30-plus Conn. restaurants closed in 2023
Connecticut saw the departure of several notable restaurants this year, as owners noted continued struggles with rising costs and staffing shortages. Several decades-old businesses also closed as owners decided to retire.
Here's a roundup of some of the restaurants Connecticut lost in 2023. This list is in loose chronological order.
Penny’s Diner
In January, Penny's Diner closed its Black Rock Turnpike location in Fairfield after 40 years. A sign on the diner's door informed patrons of the closing.
Penny's founder Antonios Koskerides, who emigrated to the United States with his family in 1966, opened the first Penny's diner with his wife, Penelope, in 1968. Koskerides died in July of 2022 at the age of 86, according to his obituary. —
Leeanne Griffin
DinerLuxe
Hailed as “An American Classic” on the sign above its entrance, DinerLuxe closed its doors for good in January, surprising many local residents.
The diner on Danbury Road opened for business in 2014. Though New Milford Mayor Pete Bass confirmed the diner's closure, he said he was not told the reason for the closing.
The colorful exterior of the Dinerluxe diner was known for its throwback style, with large “fins,” similar to those on a 1950s car, that lit up at night. The building started out as a Friendly's before it morphed into a diner.
DinerLuxe opened as a family restaurant by Peter Serroukas and Peter Siasanas in June 2014, Bass said.
— Kaitlin Lyle
Wall Street Tavern
Brick-oven pizza restaurant, Wall Street Tavern, closed the doors of its Wall Street location in Norwalk in January.
The restaurant, which sits across the street from the Wall Street Theater music venue, was opened by Bryan Malcarney and John D'Agostino in 2020. It became known for its coal-fired pizzas named after songs by musicians like Phish, Grateful Dead and The Smiths. Other menu items included sandwiches, soups and salads. The restaurant would also host live music. — Andrew DaRosa
The Half Door
The Half Door, an Irish gastropub that's been a mainstay in Hartford's West End for more than 20 years, closed on Jan. 23, according to an emailed statement from a spokesperson. The Half Door's parent company, “was unable to reach an agreement with the landlord on how to move forward at the current location,” according to
the statement.
The Half Door has been a staple for Irish-influenced fare like shepherd's pie, Guinness lamb stew and "cobblestones" (shaved steak sliders), along with an international beer selection. The pub was an annual destination for St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
— Leeanne Griffin
The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot, a national fondue restaurant chain, closed its only Connecticut location in Darien in March. But in June, Melting Pot executive Collin Benyo said Fairfield residents Dania Senatore and Jonathan Reeve signed a franchise agreement with the company to open a future restaurant in the New Haven area.
— Leeanne Griffin
Chowder Pot
Chowder Pot, a popular Hartford seafood restaurant, announced its closure after nearly 30 years in business. The restaurant shut its doors on March 25.
Chowder Pot, which opened in 1994, has been a staple in greater Hartford for lobster dinners, classic New England seafood dishes and prime rib. The building at 165 Brainard Road originally opened as Valle's Steak House in 1965, according to the post, and then briefly became the Hilltop Steak House in the early 1990s.
“After almost 60 years and millions of customers, the location is showing its age,” Chowder Pot wrote in the post. “Due to the age, size and constant amount of work needed to maintain this old building combined with a new business wanting to make this property their home we have decided the right decision is to sell at this time.” — Leeanne Griffin
Que Whiskey Kitchen
Que Whiskey Kitchen in Southington, a barbecue restaurant
and whiskey bar, closed in April after six years in business. The eatery, owned and operated by Hartford Restaurant Group, opened on Queen Street in 2017.
Hartford Restaurant Group also owns and operates the Wood-n-Tap brand, which has nine Connecticut locations. Phil Barnett, Hartford Restaurant Group's co-CEO and cofounder, said in a statement that the group intends to focus on Wood-n-Tap and “make the best use of staff and financial resources.” — Leeanne Griffin
Connecticut breweries and taprooms
Several breweries and taprooms closed in 2023, including Cliffside Brewing and Front Porch Brewing in Wallingford, Hog River Brewing in Hartford, DuVig in Branford and Firefly Hollow in Bristol. New brewery Dead Language Beer Project will take over Hog River's vacated taproom in the city's Parkville section.
