1) The coffee is excellent here, personally I like it black so won't comment on the fu fu specialty drinks. But a lot of black coffee is not as flavorful or strong as this 2) the place is immaculate; it's a small place and the staff is consistently cleaning everything from the grills to the coffee machines floors and counters. 3) It is not fast food - you do not come in and expect to get served food within 30 seconds. 4) As for vegan and traditional food options the menu is just a starting point, the bulk of what is offered here is verbalized by the Chef Ralph. IF you are here for more than 5 minutes you will realize this as either owner Ralph or John will inform you of this and provide a descriptive list of food options for both vegan and non-vegan Pallettes. I am a customer and do not have a vested interest in this place, but I have seen at least 3 businesses come and go at this location in the past 10 years and this is by far the best! read more

The place is a great combination of great food and good people. Nothing really comparable to it in Newtown. Highly recommended

Wonderful atmosphere, wonderful food, wonderful people! Our family enjoyed breakfast on the deck with a view of a beautifully landscaped path along the river. Ralph goes above and beyond to accommodate his guests and it shines through in every dish he creates. The coffee is delicious too, very flavorful! We look forward to visiting again and recommending to others. Bravo! read more

Alright so I been here plenty of times and the bottom line is the food is good. This places downfall is the wait time. Ralph definitely needs some help. He is a very creative chef who likes to come up with specials that really are the main menu. If you come here do not even look at the menu, only get the specials. But with that said, Ralph comes out each time to explain the specials TO EACH CUSTOMER. I understand the pride here but this slows them down tremendously. They really should just write out all the specials on the giant back wall. The foods great and u love going but I also don't want to be at a cafe for almost 2 hours for breakfast. Another issue believe it or not is the portions. It's an absurd amount of food. Feels like he is doing a little too much when he can simplify things and stuff be very successful. read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

We had a delicious breakfast here. The view out the back is beautiful and the interior is cozy and inviting! The staff were all friendly too! This was probably the best breakfast burrito we've ever had and the stuffed french toast with blueberries and peaches was delicious as well! Highly recommend checking it out! read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

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Stumbled upon this spot in our travels and can't stop talking about it. The staff were beyond hospitable and friendly. There were inside tables, outside tables overlooking a stream, and two comfy lounge chairs inside, which we stole to drink coffee and have muffins. We didn't get any entrees but the breakfast looked and smelled incredible. read more

Food was excellent! Ralph is a super nice guy and aims to please! The Shepherds pie was great! As was the stuffed French toast! We enjoyed the Canolis as well!! read more

Best surprise I've had in years! Wonderful innovative food warmly served in a cozy setting.

Let me start by saying - we really wanted to like this place. Unfortunately it was one of the worst dining experiences we've had in a long time. We ordered a tuna salad, a chicken salad, a frittata, and an egg sandwich along with 2 bubble teas (that came with no tapioca balls) and 2 iced coffees. It then took 25 minutes to get the drinks and 75 minutes for the food at a cost of $80. Initially we thought we'd be in and out so we sat outside. One of us wasn't feeling well and stayed in the car so we texted them the menu and told the waitress that order was to go. The ambiance of the river was nice but the deck was covered in leaves that should have been swept to cut down on all the bugs. After we placed our order, we watched for 45 minutes as another table came in, order, receive and finish their food. After 45 minutes we decided to go sit at a table inside. At the 1 hour mark the waitress seemed to realize we were getting antsy and brought the kids each a cookie which was nice, but she didn't explain or apologize for the long wait until 15 minutes later when I finally sent the kids to the car and asked for the food to go, stating it had been over an hour. The waitress seemed like she was in disbelief so I showed her when we texted the menu to the person in the car. She then apologized and explained the kitchen had gotten backed up. I said I understood but we had to go. I can forgive a lot of things and give places a second chance - as I said, I really wanted to like this place, but sadly - despite being made aware of all of this and the fact that we were extremely patient - they offered no discount on the food which was the final blow for service and management. In fairness, the food which was actually pretty good which earned it a second star, but it was somewhat overpriced. For the cost of lunch here and the time it took, we could have eaten next door at the Foundry restaurant and had a better experience. read more

We went for breakfast and it was amazing! The coffee and espresso were excellent and the stuffed french toast was the best I've had! Very impressed. read more

Delicious food, charming cafe, friendly service, and a live band by a babbling brook! Couldn't ask for a better Saturday afternoon stop, loved it!! My husband had a yummy chicken pot pie and I had a delicious chefs special salad (I asked for a vegetarian friendly salad). We are fans! read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Salad - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

