Food + Beverage

The Sweet Lyfe

The story of how Dimitri Pantzos built a trio of beloved Westport eateries. Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Bevy Rutledge There’s a (probably unfair) stereotype that members of Gen Z don’t want to work hard. That’s certainly not the case for 29-year-old Dimitri Pantzos, owner of Pizza Lyfe, Lyfe Cafe, and Sweet Lyfe in Westport. He’s been working in the restaurant industry since, essentially, he was born. His family owned Fairfield’s Quattro Pazzi, had a diner, operated the food...

Food + Beverage

SNACK OF THE MONTH

Shaggy Coos Milk from Shaggy Coos Creamery Article by Madison Vitale Madison Vitale, one of the eponymous sisters behind the food-review social media brand @sistersnacking, recently moved to Fairfield County. (A Connecticut native, she and her sisters were on the cover of our 2024 Food Issue.) She’s been tasting and trying restaurants and cafés all over the area ever since. In this new column for Westport Lifestyle, Madison will be sharing a small bite she’s been loving lately. For more of...

Food + Beverage

Editor's Pick: Beardsley Cider Mill & Orchard

Article by Sara Gaynes Levy I'll be honest: I debated not writing about Beardsley Cider Mill & Orchard, my favorite orchard in Connecticut. It's slightly out of the way for Westporters, located in Shelton, and it lacks the flashy fall family fun activities available at other nearby orchards, like hayrides and pumpkin patches. But that's what I love about it: it's a simple, no-frills orchard with nothing but apples, a small farm store, apple cider, and fresh apple cider donuts. The rows (and...

Food + Beverage

Just What the Doctor Ordered

Article by Sara Gaynes Levy | Photography by Dan Reardon/Alex Torres Good food has been a part of Dan Reardon’s life for as long as he can remember. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, he logged after-school and weekend hours working at a speciality foods market owned by his aunt. Days were spent watching Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, and Ina Garten cook on TV, and nights were spent gathered around the kitchen table for his Italian mom’s homemade meals. In college, he interned for a large...