by the passage of time as they sit aging for months and years in barrels. But he could also be speaking figuratively. Each drop of liquid produced at his distillery, which opened this fall, is inspired by the past. Read More
Winners of CRAZIES Awards For Best CT Chefs & Restaurants Go To... Features Chef Talk Best of CT News Stephanie Webster December 04, 2019 The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) hosted nearly 700 guests on Monday, December 2 at Foxwoods Resort Casino to celebrate the restaurant industry and handed out sixteen coveted awards. One of the most significant awards of the evening was the Overall and Regional Restaurant of the Year Awards presented by Sysco. First, the association handed out regional winners from around the state and the four winners were – Present Company in Simsbury (North Region); Grano Arso in Chester (South Region); Oyster Club in Mystic (East Region) and Jesup Hall in Westport (West Region). The overall winner who was named 2019 Connecticut Restaurant of the Year went to Grano Arso, who earned the award over the other three regional winners and sixteen total nominees. Read More
Hunger Bites: Diners Eat Out To End Hunger Features Fundraiser Stephanie Webster December 03, 2019 During the month of December, diners can help feed the hungry while eating at their favorite local restaurants. CTbites is thrilled to announce the return of Food Rescue US ‘ Hunger Bites program which allows restaurants and diners to join together in the fight against hunger. If you see the Hunger Bites logo at your local restaurant, please consider donating $1 (or more) on your guest check. By giving just $1 today on your bill you'll provide 10 fresh, nutritious meals to people in need in your community.We encourage you to dine and donate at these participating restaurants: Whelk Jesup Kawa Ni, The Whelk, Match Restaurant, Taproot Restaurant, ,Match Burger Lobster, The Spread, El Segundo, Terrain, Amis Trattoria, Cask Republic, The Ginger Man, Evarito’s, Little Pub (all locations) & Rowayton Seafood. Read More
"Miracle" Christmas Themed Pop-up Cocktail Bar Open at Ordinary Bar New Haven Features Pop-Up Bar Cocktails Homepage Stephanie Webster December 03, 2019
Teroforma’s 1pt Cocktail Blends Teams with Crew Restaurant to Host Cocktail Lab Dinner Ingredients Features Pop-Up Bar Pop-Up Dinner Cocktails Local Artisan Andrew Dominick December 03, 2019 Wine or beer dinners in Fairfield County are common, but cocktail dinners? You don’t see very many (if any) offered on a regular basis. About a year ago, Chris Geideman, the owner of Crew Restaurant in Greenwich, along with Andrew Hellman, CEO of the Norwalk-based barware company Teroforma, started to discuss a cocktail dinner event of their very own. The idea would feature Teroforma’s 1pt Blends, a line of flavor kits that enable anyone from experienced bartenders to at-home amateurs to infuse spirits minus all the guesswork. Teroforma is a local CT company that creates all-natural, gourmet infusions for cocktails. After a bunch of casual conversations, they figured out a way not only to make it happen, but to make it something more than simply drinking and eating. Read More
100+ CT Restaurants & Venues for The Perfect Holiday Party: 2019 Edition Features Entertaining Catering Private Party Holiday Parties Best of CT Homepage Emma Jane-Doody Stetson December 01, 2019 As the temperatures drop and November gives way to December, it’s time to get ready to celebrate the holidays! Call up your friends and family, pick out a festive outfit, and find the perfect place to throw your seasonal bash. These 100+ restaurants and venues across CT have private and semi-private spaces for intimate affairs, company parties, enormous shindigs, sit-down meals, cocktail hours, and more. After all, they don’t call it “the most wonderful time of the year” for nothing! Read More
Stamford's Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden Opens Dec. 6th Features Beer Beer Dinner CT Beer Pop-Up Bar Stamford CTbites Team November 30, 2019 Half Full Brewery and Mill River Park Collaborative announced today the return of Winter Wonderland Market & Beer Garden to Stamford, Conn.’s Mill River Park. The Winter Wonderland is intended to celebrate and unite local residents and professionals through a diverse and expanded slate of programming, which will run from Friday, Dec. 6 through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2020. Read More
Raw, Vegan & Gluten-Free Food Done Right: Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe Turns 10! Restaurant Vegan Special Dietary Needs Gluten-Free Vegetarian Raw Fairfield healthy Organic Lunch Smoothies Breakfast Bakery Stephanie Webster November 29, 2019 When Catch A Healthy Habit opened its doors 10 years ago, this raw, vegan, gluten-free cafe was one of the first of its kind in CT, and certainly the first in Fairfield County. Owners Lisa Storch (yes, she is related to Matt Storch) and Glen Colello did a wonderful job creating an extensive healthy and delicious menu of items you can’t believe taste so darn good given everything that’s NOT included in the ingredients list. Storch, is a CIA trained chef and has always made everything from scratch, including their almond milk, cashew cheese, and coconut whipped cream (which is divine). They have also managed to source the single best gluten-free bread I’ve found in the fine state of CT. And now they’re 10 years old! To celebrate they will giving all their loyal guests 10% off everything in the store (including their juice cleanses) on Nov 30th, Small Business Day. Read More
