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Better People, Food & Beer, 1185 Whalley Ave, New Haven, CT (2026)

09/09/2026

📍SUCCOTASH - 186 Waterfront St - National Harbor, MD

Succotash is an upscale Southern Cuisine restaurant that opened in National Harbor, Maryland in 2015. It was founded as a collaboration between celebrity Chef Edward Lee and the Knead Hospitality restaurant group. Lee was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to Korean parents. He began cooking at age 11 and credits his grandmother for sparking his interest in culinary arts. On a trip to the Kentucky Derby in 2001, he fell in love with Louisville and Southern cooking. He is a nine-time James Beard Award nominee and owns several restaurants including 610 Magnolia and Whiskey Dry. In 2015, Knead Hospitality approached Lee with the idea to open a new restaurant that featured Southern classics with a modern Asian-infused twist. Lee liked the idea of opening the new eatery in the up-and-coming National Harbor scene. The restaurant was named ‘Succotash’ because Lee felt that the titular corn-based dish was just as open-ended as his approach to Southern cooking. Following the success of the original Succotash, a second location (twice the size) opened in Washington, D.C. in 2017.

My family and I recently had brunch at the National Harbor Succotash while we were on an East Coast Road Trip. We had previously visited years ago for dinner. First off, we really love the decor which features Edison light bulbs and gas lamps. For drinks, I had a “Belle’s Kiss” (blood peach, ginger, pineapple, mint, bubbles) and my wife had “Belle’s Punch” (mango-infused vodka, Jim Bean bourbon, ginger, peach, mint, bubbles). They were both fruity and delicious. For our entrées, I had the “Hangover Special” (fried eggs, pulled pork, warm potato salad, red-eye gravy, buttermilk biscuit), my wife had the “Avocado Toast BLT” (bacon, Sally Lunn bread, smashed avocado, tomato, fried egg), our older son had the “Shrimp ’n’ Grits” (hominy, crab étouffée, smoked paprika oil), and our younger son had the “Mac ’n’ Cheese” (cheesy goodness). Succotash’s spin on all of these classic dishes made them absolutely delicious! My “Hangover Special” was one of the best brunch dishes I’ve ever had! For dessert, we all shared the “Pecan Sticky Buns”. Our sons also had “Vanilla Ice Cream” as part of their Kids Meal. Succotash is one of the best dining experiences in National Harbor and we’ll continue to visit on future trips to the area! 🍗🧇🥃

09/08/2026

📍Crimson Coward: 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧 - 140 National Plaza - National Harbor, Oxon Hill, MD

Crimson Coward is a chain of fast-casual Nashville-style hot chicken restaurants that opened in Downey, California in April 2019. It was founded by Los Angeles native Ali Hijazi. After first trying a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich in Los Angeles, the Lebanese-American quickly developed a spicy obsession. Two weeks later, Hijazi traveled to Nashville to sample as much of the regional specialty as possible. A few weeks after that, he returned to meet the chefs behind the hot commodity. After some experimenting, Hijazi perfected his recipe in his garage, and soon he was on his way to building his own brand. Crimson Coward was officially founded in 2018, and the first brick-and-mortar location opened in Downey the following year. Every location of Crimson Coward prepares dishes featuring chicken that is fresh-never-frozen, non-GMO, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, all-natural, and 100% halal. As of 2026, Crimson Coward has 19 locations in five states.

My family and I recently visited the Crimson Coward in National Harbor, Maryland (opened in February 2025) while we were staying in the area for a few days. As dinnertime approached, we headed to the waterfront to choose from area’s plethora of great restaurants. When we saw Crimson Coward, we were immediately in the mood for Nashville Hot Chicken. We looked over the menu and decided to order multiple staples. I had the “Joey-Eat-Fries” (chopped chicken, sauce, slaw, pickles & cheese over fries), my wife had “The Crimson” (breast, Crimson sauce, pickles & slaw on brioche bun), our older son had the “Crimson Nugs” (served w/ pickles & Crimson sauce), and our younger son had the “Loaded Mac” (mac topped w/ diced chicken, melted cheese & Crimson sauce). Everything was excellent; delicious and generous portions of chicken and some really great sauce too! We were all thoroughly happy with our experience at Crimson Coward and would definitely visit again if we see another location in the future! 🐓🔥

09/07/2026

📍Hammond Pretzel Bakery, Inc. - 716 S. West End Ave - Lancaster, PA

Hammond’s Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery that opened in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1931. It was founded by baker William Lichty and his grandfather William Hammond. At the height of the Great Depression, Lichty had an idea to open his own pretzel bakery. He enlisted the help of Hammond: his grandfather and next-door-neighbor. Hammond had worked as a pretzel baker in the 1800s and brought with him an excellent recipe for sourdough pretzels. They set up shop in their adjoining garages, where the pretzels were rolled by hand and baked in a brick oven. Other family members soon came on board to assist in the operation. Lichty’s daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Tom Nicklaus, took over the business in the 1970s. Today it is run by their son and daughter Brian Nicklaus and Karen Achtermann. Hammond’s Pretzel Bakery is the oldest continuously family-operated handmade pretzel bakery in the United States. Still operating in the same location, and still rolling pretzels by hand, Hammond’s bakes 1,500 pounds of pretzels on a daily basis.

