above: Greenwich editors Megan Gagnon and Ali Gray catch up over lunch at Louie’s in Cos Cob.
photography by ANDREA CARSON
Cozy comes in many forms. It can be a welcoming bartender pouring you a pint in a pub. Or an elegant dinner before a roaring fireplace. It can be a long, lingering brunch. Or a happy hour with a great deal on drinks and shareable plates. From simple to luxurious, here’s a sampling of the coziest places to eat and drink this autumn, and what you’ll find on menus.
MODERN COMFORT
THE COTTAGE
49 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich
203-769-1220
thecottage.kitchen
Let’s start with dessert. If there’s any more creative culinary expression of fall, it’s The Cottage’s sweet potato crème brulée. The creamy custard and shatterable caramelized crust might seem like the star, but then come slices of sweet potato sponge cake, disks of sweet potato roasted with sea salt and maple syrup, toasted meringue, buttermilk sorbet, pecan crumble and light maple caramel syrup.
Chef Brian Lewis’s philosophy is clear: Each component must reach its own level of culinary heaven before creating magic with the whole. He equates it to creating music. He is the conductor who imagines a dish, tastes it in his mind. He and his chef de cuisine, Fecedio Douglas, collaborate on each component, talking and testing with trusted tasters like bartender Roger Allen. When it all comes together, the test of whether the dish is ready for the menu is “The look on their faces as they taste the dish,” he says.
Here’s what’s new on the menu. To start, deviled farm egg with black truffle mayonnaise, lightly pickled baby leeks and potato crunch. Shareable whipped sweet pea hummus gets a crunchy element, too: crushed caramel popcorn spiced with harrisa and z’atar.
Honeynut squash agnolotti pairs aerated burrata mousse with crunchy pumpkin spice pepitas.
Roasted pork loin is simply grilled, while cabbage is marinated in miso before grilling, contrasting with sweet-sharp apple mostarda and grainy mustard sauce with pickled mustard seeds.
We hear the music.
I love texture. Smooth and silky and all kinds of crunch. There are so many ways to derive new flavor profiles from ingredients, from dehydrating to frying in brown butter, and crunchy elements lend themselves to the spices I like to use.
— CHEF BRIAN LEWIS
—
JUST LIKE NONNA’S
LOUIE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
136 River Road, Cos Cob
203-422-2177
louiesrestaurantbar.com
There’s a reason the bar in this family-owned neighborhood restaurant is so beautiful—the woodwork so fine, the finish so warm. It was salvaged from the original Waldorf Astoria in New York City, which opened in 1893 on Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street, and was demolished in 1933, when the hotel moved to Park Avenue.
When Louie’s opened in 2007 in Cos Cob, replacing the old Augie’s Tavern (with its own fabled history of a speakeasy in the basement), new owner Pavli Dallta installed a portion of the venerable bar from the Waldorf Astoria’s “Bull and Bear” bar. It seats 12 and is surrounded by six tables, making it the site of one of the best happy hours going, from 3 to 6 p.m., with a $10 menu of drinks and Italian tapas—meatballs, bruschetta, crispy shrimp and scallops, and chicken parm bites. The atmosphere is old-school, with the menu written in white marker on the bar’s back mirror.
The fireplace in the main dining room draws regulars. Servers carry plates of the most popular dishes—Chicken parm over capellini, penne alla vodka and the daily fish special. We love the minestrone di vedure, orecchiette Bari with broccoli rabe, sausage, garlic and EVOO, and the nostalgic veal picatta. We also love that, if you want, they’ll serve any of their mare dishes—shrimp fra diavolo, salmon mostardo or swordfish Livornese—over pasta.
—
FRENCH FLAVORS
L’ESCALE
500 Steamboat Road, Greenwich
203-661-4600
lescalerestaurant.com
During the cooler months, the heart of L’escale’s dining room is the massive carved stone fireplace, imported from a castle in Provence. The tables surrounding this wood-burning fireplace are the most sought-after, but dining at the bar is cozy too. Fall is one of Executive Chef Frederic Kieffer’s favorite seasons to cook “because it brings an abundance of rich, earthy ingredients that naturally lend themselves to comforting dishes,” he says. Guest favorites also return to the menu, like Amish chicken prepared coq au vin-style, braised with red wine and vegetables. Jumbo sea scallops with butternut squash risotto and cranberry agrodolce balances sweet and savory fall flavors. In November, a simple but luxurious fall tradition begins: white truffle season. That means fresh white Alba truffles shaved over housemade pasta or risotto.
A L’escale signature starter is the fall squash “cappuccino,” a velvety soup topped with cinnamon foam—a warm taste of autumn. Guests crave the richness of beef short ribs braised in wine, served with celeriac mousseline and roasted root vegetables. The L’escale Provençal bouillabaisse, served with house-made rouille croutons and melting Comté cheese, is a comforting French classic. Chocolate soufflé remains the most beloved dessert, a light, decadent end to an autumn meal.
—
GLOBAL GOURMET
LE FAT POODLE
20 Arcadia road, Old Greenwich
203-717-1515
lefatpoodle.com
This global bistro in Old Greenwich brings back fan favorites every fall. Top of the list is Madras lamb curry, with spiced Bombay potatoes, cooling raita and warm naan. “It’s delicious comfort food, bursting with flavor and sass!” says proprietor Anshu Vidyarthi. Also back on the menu is the mouthwatering “Marry Me” chicken with creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, sweet and salty Billionaire Bacon and pommes purée. Many guests ask for gumbo YaYa, a stew based on the “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers and onions, with okra, sausage, chicken and shrimp.
