Just before the start of beach season, Westporters got word that the Nikki Glekas Collective—the hospitalty group founded by Westporter Nikki Glekas that operates the three food service locations at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, the Beach Grill at Weed Beach, event spaces like Bank Street Events, The Loft at Chelsea Piers, and Stone Hill, plus much more—would be taking over the food and beverage options at Longshore’s Pavilion and Halfway House, as well as at Compo Beach. The new concepts (The Sandbar at the Beach, The Sandbar at the Pavilion, and The Sandbar on the Green) have given us lots of reasons to celebrate— a liquor license to serve alcohol at a new beverage cart on the golf course! Promises of s’mores and hot chocolate when the ice skating rink opens this winter!—but the real boon for the town is Nikki’s understanding of what eating at Longshore and Compo should look like. “The vision is that this is how I eat with my family,” she explains. “If I get home at 6 and don’t want to cook, I want to be able to go to the beach, order a salad with some fresh protein, let the kids eat what they want, and not worry about the mess.”
Indeed, Nikki’s local roots and strong food-world pedigree (her family’s beloved Greek restaurant, Eos in Stamford, closed in 2019 after 11 years) are reflected in The Sandbar’s menus. There are Greek-inspired dishes like gyros, chicken souvlaki wraps, and Greek salads, kid-friendly fare like chicken tenders and smash burgers, fresh, produce-forward dishes like watermelon/arugula salads with grilled chicken, tons of drink options, grab-and-go options like fruit cups or Greek yogurt parfaits, and, of course, novelty ice creams. Everything is made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and with families in mind, Nikki says, because she knows that’s what she looks for when dining out with her husband, Jimmy, and children. “We have Chelsea Piers, and we have Weed Beach, so we know how to offer good quality in a cafe,” she says.
For the aesthetic, the Compo location combines Nikki’s Mediterranean heritage and expertise with coastal Connecticut’s signature look: think rattan lanterns, nautical rope stanchions, and motifs of olive and lemon trees. She’s also got mobile ordering available, and hopes to add catering in the near future. “I want people to be able to order a sandwich platter, or a salad for 15, and pick it up in the beach cafe,” she says. Pickup is seamless, with dedicated spots for picking up advance orders, paying for grab-and-go items, and typical ordering. “Our vision is, really, to make dinner at the beach possible. We’re open late, so people can come down after work or school, and just enjoy.”
“I want to be able to go to the beach, order a salad, let the kids eat what they want, and not worry about the mess.”