Westport cuisine is like Rodney Dangerfield, it ain’t get no respect.
Sure, nearly every student currently at Staples has flocked to local hotspot Sakura for a “special occasion meal.” Everyone has had their fair share of “family dinners” at Acqua. The truth is, Westport cuisine is so much more than your generic Italian or hibachi, and I’m sick of people denying that.
I am not going to sit here and tell you that Westport is the next L’Alsace or Paris. However, I believe that it is important to recognize that as Westportians, we should be proud of our cuisine, considering how it stacks up with our neighboring towns. We excel in certain realms of cuisine, whether they be Fine Dining or Family Style Cooking. Truthfully, we are outnumbered by the likes of Norwalk when it comes to the world of authentic Mexican or Latin foods. Sadly, there is certainly a lack of “hidden treasures.” Westport will never be the place where you have your “best kept secret,” but it is the place where you could always find a good meal, whether it be on main street or Saugatuck. Westport has it all: quality and quantity.
Recently, Westport has picked up serious steam in the foodie world, starting with additions of both Tarry Lodge and Shake Shack. While some people may question the importance of Shake Shack to the Westport cuisine, it is necessary to look at the restaurant’s other locations, most of which include major metropolises. All of a sudden, Westport is amongst the likes of New York City, Dubai, Miami, and D.C. Like it or not, restaurateur and founder of the Burger chain Danny Meyer is a God of the food world, and he chose Westport as one of a select few of the burger joint’s locations. Same goes for Celebrity Chef Mario Batali, who choseWestport as the location for his highly regarded Italian restaurant Tarry Lodge. Previously located only in Portchester, NY, Batali’s place has brought an even greater dimension toWestport’s already flourishing Italian cuisine.
There can be no talk of Westport’s fine cuisine without the mention of perhaps its greatest achievement, James Beard nominated Chef Bill Taibe’s intimate restaurant Le Farm, located right off the Post Road. Increasingly difficult to get a reservation, Le Farm has been able to receive the highest achievements of Fairfield County, consistently receiving “Best in Overall Dining” in Fairfield County from numerous news sources. Having been to several ofConnecticut’s top rated restaurants, including Greenwich’s Thomas Henkelman and Union League Café of New Haven, I can confidently say that “Le Farm” is one of the best restaurants in Connecticut.
If fine dining isn’t your thing, let us not ignore the wonder within Westport’s Italian, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Rarely do local hotspots such as Shanghai Gourmet and Westport Pizza disappoint, as they are consistently top-rated and incredibly popular.
If one was to drive down Westport’s Post road, they would discover a remarkably eclectic and wide variety of food stops. Now, I am not going so far as to claim that Westport has the same chops as Greenwich or New Haven, but it certainly is making its way.
It is time that the people of Westport open their eyes (and stomachs) to their surroundings, and recognize that there is more to Westport than Sakura or Angelina’s. The list is simply too long to mention all of the deserving restaurants to, so I will just leave it up to the people of Westport. Next time you’re looking for a good meal, don’t be so quick to hop on I-95 or hit up the South Norwalk Bridge. There is greatness in our own backyard.
