A New Co-Op Restaurant Comes to Westport

There’s a new kid on the block in Westport looking to make its name known on the SouthCoast cuisine scene, and from the sound of its menu, this restaurant has something for everyone. It wasn’t too long ago that I was the new kid on the block around here myself, so I wanted to officially welcome Charlotte’s to White Road Extension and take a deeper dive into their story.

Charlotte’s works as a co-op, café and market, specializing in locally sourced prepared foods. A co-op depends on the cohesiveness of a team working together for one common goal, and their goal seems to be providing high-quality food that is fresh, local, and made by lifelong chefs and bakers that are passionate about their craft. I enjoyed the write-ups of each chef and baker on their Facebook page because it puts a face to the brand, a quality that a typical chain restaurant would never be able to do. There’s Erika Zanobini, who “was born in Tuscany, Italy…Many of the recipes that she enjoys cooking are straight from her father and brother’s restaurant in Italy.”

There’s Sara Aiello Gerlach, and “for her, baking is the intersection of creativity, love and nourishment of the body and spirit.”

Each chef and baker listed on the page seems to bring their own style that will provide its own flare onto Charlotte’s menu.

Today was opening day for Charlotte’s, and it seems to be creating some buzz in the area with dozens of shares on Facebook and words of encouragement on their page. Charlotte's offers an ever-changing menu with items like homemade bread, specialty sandwiches, chicken pot pies, scones, and shepherd’s pie.

Restaurants need our help more than ever this year, and I know what it feels like to be the new kid. I would like to wish Charlotte’s the best of luck on their food adventure, and don’t be shy – if you need a taste-tester, I’m your girl.