Hog River is currently contract-brewing its beer at Thomas Hooker Brewery in Bloomfield, co-owner Joy Braddock said, and continues to distribute its beer to package stores, restaurants and bars.
— Andrew DaRosa, Leeanne Griffin
The Blue Oar
The owners of The Blue Oar in Haddam said their decision to close the seasonal, riverfront restaurant in April after 26 years was “not made lightly,” but rather driven by several factors — mostly a staffing shortage.
Jody Reilly, who has owned and operated the restaurant with her husband, Jim, since 1997, said that they've struggled in recent years to find enough kitchen staff, particularly line cooks and dishwashers. She said it's been particularly difficult since the COVID-19 pandemic, as more workers have
left the restaurant industry.
The first-come first-serve, BYOB spot was a favorite for warm-weather dining, at brightly painted picnic tables shaded by trees and decorated with string lights.
— Leeanne Griffin
Whey Station(ary)
The co-owner of Middletown's Whey Station(ary), which served gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to comfort food lovers in the city's north end for four years, said the decision to close the doors of the downtown restaurant in May was a “bittersweet” one. Josh Moskites, who opened the restaurant at 544 Main St. in early 2019, said he now will have much more time to devote to Whey Station, the popular grilled-cheese-on-wheels operation.
Lan Chi
— Cassandra Day
Middletown's Lan Chi closed in June after more than a decade. Owner Chu Ngo said she realized she needed much more time to care for her mother, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and three teenagers, something that would be impossible with her packed schedule. She also works full-time job as a cancer research scientist at a New Haven biotech company.
— Cassandra Day
O’Rourke’s Diner
Brian O'Rourke of Middletown's iconic O'Rourke's Diner said in June that he was “surrendering to the next great thing.”
O'Rourke's Irish breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Middletown became nationally famous after being featured on the “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” Food Network show. He said that he has been contemplating a possible closure for the past few years.
“COVID threw a real monkey wrench into it," he said. "It got to the point where my advisors said to me, ‘Brian, we don't want to be going to a funeral. Let's make this next chapter special.'”
— Cassandra Day
Salerno’s Apizza
After 75 years of business, Salerno's Apizza closed down its famous storefront on Barnum Avenue in Stratford in June.
“We are truly grateful for the support and loyalty you and your families have shown our pizzeria over the past 75 years,” said owner Carlo Salerno in a Facebook post. “Your kind words and continued patronage have meant the world to us, and we will cherish the memories we have made together since 1947.”
Salerno, who turned 80 this year, said he “had planned to close Salerno's by my 80th birthday." — Andrew DaRosa
Hoi An Pho and Grill, Norwalk
Norwalk Vietnamese restaurant, Hoi An Pho and Grill, closed its doors in June. The restaurant sold Vietnamese dishes like pho, grilled chicken and pork with rice and sandwiches.
Rocco’s Bakery
A staple for Italian pastries and breads in the Fair Haven section of New Haven, Rocco's Bakery on Ferry Street, closed for good in June after initially closing for oven repairs in the middle of the month.
“We would like to thank our loyal customers for supporting our small business for the past 40 years,” a statement on its Facebook page read. “We couldn't have reached this milestone without your continuous support. Along the way, Anna has built many close friendships and has enjoyed interacting with customers. She personally wants to thank all of you, saying that talking to customers always brightened up her day and made her job more enjoyable.”
Longtime customers often went looking for their Easter pies, anginettes, ciccioli bread, chocolate lemon pie or cannolis at the bakery. With Rocco's gone, that leaves Libby's Italian Pastry Shop on Wooster Street — which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary — and Lucibello's Italian Pastry Shop on Grand Avenue, which will turn 100 in 2028, as the only Italian pastry shops left in New Haven proper.
—
Jimmy’s Deli
— Jailene Cuevas
Jimmy's Deli in Norwalk fired up its grill for the last time on June 30 after over 30 years in business as the owner heads into retirement. The family-run deli first opened at