Garden Catering To Open Darien Location

DARIEN, CT — Darien residents looking to get their Garden Catering fix won't have to travel too far, as the fast-casual chicken nugget chain plans to open a location at the new Heights Crossing development.

In February, Garden Catering registered with the state to open in Darien on Heights Road.

Joe Vacarro, partner at V20 Group, the commercial real estate development firm leading the Heights project, confirmed the new location with Patch this week. Vacarro said a timeline for opening is unclear; Garden Catering will be applying for a building permit in the near future, then they'll have to construct their space.

"The V20 Group and Heights Crossing are very excited to welcome Garden Catering's 'nugs' to Darien along with many of our other new retail establishments at this development," Vaccaro told Patch via email.

The storefront will be located at 425 Heights Road, and it will offer up 1,500 square feet of space with some indoor seating and plenty of outdoor communal seating options.

Garden Catering has locations in Mamaroneck and Port Chester, N.Y., Greenwich, Old Greenwich, Norwalk, New Haven, Stamford, and at the Bridgeport Amphitheater on a seasonal basis.

The brand said Wednesday they are also planning to open a storefront in Shelton at 702 Bridgeport Ave.

"These openings are a huge milestone for us," said CEO Frank Carpenteri Jr. in an announcement. "We’ve been focused on steady, intentional growth — and Darien and Shelton match up perfectly to the types of communities we love to serve. As a family run business, crossing into double digit locations is also pretty cool."

The business began in the mid-1970's when original owner Lou Iandoli and his business partner opened Garden Poultry in Greenwich. Later in 1978, Garden Catering, as it's known today, opened on Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich.

Iandoli died in 1989, and Garden Catering closed down. But Frank Carpenteri Sr. bought the business and the secret recipes, and re-opened in 1991.

The business is now run by Carpenteri Jr. and his sister, Tina Carpenteri.

A Connecticut staple, menu items include the famous hand-cut chicken nuggets made with antibiotic-free chicken, potato cones, French fries, the famous Hotsy breakfast sandwich and other breakfast choices, chili, mac bites, corn fritters, and a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads and milkshakes.

Aside from offering delicious food, Garden Catering is routinely involved in philanthropic causes.

Heights Crossing is a multi-use development that will feature retail and commercial space, a Goddard School, and 10 affordable luxury residential rental apartments.

According to the project website, V20 Group expects retail tenants to open in 2025, with residential units opening by the middle of the year.