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Filtering by Tag: Dessert,Greenwich

My Favorite Dish: Grigg Street Pizza’s Dry Aged Cheesesteak

Interview Ingredients Restaurant Favorite Dish cheesesteaks cheesesteak Pizza Greenwich

Andrew Dominick

Dave Portnoy’s 8.2 score of Grigg Street’s popular sour dough pizza was ehhh…good. Could’ve been higher even by a smidge in my opinion, but anything in the “8s” is a fine rating.

What Dave wasn’t wrong about, though, was scoring Grigg’s cheesesteak a full point higher at a 9.2, and despite being on a major pizza eating and scoring tour, he kept going back for another bite, saying, “This is great. You weren’t fuckin’ around.”

Portnoy dove in with his mouth. I’m about to dive into this haute “Philly” by giving you the culinary facts behind it.

To get the skinny on this appropriately greasy, pungently cheesy, slightly spicy, and beefy sandwich, I caught up with my homie, Grigg Street Pizza co-owner and chef, Matthew Watson.


Sweet Ashley’s Ice Cream in Norwalk Gets New Owners & Reboot

Ice Cream Restaurant Norwalk Ice Cream Opening Dessert Kid Friendly

Ella Alpert

Sweet Ashley’s, the adored Norwalk ice cream spot, which has been around for 30 years has reopened this spring in time for a delicious summer! Frank Lanzo (Former owner of Nordic Fish in Fairfield) and his wife Judie, longtime Norwalk residents, decided to take over the business. As ice cream lovers with culinary experience, it seemed like a no brainer. 

“I’ve got a culinary background, I cooked my whole life, I went to culinary school in the eighties… now I heard this was for sale and what a great thing to keep going,” Frank Lanzo said. “I’ve been in Norwalk now for twenty two years, I live very close, who doesn’t love ice cream?


L’escale Celebrates its 20th Anniversary on Greenwich's Waterfront

Features Restaurant Greenwich Waterfront French Raw Bar Wine Events Yacht Experience Anniversary

Jessica Ryan

The iconic Greenwich restaurant known for its exceptional cuisine and timeless charm, is commemorating its 20th Anniversary this year, marking two decades of culinary excellence and cherished memories.

Located at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel and founded in 2003, L’escale boasts an award-winning menu and extraordinary wine program. The restaurant’s stunning setting, décor and cuisine instantly transport you to the Cote d’Azur, if only temporarily (and without the need to step on a plane!) The picturesque setting conjures images of an Auguste Renoir painting of diners lunching au dehors, en plain air, and Edith Piaf serenading in the distance. The restaurant sits above the docks on the harbor with the stunning picnic boats and yachts below. L’escale represents a quiet, understated luxury, and whether it’s caviar or a juicy burger you’re craving, you’ll find these items and many more on the menu. 


Mike’s Organic Grocery Opens in Greenwich: 6 Questions with Owner Mike Geller

Interview Seasonal Events Grocery Store Shop Local farm fresh Greenwich Mike's Organic Cos Cob Interview

Andrew Dominick

In July of 2021, Mike Geller and his dedicated team at Mike’s Organic held an announcement event in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich where the bones of the former Patio.com store stood a vacant eyesore for about two years.

That day, in the parking lot, friends and family gathered, food was devoured, and drinks were sipped as Geller enthusiastically spoke about the expansion of his Stamford-based grocery delivery service that would be taking over the 600 E Putnam Avenue space as a grocery store, selling all the finest local, farm fresh produce, meat, seafood, and top notch products that Mike’s Organic has become known for over the years.

Fast forward to less than two years later, like right now, in the present, and Mike’s Organic Grocery is a real thing, as in, you can officially shop there! Preorder. Pick up. Push a cart and browse the shelves. Swing by for a grab-n-go lunch or dinner by their own “Made By Mike’s” lineup of salads, sandwiches, entrées, and more that are all made in-house. And we’re positive that there’s more in store when it comes to this new grocery store.

I recently caught up with Geller for an interview because, honestly, there’s no one better than him to speak about the brand he has created through years of cultivating relationships with farmers and purveyors the way he can.


