Hartford Area Hidden Lunch Gems?

[tentoes4rings]

They also have to pay a fee to those services. Many restaurants don't want to deal with them either.

Uber eats charges restaurant 30% of their listed prices. So a $50 order costs $15

Door dash charges 20% so $10.

Im not sure you quite understand food costs and the cost of running a restaurant. Margins aren't as great as you think when factoring in food costs, rent, insurance, labor, etc

I definitely understand the costs of running a restaurant as I have family members who own them and work with many restaurants in my job. Pizza profits are pretty high, especially with pizzas now at $20 or greater at most places. To use Wethersfield as an example, it seems to only be the husband and wife so their overhead seems pretty manageable. People 30 and under like the convenience of online ordering and delivery. Cash only restaurants are becoming dinosaurs. They’ll have to eventually get with the times or become extinct. With that said, I will go there with cash this weekend, haha.

 

[superjohn]

I definitely understand the costs of running a restaurant as I have family members who own them and work with many restaurants in my job. Pizza profits are pretty high, especially with pizzas now at $20 or greater at most places. To use Wethersfield as an example, it seems to only be the husband and wife so their overhead seems pretty manageable. People 30 and under like the convenience of online ordering and delivery. Cash only restaurants are becoming dinosaurs. They’ll have to eventually get with the times or become extinct. With that said, I will go there with cash this weekend, haha.

Restaurant prices have gone up everywhere because we're in a pandemic. Many places had to shutdown for a time, costly safety measures, and most of all food costs and all other related costs have gone up.

 

[glastonbury50]

Haha, a little pizza place is doing 50 k a week? Haha, okay. So on average 7k a day including slow days like Monday and Tuesday? Besides, I work exclusively with small businesses and they pay at most 3% for credit card processing, not 8%! It’s a good place and I’ll remember cash in the future, just think businesses should all be taking cards as an option in 2020.

They save about 3% in credit card fees and an additional 4% under reporting their income.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Restaurant prices have gone up everywhere because we're in a pandemic. Many places had to shutdown for a time, costly safety measures, and most of all food costs and all other related costs have gone up.

Pizza prices were significantly higher pre pandemic anyway. The days of even a good cheese pie for 12-$15 seem long gone. Specialty pies now are often in the mid 20s to $30. Profit margins have to be extremely high at those prices.

 

[methodology]

Pizza prices were significantly higher pre pandemic anyway. The days of even a good cheese pie for 12-$15 seem long gone. Specialty pies now are often in the mid 20s to $30. Profit margins have to be extremely high at those prices.

Pizza is different. Their margins are always high. It cost nothing to make pizza

 

[tentoes4rings]

Pizza is different. Their margins are always high. It cost nothing to make pizza

But they’ve all gone up 50% or so within just a few years it seems. At least in this area it’s generally good.

 

[methodology]

Pizza prices were significantly higher pre pandemic anyway. The days of even a good cheese pie for 12-$15 seem long gone. Specialty pies now are often in the mid 20s to $30. Profit margins have to be extremely high at those prices.

I can get a large mozz from grand, modern or John and Maria's for $14. It's the toppings that kill you and you more or less aren't getting a better mozz pie from anywhere else

Edit: ordering a large is a newbie move anyways. Smalls are the way to go

 

[tentoes4rings]

I can get a large mozz from grand, modern or John and Maria's for $14. It's the toppings that kill you and you more or less aren't getting a better mozz pie from anywhere else

Edit: ordering a large is a newbie move anyways. Smalls are the way to go

Good to know about Modern, thanks.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Not really a “hidden gem” per se but if you haven’t checked out Parkville Market in Hartford, make sure you do. Tons of great food options there.

 

[WestHartHusk]

As someone who grew up in PA, I have to say CT is not a Hot Dog state. I have been disappointed in all the "name" places I have tried here: Blackies, Frankies, Capitol Lunch...... CT is to hot dogs as Floiida is to pizza

I'll take this as a complement.

 

[Waquoit]

Edit: ordering a large is a newbie move anyways. Smalls are the way to go

That's not what I learned in DRM 160.

 

[pepband99]

As someone who grew up in PA, I have to say CT is not a Hot Dog state. I have been disappointed in all the "name" places I have tried here: Blackies, Frankies, Capitol Lunch...... CT is to hot dogs as Floiida is to pizza

Again, wrong. Go to Super Duper Weenie in Fairfield. It was on DDD. It's glorious.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Again, wrong. Go to Super Duper Weenie in Fairfield. It was on DDD. It's glorious.

By far my favorite hot dog place. The Dixie Dog (split, grilled and topped with house made cole slaw and chili) is the king of hot dogs. Great fries too.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

My wife is running the Hartford Marathon in October so we spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Hartford to get her acclimated to the course and "visualize" the start/finish at Bushnell Park. The historic homes on South Windsor are beautiful! and remind me a bit of our neighborhood in Silvermine, Norwalk.

We stayed over at the Goodwin Hotel (very nice, I recommend) and enjoyed the Yardgoats game (the most fun I've had watching a 12-0 loss), but prior to the game, we picked up takeout from Fire and Spice on Capitol Avenue.

Out of the three or four vegetarian Jamaican spots I've been to in CT (including Shandal's in Bridgeport), Fire and Spice has been my favorite.

For $11, I got their three item take out: pomegranate tempeh, wilted greens (mostly kale) and curry pot (roasted spiced red potatoes in coconut milk) which was a really nicely balanced meal. If I were to go again, I'd get the five item for $14, but since we were going to a ball game, I wanted a little room for beers and junk food at the game. Their vegan "beef" patties were on point too and I'd try their desserts next time I'm there.

It's also a stone's throw from Story and Soil, a gentrified-vibe coffee spot and the Capitol Lofts.

If I lived in the Hartford area, I'd go to Fire and Spice quite a bit. For a small spot, a very vast menu: in addition to their takeout meals, they have juice blends, smoothies, ice cream and other desserts.

After the marathon, my wife has already requested two "meat" patties to nosh on our drive home. It being my first year as an XL center season ticket owner, Fire and Spice will definitely be on my short list for pre-/post-game quick food spots.