It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Shelton Historical Society gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Shelton, CT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“The staff at ABC has been wonderful! It's easy to reach them, they are responsive,”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always”
“I just wanted express our thoughts about Mary, who was the caregiver for the weekend.”
“Excellent company, very experienced management and staffs. Highly recommend”
“Thank you so much for your kind , personalized service. My mother was always resistant”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always”
“Always Best Care Services is a good place to get good care. The employees would”
“My mother was in need of help after she broke her hip at 101 years”
“The staff at ABC has been wonderful! It's easy to reach them, they are responsive, respectful, and cheerful. This was the first step in getting outside assistance for our Mom and we were so impressed with how thorough the care was - the first helper checked to see that her home was safe and that she knew how to use her cell phone. We'd highly recommend using their in home care.”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always Best Care is providing our parents. You have guided us through this very difficult time and have helped us deal with my mother’s illness and her inability to care for my dad. Your caregivers are very capable and caring, and your staff is competent and thorough. We believe this makes your company invaluable to families with loved ones in need of assistance. We would recommend Always Best Care to anybody in search of quality care for their loved one. Thank you for all you and your staff do.”
“I just wanted express our thoughts about Mary, who was the caregiver for the weekend. We all thought she was wonderful!! I think her biggest strength is that she sees the work, needs little/to no direction, offers to take things out of our hands, and is a true-go-getter. For Billie, this type of help is great since she feels like she can take some time to rest and trust all is okay. Mary works hard and is also very patient. I really think Mary is a natural dealing with elderly. She is patient and kind! Anyway, what I wanted to ask is if Mary can be the consistent caregiver for the weekends. The other 4 caregivers that I have met are also very nice. We would like Mary as much as possible as she is punctual, and as I mentioned before, sees what needs doing. She is focused on what she can do to help. She doesnt just sit there next to Bill, she has eyes in the back of her head and goes the extra mile. Anything that needs to get done, she says no wait, let me do it if she hasnt already initiated it herself. She seems to have endless energy and never complained. I just felt compelled to drop you a this note to let you know how impressed we were with her. Thanks”
“Excellent company, very experienced management and staffs. Highly recommend”
“Thank you so much for your kind , personalized service. My mother was always resistant to have someone come into her home to help care for her, but she is very, very pleased with Betsy. Not only does she have someone to keep her company and meet her physical needs—her kitchen is looking cleaner than I have seen it in a while. Thank you again. Your kind manner was reassuring to my mother and to me, and you have made the process of caring for my mother at home easy, and provided me with much needed relief so that I can actually return to work with a calm mind.”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always Best Care is providing our parents. You have guided us through this very difficult time and have helped us deal with my mother’s illness and her inability to care for my dad. Your caregivers are very capable and caring, and your staff is competent and thorough. We believe this makes your company invaluable to families with loved ones in need of assistance. We would recommend Always Best Care to anybody in search of quality care for their loved one. Thank you for all you and your staff do.”
“Always Best Care Services is a good place to get good care. The employees would do their very best to take care of you in your time of need. I will recommended this facility to family and friends. I want to thank you so much for the exceptional care you took of my dad. I hold your agency in the highest regard and you have my deepest appreciation.”
“My mother was in need of help after she broke her hip at 101 years old. She refused to leave her home. Susan Oderwald took wonderful care of her. She found caregivers for her who treated her with kid gloves and she herself went above and beyond by getting papers signed, visiting her in the hospital and fetching things for her. I don't know what I would have done without her, since I live 3,000 miles away. I highly recommend her, her services and her staff of caregivers.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Sunnyside Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Il Palio Restaurant or visit Indian Well State Park, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Shelton, CT, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Shelton, CT understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Shelton, CT 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Bagel Bros & Co. in Shelton is preparing to expand to Oxford this week.The bagel shop announced on Friday that it will open its second location on 144 Oxford Road Monday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. The store will join Domino's Pizza, Shing Jet Restaurant and other businesses inside Tommy K's Plaza shopping center.Flamur Nasufi, the co-owner of ...
