GREENWICH — Mike Pietrafeso’s culinary journey has taken him to quite a few kitchens over time, however it’s formally come full circle at house on East Putnam Avenue.
Mike Pietrafeso, as soon as a chef at Plum Pure Meals and Catering, lately returned to that very same kitchen after 14 years, solely this time because the proprietor of Roost + Kitchen and Cafe, which opened its doorways Nov. 5.
“It was good to return again and go full circle,” Mike Pietrafeso stated. “When that area turned out there, I used to be very accustomed to it so it simply appeared like the best match for us.”
However he’s no newcomer to proudly owning and working his personal enterprise. His preliminary culinary endeavor, Ada’s Kitchen + Espresso, opened in Riverside in 2016 and is a three-time winner of the “Finest Breakfast” in Greenwich title from Better of the Gold Coast, based on their web site. Since opening Ada’s, he has opened two Roost places in Darien and Stamford. The brand new Cos Cob location, nonetheless, holds a particular place in his and his spouse, Krista’s, coronary heart.
Each lifelong Greenwich residents, Mike and Krista Pietrafeso are Greenwich Excessive College sweethearts and reside 5 minutes away from Roost’s Cos Cob location.
“A whole lot of the institutions have been there for many years, it’s totally a lot a small enterprise, regionally owned and oriented spot inside Greenwich,” Krista Pietrafeso stated. “We grew up right here, so we have seen the evolution of the city. I feel there’s lots of want for folk to have native, small companies right here as nicely and I feel Cos Cob actually is a good place for that.”
“I feel Mike was actually blissful to be part of this group that is had so many longstanding institutions there for a while now and kind of be capable to be added to the combination,” she added.
Mike Pietrafeso discovered there was a want for from-scratch meals made out of contemporary, native elements in Cos Cob, and his to-go mannequin is completely different than the chain eating places and fine-dining institutions on the town. His is a mix of the 2, providing solely take-out choices, whereas utilizing native elements made out of scratch.
“We wished to have the ability to deliver that extra mainstream and make it extra assessable for a breakfast and lunch place,” he stated.
He’s wanting ahead to crafting a dinner menu unique to the Cos Cob location, that may provide wholesome plates and bowls for each adults and youngsters.
A few of Roost’s fan-favorite menu gadgets embrace bar gadgets made with signature espresso from Kestrel Espresso Roasters, In a single day Oats (oats and chia soaked in almond milk topped with home made cherry chia jam and almond butter), the White Bean Hummus Sandwich (goat cheese, pickled peppers, arugula, and avocado on sourdough) and, in fact, any sandwich on a Roost English Muffin, that are made out of scratch in-store each morning.
“It is the perfect of each worlds,” Krista Pietrafeso stated. “It isn’t only a espresso store, it is not only a sandwich store. You have got such an array of choices for breakfast and lunch and every little thing is contemporary.”
