Organic Krush, with locations across Long Island, the Hamptons and Virginia, has just opened in Westport at 374 Post Road E.Organic Krush is a fast casual restaurant featuring healthy, organic menu, but cooked, juiced, and baked with a lot more love than your might expect from the average grab-n-go spot. The entire menu features ingredients that are 100% certified organic and free of GMOs, hormones, pesticides and really…fake anything. Diners seeking gluten-free, vegan or paleo options will be happy to discover that most of Organic Krush’s extensive menu works for them, and they can accommodate most dietary needs or restrictions. Organic Krush’s motto is “Eat Happy, Spread Love,” and although this is the seventh location for Co-Founders Michelle Walrath & Fran Paniccia, when I walked in just a few days before they opened their doors, the love and attention to every detail was clearly visible. From employee training and safety protocols to the consistency of the dishes coming out of the kitchen, Organic Krush made a strong debut. Open for three meals a day, from breakfast through dinner pick up at 8PM, I have a strong hunch that this will be a go-to spot for many in the Westport area who aren’t feeling like cooking but are seeking a healthy and tasty meal for their family.
There is so much talk and discussion these days about immunity, staying healthy, and protecting yourself. When you ask fifty people about what they do to stay healthy you will probably get fifty different answers. Since every human is unique, something that works for one might not work for another! However, we all know that famous quote from Hippocrates about food being thy medicine, right? There are so many foods, plants, teas, and drinks that can potentially pack a real punch for strengthening our systems. There is a wide, intriguing world of healthy options out there, it’s just finding what works for you. May some of the ideas on this list help keep you healthy and safe in the months to come.
Our guide includes over 40 local CT markets, juice bars, apothecaries, and products to help boost your immune system for 2020.
Resolutions, goals, lifestyle changes-whatever the reason, it’s never too late or bad of an idea to try to eat healthier. As the winter starts to fade into the distance and with it goes the heavy comfort foods that satisfied us on brisk evenings, our focus can start to turn now towards lighter, healthier options. Turn to the sun! Sometimes, though, the hardest part is simply figuring out what to eat. But wait, what about dining out? Is it possible to eat out and still stay on a healthy track? Yup, yup, double yup. There is a virtual cornucopia of healthy eating spots so, lucky for you, that guesswork has been removed from the equation. Now you only have to decide what you are craving. Branch out, try some new food and drinks and be happier knowing that what you are eating is not only enjoyable but better for you.
Check out these 20+ Spots for Healthy Eats in Connecticut.
In full disclosure, I have worked with Chef Tyler Anderson. If you have worked in the restaurant industry in Connecticut you probably have too, in one way or another. If you have eaten in Connecticut, the same can still be said: you have worked to get a reservation at his Millwright’s, worked to pick out the perfect slice at his Square Peg and you have worked to get the best seat in the house at Anderson’s High George. But now, Tyler is bringing us all back to his most familiar ground, aptly titled Terreno - his latest venture, boasting Cal-Italian fare, in the space that formerly housed Restaurant Porrón.
Yalla Organic Hummus and Grill has taken Fairfield County by storm. Yalla Organic is a consumer-oriented experience where you get to choose exactly how your lunch and dinner is prepared down to the last detail. This family-run business has quickly become a town staple of Fairfield… and their hummus is making me question all previous hummus choices I have made.
The eight of you who read my work know about my passion for all things Italian: the espresso, the wine, the men (hmm, sore subject), the music (1990s Zucchero anyone?), but, when you have good, really good Italian food, it can truly be a spiritual experience.
And that just happened. At Strega in Branford. Owner and pizzaiolo Danilo Mongillo alongside his Chef Marco Giugliano have broken ground, dug their hands in, and come out with gold. Mongillo, from Puglianello in the Benevento region of Italy, has been in Connecticut since 2014 and says he’s been so thankful for the Branford community for how welcoming they’ve been since the restaurant opened in 2016.
80% of New Year’s resolutions don’t make it to February. Yeeks. Sorry. Not to start our 2019 Healthy Eating Guide off on a negative foot or anything. Are you determined, though, that this will be the year that you finally cut the junk, cut the excuses, and buckle down so you don’t have to move that ol’ belt buckle? We thought so and therefore, we’d like to give you a leg up on throwing that 80% statistic to the ground and showing it who is boss. When you surround yourself with the healthy stuff, it makes it easy to enjoy the healthy stuff, so that said, we’ve got a nice long list of inventive, delicious, inspiring spots that are serving up food that will help you cruise into February with your head held high.