Bagel Bros & Co. in Shelton is preparing to expand to Oxford this week.
The bagel shop announced on Friday that it will open its second location on 144 Oxford Road Monday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. The store will join Domino's Pizza, Shing Jet Restaurant and other businesses inside Tommy K's Plaza shopping center.
Flamur Nasufi, the co-owner of Bagel Bros & Co., said in an interview in January that the second location will have an "expanded breakfast menu" featuring omelettes, pancakes and waffles. It will also have TVs, coffee, tea and a sit-down dining experience, he said. At the time, Nasufi was hoping to open by the end of January.
In November, Bagel Bros & Co. announced on Facebook plans to open the second location "with exciting upgrades."
The store announced a March 10 opening date on Facebook a few weeks ago. It was not immediately clear why the opening had been delayed.
Nasufi couldn't immediately be reached for comment on Sunday.
Its original Shelton location sells New York-style bagels on at 350 Howard Avenue and is open seven days a week, according to its website. The company's operating hours are Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Shelton location offers 16 different bagel flavors and a variety of spreads, sauces and bagel sandwiches, according to the menu. The shop also sells muffins, croissants, doughnuts and Danish pastries.
Food magazine Tasting Table ranked Bagel Bros & Co. as the top bagel shop in Connecticut in its February article "The Best Bagel Shops In Every State, According To Online Reviews."
Brothers Ali and Flamur Nasufi own the shop as a way to continue the legacy of their father, who immigrated to American at 18 and became a restaurant owner, the website reads.
March 23, 2025
Features reporter
Abby Weiss is a Fairfield County native and features reporter for CT Insider. She graduated with a B.S. in journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in May 2022. She writes about entertainment and interesting people in Connecticut, such as a Danbury pilot who helped inspire the Amazon Prime movie “On a Wing and a Prayer,” a Yale psychologist helping displaced Ukrainian families and a Connecticut filmmaker who was chosen for an all-civilian SpaceX trip to the moon. She also speaks with experts uncovering Connecticut’s history, including information about the state’s suffragettes of color and New Haven’s LGBTQ community.
Abby is passionate about reporting on the environment, and in the past year, she's reported on Connecticut's unusually warm winter and the impacts of the 2022 summer drought. She’s also written about Connecticut’s child marriage ban and rent prices’ impact on Gen Z.
She has written climate stories for InsideClimate News and Callaway Climate Insights, and interned for The New York Post.
SHELTON — Garden Catering will soon be serving up its famous hand-cut chicken nuggets and “Hotsy” breakfast sandwiches in the city.This eatery will open later this summer in space formerly home to Game Stop in Split Rock Corner at 702 Bridgeport Ave., co-owner Tina Carpenteri told Hearst CT Media. This brings the number of Garden Catering locations to 11 throughout Connecticut and New York.AdvertisementArticle continues below this ad“Shelton is a natural next step for Garden Catering,&rdquo...
SHELTON — Garden Catering will soon be serving up its famous hand-cut chicken nuggets and “Hotsy” breakfast sandwiches in the city.
This eatery will open later this summer in space formerly home to Game Stop in Split Rock Corner at 702 Bridgeport Ave., co-owner Tina Carpenteri told Hearst CT Media. This brings the number of Garden Catering locations to 11 throughout Connecticut and New York.
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“Shelton is a natural next step for Garden Catering,” said Carpenteri.
“With a strong presence in communities like Greenwich, Stamford, Fairfield and Norwalk, we’ve seen firsthand how well our hand-cut nuggets, crispy potato cones and the rest of our family-friendly menu resonates with busy suburban neighborhoods.”
Garden Catering will occupy 2,000 square feet of space and seat up to 20 guests, according to a Garden Catering news release.
