News Elsewhere: Connecticut Extends Restaurant Restrictions Through At Least May 20

While the restaurant shutdown in Massachusetts remains in place through May 4 for now, one of our neighbors has just set a new date--and it is not known whether this could be the start of a trend that could ultimately include the Commonwealth.

According to an article in the Hartford Courant,  restaurants and bars in Connecticut will now remain closed except for takeout and/or delivery until at least May 20, with Governor Ned Lamont stating that this date could be pushed back if needed and saying that "We'll be outlining over the next week or two how we carefully plan to get people back to work, antibody testing and doing it a safe way....We're not just going to open the doors on May 20." In mid-March, dining and drinking spots in the state were forced to shut down except for takeout/delivery and at the time, the ruling was to be enforced until further notice.

The restrictions on Massachusetts restaurants and bars were originally slated to be lifted on April 7, but Governor Charlie Baker extended the date to early May late last month.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont Allow Beer, Wine Sales with Takeout Orders

Late last week, we reported that New Hampshire started allowing restaurants and bars to offer alcohol to people with their to-go orders. Now we have learned that three other New England states have done the same.

According to an article from NBC Connecticut, a post from the Providence Journal, and an article from WCAX, the states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont are letting dining and drinking spots sell alcohol in sealed containers with people's takeout orders, though Connecticut and Rhode Island will not allow it to be included in delivery orders (it appears that Vermont will allow it, based on the article). This leaves Maine and Massachusetts as the only two New England states not offering unopened beer or wine with orders, though a request to do the same in Massachusetts had hit Governor Charlie Baker's desk last week.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, all New England states have ruled that restaurants and bars are only allowed to offer takeout and/or delivery for the time being, with each state having reopening dates in place, though these dates could certainly change.

[Earlier Article]
Updates: New Hampshire Allows Beer, Wine Sales with Takeout/Delivery; Maine Joins Other States in Restaurant Closings

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Sally's Apizza in New Haven Has Been Sold; New Owners Plan Nationwide Expansion

by Marc Hurwitz

A few years ago, we reported that a landmark pizza spot in Connecticut was up for sale after being in business for more than 75 years. Now we have learned that the sale has finally gone through--and the new owners have some big plans for the brand.

Eater states (via the Hartford Courant) that Sally's Apizza in New Haven has been sold to new owners, with the Consiglio family (who are the former owners) staying on for the next couple of months as a "management presence." The names of the new owners have not yet been given, though the Courant does says that the new owners are looking to expand Sally's nationwide; it is not yet known if the Boston area could be included in these plans, so keep checking back for updates.

Sally's Apizza first opened in 1938, offering pizza cooked in a coal-fire oven to customers including countless celebrities and national figures over the years. Sally's neighbor in New Haven--Pepe's--has expanded to a handful of locations in the Northeast, with one being in Chestnut Hill, and both Sally's and Pepe's are considered by many to be among the best pizza places in all of New England.

The address for Sally's Apizza is 237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT, 06511. Its website can be found at http://sallysapizza.com/

[Earlier Article]
News Elsewhere: Sally's Apizza in New Haven May Be Sold

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Pizzas in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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News Elsewhere: Sally's Apizza in New Haven May Be Sold

A landmark pizza spot in Connecticut that has been in business for more than 75 years may be up for sale.

According to an article in the Hartford Courant, negotiations are currently taking place that may result in the sale of Sally's Apizza in New Haven, a well-known pizzeria that is just up Wooster Street from another iconic pizza parlor (Pepe's). An earlier article from the New Haven Register mentions that the pizza spot is indeed up for sale, with owner Bob Consiglio stating that they have had "multiple" offers on the place, though he also says that "Sally's is not going anywhere..." It looks like more details should be coming out on the possible sale over the next few weeks, according to both articles.

Sally's Apizza first opened in 1938, serving pizza cooked in a coal-fire oven to such well-known people as Bill Clinton, Jimmy Durante, Frank Sinatra, and Kathleen Turner, according to the Courant. Both Sally's and Pepe's are considered by many to be among the best pizza places in all of New England, with countless arguments taking place as to which of the two spots is better.

The address for this iconic pizza parlor in New Haven is: Sally's Apizza, 237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT, 06511. Its website can be found at http://sallysapizza.com/

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Colony Grill May Be Coming to the Boston Area

A landmark pizza spot in the southwestern corner of Connecticut that is expanding through that state may be looking at the Boston area as a part of their expansion plans.