Taco Co. Tequila Cantina Opens in Shelton Restaurant Openings Shelton Mexican Tacos Breakfast Lunch Brunch Cocktails Catering Stephanie Webster November 26, 2019 Taco Co Tequila Cantina opened last week in Shelton, bringing a little bit of Mexico City to our fair state of CT. Owner, Kurt A. Popick (also owns Prime One Eleven), inspired by a trip to Cabo, rounded up a culinary team to bring that Mexican street food vibe to life in Taco Co. With the help of Chef Matt Storch, who consulted on Taco Co.’s menu development, the vibe is playful, tasty and well…boozy. With over 90 types of Tequila, hand crafted cocktails, and their signature Frozé Cuervo, Taco Co. is definitely a party. What are we especially excited about? Taco Co. is making their corn tortillas fresh in house daily, and Storch’s taco list, which includes all the classics, is rounded out with some truly creative takes on the ultimate Mexican wrap. We’re talking about Chicken & Waffle tacos, Lobster, The Greek (with ground lamb & feta), NY Strip with chimichurri, and crispy Peking Duck, to name a few. Mhmm. Pair your tacos with a platter of sizzling Fajitas, Cheesy Road Corn or Cabo-Style Ceviche, and you’re in for a good night. Read More
CTbites 2019 Holiday Gift Guide For CT Food Lovers Features Gift Guide Holiday Local Artisan Homepage April Guilbault November 24, 2019 We’re back with some soon-to-be-loved holiday gifts! From hostess gifts to a Big Kahuna gift (get your passport ready!), we’ve uncovered an array of goodies that you will be excited to give and others will be thrilled to receive. With your beloved foodies in mind, bestow these gems in the spirit of love and good eats-made even better knowing that they all originate in our fair Nutmeg State. See, even the name of our state is food-centric. We love to support local and small businesses and hopefully, this list will encourage you to check out these favorite new finds. Happy Holidays everyone, eat well, gift well! …and if shopping stresses you out too much, go get some Oops, I Ate My…..you’ll see (wink!). Read More
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Recipe from Marcia Selden Catering Recipe Recipe Thanksgiving Soups Marcia Selden Catering November 23, 2019 We continue our merry Thanksgiving romp with a recipe from Marcia Selden Catering. The Seldens have cooked for, quite literally, thousands of hungry guests, and this is their go-to recipe for Butternut Squash & Apple Soup. It is incredibly simple to make and always a crowd pleaser. Make sure you garnish with the Pepitas. They add some nice texture to the creamy (dairy-free) soup. Read More
Nibble: Tasty CT Food Events for November 24- December 1 Events Features Events Emma Jane-Doody Stetson November 22, 2019 Chef Emily Mingrone’s Tavern State now serves brunch! Check it out from 11am-3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations are available on Resy.The Tasty Yolk has a new special. “Get Stuffed” includes 2 over easy eggs, toasted brioche stuffing, pulled roasted turkey gravy, and house cranberry sauce. It is available at all locations. Visit their brand new storefront or check their Facebook page for the location of their 3 food trucks. Tisane Euro-Asian Café presents a Friendsgiving Drag Show on Tuesday November 26 from 10pm-12am. A $10 ticket gets you access to performances by Mizery McRae & Marita Bonita and music by DJ John Rsaza. Sip on $5 house wines, $6 specialty cocktails, and $3 select beer. Wednesday November 27 marks the first official crossover event between Birdman Juke Joint and The Acoustic! Read More
Friday Froth: The Art Of Craft Beer Comes To Three Sheets Features Beer CT Beer Design Exhibition James Gribbon November 22, 2019 What if each drop in the ocean of American craft beer landed with a splash of new color? Thousands of breweries, making hundreds of thousands of beers, each rippling and bouncing with individual personality. Beer brewing is an art, yes, but in the process it also supports artists who make their own contribution to what brewers create, and drinkers see. This December, Three Sheets and The 16oz. Canvas will present The Art Of Craft Beer, featuring artists who add color to the craft beer scene of Connecticut. Read More
Brown Sugar Apple Pie Recipe from Judy’s Bar & Kitchen in Stamford Recipe Features Recipe Dessert Holiday Thanksgiving CTbites Team November 22, 2019 Chef Judy Roll of Judy’s Bar & Kitchen knows her way around a pie, and if you visit her spot in Stamford, you’ll know why she was asked for this recipe. Quite frankly, we selfishly wanted it for our own recipe rolodexes, but we thought we’d share. Aren’t we nice? Enjoy Judy Roll’s recipe for Brown Sugar Apple Pie. Read More
Chef Bill Taibe's Cider Braised Turkey Legs Recipe Features Holiday Thanksgiving Recipe Comfort Food Bill Taibe November 22, 2019 We pulled this recipe from the files circa 2011. Enjoy. For many people, the best part of the Thanksgiving turkey are the legs. The dark meat is more richly flavorful and for those who are in this camp...why bother with the breast? Chef Bill Taibe has come up with a solution for turkey leg lovers everywhere...Cider Braised Turkey Legs. Braising vs baking makes the meat literally fall off the bone. Enjoy. Read More