Summer Guide to Ice Cream, Gelato & Frozen Desserts In CT (2023 Get Licking Edition)

Ice Cream Restaurant Ice Cream Frozen Yogurt Dessert Dining Guide Best of CT Highlight Homepage

April Guilbault

Ice cream on a hot day. Ice cream on a rainy day. Ice cream for dinner or to delight a toddler. Ice cream just because. It’s summer and all of these reasons are 100% legit. Hell, any time of the year they are, right? Connecticut currently ranks #15 in the US for the most ice cream consumed (zippia.com) nationally. However, NY, NJ, VT, and RI eat more…guess this list is just what we need to show them what us Nutmeggers are made of. Or at least, what we enjoy on a hot summer afternoon. Grab a cone, enjoy the drips, and have a summer piled high with the creamy, dreamy stuff. One more thing: for your ease of finding these sweet establishments, we have broken the list down by counties in CT!


maman, NYC’s Beloved French Bakery & Café Opening in Greenwich June 18th

Restaurant Opening Greenwich Bakery Celebrity Chef Dessert Baked Goods Cookies Bread Shop Tea And Coffee

CTbites Team

maman, NYC’s beloved French Bakery & Café, is expanding to Connecticut with its first location in Greenwich (98 Greenwich Ave). Opening June 18th, the Provençal-inspired café, created by co-founders Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte, will bring its fan-favorite salads, sandwiches, made-famous-by-Oprah Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies to the Greenwich community. 

In true maman fashion, the decor will feature florals, signature toile print, and vintage and antique furniture, all drawing inspiration from the South of France. Brokered by Brand Urban, Greenwich’s full-service real estate advisory and brokerage company, maman Greenwich is the perfect spot to savor a morning coffee or pastry or grab brunch or lunch with friends. With 2,300 sqft of space, maman Greenwich is also the perfect spot to host events with your closest friends and family. 

Maman Greenwich will be open Monday - Friday from 7:30am - 6pm and Saturday-Sunday from 8am - 6pm. On opening day, Maman will have a cookbook signing with Elisa from 10am-12pm, and a Father’s Day Special, serving a complimentary S’mores A La Minute Cookie for dads with any purchase! 


PopUp Bagels Opens in Greenwich and More Expansion News

Features Interview Bagels PopUp Bagels Greenwich Homepage Interview

Andrew Dominick

What began as a pandemic bagel baking hobby for Adam Goldberg has increased tenfold, and that’s putting it very lightly.

PopUp Bagels kicked off three years ago when Goldberg and his cousin Jeff Lewis started making bagels for family and friends. Rave reviews led Goldberg to launching a backyard preorder pickup bagel biz that sold out time and time again.


Guide To Connecticut's Most Crave-Worthy Cookies

Features Ingredients Restaurant Cookies Dessert Kid Friendly Sweets Best of CT Highlight

April Guilbault

Who doesn’t enjoy a cookie? Decadently giant or sublimely bite-sized, spanning traditional flavors of sugar, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter or new-fangled recipes that include everything but the kitchen sink. Sweet, sweeter, sweetest. Then there’s the Great Debate: chewy or crispy? Where do you land? Are you a dunker, a nibbler, or a late-night snacker? Cookies are the universal dessert and knowing where to get good ones makes life all the sweeter. Dunk away…

Enjoy our sweet GUIDE TO THE BEST COOKIES IN CONNECTICUT.


Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Happy Monkey in Greenwich + Now Serving Lunch

Features Interview Ingredients Restaurant Jean-Georges Vongerichten Jean-Georges Happy Monkey Greenwich Greenwich Latin Fusion Latin American Homepage

Andrew Dominick

A bowl arrives at my table, and I’ve never seen arroz con pollo like this before. Pan seared chunks of chicken just barely peek out of the rice. And the rice? It looks a perfect midpoint between fluffy and al dente. It’s clearly well-seasoned, sucking up all that stock and sofrito.

But something about it strikes me.


Bonkers Cupcakes Offers Build Your Own Cupcakes in Fairfield CT

Restaurant Features Cupcakes Bakery Baked Goods Dessert Build Your Own Kid Friendly Fairfield Cakes

Oliver Clachko

Build your own cupcakes? Yes please.

We really feel like we hit the jackpot,” says Kris Stevens, owner and operator of Bonkers Cupcakes in Downtown Fairfield. “We absolutely love making these things, and being able to sell them is truly amazing.”