Was looking forward to eating here for a while now and as we walked in lady who looked like the owner seemed annoyed. The energy there was off and I didn't get to try food which was so disappointing. We decided to leave before even ordering anything. Food may be good but costumer service was not inviting. read more

Very cute ambiance! My cousin and I were seated by the window overlooking the river. We were both saying the cafe gave us "hallmark movie" vibes. We both ordered tea & salads. The salads were fresh, tasty and had a beautiful presentation. I only wish mine had some form of protein in it - maybe a feta cheese or something. I also ordered an iced coffee to go - delish! I liked the care that went into making our food and drinks. The owner (I presume) was very friendly and you can tell he cares a lot about this cafe/restaurant! I recommend visiting if you're in the area. read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Salad - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

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Had lunch there this past Sunday and was thrilled at our decision. Was seated on the deck out back with a great view. So many good choices on the menu that looked great, so my friend and I decided to split the falafel sandwich which came with a "side" Greek salad that alone was large enough for a meal! Our other split was the chicken salad sandwich. These were excellent choices! 2 patrons within my view each ordered salads which looked so fresh and delicious. The owner- chef came out to greet us and to help us decide on our choices. Marisa, our waitress, was excellent! Would recommend this little spot to anyone who happens to be in the area! read more

Walked in & walked out. Owner was stressed out & treated us poorly. Didn't get to try the food but it was bad timing as I was looking forward to it. read more

Food is freshly prepared from scratch and always a delicious surprise! Service is outstanding: you feel like Ralph and his staff are treating you like family. Sitting on the deck listening to the river is soul inspiring. This Cafe is the best thing to happen in Newtown in ten years! Bob Stampp read more

This was a spectacular breakfast find! We flew in from Portland, Oregon to have breakfast with our friend Jon Marc and were astounded with the fantastic culinary creations offered there. The chef Ralph greeted us personally and dished up a salmon eggs Benedict with Cajun bearnaise sauce with roasted tomatoes that was the best breakfast we've had all year. He added a final flourish of handmade cannolis at the end of our meal. Wish we could give more stars!!!! read more

Very attentive staff. Food was delicious and would definitely be there again soon. Perfect spot for a quick bite. read more

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About a year ago, we were looking for a place for lunch and pulled in to the parking lot. When we looked inside, we looked at the menu and left-nothing appealing there. Yesterday, we went there, and we discovered that a new owner had transformed it into a great new place. I had the roasted portobello sandwich, my wife had the apple cranberry salad with grilled chicken. My only quibble was the bun was too soft for my liking, but the rest of the meal was excellent. Coffee was good, and the service was very attentive. We'll be back soon. read more

Awesome food! Had chicken pot pie. So tasty! Portion enough for 2. And falafel wrap was so good. Everything made to order so there is a wait but well worth it! Our second time here and will definitely be back again. read more

I come from out of state to visit family. I can't get enough of this little café! The food is amazing, I have never eaten at a place where the food is better than homemade. Yumm!!! oh and did I mention the friendly service? The food is worth waiting for. my "go to" is the chicken autumn salad on a croissant! but if you're hungry I recommend the chicken pot pie with croissant dough: flavours flavours flavours read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Yumm chicken pot pie with croissant dough - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

This cafe was truly amazing! I had the best avocado toast that tasted so fresh and delicious... The service was phenomenal. Both Ralph and John were so accommodating and even helped me bring my bags to the car. It's so cute inside! I'll definitely be back read more

This restaurant features a regular breakfast and lunch menu. Daily specials are also offered. The food is deliciously cooked to order. The service is friendly and attentive. Seating in the restaurant is comfortable and cozy. Outside seating with a great view of the Pootatuck river is also available. A visit to this place will definitely not leave you disappointed. read more

Food, atmosphere and service was outstanding. Salad was farm fresh quality and desert was amazing! The presentation of the food has left a best impression! Truly a gem in Newtown! read more

Sandy Hook Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Newtown, Connecticut

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Today was the first time at this most remarkable restaurant. Food is innovative and delicious. So appreciative of the owner and chef explaining the "not on the menu"dishes. So in today's fast paced society some folks may complain about the wait time but I found it a joy to relax and enjoy my friends I was dining with! Food-phenomenal, view almost as good. I wish more restaurants would follow this template. I will be back... with friends. read more

My brothers and I have been having lunch once a week at the Sandy Hook Cafe and the food and service have been first class. Ralph and John's lunch specials are delicious and filling. The variety of the specials are many to choose from and we can never finish eating them. This restaurant is a special gem in the hook and I hope the secret doesn't leak out for we enjoy eating there very much, read more

