Local Connecticut Markets You Should Be Shopping At
Photo by Allegra Anderson
You’ve seen the photos on the news: entire shelves empty at big box stores like Costco, Target, and BJ’s. Checkout lines winding through aisles at Stop and Shop, Big Y and Whole Foods. And yet yesterday, when I went to stock my pantry, I didn’t encounter any of those things. Connecticut has hundreds of markets- small locally owned markets- that deserve your attention throughout the year, and especially now. Shopping local during a pandemic like this ensures that the stores can keep their normal hours and keep paying their employees.
Here are a few of my favorite markets throughout the state:
Grass and Bone
Part of the 85th Day Restaurant Group (Oyster Club, Engine Room, Stone Acres Farms), Grass and Bone is a butcher shop and restaurant specializing in whole animal butchery. You can purchase steaks, roasts, house ground burger meat and sausage, and an assortment of locally raised, heritage breed cuts. Their refrigerated section offers a selection of locally grown vegetables, eggs, cheeses and dairy products. And while you’re there you can also grab a rotisserie chicken (my favorite in the state), as well as any of their great menu items to-go.
24 East Main St. Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 245-4814
grassandbonect.com
New Morning Market
New Morning Market is a family owned natural foods store that has been operating since 1971. With full grocery, meat, seafood, cheese and produce departments, you can find everything you need. They carry products from Averill Farm, Calf and Clover Farm, Cato Corner Farm, Cross Culture Kombucha, Pure Love Gluten Free Bakery, Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens, Sepe Farm, Walden Hill and more.
129 Main St. North Woodbury, CT 06798
(203) 263-4868
newmorningmarket.com
Seawell Seafood
This family owned and operated fish market is set in a cute shack on the water just before the bridge to Mason’s Island. They offer freshly caught fish and shellfish from their own fishing boat as well as from other local fisherman from Connecticut and Rhode Island.
106 Masons Island Rd. Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 415-9210
seawellseafood.com
Kien Oriental Market
Located on Park Street in Hartford, just a few blocks over the West Hartford border, Kien Oriental Market is a small store with four aisles of Asian -primarily Vietnamese- goods. While my trips here usually involve me beelining for the back of the store where you can order pho, banh mi, egg rolls, and fried rice cakes (their grilled beef banh mi- spicy and toasted, is the best around), I also use it as an excuse to stock up on frozen dumplings and rice paper to make summer rolls.
1801 Park St. Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 236-7952
El Mercado
El Mercado is one of my favorite places in Hartford for a few reasons. First, they have a handful of food stalls on the far wall when you walk in serving everything from Colombian, to Peruvian Dominican to Mexican cuisine. El Mercado also has an amazing grocery section. It is here that I stock up on beans, dried chiles and frozen arepas and queso fresco. You can also find Latin American fruits and vegetables that chain groceries don’t carry.
704 Park St. Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 247-6449
Di Bacco’s Market
Located on Franklin Ave. in the South End of Hartford, Di Bacco’s Market is a family run Italian market where you’ll most likely hear Italian spoken before English. They have a large selection of local and imported Italian goods, including pastas, sauces, spices, coffee and cheeses. Pop in on Wednesday’s for arancini, or get a grinder any day of the week. Di Bacco’s also has a prepared food section with lasagna, chicken and beef cutlets, pasta and soup. Half or full pans of dishes like chicken marsala, baked ziti, and sausage and peppers can be bought for events or to keep in your freezer.
553 Franklin Ave. Hartford, CT 06114
(860) 296-7365
dibaccosmarket.yolasite.com
Liuzzi Gourmet Food Market
The Liuzzi family came to the United States from the southern Adriatic region of Italy and has been making cheese for five generations. While you’re here you’re definitely going to want to pick up some of their fresh made ricotta, fresh mozzarella, scamorza and caciocavallo. Alongside those they also stock imported and domestic cheeses, olives, and dried and cured meats. There is also a butcher, a bakery, and a grab and go meal section.
322 State St. North Haven, CT 06473
(203) 248-4356
liuzzimarket.com
Avon Prime Meats
Avon Primes Meats is a grocer and butcher located in Avon, CT. They offer local breads, New England beers, desserts, cheese, soups, and condiments, alongside their premier butcher program. Some of the Connecticut farms that they work with include Sepe Farms for lamb, Howling Flat Farms for beef, and Blue Slope Farm for veal and goats.
395 West Main St. Avon, CT 06001
(860) 676-4444
avonprimemeats.com
Elm City Market
Elm City Market is New Haven’s urban supermarket featuring organic produce, naturally raised meats and seafoods, artisanal cheeses and freshly baked breads. Through March 31st, Elm City Market is offering free 2 hour delivery on all online grocery orders.
777 Chapel St. New Haven, CT 06510
(203) 624-0441
elmcitymarket.com
Photo by Alycia Chrosniak
Tangiers International Market
I grew up with the family that owns Tangiers but I promise that doesn’t make me biased. Almost every Hartford/West Hartford resident can vouch for how great this store is. The Middle Eastern market has a large grocery section of everything from couscous and pitas to fresh produce and dairy products. In the front of the store they have a selection of homemade to-go containers of hummus, tabouli, baba ghanoush, chick pea salad and their mother’s famous baklava. While you’re there stocking up on feta cheese from Greece, halva from Israel, or spices from India, you can place an order at their cafe for a chicken gyro, kefta kebab or falafel made to order.