Bonkers offers a variety of cake flavor options, and gives customers the ability to select a cake flavor and then top it with their favorite frosting. Sure they have all the cake classics like chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, as well as more creative choices like banana. To complement these flavors, Bonkers has a large selection of both Italian and American buttercream frostings. Stevens points out that Italian buttercream, which is much softer and not as overly sweet as American buttercream, is preferred both by himself and many customers. The notable frosting flavors include coconut, raspberry, salted caramel, and even coffee.


Orienta in Greenwich Launches Luncheon Series Featuring Local Artisans

Features Restaurant Greenwich Lunch Pop-Up Events

Jessica Ryan

Orienta Restaurant recently launched a new series of luncheon events. The restaurant invites local entrepreneurs, artisans and business owners to share and inspire during the weekday lunch service. The new luncheon series began in December with artist Simone Kestelman of Scarsdale, New York. (For more information visit their website.)

Concurrently, the French and Asian-inspired menu introduced a couple of new items. New dishes include the Chin-Chin Paillard a fun play on the traditional Chicken Paillard and a knock-your-socks-off Vietnamese Savory Crepe. (More on these in a bit.)


Divine Treasures: Vegan & Gluten-Free European-Style Chocolates in Manchester CT

Restaurant Features Dessert Chocolate Valentine's Day Ice Cream Vegan Gluten-Free Special Dietary Needs

April Guilbault

Happily, eating plant-based is becoming easier and more accessible by the day. However, finding decadent desserts and sweets that fit this category have historically been a bit more of a challenge, given that milk, butter, and gelatin is usually involved when making things of the sweeter persuasion. Another challenge: finding gift-worthy artisan treats that are visual treats to the palate as well the eyes. You know, the type of special giant heart box of chocolates that Linus toted around waiting to give to Miss Othmar. At the end of the day, no one wants to be left out, including sweet and chocolate-indulging plant-eaters.

Well, these sweets do exist, Virginia, and they are located in Manchester so your plant-loving special someones can partake in all the sweet flavors and beautiful treats as the omnivores. Every sweet produced at Divine Treasures chocolate shop, which has been going strong since 2007, is vegan and gluten-free. In addition, Divine Treasures confections are made with health and enjoyment in mind. These European-style chocolates are crafted with high-quality ingredients but also, and here’s the amazing part, without refined sugar and corn syrup. Diane Wagemann, owner and chocolatier, studied the art of chocolate making in Belgium and Switzerland and then decided to adapt her grandmother’s family recipes to suit the goal of healthier eating. Instead of adding an abundance of sugars, Wagemann wants the inherent taste of the cacao to be the shining star. She sources the chocolate from small family-owned Fair-Trade certified businesses, so you can be sure that no fillers have been added to the chocolate, which sometimes can compromise the vegan integrity. 


Pistachio Cafe Opens Second Location in New Haven with Syrian Specialties

Features Restaurant New Haven Café Breakfast Lunch Brunch Openings Coffee Shop Middle Eastern Dessert

Stephanie Webster

Some of you may be lucky enough to live near the popular Middle Eastern Pistachio Cafe in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, but diners in downtown New Haven can finally experience the immense pleasure of settling into one of Pistachio’s signature Turkish Coffees or Pistachio Lattes. Last week, Pistachio Cafe opened a 2nd location at 1245 Chapel Street. Syrian artist, architect and owner, Mohamad Hafez, opened the original Pistachio location in 2020 with the goal of “giving guests the experience of hosting them in my domicile without taking them back to Syria.” In fact, the beautifully ornate and sumptuous interior has layer upon layer of detailing and decor straight from his childhood. . Every inch of this cafe is designed with objects of interest, and the stunning surroundings match the character of this Middle Eastern fan favorite.


Bona Bona Ice Cream in Port Chester Launches Savory Bites Menu + Boozy Milkshake Bar

Features Ice Cream Interview Restaurant Ice Cream Milkshakes Bona Bona Ice Cream Bona Bona Port Chester Westchester Greenwich

Andrew Dominick

Those who are newly familiar with Nick Di Bona’s namesake Bona Bona Ice Cream should know he’s not just an ice cream man.

