Merrill’s Food Stories: A Taste of Southington

Merrill Sanders
2 days ago
3 min read

"Taste" can mean to eat or drink something in small quantities, or to become acquainted with something through experience. This week's Taste of Southington embodied both definitions of the word. Thanks to the efforts of curator Christina Volpe and her assistant Nadia Dillon, the 22nd annual tasting event took place this past Wednesday on the grounds of the Barnes Museum and Homestead. This event is traditionally held on the first Wednesday of August in conjunction with Music on the Green, as a way of giving small businesses in Southington a chance to shine. Thirteen food vendors offered their most popular menu items for purchase. Only vendors that hold food licenses in Southington were invited.

Live music provided by the Stanley Street Big Band held the crowd captive and kept it dancing.

Emma Tuttle, the creator of Emma's Pearlz, bakes beehive-shaped honey cakes that she sells at the Bread for Life table at the Farmer’s Market on the Green. This past May, Emma’s business was featured on WTNH. Emma, seen here with her mother Donna, is an accomplished loom weaver as well as a baker. Her handmade shawls were also for sale at the booth:

Many of us have wondered what lies behind the stone walls of LiveWell, the assisted living facility for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease located at the intersection of Mulberry Street and Route 10 in Southington. One answer is a café, The Gathering Place, that prioritizes the individual needs of the residents and the social aspect of dining. It is open to the public; see their website for hours. The staff from The Gathering Place had a booth at the event to promote the café.

The Hop Haüs gastropub in downtown Plantsville is know for their hamburgers and nachos. During August, their special is ‘lobstah rolls.’ Hop Haüs shares an owner (Mike Miller) with The Salty Dog sports tavern on the Meriden-Waterbury road, which features twenty different kinds of wings.

Paul Gregory’s bistro is run by the mother-daughter team of Theresa and Ashley Malloy, who purchased the restaurant in 2017. No one named Paul Gregory is currently involved with the restaurant, though at one time a man of that name was going to buy it. Many of Paul Gregory's dishes are based on family recipes. The bistro is located on Center Street, in Factory Square.

Anyone familiar with downtown Southington has experienced the aroma of the Smokin' with Chris meat smoker, which fills the air on West Center Street. Over the last twenty years Chris Conlon, a former firefighter, has perfected his technique. Chris is largely self-taught and had no restaurant experience when he first opened his establishment.

The Manhattan, a speakeasy-themed restaurant and lounge, recently moved from Eden Avenue to its new, more central location on Main Street. Could this paella they made for the event be the biggest Southington has ever seen?

When he is not booked for private events, you can find Marty’s food truck across from the Southington Drive-In. He specializes in burgers and sliced prime rib sandwiches. Are you familiar with Turf or Signatures restaurants in Waterbury? Marty started those! If you want his sandwiches you have to grab them now, since he heads down to Florida for the winter.

Aaron Potthoff and his lifelong friend Chris Barnard embarked on their food journey over 20 years ago. Aaron, shown here, is now single-handedly taking his tacos on the road with Spot on Tacos, a mobile food-truck business. For his taco shells, Aaron uses an old family recipe passed down to him from his parents, who in turn got it from their neighbors.

No event is complete without our local clown, Valentine! Diana Sheard has been bringing smiles to people young and old, healthy or sick, for over 40 years now.

We also want to record the presence of Mel from Cookie Ranger, which specializes in ‘stuffed’ cookies and nitrogen ice cream; The Polish Plate, which had a long line of patrons hungry for their kielbasa and pierogis; and the owners of Fratelli’s Italian Restaurant, Chef Hector Delgado and his children José and Christina, who welcomed visitors to their new location at the corner of South End Road and the Meriden-Waterbury Road.

If you missed this year’s event, mark your calendars for the first Wednesday of August, 2026!