It’s an exciting time for food when it comes to eating out in Connecticut.
Cafes are popping up all across Connecticut as signature coffees gain popularity along with the meals that pair best with them: breakfast and lunch, and other dining delights.
Most cafes offer their own coffee brand produced by a roaster and their food runs the gamut, from muffins from scratch, flaky pastries, breakfast burritos, Cuban sandwiches, artisan salads and plenty of creative one-of-a kinds.
Here’s a look at five new cafes in Connecticut.
Daily Grind in Unionville
In just three months, Daily Grind in the heart of downtown Unionville has quickly become a gathering place for locals with owner Evan Parsons at the helm.
Parsons, a bartender turned barista and alcoholic turned sober carries their own label coffee roasted by Rebel Dog Coffee Co. in Plainville and pastries, bagels, donuts, rolls all sourced from the local area.
The lunch menu is a mouth-watering, comfy-food selection, including a personal favorite, the “Hammie” — a sandwich his mom used to pack for him for school field trips that includes Virginia ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and onion with horseradish aioli.
A popular breakfast item is the sausage breakfast wrap of American cheese, scrambled eggs, onion, green pepper, hash browns, and sausage with a chipotle aioli.
Customers say they love that the menu is simple and the food fresh, made to order. Daily Grind also has a “welcoming vibe,” guests say.
“They put the personal touch on it,” customer Jeff Brand said.
Parsons, who keeps it to one cup of coffee himself per day, has named the dark roast coffee “Rebos” or sober spelled backwards.
Parsons is proud of his addiction recovery process and approaches it with transparency in hopes of helping others.
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Sadie’s Sunrise Cafe in Berlin
Andrea Gussak spent 35 years in the kosher catering business with her mom, but after mom retired, recently fulfilled her dream of opening a breakfast and lunch cafe.
Sadie’s Sunrise Cafe in Berlin is a spotless 2,000-square-foot eatery The cafe is named for her beloved blue Great Dane, Sadie, whom she inherited last year from a friend, Jay Dollinger, who passed away.
Customers say in reviews the food is tasty, staff friendly and all in a warm, friendly atmosphere. They also note appreciation for all the vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, as well as Gussak’s willingness to whip up whip up whatever they order that’s not on the menu.
Gussak does the baking, items such as gingerbread blondies, cinnamon rolls with vanilla cream cheese icing, rainbow M & M cookies, snickerdoodles, scones with blueberry and raspberry, banana coffeecake with streusel topping and holiday cake pops, which are vanilla cake coated in white chocolate and peppermint bits.
In addition to the core menu they are always adding specials along with market trends, Gussak has said, because she doesn’t want customers to get bored with the base menu.
The menu offers several egg combos including scrambles, that are Mediterranean, Reuben and veggie.
They also offer many toasts such as Ricotta Toast with Honey and Pistachios and smoked salmon. Gussak is loving her new venture so far. She said she has a great rapport with staff who have become like “family,” and she is collaborative with them in creating specials.
The Spot Cafe in East Hartford
LaTasha Fitzwilliam, owner of The Spot Cafe in East Hartford says her food is “mostly seasoned with love,” so her simple ingredients really pop for guests.
The location of her cafe was previously home to Rosa’s Cafe & Bakery, which announced it’s closure in August due to risings costs and personal reasons.
Fitzwilliam, once a grill cook at Rosa’s, serves breakfast and lunch at the new place, including favorites at Rosa’s such as house made doughnuts and Latino pastries.
Fitzwilliam has said she loves to see the smiles of satisfaction on customer’s faces when they take a bite of her breakfast burritos, home fries, popular Cuban sandwich or anything else.
“Every time I put something out there a little piece of me goes with it,” she has said.
When a customer told Fitzwilliam hers were the best home fries they’d ever had, “It made my day,” Fitzwilliam said.
Fitzwilliam said she kept a lot of what Rosa’s had on the menu and added some items, such as pancakes, French toast and on Sundays only, waffles.
The lunch menu at The Spot Cafe includes Philly cheese steak, chicken Philly, tuna salad, chicken salad and The Cuban, a customer favorite sandwich.
Love is such a strong theme for her that the wall decoration includes an image of a coffee cup with steam in the shape of hearts coming off the top.
Small State Provisions in Avon
Kevin Masse is wowing customers with the tastes and sights at Small State Provisions in Avon, a 2,200 square-foot open floor plan bakery/cafe.
In less than a year his cafe/bakery has become a “community hub,” for families, friends, business meet-ups and chance meetings.
Bringing people together and seeing them have fun is part of what makes Masse tick.
“It’s a labor of love,” Masse has said of the business.
Regular customers say they love the food, the space, the view and the warm vibe.
Lauren Ursillo said she has her favorites at Small State Provisions, but there’s nothing she won’t try because its all good.
“It’s a happy place,” she said. “The view is beautiful. Kevin gets to know everyone who comes in. There are always hugs.”
Customer Annie Tomlin said Small State Provisions was helpful in her family adjusting to a move from Los angeles. “There’s something wonderfully reassuring about having a bakery you love,” Tomlin said.
Most of his products are organic and items like pies and cakes not found on the regular menu can be special ordered. They also carry some vegan and gluten-free items.
Berkins on Main in Hartford
In December Berkins on Main Cafe quietly opened inside Hartford’s Public Library downtown at 500 Main St., despite the library itself being closed for repairs.
The library isn’t supposed to reopen until late summer/early fall, but customers have been finding their way to the cafe with award-winning coffee that has a “west coast vibe.” The cafe also serves homemade soups, salads, pastries, sandwiches and will soon carry more breakfast items.
Hartford Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Julio Concepcion. sai the city is thrilled to have Berkins on Main downtown.
“It won’t take long for it to be a popular destination for residents, employees and visitors alike,” he said.
Andrea Hawkins, who owns the cafe business along with her husband of nine years, Doug Barber, said business has already been brisk, in part because of other library programs, including a Sunday jazz series.
Their heart is in the cafe where fresh flowers adorn the tables and inspirational messages are all around.
“We like to feel like if you come into our cafe you feel like you’re home,” Hawkins said. “That space is as much your space as ours.”
Originally Published: February 3, 2024 at 6:00 AM EST