Saltwater Grille

Located right on the water with outdoor seating, this seafood restaurant has one of the best views of a Stamford sunset, and easily reminds you why the area was originally a destination spot for wealthy later 19th and 20th century New Yorkers who spent their summers in Shippan houses by the shore. Its attractive location and closeness to many Stamford offices makes Saltwater Grille a popular lunch, dinner and cocktail venue, and a great place to throw a party. This two-story eatery, where the Rusty Scupper, Beacon, and Shore House thrived and died, has been reinvented by its newest owners and is designed with more style than most local restaurants can boast. In other words, Saltwater Grille is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for a scene, and is usually fairly crowded, though reservations are not necessary. It is welcoming to families, but generally appeals to a younger preppy-cool 20s and 30s crowd filled with both singles and couples.

Saltwater Grille is a young restaurant in the process of finding its niche, but nevertheless, it’s sure to be a big hit during the dog days of summer. Go for the view, the drinks, and the cool crowd, and forget what your mother told you – go straight for the breadbasket.

183 Harbor Drive
Stamford, CT 06902

203-391-6500

Lunch: Monday - Saturday: 11:30am - 4:30pm

Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:30pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Brunch: Sunday: 11:30am - 3:30pm

Hope Street Pizza

Head to Hope Street Pizza for the Greek take on pizza, which may just become a new favorite. The pizza has a real, homemade oven-fresh taste to its thick, crunchy crust. The spinach, olive and onion pizza is loaded with toppings, but not too cheesy, which vegetarians will love. Meanwhile, meat-freaks can satisfy their cravings with the sausage and meatball pizza. The unusual, cool, downright bizarre – pick your adjective of choice – thing about Hope Street pizza is the way that it is cut into square pieces instead of average slices. Suddenly it doesn’t seem like just another pizza night, but something a little different and more interesting. Of course, Greek salads, souvlaki and gyros have been well mastered by cooks as well. The family-operated restaurant is large, but not particularly cute, so get take-out and watch my Big Fat Greek Wedding with new understanding.

230 Hope Street,
Stamford, CT 06906
Tel: (203) 325-0660

Brennan’s Restaurant

Serving as a weekly hangout spot for families, young baseball players, sailors, drinkers, coworkers, old-timers, and everyone in between, Brennan’s Restaurant and its bar, located in Shippan, is where to go if you want to see a genuine, no-fluff version of Stamford. The old restaurant is a staple no-fuss seafood and burger joint with its casual simplicity appealing to the masses. And believe me, it’s always packed, and everyone knows everyone.

The steamers or popcorn shrimp to share are a great way to start off the night as you sink into high booths watching your kids play darts, or venture to the quieter deck outside. Next try a classic burger, their catfish special, or the fish and chips, which is outstanding if you ask the friendly waitresses, who are mostly a part of the Brennan clan themselves, to make it a sandwich on a Portuguese roll. The Cesar salad with grilled shrimp or chicken is also a must-have. Brennan’s most popular food is easily its waffle fries, cooked and seasoned to perfection. Of course some arrive later and go straight to the bar to catch a game, digging the nonchalant and fun atmosphere that’s here to stay.

There are however, two great mysteries about Brennan’s: how they’ve learned to concoct such outstanding waffles fries, and how no one ever seems to get hit with flying darts on their way to the bathroom. Go to Brennan’s and see if you can find out for yourself.

82 Iroquois Rd
Stamford, CT 06902

Phone: 203-323-1787

Myrna’s Mediterranean Bistro

Considering the past few years’ trendy influences of Mediterranean diet books, Grecian sandals, Greek yogurt, and even the perks of having celebrity Greek heir boyfriends, it’s no wonder business at Myrna’s Mediterranean Bistro is blossoming. Though it originated as a hole-in-the-wall place only experienced falafel eaters ventured far enough away from downtown Stamford to enjoy, the secret is out. Now diverse groups of diners flock to Myrna’s to get their ethnic fix at a decent price of which the gods of justice would certainly approve.

Myrna’s offers a vast menu of all the basic Mediterranean staples from hummus (chickpea dip) to falafel sandwiches in hot pita bread (fried chickpea and fava bean balls, which are much more appetizing than they sound) to chicken or lamb kebabs. While the experienced Lebanese chef may not necessarily serve up new and innovative dishes, he does however excel at all of these classics, drawing in regular patrons from the local area and as far as White Plains, New York. Myrna Yannieh, who started the restaurant in 2003, was recently recognized by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce as the winner of the “Best Tasting” eatery award among forty competitors. She has truly dedicated herself to creating a memorable, inviting experience for both her loyal and new customers by serving up authentic food based on her grandmother’s recipes.

Although she is the restaurant owner, the ever-so-friendly Myrna is happy to play the role of waitress along with her cousin-co-owner, Pierre, chatting it up with diners and dishing out samples on-the-house regularly. Her mission in establishing the restaurant was not to make money – “there are easy ways to do business like that.” Instead, she said she hopes to “develop real relationships with customers and expose people to true Lebanese food, not the kind other restaurants pass off as authentic and healthy.” This brings up the point that one of the restaurant’s admirable promises is to offer fresh food made on the spot, that won’t scare away calorie conscious eaters. Despite the Mediterranean diet craze, Myrna revealed a fact many followers might be in denial about: frequently falafels and kebabs advertised as “healthy” are loaded with oils and overly fried to hide the flavor of aging food. This is not the case at Myrna’s, and if you don’t believe it, just take a look for yourself at the visible kitchen and watch your fresh tomatoes being sliced before your very eyes.

