Popular CT Breakfast & Cafe Chain To Open Location In Darien

DARIEN, CT — The Granola Bar, the popular Fairfield County chain that bills itself as a modern diner "at the intersection of healthy and indulgent," announced last week that it will be expanding to Darien and New Haven in 2023.

Owners Dana Noorily and Julie Mountain made the announcement on Instagram last week as part of their ninth anniversary in business.

The flagship location opened up in Westport in 2013, and later expanded to Greenwich in 2016. In 2017, The Granola Bar came to Stamford and Rye, N.Y., and to Fairfield in 2018.

In 2022, Noorily and Mountain opened Old Mill Grocery & Deli in Westport.

According to their Instagram post, the Darien location will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and alcohol.

While Noorily and Mountain didn't mention the addresses of the new locations, Hearst CT reported that according to records from the state, The Granola Bar in Darien will be at 1020 Post Road.

Noorily and Mountain met in Westport in 2010 at a birthday party with their daughters, their website says. The two immediately struck up a conversation about how to get their kids to eat healthier, and a friendship began.

Mountain had the idea of starting a granola company, and Noorily jumped on board. O.A.T.S Granola began, which was sold at Whole Foods and other stores, their website says.

The company eventually evolved into a cafe concept, so Noorily and Mountain developed a menu together. The Granola Bar opened in Westport in December 2013.

Offerings at other locations include smoothies; breakfast items like egg sandwiches, wraps and avocado toasts; parfaits, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes; and many other options.

"While Dana and Julie had no experience in the restaurant business, their love of food, combined with their backgrounds in finance and marketing respectively, helped to fuel their success," their website says. "However, the most important ingredient is the friendship that has been born from working together. Their collaborative style trickles into everything they do from empowering their corporate staff to the customers feeling like a regular after their first visit."

The two formed TGB Hospitality Group which encompasses six restaurants, a catering business, The Granola Bar food truck and restaurant consultancy.

Noorily and Mountain said updates and details on the new locations will be posted on The Granola Bar website.

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