My family and I recently visited Hammond’s Pretzel Bakery while we were traveling through Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County. The area may be known for its rich Pennsylvania Dutch culture, but it’s also known for its rich pretzel history and production. It just so happens that pretzels are my favorite snack! The bakery has a small retail shop for customers to buy pretzel products directly. It smelled amazing when we walked in. We also enjoyed watching the freshly-baked pretzels coming out on the conveyor belt. Hammond’s produces a large variety of pretzel snacks: the most popular are their classic old-fashioned sourdough pretzels which come packaged in an iconic five pound orange-and-green can. We decided to stock up on multiple flavor varieties to snack on while we were on the road, including: “Buffalo Ranch”, “Dill Pickle”, “Garlic Herb”, “Cinnamon Sugar”, and “Chocolate Covered Clusters”. They were all delicious! We don’t get to Pennsylvania often, but I think it’s safe to say that we’ll be ordering more pretzel products from Hammond’s online store in the future! 🥨

09/06/2026

Here’s a new beer that I found not too long ago: Allagash Brewing Company’s “𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥”. The Maine-based brewery is renowned for their Belgian-inspired beers. This offering is a Belgian-style Tripel that they first released in 1999. At that time, it was also the first beer that Allagash released in a 750 mL cork-and-cage bottle, which was uncommon for U.S. craft breweries at the time. Today they package “Tripel” in standard 12 oz capped bottles. Pulling on a tradition that began centuries ago in Belgian Abbeys, “Tripel” famously masks its high alcohol content behind a complex, fruit-forward profile. The award-winning beer has delicious notes of herbs, clove, honey, and passion fruit! It clocks in at 9% ABV. 🍻

09/05/2026

Here’s a new beer that I found not too long ago: Bell's Brewery’s “𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦”. This offering is a Double IPA. First released in summer 2025, it is a variant of the brewery’s “Hopslam” Double IPA: a limited specialty beer that is only released every January. The original beer is brewed with the distinctive addition of honey. “Tropical Hopslam”, however, leaves out the honey and is brewed with an experimental blend of hops focused heavily on notes like pineapple, mango, and passionfruit. It has great notes of pine, resin, and tropical fruit! It clocks in at 9% ABV. 🍻

09/04/2026

📍Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery - 219 East Main St - Lititz, PA

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery that opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania in 1861. It was founded by baker Julius Sturgis. During the 1850s, Sturgis worked as an apprentice bread baker. There are a number of variations of the origin story, but the most popular one seems to be that Sturgis was preparing a batch of soft sourdough pretzels and accidentally double baked them due to the summer heat. This “happy accident” resulted in dried-out pretzels. The head baker felt that no one would want them, but it gave Sturgis an idea to exclusively produce and sell crispy pretzels. By 1861, Sturgis had purchased a historic stone house and added a pretzel bakery in the back. Sturgis’ brand of crispy pretzels soon became a big hit. He would continue to operate the business alongside his family for several years. The Sturgis Family is still in the pretzel business to this day. His grandson Marriott “Tom” Sturgis founded Tom Sturgis Pretzels in Reading in 1946. Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The current president and majority owner is Tim Snyder, uncle of current Tom Sturgis Pretzels owner Bruce Sturgis.

My family and I recently visited Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery while we were traveling through Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County. The area may be known for its rich Pennsylvania Dutch culture, but it’s also known for its rich pretzel history and production. It just so happens that pretzels are my favorite snack! We arrived at the bakery just minutes after it opened for the day and signed up to take a tour. Participants have the opportunity to roll their hands in dough and make their own hand-made pretzels, just like workers did in the late 19th century. Our guide showed us all of the various tools of the trade from that period, but the highlight was seeing the original brick ovens. At the conclusion of the tour, participants were all given a complimentary bag of Tom Sturgis “Little Ones” pretzels. Afterwards, we headed into the retail shop which was stocked with various Julius Sturgis and Tom Sturgis pretzel products. Some of the varieties that we purchased for the road included “Little Cheesers” and “Honey Mustard”. We also bought some freshly baked soft pretzels, which tasted out of this world! If you love pretzels then we highly recommend a visit to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery! 🥨

09/02/2026

📍America On Wheels 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 - 5 North Front St - Allentown, PA

The America On Wheels Museum is an over-the-road transportation museum that opened in Allentown, Pennsylvania in April 2008. It was founded by a group of local civic and automotive enthusiasts in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Beginning in 1989, Allentown city officials announced plans to revitalize an old industrial area, which included the abandoned Arbogast & Bastian meat packing plant, along the Lehigh River. This redevelopment, which was to be known as “Lehigh Landing,” was to include a museum, a brewery, walking trails, a footbridge across the river, and a promenade for festivals. After a number of delays, the museum finally opened in 2008. The museum’s collection features over 75 bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles and trucks in exhibits telling the story of people and products on the move from the days of the carriage to the vehicles of tomorrow.

