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Hot pizza getting cut at Sally's Apizza in New Haven on April 23, 2021. Angle Wings Neon Sign
DORO Marketplace in Windsor Locks, a European-style bakery/cafe by the DORO Restaurant Group.
Cake topped with brigadeiros from Pink Sweets Cakes located at the Stamford Town Center.
The Forbidden Llama, at 329 Main St., held its grand opening recently in Middletown, serving Peruvian fare.
Check out these new restaurants around Connecticut, from a European-inspired bakery and cafe near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks to a Latin-American bistro in Norwalk.
A large pizza at Sally's Apizza in New Haven on April 23, 2021.
The newest Sally's Apizza outpost opened Dec. 1 within the Trademark Fairfield apartment building, featuring dual spaces: a dedicated takeout delivery location and a separate elevated experience dine-in location. The takeout space provides the full Sally's menu, in addition to a special "right up" menu of Italian favorites and sandwiches for people on the go.
665 Commerce Drive, 860-635-5344, @sallysapizza.
The Place 2 Be, West Hartford
This isn’t your average, staid breakfast and lunch joint — it’s a riot of colorful and decadent fare, like strawberry cream-cheese stuffed French toast drizzled with Nutella, fried chicken and waffles, pancakes sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles, oversized mimosas with floating rubber duckies. Like its sibling restaurants in Hartford, the new location goes all-in on trendy decor and selfie opportunities, and cheeky “go bottomless” branding refers to both drink specials and a mural of derrieres in the restrooms. 50 Memorial Road, 860-216-9175, place2bect.com.
The Place 2 Be, the Instagram-friendly brunch restaurant that got its start in Hartford, opened its fifth location in New Haven Dec. 20, in the former Box 63 space. Like its siblings in Hartford, West Hartford and Springfield, the new restaurant goes all-in on trendy decor and selfie opportunities, including neon light signs and similar bathtub and rubber duckie interior design elements.
The two-floor restaurant, with two bars, has a real tree indoors under a skylight stretching up two stories, and a 1,500-square-foot rooftop patio will be open in the warmer months. Guests can expect the same signature brunch dishes, like stuffed French toast, Nutella coconut pancakes and chicken and waffle sliders, along with sandwiches and salads for savory lunch options and a bar featuring mimosas and indulgent cocktails.
338 Elm St., 203-745-3657, @place2bect.
The Forbidden Llama, at 329 Main St., held its grand opening recently in Middletown, serving Peruvian fare.
The new Peruvian restaurant, which took over the former Forbidden City space on Middletown's Main Street in November, offers traditional fare like ceviche, lomo saltado and desserts like churros, tres leches and alfajores. Forbidden Llama has an extensive drink menu, and will serve brunch with mimosas and specialty cocktails.
329 Main St., 860-515-1722, @theforbiddenllama.
DORO Marketplace in Windsor Locks, a European-style bakery/cafe by the DORO Restaurant Group.
West Hartford-based DORO Restaurant Group opened a second location of its DORO Marketplace, a European-style bakery and cafe, in Windsor Locks Dec. 14. The newest Marketplace mirrors the West Hartford original in both design and menu and offers a coffee program (featuring beans from Trumbull's Shearwater Roasters), freshly baked breads and pastries and a full slate of options for breakfast and lunch, including sandwiches and salads.
2 National Drive, 860-370-5003, facebook.com/doromarketplace.
Norwalk's new restaurant takes its name from the Spanish word for "soul," and that's what its owners are striving to bring to the new bright, airy Wall Street space with a Latin-fusion menu. Alma Bistro, which opened in late October in the former Bistro 83, is a collaboration between co-owners Alma Miranda, an accountant, and Ulises Jimenéz, the owner and head chef of Don Rene Taqueria in Milford.
Together with Norberto Lucero, head chef of Brasitas in Norwalk and Stamford, the team created the fusion menu, which Miranda calls a "Latino melting pot," as staff members are from Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. The offerings feature dishes inspired by several Latin-American cultures, with vivid flavors and spices and alluring presentations.
83 Wall St., 203-354-5555, @almabistro.cocina.
Owner Pat Fahy, who opened Emma's in November, wants his new restaurant to be neighborhood hangout where people can eat, drink and enjoy each other's company. The menu features dishes with a "youthful vibe" like crustless grilled cheese, pigs in blankets, pasta with butter and parmesan, bar pies, sliders and ice cream floats. Emma's also offers self-pour technology, where guests can get a "pour card" allowing them to dispense their own beer, wine or seltzer.
Mexicue, named to emphasize the inspiration from various types of food like Mexican and barbecue, opened a Westport location Nov. 16, joining another in Stamford. Founder Thomas Kelly said Mexicue makes all of its menu offerings from scratch and the focal point is tacos, featuring "big bold flavors" and fillings like Nashville hot chicken, burnt ends brisket, smoky fried eggplant and fried avocado.
38 Main St., 203-275-0010, @mexicue.
The Q River Grill is now open in a long-vacant waterfront restaurant space on the Quinnipiac River at Quinnipiac Avenue and Clifton Street, offering the neighborhood a new local hangout for dinner, wings, grilled pizzas, a burger, salads, fried calamari and drinks.
Opened in October at 3 Clifton St., after a host of delays, by partners — and best friends — Rob Rice, Daren Snider and Chris Mutt, The Q River Grill has joined nearby Ziggy's Pizza on East Grand Avenue to serve the neighborhood's culinary needs.
Cake topped with brigadeiros from Pink Sweets Cakes located at the Stamford Town Center.
Owner Fernanda Ferreira is bringing a taste of Brazil to the Stamford Town Center, with a bakery featuring traditional Brazilian treats like flan, coconut cake, pão de queijo (cheese bread), corn cake and carrot cake with brigadeiro. The store specializes in Brazilian fillings and toppings like brigadeiro, dulce de leche and churro.
100 Greyrock Place, 203-290-7323, @pinksweetscakes.
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Leeanne is the food and consumer reporter for Hearst Connecticut, handling coverage of restaurant openings and closings, trends, events and general news about CT food and beverage businesses.
She's been working in Connecticut news for more than 15 years, most recently as the food and dining reporter for the Hartford Courant. A native of Worcester, Mass., she holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University.
Mark Zaretsky, a Chicago native and longtime New Haven resident, is an award-winning reporter and music writer for the New Haven Register and Hearst Connecticut Media. His beats include East Haven and Branford, regional issues and occasional blues and roots music stories. He also makes a point of knowing where all the good ethnic and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, bars and bakeries are -- and is an unapologetic Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls fan. In addition to his work as a journalist, Zaretsky is a front man for The Cobalt Rhythm Kings and The Chicago Dawgs and occasionally performs with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Mark Naftalin and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Erin Kayata is the city hall reporter for the Norwalk Hour. She previously covered education for the Stamford Advocate. Erin got her start covering Darien and New Canaan for the weekly papers there. Before that, she worked at the Boston Globe as part of their co-op program. Erin grew up in southeastern Massachusetts and graduated from Emerson College with a degree in journalism.
Sneaker Neon Sign Though she grew up in Michigan, Amanda Cuda is from Connecticut originally and moved here shortly after graduating from Michigan State University. She has worked for the Connecticut Post in a variety of positions, including town reporter, features writer, TV columnist and health editor. She's a married mother of twins who loves reading, watching TV and rooting for the Michigan State Spartans.