550 Farmington Ave. Hartford, CT 06105
(860) 233-8168
tangiersmarket.com
Maruichi Japanese Market
Conveniently located in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square, this is my go-to market for sushi grade salmon and tuna, uni, and an assortment of miso. The Japanese market has a large selection of goods considering the size of the store, including a good variety of Japanese sweets. They have ready to go bento boxes, sushi and karaage chicken made daily that you can grab to-go or heat up and eat in the store. Also, if you pop in on Saturday between 11-7pm, or Sunday between 11-5:30 you can get a bowl of the best ramen in the area.
37 Raymond Rd. West Hartford, CT 06107
(860) 904-2754
Kensington Market
Located in the center of Kensington, Kensington Market has been serving the community for over 20 years. They specialize in Italian ingredients, carrying locally made fresh pastas, Liuzzi cheese, and an assortment of imported canned and dry goods. Their butcher case carries all the usual cuts, and their homemade sausage, which is a personal favorite of mine. They also serve prepared foods like chicken piccata, sausage and peppers and beef cutlets. All of these can be ordered for catering by the tray. While you’re there stocking up be sure to order one of their grinders- I drive from three towns away for them.
1014 Farmington Ave. Kensington, CT 06037
(860) 829-1330
kensingtonmarketandcatering.com
Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre
One of my favorite places in Wethersfield, Heirloom Market not only sells tons and tons of seeds for your garden, but they also have a large grocery section filled with locally grown organic produce, dairy, and basic household items. While you’re shopping you can enjoy a locally roasted coffee drink, their famous hot chocolate, or one of their great breakfast or lunch items, like honey and apple toast, a chicken salad wrap or a bacon, egg and cheese on a buttermilk biscuit.
263 Main St. Wethersfield, CT 06109
(860) 257-2790
heirloommkt.com
Palmer’s Market
This family owned store started as a butcher shop in Stamford back in the early 1900’s. Now in Darien and run by the 4th and 5th generations of the family, Palmer’s Supermarket is a one stop destination for groceries, prepared foods, a from-scratch bakery, and catering.
264 Heights Rd. Darien, CT
(203) 655-2077
palmersdarien.com
A Dong Supermarket
Arguably the largest Asian grocery store in the area, A Dong has been selling Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean groceries and goods since 1989. Aside from the large selection of frozen goods, sauces, noodles, rice and candies, A Dong also has a large fresh produce section, and meat and seafood. If you time your visit right you can even buy one of the roast duck or chicken that they have hanging behind glass when you walk in.
160 Shield St. West Hartford, CT 06110
(860) 953-8903
adongsupermarket.webs.com
Roly Poly Bakery
Located in Little Poland in New Britain, CT, Roly Poly is the premiere destination for Polish food in Connecticut. Roly Poly sells imported groceries, breads that are freshly baked throughout the day, a wide selection of Polish beer, pazcki and other traditional pastries, a large deli selection of cheeses and Polish meats like kielbasa, and a prepared food section selling ready to go meals.
587 Main St. New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 229-5109
rolypolyinc.com
Hall’s Market
This small grocery store in the Park Road neighborhood of West Hartford has been serving the community since 1935. Alongside their shelves full of groceries, Hall’s has a full butcher department, including ready to cook entrees like spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts, a deli with sandwiches made to order and a selection of cold salads. Right next door, Hall’s Kitchen serves ready made meals daily, with the menu changing weekly- perfect if you don’t want to cook or want to stock your freezer.
331 Park Rd. West Hartford, CT 06119
(860) 232-1075
hallsmarket.net
D and D Market
D and D Market is an Italian deli that has been serving Connecticut since 1932. Vito D’Aprile opened his original store in Hartford after immigrating from Bari, Italy. In 2014 they moved to their current location in Wethersfield, where they sell cheeses, custom cut meats, fresh produce, deli items, and groceries; many imported from Italy. Catering and prepared foods are also available.
675 Wolcott Hill Rd. Wethersfield, CT 06109
(860) 785-8998
danddmarket.com
Fjord Fish Market
Fjord Fish Market has four locations in Connecticut (Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and Westport). They sell responsibly sourced seafood, and platters of ready made food, like sushi platters, salmon burgers, and crab cakes. Fresh seafood is available for online ordering, in-store pick up and local delivery through their Greenwich location.
Multiple locations
fjordfishmarket.com
Fleishers Craft Butchery
Fleishers was Connecticut’s first sustainable, whole animal butcher shop. They have since expanded to locations in Greenwich, Westport, NYC and Brooklyn. They carry beef, pork, lamb and poultry from local farms in New York and Pennsylvania. The stores also offer local specialities like raw milk and seasonal produce.
Multiple locations
fleishers.com
