This week whisked me from cozy home-cooking into back-to-back trips to Chicago and Charlotte. Airport bites were forgettable, but highlights popped up in unexpected places—from a beloved local café to creative brewery bites, café sandwiches made with heart, and comfort food by the pool. Each meal was a thread in a week stitched together by travel, flavor, and family.
Home Comfort to Airport Routine
I kicked off the week with chicken fajitas at home, filled with peppers, onions, salsa, and sour cream—fuel for chasing flights. Airport food followed—quick, convenient, forgettable.
Rise Café (Huntersville, NC)
Flying through Huntersville, I stopped by Rise Café for a much-needed breakfast reset. Their 2-2-2 plate—two scrambled eggs, two pancakes, two slices of bacon, plus shredded hash browns hit the perfect note. Others rave that it’s a hidden gem with friendly service and great food. Did not dissapoint.
Rise Cafe Huntersville NC ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
King Canary Brewing (Davidson, NC)
Later that night I stopped at King Canary Brewing in Davidson. My coworker hyped their fresh flatbread as “awesome”—a claim I’d second after sampling my flatbread pizza. The mac & cheese was also recommended and did not disappoint. When I saw Wagyu beef carpaccio on the menu I just had to try and yes, as good as it sounds. Paired with a Dream Waver IPA, it was a dreamy detour. The Davidson location was super nice, not your “typical” brewery but don’t let that fool you as their food and beer were top notch. Next trip I have to stop at their main location in Mooresville.
King Canary Brewing in Davidson NC⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Roost Kitchen + Coffee (Fairfield, CT)
Once I landed home, I made a beeline to Roost Kitchen + Coffee on Black Rock Turnpike. The buttermilk pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream were amazing, and their English muffin sandwich—with bacon, fried egg, cheddar, and Béarnaise—blurred brunch lines beautifully. Opened in July 2025, this third CT location lives for locally sourced, scratch-made fare. Definitely in my rotation going forward.
Roost Kitchen + Coffee Fairfield CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dinner at The Sinclair
That night, The Sinclair delivered as usual, locally sourced oysters, guac & chips, and a perfectly cooked salmon. A meal that balanced casual comfort with touch-of-class elegance. The Faroe Island Salmon was roasted in lemon, capers and evoo. It was served with veggies and seasoned perfectly potatoes. The atmosphere is great, whether you want a feel of upscale or casual the Sinclair has it. I reccommend, on a nice night, sit on the patio, just a fun feeling and typical all’aperto! The Amore Life indeed!
The Sinclair Fairfield CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Black Rock Coffee & Kitchen (Breakfast Restart)
The next morning, we went to another new place for us for breakfast with a stop at Black Rock Coffee & Kitchen. My Egg Scrambler with hash browns was a revelation; my wife’s Avocado toast hit all the high notes. The café’s mission is rooted in comfort, community, and inclusivity. And YES, you need to have the hash browns.
Black Rock Coffee & Kitchen Fairfield CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elicit Brewing (Fairfield) – Birthday Cheers
For my brother-in-law’s birthday, we gathered at Elicit Brewing—a lively beer hall they call “a brewery, cocktail bar, lounge, and arcade all rolled into one”.
It was for his 50th birthday and I gifted him a “Welcome to 50 Survival Pack”
- 2.00 Readers
- Advil
- Heat patches
- Omega-3 Snacks
- Liver Detox Tea
- Honey
- Chickpea Snacks
- Veggie Seasoning
- Tums
- Fine Ground Black Pepper – inside joke
- Charles Krug Cabernet
- Smoke Wagon Whiskey
- Cigar
- Depends Undies – lol
Now back to the brewery, many reviews celebrate their 60-tap selection, friendly staff, and warehouse vibe built for big groups and big nights. It was our first time here. I have been to the same spot when it was Boston Billiards over 20 years ago, but you would not even recognize the transformation. Giant screens with games on. I cannot wait to come there for a Football Saturday. Beer was very good. I had a Helicopter Dad IPA – excellent and the Otraveza which is a Mexican Lager – super good. They have a few “guest” selections on tap along with a selection of drinks and some seltzers as well. Food was typical bar food and pretty good too.
Elicit Brewing Fairfield CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Weekend Grilling & Game Day
With a week of traveling and 5-star meals and drinks I need a low-key Saturday: grilling hot dogs and burgers while the Fairfield Little League team faced Nevada in the U.S. Championship game. They didn’t win, but that does not diminish what they accomplished.
Sunday was a house hunt in Milford, anchored by a Colony Grill pizza stop—because a town without Colony just doesn’t feel like a home. Swinging through Fairfield afterward, we hit the farmers’ market at Sherman Green and then snagged tiramisu gelato and chocolate hazelnut gelato at Oggi Gelato—both divine.
Back home, I closed the week with pellet-smoked sirloin tri-tip, smoked summer squash, and smoked gouda mashed sweet potatoes. A smoky, juicy, cheese-laced send-off to a week on-the-go.
Let’s see what next week brings!