Zaragoza’s tapas bar opened in New Milford in April 2016. The CTBites crew covered them a few months before their official opening and shared owner Artie Praino’s anticipation of a long-time dream come true after years in the deli business. Now, two and a half years later, they are a much beloved, popular spot for delicious, creative plates and cocktails.
Fully informed by several Zaragoza regulars that I was sure to be delighted, my belly gurgled for a new tapas experience. I’ve had the pleasure of going to Spain a few times, so, admittedly, morsels from those adventures like ceviche, calamari, and chorizo propelled me to the restaurant with little hesitation. I was eager to taste what their twist on the classics would be.
Middle Eastern restaurants, long a welcome presence in Connecticut, lately seem to be multiplying. One of the most intriguing is Bab al Salam, which is located in an Orange plaza owned by the New Haven Islamic Center, which also hosts the Orange Farmers’ Market, a Muslim clothing store, a Middle Eastern market with halal butcher, and meeting spaces for events.
Bab al Salam opened in the middle of January. Owners Adnan Akil, a restaurant builder, and Suloman Chater, a restaurateur, both of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades, sought to replicate the food one might find in metropolises like Aleppo or Damascus in their homeland. They seem to have found a grateful audience in Orange.
This August, The Hummus & Pita Co. will bring its healthy, fast-casual Mediterranean cuisine to Connecticut in a comfortable and inviting environment, at its newest location in Brookfield, Connecticut. This opening marks the first Hummus & Pita Co. restaurant to open outside of New York City.
What we love about The Hummus & Pita Co. is that all menu items are made-from-scratch on the premises, including freshly baked pita and laffa breads, and traditional-style meats cooked in a taboon oven.
But what REALLY sets them apart from your local Mediterranean haunt, are the signature hummus desserts offering such as the Dessert Hummus and the recently launched Hummus Shake. Yep, you heard me.
We are only a few short weeks into this brand-spanking new year, and TVs are blaring with eating program ads, magazine covers are screaming about how to “Lose 10 lbs. in a week!” and gyms are overflowing with people running for their lives on treadmills (Run, Forrest, Run!). Naturally, the CTBites answer to the holiday indulgences? EAT! Ok, ok…eat…HEALTHILY! Our fair state is brimming with amazing grocers, restaurants, and speciality stores that can help you get back on track after a season of going full-tilt boogie with the eating and drinking. The best part is that everything is so delicious and interesting. Branch out this year and try some new flavors and foods…goji berries, Matcha, Cauliflower pizza crust (wha!), Jackfruit! Dive in and explore. Here are some venues that will help you do just that. One more note: We fully realize that due to the sheer amount of noteworthy establishments, we are not able to list them all here. Please refer to our past Healthy Eats roundups for more listings and also, please chime in with places that you know and love. The more the merrier!
We have waited patiently, and the time has come. We reported back in April that the family run Layla's Falafel, cooking up some of the best take out Middle Eastern food in CT, was scheduled to open in Westport. The time is NOW. This Monday, October 30th, Layla's will open its doors at 1537 Post Road East.
The Hummus & Pita Co., known for its homemade, fresh and healthy Mediterranean cuisine, has signed a new franchisee, Rishi Parikh, to open a location in Danbury, Connecticut. The newest store will be located at 15 Federal Road in Brookfield.
The rapidly growing Mediterranean fast-casual concept brings guilt-free, homemade cuisine to the masses in a comfortable and inviting environment. All menu items are made from scratch on the premises and use only the freshest ingredients to create high-quality, flavor-focused eats. The concept stands out with its freshly baked pita and laffa breads, vegetarian dishes and meats cooked in a traditional taboon oven.
The Muñoz del Castillo family has done it again and opened a winner in Westport, Bistro Du Soleil. You may recognize the name from their Norwalk location (which sadly closed), their prior catering business, as well as one of our favorite Mexican spots, Rincon in Norwalk. This same family has opened a tiny gem by the Saugatuck train station, serving Mediterranean cuisine with strong classic French undertones. From the escargot and Gambas Al Ajlllo to the Magret Duck Breast and gorgeous Beef Bourgignon, this BYOB venue is not to be missed. Bistro Du Soleil and the Muñoz family truly understand the art of both hospitality and simply delicious food.