Part of the appeal of Myrna’s is that while it draws in Mediterranean natives and regular eaters, it also is a welcoming starting point for newbies who want to try ethnic cuisine without setting their mouths on fire with Indian spices.

At $19.75, the house special mezza platter is an ideal way to share with another person and sample a variety of appetizers, which also makes for a great meal. It includes hummus, baba ghannouj, taboule, falafel, spinach pie, meat pie and kibbe. The fresh and lemony hummus with homemade oven-warm pita bread is a great starter, though for the experienced eater it may seem bland. Adding their special jalapeño sauce easily solves this problem. The baba ghannouj (a dip made of roasted eggplant with tahini sauce and lemon) is outstanding and not too strongly seasoned. Myrna’s taboule (a salad of parsley, tomatoes, scallions and bulgar wheat) is a tasty way to cool your mouth and cleanse your palate, giving you that fresh, sharp parsley hint. The falafels are hearty and not at all greasy, and go well with hummus since they are not very flavored. Myrna’s falafel sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, tahini sauce and a hot pink mystery vegetable, later identified as a surprisingly delicious pickled turnip, make for a filling, but nutritious, protein and veggie-packed lunch or dinner. The spinach and meat pies are boring and too doughy, but this can come in handy for the new, timid eater. Finally the kibbe (lean ground beef with bulgar wheat and spices) will certainly satisfy meat-lovers, as will the grilled chicken and lamb kebabs. Neither the stuffed grape leaves appetizer nor the cous cous side dish were very exciting, but the simple authentic salad with mint, lemon and olive oil, the Caesar salad, the lentil soup, and the aromatic not-your-mother’s-average-chicken-noodle-soup all make excellent starters or meals.

One of Myrna’s best surprises is its homemade, thin crust pizza, which includes toppings like mozzarella, rosemary, sun-dried tomato, mushrooms, olives and garlic. Some customers have retired their Dominos habits, and routinely order Myrna’s more gourmet pizza for delivery for $12.75 (the margherita) to $23.75 (but that pizza includes filet mignon with Béarnaise sauce if you feel like stepping it up a notch).

If you have room for dessert, the showcased baklava with a choice of pistachio, cashew, pine nut or walnut with honey and flaky philo dough is divine especially with its $3.50 price tag. Myrna’s offers a wine selection by the glass or bottle as well as beer. Although the lack of a bar may be a drawback for some, Myrna has confirmed that the restaurant will be expanding next door this summer and will feature a bar in her efforts to create a scene for not only families, but for also adults who want to have a good time without the obnoxious hipper scenes of other Stamford hangouts that cater to a younger crowd. Thus, Myrna is returning to her original message: it’s all about eating great food with great company within a friendly, fun atmosphere. And with such reasonable prices for the quality of taste, you don’t even need a Greek heir to fork the bill.

www.myrnas.com

Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 9:30 pm; Closed on Sunday

866 East Main Street
Stamford, CT.

phone 203-325-8736

Café Silvium: Trattoria Italiana

Out of town visitors you want to impress? Hot date? Family night out? Café Silvium is the convenient, pleasant and scrumptious solution to all your social and gastronomical needs. This small, but always packed restaurant right on Shippan Avenue was started in 2001 by brothers Nicola and Vincenzo Petrafesa. It features fine southern Italian food and wine and a charming atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re on a Mediterranean vacation with each bite and sip.

It’s just what Stamford was lacking - gourmet food for a reasonable price in a fairly casual setting. The waiters are friendly, the owners always greet you with a smile, usually in a tropical-print button-down shirt, and the service is fast. The complementary fresh bread with white bean dip or with olive oil prepares you for the feast ahead. Excellent starters include the calamari fritti with spicy sauce, which is not rubbery or too fried, the crunchy bruschetta, and the insalata del contadito with tender grilled Portobello mushroom slices, arugola and shaved Parmesan cheese.

Part of what makes Café Silvium so special is the effort put into each dish, particularly their homemade pasta. Favorites, which can be split, include the cavatellini con gamberetti, or handmade mini cavatelli sautéed with shrimp, beans, spinach, garlic and olive oil, as well as the fettuccine with meat sauce, the light angel hair pasta with clams, and the filling fettuccine mascarpone with spinach, shrimps, and mascarpone cheese in a creamy tomato sauce. Here’s an insider’s tip: you can substitute any kind of pasta you prefer, though the cavatelli is arguably the best.

Reasonably so, most people order pasta dishes since it is Café Silvium’s specialty, but some are loyal to the veal scaloppini or grilled chicken with arugola and tomato. Daily specials are always interesting and delicious such as rabbit, lamb ragu, grilled swordfish or sea bass, and soft-shell crab, which is a regular special during the summer.

The restaurant puts an equal amount of effort into its desserts as well. Pair a cappuccino with a tartufo, profiterol, tiramisu, gelato, or any of its other treats to put a perfect close to your evening. Café Silvium has this incredible ability to escort its customers away from Stamford to southern Italy, if only for a night.

371 Shippan Avenue

Stamford, CT 06902

203-324-1651

Lunch: Monday-Friday Noon-2:30 pm

Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5-10 pm, Friday - Saturday 5-11 pm Closed Sundays