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Hi foodies! This guide to the restaurants in Fairfield, CT is going to cover the in’s & out’s of my home away from home in Connecticut! I’m a senior at Fairfield University and although my time in college is coming to an end, Fairfield will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve grown so much since I first started at Fairfield in September 2016 – I’ve met the best friends, realized what I’m truly passionate about, traveled the world (thanks to Fairfield, I’ve seen 6/7 of the continents in the past 4 years!), worked to approve and run an on-campus club, gained valuable internship experience, and so much more. Of course my experience as a student has strongly contributed to my love for this town, but off-campus is equally as amazing.
Downtown Fairfield is so charming. If you’re a Fairfield Stag too, I’m sure the downtown also won you over when you toured. There are boutiques, fun bars, miles and miles of beach, and the best restaurants ever. This post is in partnership with my deer (Stag joke sorry) friend Amy! All photos and captions pictured below are from her food Instagram page: @amyeeeeats. Give her page a follow for foodie inspo covering the best restaurants in Fairfield, New England, & beyond!
Breakfast/Brunch
Village Bagels
If you’re looking for a yummy muffin or bagel to grab on your way to class, Village Bagels is the place to go!
Hole In The Wall
This place has it all, but I recommend trying their breakfast sandwiches! Great take-away option in town for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Playa Bowls
Welcome to Pineappleland! I’m a regular at the Playa Bowls restaurants in Fairfield, although they have locations all around the US. Not only are their açaí bowls the best, this is a great place to do work! I recommend the Pura Vida bowl if you like açaí.
Chip’s Family Restaurant
Local chain serving delicious pancake stacks, omelets, and more! There’s usually a wait on weekend mornings, but this place is worth it!
The Granola Bar
The Granola Bar is the perfect place to go in town for brunch with the girls. My sister and I meet up at the Black Rock location often for both breakfast and lunch. I love their whole menu, but my favorites are their avocado toast, yogurt parfait, and chicken salad wrap!
The Sinclair
One of the newest restaurants in Fairfield, the Sinclair is now my favorite brunch spot in town! They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but I highly recommend their bottomless brunch!
Terrain
Terrain isn’t technically a Fairfield restaurant (it’s in Westport), but deserves a mention. This place is actually a garden store with a cafe inside. I LOVE their brunch/lunch menu, especially the warm, homemade bread and butter that’s served in a pot! Aside from their delicious food, the aesthetic here is 12/10. Don’t miss it!
Coffee Shops/Cafes
Shearwater Coffee Bar
Shearwater is a great place to do work downtown if you’re looking for something a bit cuter than the library. They also roast their own coffee in-house!
Candlewood Market
This place has it all. Conveniently located in the Sportsplex, Candlewood Market sells breakfast and lunch, coffee, tea, kombucha, and more! I recommend coming here to do work and grabbing a breakfast sandwich to enjoy.
Las Vetas Lounge
Another cute cafe downtown. Las Vetas has a retro theme and really yummy beverages & baked goods.
Lunch
Firehouse Deli
Firehouse is conveniently located on Reef Road in Fairfield and offers breakfast and lunch. My favorite sandwiches are Abbers, RedGate, and the Fairfield U! We often grab lunch to go from here and bring it to the beach!
Chef’s Table
Chef’s Table is a retro, American restaurant downtown with pre-made and made-to-order food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I love their subs!
The Chelsea
The Chelsea also serves food all day long, but I love coming here for lunch! This place is a hidden gem in town with a can’t-miss menu.
Happy Hour
Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill
I can’t recommend Geronimo’s happy hour enough. Offering discounted margs, nachos, quesadillas, and more, this place is a can’t-miss spot! Just be aware of limited seating at the bar and maybe consider staying for dinner?
Local
Also located within Fairfield’s Sportsplex, Local is a fun spot to grab a drink! Come here on Mondays when most drinks on the menu are $3!
Pro-tip: So many of the restaurants listed (+ more) have incredible happy hours. Check out this article written by Amy for Spoon Fairfield if you want to learn more about happy hour deals in town!
Dinner
Wild Rice
Wild Rice is one of the best Asian restaurants in Fairfield. I love their sushi, fried rice, and chicken dishes!
Mecha Noodle Bar
I recently tried Vietnamese pho for the first time at Mecha, and my life has changed for the better since! The ramen here is delicious.
Pokémoto
The go-to place in town for all things Hawaiian. Pokémoto is known for their build-your-own poke bowls, and they even sell dole whip. I recommend getting a bowl to go and bringing it to the beach!
Centro
My favorite of the restaurants in Fairfield! If I could eat Centro’s raviolis for the rest of my life, I would. They also have a great outdoor patio on the town green!
Pizzeria Molto
Molto is SUCH a treat. Aside from a fantastic wine bar, they have delicious entrees served at lunch and dinner. I recommend eating here on Mondays (Molto Monday!) and ordering a half-priced bottle of wine.
Pro-tip: You can bring whatever you don’t drink home with you!
Old Post Tavern
Old Post is your classic all-American downtown restaurant. Located on the corner of Post Road, this place has an awesome outdoor patio and a huge menu! I make sure to visit and have their seasonal pumpkin ravioli each fall.
Little Pub Fairfield
Located on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield, Little Pub is a charming English pub with a delicious American menu. I’m obsessed with their Buttermilk Ranch Crunch wrap. If you like tater tots, don’t miss it!
Flipside Burgers & Bar
At this point you may be wondering where to get a burger in town… look no further than Flipside Burgers & Bar! They’ve won several awards for their speciality burgers. And I mean like potato chips on a burger special. They also have daily drink specials!
Plan B
Another hot spot for burgers & beer downtown! I recommend Plan B’s mac-n-cheese or sliders.
Colony Grill
For the best (thin crust) pizza on earth, mosey on over to Colony! Their menu is short and simple – choose your topping and enjoy! My favorites are sausage and hot oil. Bring a pizza to the beach!
Pronto
I love Pronto! They have the best chopped salads, wraps, and pizzas. They even sell pizza by the slice – great for a to-go dinner option.
Dessert
16 Handles
One of the go-to fro-yo restaurants in Fairfield! 16 handles always swaps out its frozen yogurt flavors and yummy toppings bar!
Saugatuck Sweets
Also located on Reef Road, this yummy ice cream shop in town also offers candy and chocolates. They have a mini waffle stand out front!
Sunny Daes
Another local ice cream shop offering gelato, yogurt, and home made ice cream!
Milkcraft
Milkcraft is one of the most unique restaurants in Fairfield. Their ice cream is more than just a dessert, it’s truly a work of art. First, they are huge. Second, they are served in bubble cones. Third, the ice cream is made right in front of you! Although I do think this place is overpriced, it’s worth the experience. I recommend the S’mores campfire!
Donut Crazy
This place isn’t technically one of the restaurants in Fairfield, but I had to include it on the list. Donut Crazy is located in Westport (the town over) and serves the most delicious donut creations! They are huge and topped with the yummiest treats, so your sweet tooth is sure to be satisfied. This place is also cute for doing work in!
Well, that’s all for my guide covering the best restaurants in Fairfield! As you can see there are countless options in Fairfield for dining, and all of them are equally as delicious! The freshman 15 is pretty much unavoidable in this college town. Hopefully you found a place or two to check out next time you’re in town! Thanks again to @amyeeeeats for the photos & captions!
Want to read more about Fairfield and all that this town has to offer? Check out Fairfield’s tourism website:
https://www.experiencefairfieldct.org
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Love this! Thanks for sharing!
Such a good read now I’m just hungry!
Me too!
Thanks for reading!!