Unlike its Franco-centric siblings – the Le Penguins in Greenwich and Westport-- Le Fat Poodle is a Parisian Bistro in name only. Indeed, its faux French appellation comes with a big wink, setting the mood for the whimsy inside what was once a stately U.S. Post Office.
The soaring ceilings, whirling fans, and leafy palms suggest sexy Saigon rather than teeming Paris. That’s Pink Martini on the playlist, not Piaf. And the menu? Global far more than Gallic.
East meets West via seductive Vietnamese egg rolls. Or there’s Swiss fondue to spark a party without borders. Sample Spanish Ceviche or blistered Japanese Shushito Peppers. Bite into creamy Tuscan Ravioli, plump with wild mushrooms.
“This is a Global Bistro, not a French Bistro,” insists veteran restaurateur Anshu Vidyarthi.
After nine years, EMBODY FITNESS GOURMET has a new location in Darien, at the Palmer’s Market Shopping Center (380 Heights Road). This is one of three Embody grab-n-go healthy organic locations; the others residing in New Canaan and Westport.
Embody is our go-to spot for protein shakes, juices, and salads. In Darien, they have also started serving Intelligentsia coffee--one of the top coffee roasters in the country. Embody's menu embraces all forms of lean proteins and nutrient dense vegetables and fruits in their menu creations, many of which pair well together allowing customers to mix and match items for an entire day's worth of nutrition. My personal favorite...The Almond Buzz, a perfect combination of almond butter, almond milk, bananas, cacao and protein powder.
I have an affinity for those underexplored sweet spots that are slightly off the beaten path, tucked away, or unheard of. For whatever reason, Taberna, a Mediterranean tapas and wine bar located in the Brick Walk in downtown Fairfield hasn’t been widely discovered. Although I hadn’t heard of it many have, and those who have sing its praises.
Some of you might be familiar with the name, thinking it’s not in Fairfield, it’s in Bridgeport! And you would be correct, sort of... Prior to opening the Fairfield location, Chef Daniel Lopez and his brother Jaime owned and operated the Bridgeport restaurant for 8 years. Upon hearing that it was closing, longtime diners were happy to follow to the new larger venue with light-filled dining area, large bar and outdoor patio.
I was able to sit down and chat with Chef Lopez who was born and raised in Ecuador who revealed to me that he had been enamored with the flavors and cuisines of the Mediterranean since he was a child. In 1994 he and his brother emigrated to the states and immediately began working in the restaurant industry - for many well-known Fairfield County favorites.
Unassumingly tucked away amongst the store-fronts in downtown Fairfield is Catch a Healthy Habit. Maybe you’ve not been in a while…maybe you’ve never been at all, or you’ve been curious, but you’ve never been. The Cafe has been in Fairfield for over six years and in New Haven for two years prior to opening in Fairfield.
This casual, health-based, raw, gluten-free and vegan eatery focuses on clean eating. Their products are organic and non-GMO and the tastes and presentations are delicious and beautiful. They recently launched their new Spring/Summer menu and Stephanie Webster, armed with her camera, and I had the opportunity to stop in and sample some of the newest goodies to grace the menu. The food is gorgeously plated, visually stunning, allowing the naturally vibrant colors of spring to take center stage. As the weather heats up and we shed our outer layers we still need to satisfy our hunger without feeling weighted down.
During my first job out of college, I frequented a diner for what became a weekly Greek salad lunch ritual. That may have been over ten years ago, but it inspired a life-long love affair with the dish. So when a friend suggested trying out newly opened FRESKOS in Hamden, I jumped at the chance to try their greek salad and was happily met with a heaping bowl filled with romaine lettuce and topped with chopped cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, stuffed grape leaves, and a big block of feta. Served with warm pita, and greek dressing, I have finally found my local antidote to that Greek salad craving.
FRESKOS is a modern Greek fast casual restaurant, that leans towards light and fresh Greek dishes such as souvlaki and gyro sandwiches which are served with warm pita, red onion, tomato, tzaziki, and dill. In addition to sandwiches, FRESKOS focuses on seasonal salads and soups, such as the avgolemono soup, a traditional Greek soup with a chicken broth base filled with lemon, egg and rice. A FRESKOS original is a Greek Pita Pizza, which struck me as an apt Greek interpretation to its pizza-loving location just a stone's throw from New Haven.