The Shelton location, along with a new restaurant set to open in Darien, brings the total number of Garden Catering locations to 11, including Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport and New Haven as well as Port Chester and Mamaroneck, N.Y.
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"Like many of the towns we operate in, Shelton has great community spirit, a growing economy, and since we have locations nearby, we have existing brand awareness,” Carpenteri said.
“While Shelton has many wonderful restaurants, our hand-cut nuggets are unique to their dining scene, and we can’t wait to introduce them,” she added.
Carpenteri said the menu will consist of the items that “our customers have come to know and love."
In addition to nuggets, which are cut daily in house, Garden Catering will serve up crispy potato cones, milkshakes and an all-day breakfast menu featuring "The Hotsy,” a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich made with Hotsy's famous chili and potato cones.
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Garden Catering first operated out of a converted train car in Old Greenwich in the late 1970s, serving fried chicken and sides to hungry locals.
Frank Carpenteri Sr. relaunched the brand at the same location in 1991 with an emphasis on quality and friendly service. Today, it remains family-owned and operated by Tina Carpenteri and her brother Frank Carpenteri Jr.
Garden Catering has been recognized on the Fast Casual Movers & Shakers Top 75 list every year since 2021 — celebrated for both its hand-cut nuggets, all-day breakfast sandwiches and its impact in the communities it serves.
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Through its fundraising initiatives, Garden Catering has donated more than $400,000 to local nonprofits, with a focus on children’s initiatives and pediatric cancer research.
April 9, 2025
SHELTON, CT — Garden Catering, a local chicken brand famous for its hand-cut nuggets, plans to open a new location in Shelton later this year.Co-Owner Tina Carpenteri confirmed to Patch this week the Shelton location is set to open at 702 Bridgeport Avenue, a former GameStop space in the Split Rock Development.The larger space will span 2,000 square feet and seat up to 20 guests, according to additional press materials provided by Garden Catering.The Shelton location, along with a new restaurant ...
SHELTON, CT — Garden Catering, a local chicken brand famous for its hand-cut nuggets, plans to open a new location in Shelton later this year.
Co-Owner Tina Carpenteri confirmed to Patch this week the Shelton location is set to open at 702 Bridgeport Avenue, a former GameStop space in the Split Rock Development.
The larger space will span 2,000 square feet and seat up to 20 guests, according to additional press materials provided by Garden Catering.
The Shelton location, along with a new restaurant set to open in Darien, will expand Garden Catering's presence to 11 locations across Connecticut and New York.
"Shelton is a natural next step for Garden Catering," Carpenteri said to Patch. "With a strong presence in communities like Greenwich, Stamford, Fairfield and Norwalk, we've seen firsthand how well our hand-cut nuggets, crispy potato cones and the rest of our family-friendly menu resonates with busy suburban neighborhoods."
While a firm opening date has not been set yet, Carpenteri said they are planning to open the Shelton location later this summer.
"Like many of the towns we operate in, Shelton has great community spirit, a growing economy," Carpenteri said, "and since we have locations nearby, we have existing brand awareness."
According to Carpenteri, the Shelton menu will "consist of the items that our customers have come to know and love."
In addition to their beloved nuggets, cut daily in house, Garden Catering also famously serves up crispy potato cones, milkshakes and an all-day breakfast menu that includes "The Hotsy," a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich made with Hotsy's famous chili and potato cones.
"While Shelton has many wonderful restaurants, our hand-cut nuggets are unique to their dining scene," Carpenteri said, "and we can't wait to introduce them."
Garden Catering first operated out of a converted train car in Old Greenwich in the late 1970's, serving up fried chicken and sides to hungry locals.
Frank Carpenteri Sr. re-launched the brand at the same location in 1991 with an emphasis on quality and friendly service.
Garden Catering remains family-owned and operated by siblings Frank Jr. and Tina Carpenteri, with additional locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport and New Haven, as well as Port Chester and Mamaroneck, N.Y.
