As a musician, life-long resident of Connecticut (okay except for attending college in Florida), weekend travel warrior, and foodie, my travels (and musical endeavors) have afforded me the opportunity to visit great places and sample many epicurean delights throughout the state.
Now I’m sure many of you already know of some of Connecticut’s more famous attractions and you may be familiar with fantastic 5-star restaurants and perhaps some without such distinguished ratings. But in this column we are going to chat about all kinds of neat spots that serve tasty food. Moreover, because sometimes you may not want to travel very far for a good meal, we’ll explore interesting places that may entice you to venture out and about, giving you good reason to visit a local eatery as a nice way to cap off the day.
So let’s talk travel and food in Connecticut! And let’s start with Norwalk. Yes, many of you may already know about the Maritime Center, which is a great place to… but you may not know about the wonderful eateries in and around the Norwalk area. You may aslo remember the Peabody Museum in Bridgeport but you may not know about the outstanding unassuming restaurant that sits right across the street. I’ll come back to specific names later.
Are you a breakfast-lover with a penchant for shopping? Check out the Danbury Mall. After—or before—your bargain hunting, stop into the Marcus Dairy Restaurant, this is just down the road a bit from the mall. Yes, Marcus Dairy, it has been a destination spot for motorcyclists and breakfast-lovers for years, but don’t worry, you don’t need to ride one to enjoy a good meal there. It’s just that on Sunday mornings many people come from all over to stop commiserate and have a delicious breakfast.
For those who live a little more north than south, how about Middletown? Did you know about the Wadsworth Mansion or how about the Center for Arts at Wesleyan University? “In 1900 Colonel Clarence S. Wadsworth began preparing plans for the site of his future country summer residence “Long Hill” in the rolling hills of western Middletown. Today, the Mansion sits on 100 acres of wooded parkland, and is the quintessential country estate reflective of the Gilded Age when the art of entertaining was perfected.” The Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University “serves as a cultural center for the campus, Middletown and the region by presenting a wide variety of events and exhibitions.”
Now since we’re on a breakfast kick, while you’re in Middletown, you must have a bite to eat at O’Rourke’s—otherwise known as the greatest little breakfast nook you’ll ever find. All their food is fabulous, much of it inspired by Louisiana-style flavors and their omelets are nothing short of sinful (but worth every extra calorie!).
So, there you have it, a couple places to check out on a weekend. Get up, leave the coffee and paper at home, strike out on an adventure for the day (or at least half a day), and go somewhere a little out of the ordinary. Add to that some outstanding food that is out of the ordinary and you’ve got a recipe for a great day.
Locations:
Dinner
Valencia Luncheria 172 Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06851 (203) 846.8009 www.valencialuncheria.com
Ralph ‘n’ Rich’s 815 Main Street Bridgeport CT, 06605 (203) 366-3597
www.ralphnrichsct.com
Breakfast
Marcus Dairy Restaurant 5 Sugar Hollow Rd Danbury, CT 06810 (203) 748-9427 www.marcusdairy.com
O’Rourke’s Diner 728 Main Street Middletown, CT 06457 (860) 346.6101
If you’d like to share some of your favorite travels and noshes, let us know.
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