Great service super cute location with great owners. Tried the blueberry peach French toast and I was in heaven! I initially was hesitant as I am not a huge fan of cooked peaches, but agreed to it anyway and it was perfectly done! Thanks for the great experience read more

Had a delicious eggplant relation for lunch large enough to bring 1/2 home. Small and quaint and the food was epic. The chicken pot pie smelled so good cooking we brought one home...amazing. The owner/chef was so personable and fun to talk with. Definitely putting it on our regular rotation of amazing places to go. read more

I was up on my way through Florida and I like to eat at mom and Pop shops. This is the best chicken pot pie I've had! I was a little skeptical about the local soda, but it was great and the tiramisu was the perfect topper fantastic! Ralph runs a nice little shop here And if you're within 20 or 30 miles of this place, you definitely should stop in. I leave a review about once every 10 stops and the Sandy Hook Café and press me enough to take some time and let you guys know about it. Great job Ralph. read more

I only got coffee, so this review does not reflect food. However, I got a hot coffee and an iced coffee, which totaled $9. The coffee tasted watery and weak. It was not a "bad" cup, but for the price that is being charged, it was not a high enough quality for me to visit again. read more

First, I have to say, it breaks my heart reading negative reviews for Sandy Hook Cafe. This is the type of place I would love to see more of in this community. This is an eatery of a bygone era. One where the owner personally comes up to the table and presents the specials, where customers can relax, have a conversation over a coffee and a muffin, and wait (patiently) for one of the most delicious meals in our area to be served. The key here is "the (patient) wait". I understand the modern brain has been conditioned to expect instant gratification. We've been trained like Pavlovian mutts to expect and accept quick crap and convince ourselves it's great. People get off on vibe and ambiance, which is fine, but I've been to so many restaurants with a great atmosphere and mediocre food, it's depressing (looking at you, Sugo...). We've been trained to rush through meals without consideration for what we are eating, how it was prepared, or who may have prepared it. When your daily routine involves ordering Starbucks from your phone and swinging through a drive thru to pick it up, it's hard to recalibrate your brain for a place like this. But man oh man, is it so, so worth it. I frequent Sandy Hook Cafe. I eat here probably every other week. This review is not based on a single visit, but probably upwards of 20 visits. I've brought my family to this restaurant, including my daughter from when she was 2 months old. We've brought my partner's extended family to this restaurant when they've visited from California. Sharing the food prepared in this restaurant has become part of the ritual of introducing newcomers and visitors to Newtown. The food here is nothing short of outstanding. The closest analogue I can give you is it's like eating at your grandma's house. The specials are constantly changing, and are highly recommended over the regular menu (which is still good, but does not inform what makes the food, to me, so special). It is a small space, with a single cooktop, a single chef, and some seriously fresh and well-prepared ingredients. The dishes are created with thought, attention, love and true respect for the final delivered product. And thus, a review like Vic R's is really hard for me to take seriously, as there is no plane of existence in which the food at The Foundry is even remotely in the same league as Sandy Hook Cafe, and at that point, the whole review loses credibility. Dock the wait time, I get it. Maybe service was having a rough day, I get it. But the FOOD? Some things ain't subjective, and it's truly unfathomable to me how someone could consume what is produced at The Foundry and even regard it in the same sentence as the food produced at Sandy Hook Cafe. Questionable and mind boggling. If there is one potential fault of Sandy Hook Cafe, it is that perhaps the expectation (for new customers) is not properly established out of the gate. Letting customers know the realistic prep time on their meals is always advisable, and might go a long way in curbing some of the negative reactions presented here. If there is one downside (depending on how you look at it), you will probably walk out of the restaurant smelling like your meal (if you dine inside). Some meals here do hit the 90 - 120 min round trip mark. But this is not Panera Bread. This is not Chipotle. This is not the restaurant that sits immediately across the parking lot from this one. It is in a league far, far above those places. It is not fast. It is not cheap. But most really great things are neither fast nor cheap, and the food here is a really, really great thing. The people here are really, really great people. This is the type of place, the type of food, and the type of people we should strive to support. It's easy to leave a lousy review when you feel jilted, I get that, and am guilty of it myself. But I'm not sure the negative reviewers understand how lucky we are to have this place in our community. Go in. Order a coffee and a pastry. Hear out the specials. Maybe order something you wouldn't think to normally order. Put your phone on silent and engage with your company while you wait for your meal. Have a real conversation. Don't rush. Slow down. You will be rewarded. I promise. Also, the chicken pot pie is BOMB. read more

Food is amazing and service is great! My kids love sitting on the deck overlooking the river.