A Shelton restauranteur plans to open The Roaring Boar, a unique twist on a BBQ restaurant, in a building that dates back to 1910.RJ Scofield, Patch Staff|Updated Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 10:18 am ETSHELTON, CT — As the owner of Caloroso Eatery & Bar, a popular Italian restaurant on Center Street, Mathew Calandro is no stranger to the Shelton dining scene.For a number of years, Calandro has taken great pleas...
RJ Scofield, Patch Staff
|Updated Wed, Mar 26, 2025 at 10:18 am ET
SHELTON, CT — As the owner of Caloroso Eatery & Bar, a popular Italian restaurant on Center Street, Mathew Calandro is no stranger to the Shelton dining scene.
For a number of years, Calandro has taken great pleasure in being able to bring his favorite type of food to customers in Shelton, despite the competition he faces from other Italian restaurants in the area.
"Italian is far and above the best cuisine in my humble opinion," Calandro said to Patch, "there's just so much of it."
With that in mind, Calandro has planned out a unique new restaurant venture set to open in a historic building on Howe Avenue.
According to Calandro, he and managing partner Andrew Palmerino hope to put a unique twist on barbecue items and emphasize breakfast service when The Roaring Boar opens in Shelton in the near future.
"We're going to have heavy emphasis on pulled pork, ribs, corned beef, pastrami, we'll do brisket and ribs on the weekends, that basic stuff," Calandro said. "We're also really going to put our stamp on a signature breakfast. Obviously we're going to repurpose a lot of the barbecue that we're going to have for breakfast as well, like rib sandwiches and stuff like that."
A lot of the inspiration for The Roaring Boar was informed directly by the building, which the pair decided to rehabilitate after falling in love with it.
"It dates back to 1910, certain pieces," Calandro said. "As we started looking at the building and kind of realizing all the character that we had, we thought it was a really nice space for a restaurant."
The nearly 4,000-square-foot space will serve a few different functions, according to Calandro.
"It's kind of taking a different spin where customers will not tip for food, they won't be allowed," Calandro said. "There will be QR codes at every seat they can scan and we bring their food to them, and no tipping allowed...I firmly believe it's the way of casual dining. It's just too expensive right now."
The restaurant will also feature a 40-seat bar in the main area, offering both a traditional bar menu and a wide selection of mocktails.
Another area of the restaurant will be presented as a "Roaring 20's" bar, featuring the building's original 1910 ceiling and 24 seats that will operate as a traditional restaurant.
"Whereas everything else is basically self-serve as it comes to menu procurement," Calandro said, "we'll have cocktail servers and a large bar where people can pay a cocktail server to bring their drink or beverage, and then a very large stage to bring in communal acts and live musicians, [as well as] a little [arcade bar] area. It's something different, and we're definitely looking forward to it."
Calandro also plans to feature a VIP lounge with a heavy emphasis on unique bourbons, which will even include a secret entrance and other theatrical components.
One thing The Roaring Boar team really hopes to offer is "a good floor presence" by devising ways to connect with their customers despite forgoing a traditional service experience.
"We don't want it to feel cold...so we're still going to have that family-type feel to it," Calandro said, "but offer different cuisine, a different experience, different entertainment."
Overall, the team at The Roaring Boar aims to create an atmosphere that features "different" but affordable quality items in an inviting atmosphere, presented in a unique way.
Calandro also emphasized the importance of preserving the historic building, due partially to his own father's involvement in local preservation.
"Preservation of the building is very important to me," Calandro said. "It's something that I grew up on...it's something that I've had in my blood for a very long time."
While he hopes to open The Roaring Boar as soon as possible, Calandro said there are still some necessary approvals needed before construction can begin, however he hopes to have the restaurant up and running either later this year or in early 2026.
"It's gotten to a point where we kind of have to change with the times," Calandro said, "and that's what I'm hoping this is going to pull off. It's a different concept, but I believe in it."
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