Red Bee Apiary is run by beekeeper and honey sommelier, Marina Marchese, author of Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper. Marchese’s Red Bee honey has been featured on ABC’s The Chew, is used by celebrity chefs, and sold in fine artisan food shops across the country. This renowned beekeeper produces her artisanal single-origin honeys from Italian honey bees at her nearby Weston apiary. For a fun summer afternoon outing, sign up for one of the honey tasting workshops at Red Bed to learn about and taste local honeys paired local cheese, fruit, and more.

Red Bee Apirary
77 Lyons Plain Road
Weston, CT 06883
(203) 226-4535
www.redbee.com
www.yelp.com/biz/red-bee-apiary-weston

Public Domain/Public Domain

A thin, chewy crust. A healthy smattering of fresh mozzarella cheese. A drizzle of oil that's hot in every sense of the word. Those are the building blocks for Colony Grill's wildly popular signature Hot Oil pie, which proves that keeping it simple is sometimes the best route. This spicy pie can bear any toppings you choose, from sausage to the extra hot "stingers" if the oil doesn't bring enough heat for you.

Colony Grill has been serving the same simple, thin-crust pies at its flagship location in Stamford since 1935, when the tavern opened following the downfall of Prohibition. And true to the post-Prohibition era, Colony Grill boasts a fully stocked bar. Domestic and imported beers and ales are on tap, so order a pint to extinguish the fire set by a Hot Oil pie. Or wash down your pepperoni- or bacon-topped pie with a glass of wine. Either way, you'll dine in the midst of casual, American decor that makes Colony Grill feel more like a neighborhood watering joint than a local franchise.

Colony Grill
172 Myrtle Avenue
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 359-2184
www.colonygrill.com
www.yelp.com/biz/colony-grill-stamford

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/ozchin

At Harlan Social, you'll never be left guessing what Chef Stephen Lewandowski is up to behind closed doors. Snag one of the seats at a counter overlooking the open kitchen, and you'll be able to see for yourself. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and former chef of New York City's Tribeca Grill, Lewandowski spent many years honing his skills before debuting Harlan Social here in Stamford.

The chef's devotion to using mostly local ingredients (that is, ones from the Northeast region) means that his menu changes with the seasons depending on what meats and produce are available. Some of Harlan Social's most popular items include anything containing the fresh mozzarella that chefs create in-house every day, as well as other selections of international cheeses and charcuterie. While most of the menu consists of small plates, it also offers a few main dishes that might take the form of the signature Harlan burger, an herb-crusted rack of lamb, or pan-roasted Atlantic salmon. Each dish pairs well with one of the wines from an extensive list, a cocktail, or a craft brew—all of which can be found at the bar.

Harlan Social
121 Towne Street
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 883-8000
www.harlansocial.com
www.yelp.com/biz/harlan-social-stamford

Public Domain/Public Domain