According to the Avon Patch, the Colony Grill in Stamford, which opened a second location in nearby Fairfield last year and is in the process of opening other spots in Avon and Danbury, is in "preliminary talks" for a possible outlet somewhere in the Boston area. The article states that the original Colonial Grill first opened in Stamford in 1935 as a bar, introducing thin-crust pizza to the place in 1941. The restaurant and bar only offers pizza on its menu, with one size only (a 12-inch pie), and includes toppings such as a jalapeno pepper infused olive oil, according to the Patch.

The Colony Grill in Fairfield is owned by several partners, including Chris Drury, a recently-retired NHL hockey player who was on the New York Rangers for the past four years.

The website for the Colony Grill can be found at http://colonygrill.com/

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Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive -Ins, and Dives Is Featuring Merritt Canteen in Bridgeport, CT, Tonight

Food Network host Guy Fieri is back in New England, this time featuring a roadside restaurant in Connecticut on his show "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," with the episode airing tonight.

According to the Food Network's website, Merritt Canteen in Bridgeport, CT, is being featured this evening, with the Main Street dining spot being one of three places mentioned on tonight's show (the other two being Katie's Restaurant in New Orleans and Jersey Cafe in Carmel, IN). It appears that Guy Fieri will focus on the hot dogs, burgers, and seafood served at this eatery, which our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) featured awhile back. (The blog entry is at this link: http://www.hiddenboston.com/blogentries/nyc-ct-restaurants-0207.html)

The show can be seen from 9:00 PM to 9:30 PM tonight on the Food Network, and again from 12:00 AM to 12:30 AM.

The address for the Merritt Canteen is: Merritt Canteen, 4355 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT, 06606.

For more on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" (as well as the Food Network in general), please go to the following link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html

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Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana Opens Friday (July 1) at Mohegan Sun

Bobby's Burger Palace isn't the only new restaurant opening at the Mohegan Sun Casino on Friday, July 1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, a New Haven institution that is considered by some to have the best pizza in all of New England, is also opening a new location at the Connecticut casino. According to Pepe's Web site, the new restaurant will open in the Earth Casino by the Winter Entrance escalator.

Thanks to the Greater New Haven Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.visitnewhaven.com/ for bringing the opening of Pepe's at Mohegan Sun to our attention via Twitter.

Bobby's Burger Palace Opens Friday (July 1) at Mohegan Sun

A new burger place opens on Friday, July 1 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT, courtesy of celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

Bobby's Burger Palace, one of a small chain of casual burger restaurants in the Northeast, is the first of two restaurants that Bobby Flay is opening at Mohegan Sun, as Bar Americain, an American brasserie, will be opening up sometime this fall.
Bobby's Burger Palace will feature a variety of hamburgers, as well as chicken burgers, turkey burgers, sides such as onion rings and French fries, and shakes.

Other locations of Bobby's Burger Palace can be found in Lake Grove, NY, Eatontown, NJ, and Paramus, NJ.

More information on Bobby's Burger Palace can be found at http://www.bobbysburgerpalace.com/

Bobby Flay to Bring Bobby's Burger Palace to New England

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will soon be opening another burger place, with this one being in New England. In an interview on Worcester radio station WAAF today, the restaurant owner, cookbook writer, and Food Network personality said that he would be opening a new Bobby's Burger Palace at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Southeast Connecticut in early July.

Bobby's Burger Palace is a small chain of fast casual burger restaurants with locations currently in Paramus, NJ, Eatontown, NJ, and Lake Grove, NY. In addition to hamburgers, customers can also dine on turkey burgers, chicken burgers, fries, onion rings, and shakes.

Mohegan Sun is located in Uncasville, CT, just east of Route 395 and about 10 miles north of New London.

Bobby Flay also has a number of other restaurants, including Bar Americain in New York City and Mesa Grill in Las Vegas.

For more information on Bobby's Burger Palace, please go to the Web site at http://www.bobbysburgerpalace.com/

Latest Review: Rawley's Drive-In, Fairfield, CT

The latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a roadside snack shack in Fairfield, Connecticut, called Rawley's Drive-In. Located just west of the center of this beautiful Southwest Connecticut town, Rawley's resides in a rather nondescript building that looks more like a house than a restaurant. The inside consists of a counter, a few stools, and a side room with a handful of tables. Specialties at Rawley's include deep-fried hot dogs (also known as rippers), griddled hamburgers, and thick milkshakes. To read more about Rawley's Drive-In in Fairfield, CT, please click on the link above.