Sandy Hook Cafe is definitely one of the best restaurants in Newtown and surrounding area. The food is delicious and the portions are huge. The food is made fresh so expect to wait a little for the food to be served, just like any good restaurant that provides good food, but the wait is worth it. This is not a fast food restaurant serving frozen food. The cafe is small but has great outdoor dining with a view of a small river. The owners, Ralph and John, and their staff are extremely friendly and care about their customers. Ralph and John treat all of their customers like close friends and family and work hard to provide great food and a pleasant dining experience. The restaurant also provides take out dinners. read more

Amazing food. Was introduced by a colleague for lunch and have been back many times. I usually get a special salad (the owner even remembered me!) but have now been branching out. The clams I bought for my husband were consumed in one sitting and loved. Today I finally ordered the French Toast, the best I have ever had. Do not wait to try this cafe. Fantastic everything and fairly priced. New favorite place! read more

I stopped by the Sandy Hook Café a few weeks ago on a Sunday morning. My other coffee place was closed and my Google Maps search for "open coffee near me" lead me there. My expectations were low from a prior visit under a previous owner. I was pleasantly surprised when Ralph, the new owner and chef, (yes, they have food) greeted me warmly and told me the name of another worker, John. That, right there, was a plus in this small town where one can feel anonymous. Quite a few people were there eating breakfast, and experiencing the very warm and friendly vibe. Having already eaten, I was only looking for coffee. John brewed me a delicious cup of decaf. Decaf is hard to find these days as most coffee establishments, included the behemoth, suggest, "we can make you a decaf Americano." As if they are the same thing. I'm sure I am not the only person with high blood pressure who enjoys coffee and can only drinks decaf. I digress. As I sipped and people watched, a number of folks came in and out and Ralph and Co. engaged with everyone -- my kind of place! After my second cup of decaf and the Sunday NYT Crossword Puzzle completed, I wished them luck and made a note to self to return and try the food. Today, my boyfriend and I went for brunch. Ralph remembered me and read me the list of interesting specials. All were tasty sounding. I ordered a stuffed portobello mushroom, with two fried eggs, melted mozzarella sitting on a base of excellent homemade tomato sauce. The eggs were seasoned with herbs and basil with a side salad of fresh mixed greens, tomatoes with a tasty dressing. My boyfriend had cauliflower crust pizza topped with arugula, gorgonzola, walnuts, grilled pears and mandarine sections, finished with a balsamic glaze. Super delicious and beautifully presented, checking the gluten-free box required by my beau. We both savored our dishes and cleaned the plates, sated in the best of ways by really good food, beautifully plated by a chef who clearly digs what he is doing. Bravo! I don't write a lot of reviews. I do, however, often lament the many mediocre (and expensive) establishments that thrive in this town. I want to support places that give my palette real pleasure like Sandy Hook Café did today. They have plans to get a liquor license and to one day serve dinner as well. I look forward to enjoying a dinner on their terrace overlooking the river in Sandy Hook. I wish Ralph and Co. the best of luck and hope others will support the good food they are plating up. read more

I like the service and the way that they respect customers. It is worth a shot. I recommend visiting the place at least once. It is also beside a river and gives you good vibes. read more

If we lived closer this would be a regular spot for us! We loved everything about eating here. The owners are so kind and even brought us dog out bacon and water! read more

Stopped here on our road trip and what a great find! Sat outside on the patio overlooking the river stream. Ralph does amazing things with food. I had the blackened eggs avocado toast on English muffins--the best eggs I've ever had. English muffin, avocado, thinly sliced red onion, basil, goat cheese, drizzled with balsamic reduction. Husband had arugula salad topped with 2 (!) chicken breasts drizzled with chili sauce. Salad had lots of goodies in it and was delicious. Ralph, the owner, was gracious and you can tell he loves making the perfect meal for you. He gave us cannoli to finish off our lunch. Definitely a 10! read more

Come here. You will be net by Ralph and John, two wonderful guys working so hard to make sure you feel like family. Seriously. My husband and I both had the specials; breakfast burritos. I asked if Ralph could make mine vegetarian and he so happily made me a really very delicious burrito. It was so so good. The coffee was fresh, the service genuinely kind and accommodating. We are so happy to support this business. They also do to-go meals like shepards pie, eggplant rollatini and chicken pot pie. Everything looked good. I got some fresh chocolate chip cookies to go too. We will be back. read more

Always made to feel special when I'm there! I always find it hard to stray from the autumn chicken salad but there are so many delicious options on the menu! Wonderful food and the best people! read more