It’s no surprise that Di Bona’s small batch Italian interpretation of American ice cream has taken off. Nutella S’mores, Italian Rainbow Cookie, and Key Lime Pie are a few, but throw in Bona Bona’s signature toasted meringue topping, and it’s not only delicious, it’s highly photographable.


My Favorite Dish: Rosina’s Raviolo al’ Uovo

Features Interview Restaurant Pasta egg yolk ravioli Greenwich Byram Rosina's Greenwich Rosina's fresh pasta Homepage Chef Chefs Chef Talk

Andrew Dominick

I’ll be the first to admit that since Rosina’s opened, it has become my toxic trait. And I mean that in the best way possible. I’ve eaten there for dinner, I’ve attended several happy hours and one industry night, and I’ve celebrated a birthday there.

Full transparency, Jared Falco, Rosina’s co-owner and executive chef, is a good friend of mine. I’d like to say I go so often to visit him, and that is partially true, but Jared, I’m sorry, it’s for the pasta. Still love you, bro!


Neil’s On Wheels Serves Up Tasty Smash Burgers and Chicken Sandwiches in Greenwich

Features Interview Food Truck Neil's On Wheels Greenwich Rye Burgers Smash Burgers Fried Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich Homepage

Andrew Dominick

Cruise down the more residential part of Glenville Road in Greenwich and if it’s the right day, you’ll run into a cutoff where Neil Moore parks his food truck.

If you don’t blow right by it, park your car. Do it. Right now.

It’s where you’ll find Moore’s namesake truck, Neil’s On Wheels, griddling smash burgers and deep frying chicken thighs so big that they hang way off the Martin’s Potato Roll.


Guide to New Haven Bakeries: Italian, Mexican, Puerto Rican & Asian Must-Try Bake Shops

Features Restaurant New Haven Bakery Baked Goods Dessert Cakes Cookies Pastries Bread Bread Shop

Carly Terzigni

New Haven is a foodie hotspot in Connecticut, with no shortage of top-notch restaurants featuring cuisines from all around the globe. That level of quality, sheer abundance of choices, and beautiful blends of cultures extend to the city’s bakeries and cafes, which offer some of the best sweets and baked goods you can imagine. Whether you are looking for a quick dessert or a catered order for your next big event, you definitely do not need to look beyond New Haven’s city limits to find what you are looking for.

The next time you find yourself in New Haven, be sure to carve out some time during your visit to check out one (or several) of these great bakeries listed below. Pro tip: don’t stop at just one dessert; stock up on these tasty sweets like we did and enjoy them all week long.

NOTE: If you have a favorite New Haven Mexican, Italian, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, or Middle Eastern bakery and it’s not on this list, please contact us and we will add it to the list.


Cluck Cluck: 7 Questions with Ben Pote of Wildacre Rotisserie in Greenwich

Interview Restaurant Chefs Chef Talk Local Chef CT Chef Fast Casual Chicken Vegetarian Greenwich Family Friendly

Andrew Dominick

In June 2022, Wilton resident Ben Pote opened Wildacre Rotisserie, a new fast casual concept whose signature is an expertly roasted heirloom chicken and an overall menu that’s all about freshness and quality.

This “Cali-style” chicken joint isn’t only bird-focused, though, as it’s got plenty in terms of vegetarian options—including a whole roasted za’atar seasoned cauliflower.


Bridgeport's Brazilian, Mexican & Italian Bakeries Worth a Sweet Visit

Features Restaurant Bakery Dessert Custom Cakes Cakes Cookies Homepage

Carly Terzigni

Bridgeport, Connecticut is teeming with hidden culinary gems. The city is an exciting kaleidoscope of culture and is among the top cities in the state to immerse yourself in Brazilian traditions. And when it comes to Brazilian cuisine, some of the more highly sought-after destinations are the bakeries. After all, who doesn’t love a perfectly baked dessert after dinner (or before dinner – or as a whole meal itself – we won’t judge)?

Next time you are in Bridgeport, make it a point to stop by one of their many bakeries to experience some of the best in locally-owned sweetness. Whether you are craving a freshly baked concha or a savory breakfast item, you should be able to find them in ample supply in The Park City.

NOTE: If you have a favorite Bridgeport Brazilian, Mexican or Italian bakery and it’s not on this list, please contact us and we will add it to the list.