My family and I recently visited the America On Wheels Museum while we were visiting our cousins in Pennsylvania. Initially we thought that it was a car museum, but it actually focuses on all sorts of road vehicles from 19th century horseless carriages right up to present day electric cars and everything in between. There were some really beautiful antique automobiles and bicycles on display throughout the entire museum. We especially loved how kind-friendly the museum was. There were a number of interactive exhibits where our sons were able to sit in miniature racing cars, load packages into a UPS truck, and dress up like automotive mechanics and “fix” a car. We also really liked seeing the huge miniature city crafted entirely of LEGOs. Overall, we had a fun time at the America On Wheels Museum and would recommend it to any automotive or vehicular enthusiasts who are visiting the Lehigh Valley area. 🏎️🚲🚛

09/01/2026

📍Tikka Shack: 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐮𝐛 - 150 W Chocolate Ave - Hershey, PA

Tikka Shack is a chain of fast-casual Indian restaurants that opened in Lubbock, Texas in 2016. It was founded by friends and business partners Pramod Prodduturi and Bhoopal Reddy. The duo originally founded the fast-casual chain Masala Wok in Richardson in 2002. The focus of that chain was on fresh, made-to-order Indian and Asian dishes inspired by Hyderabad, India where Prodduturi grew up. Masala Wok went on to become an enduring success and currently has seven locations throughout Texas. As they began to scale and add new Masala Wok locations, Prodduturi and Reddy noticed that their Indian menu generated the most revenue. So, in 2016, they expanded by opening Tikka Shack, focusing solely on Indian dishes such as curries, biryani, and, of course, tikka masala. As of this writing, Tikka Shack has 20 locations throughout the United States.

My family and I recently had lunch at the Tikka Shack in Hershey, Pennsylvania (opened April 2024) while we were in town for the day. While looking for a place to grab lunch, we saw it on Chocolate Avenue and thought that Indian food sounded delicious. We initially had no idea that it was part of a chain. I ordered the “Chicken Tikka Masala” (savory, tomato-cream masala spiced up with paprika, coriander, and turmeric, served w/ basmati rice), my wife had the “Chicken Methi Malai” (flavorful & creamy curry sauce infused with methi (dry fenugreek), paprika, turmeric, yogurt, coriander, and garnished fresh cilantro, served w/ basmati rice), we both had Garlic Naan and Samosas on the side, and our sons both had the “Chicken Tikka Tenders” (tikka seasoned and hand breaded all white meat chicken tenders, served w/ fries). Everything was really tasty; excellent quality! My wife and I washed everything down with a couple of delicious “Mango Lassis”. During our stay, we also noticed that many of the clientele were people of Indian decent, which is always a good sign. We had an excellent lunch at Tikka Shack and would definitely visit again if we see another location in the future! 🇮🇳

08/31/2026

📍𝐆𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 277 State St - North Haven, CT

Gas Burgers is a retro smash burger restaurant that opened in North Haven, Connecticut in July 2026. It was founded by entrepreneur Chris Allen. After relocating to North Haven from West Hartford, Allen noticed a vacant 1920s-era gas station located along State Street. The small space had operated as Curnen’s Service Station for several years, then an auto garage, then a clothing drop-off center before ultimately sitting dilapidated for several years. Allen thought that it would make a good location for a restaurant. No stranger to business, he previously built the company iDevices in Avon, before selling it to Hubbell. After completely renovating the space, and a number of delays with the town and state, Gas Burgers finally opened to the public. The menu consists of gourmet smash burgers made with New England-grown grass-fed beef, as well as milkshakes, ice cream treats, and specialty cocktails. Based on the success of the first restaurant, Allen hopes to franchise Gas Burgers in the future.

My family and I had lunch at Gas Burgers last week for the first time. As North Haven residents, we had been watching the working progress of the restaurant and were anxiously waiting for it to open. We totally love the retro gas station design theme, as well as “Tow Mater”: a beautifully restored tow truck on display that was named as a tribute to the anthropomorphic truck character “Mater” from the film “Cars”. For food, I ordered the “Double Patty Melt” (two smash patties on thick-cut buttered brioche, melted American cheese, grilled onions, Gas Burger sauce), my wife had “The Fire Chief” (smash patty, two slices of blue cheese, smokehouse bacon, grilled onions, lettuce, Gas Burger sauce), and our son had “The Classic Single” (smash patty, American cheese, crisp lettuce, Gas Burger sauce). We were initially surprised by the high prices of the food, but then we took a bite and realized that the price was justified. These burgers were FANTASTIC! The fries were also perfectly crispy and quite tasty. For ice cream treats, I had a “Twist Shake” (chocolate & vanilla), my wife had a “Root Beer Float”, and our son had a “Churro Chata Ice Cream Sandwich”. We were throughly satisfied with our meal. We also explored the backyard which includes plenty of outdoor seating, an outdoor bar, a stage for live music acts and film screenings, fire pits, corn hole, and even bocce courts. We had an excellent experience at Gas Burgers and can’t wait to return! 🍔⛽️

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