European-Style Café Planned For Downtown Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfielders will have a new option later this year for brunch, lunch or a cocktail.

Café Monaco is expected to open mid-summer at 11 Unquowa Road, next to the newly renovated Sacred Heart University Community Theatre in downtown Fairfield.

“It’s an all day, every day European-style café,” said co-owner Nick Racanelli, who is opening the restaurant with his cousins, Alex Sacchetti and Paul Garbuio.

The trio also operate Fairfield Center eateries The Sinclair and Malibu Taco.

Their latest venture will be designed to evoke Italy and the South of France, with decorative touches like a Vestaboard to display specials, as well as a menu with a Mediterranean-style crudo bar and drink offerings such as an Aperol Spritz or a glass of Sancerre.

“It’s going to have an old-world European feel to it,” Racanelli said.

Specialties will include pastas and salads, as well as a brunch featuring several types of Belgian waffles.

The interior of the space, formerly home to Fresh Flower Bar, will be intimate, with 10 tables, a stand-up bar, and another 20 tables on the patio.

“The real focal point is going to be our patio,” Racanelli said, noting his team doubled the original size of the patio to accommodate safe distancing between tables amid the coronavirus pandemic.

They also plan to serve a menu of dishes that retain their flavor and texture when ordered for takeout as well as at the restaurant, as a way to accommodate diners' varying needs and comfort levels while the virus is present in Connecticut.

The owners were drawn to the storefront’s central location and proximity to the iconic downtown theater, Racanelli said, adding he expects the theater will soon become the lifeblood of Fairfield Center.

“We are building a community-focused restaurant group here in Fairfield,” he said. “This is where we want to be.”