With white tablecloths, chandeliers, glowing lighting, banquettes and bistro chairs, Le Fat Poodle is a casually elegant gathering place with a menu that transports guests to many parts of the world with a comforting croque monsieur, a winey cheese fondue with potatoes and chorizo, a seafood-rich San Francisco cioppino or crunchy Vietnamese spring rolls. All without getting on a plane. Cozy is being close to home.
—
THE NOBLE PUB
THE GINGER MAN
64 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich
203-861-6400
gingermangreenwich.com
It’s not surprising that October through April are The Ginger Man’s busiest months. Beyond a cheerful façade that plays homage to a half-timbered English pub, it draws guests into a relaxed atmosphere with knowledgeable bartenders and a seasonal, curated, draft beer selection that delves into classic European and craft American lagers, and pilsners; wheats, sours and ciders; pale ales and IPAs; and porters and stouts. The bar stays open late.
“The décor and vibe make The Ginger Man just right for colder months,” says Brendan Fell, general manager, of the locals’ favorite that’s been going strong since 2002.
In the tradition of pubs, it serves well-prepared, elevated bar food at lunch, dinner and brunch. In fall, sweet potato New England clam chowder, Guinness beef stew and turkey chili return to the menu. The Ginger Man is known for burgers: 8-ounce patties of a rich, juicy house blend of short rib, brisket and sirloin served on a toasted English muffin (with add-ons of cheese, sautéed mushroom, caramelized onions or bacon), and housemade pickles and house-cut fries. The bacon-jam burger, with melted white cheddar, is a top order. On busy Friday and Saturday nights, a gas fireplace draws guests to the second-floor dining room (which can be rented as a party space for between 50 to 80 people).
—
APERITIVO HOUR
LUGANO SALUMERIA & WINE BAR
1392 E. Putnam Avenue, Old Greenwich
203-990-0955
luganowinebar.com
Named for the only town in the Switzerland where Italian is spoken, Lugano Salumeria & Wine Bar is a large, casual, contemporary Italian restaurant welcoming groups and families. The focus of the main dining room is the long, white marble bar, with 20 red upholstered stools, and it’s the most convivial place to dine, especially during weekday social hour, 3 to 6 p.m. The menu features seasonal Italian tapas. Guests lean into the fall season with housemade gnocchi in creamy, slightly sweet, butternut squash sauce. Arancini are crisp and comforting, the fried risotto balls flecked with prosciutto and ready to swab through creamy parmigiano sauce. Roasted cauliflower is baked in truffle cream sauce and topped with a golden crust of cheese.
Guest’s favorite fall entrees include “Anything with short rib,” says Kirsten Comfort, a managing partner. “House-made papparadelle with tender, fork-shredded short rib in Marsala mushroom sauce is a go-to for the fall season.”
Lasagna al forno is another crowd pleaser, with sheets of housemade pasta, melting mozzarella and creamy ricotta, and a thick Bolognese, made of ground beef, tomato and besciamella. The sturdy Sunday Gravy is a meat-lovers dream with short rib, braciole, sausage and meatball in tomato sauce over rigatoni. Lugano offers 15 wines by the glass. The fireplace warms the private dining room, open to regular restaurant guests when available.
—
OLD-SCHOOL COOL
THE WAVENY TAVERN BY PXK
36 Pine Street, New Canaan
203-920-1414
thewavenytavernbypxk.com
The Waveny Tavern by PXK in New Canaan has a menu of luxurious New American comfort food with a New England theme. From the bar to the dining room, Waveny Tavern has lots of intimate nooks and cozy booths decorated in a comfortable, old money, equestrian style. Acclaimed chef Peter X. Kelly suggests guests start a fall meal with the refined New Canaan clam chowder, a bowl of tender chopped clams, brunoised potatoes and minced Nueske’s bacon, over which the server pours a light cream broth. (We think it’s one of the best clam chowders we’ve ever tasted.) Chawanmushi is another not-to-be-missed starter, a soft and warm, umami-enriched custard topped with shrimp, crab, lobster and uni, and bathed in dashi broth.
Lobster Pot Pie is a sumptuous fall feast of tender lobster, brunoised vegetables and little hon-shimeji mushrooms, bathed in a sherry-laced lobster sauce under a golden puff pastry crust. The signature 40-ounce cowboy steak for two (the steak that beat Bobby Flay) is crusted with brown sugar and cayenne, grilled on the bone and served sliced, with a frothy, tarragon-scented Béarnaise sauce and creamed spinach. Chef also recommends the Ossabow pork chop glazed in sweet and spicy chili-apricot, and served with gingered sweet potatoes and charred broccolini. What could be more fall than that?
Pro Tip: Don’t miss the dreamy à la minute Napoleon—layers of crisp caramelized pastry, lemon curd and whipped cream.
—
OUI, CHEF
LUC’S CAFÉ
3 Big Shop Lane, Ridgefield
203-894-8522
lucscafe.com
Ridgefield is one of Fairfield County’s most charming towns. About 29 miles from Greenwich, it’s a destination with history and culture at Keeler Tavern Museum, The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art and the Ridgefield Playhouse, a performing arts theatre.
But Luc’s Café is a destination all its own. This French café is transporting. Step into the low-ceilinged, raftered room and you’ve entered a cool little French world. Open since 2001, it’s become an institution for serving an all-day menu from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (closed Sundays). All the French classics are on the menu: les salades, les soupes, les sandwiches and les plats. Name a classic—frisée aux lardons, housemade pâté de foie gras and chicken liver, moules marinières, croque monsieur or steak frites.
Our favorite is the crispy duck confit with pommes sarladaises (yummy potatoes with mushrooms and shallots), and salad of frisée, match stick apples and walnuts. The filet of sole with vegetables is prepared with your choice of sauce, buttery meuniére, Grenobloise or amandine.
P.S. Deborah Ann’s Sweet Shoppe offers homemade chocolates and ice cream.
