Courtesy of Ian Splaver
With a large and colorful menu serving food from all over the culinary map, it would take someone months to appreciate everything Nana’s has to offer. This all-day bakery, located less than 20 minutes away from campus, stands out against a backdrop of tired and familiar-feeling Connecticut restaurants.
James Wayman, chef and co-owner of accomplished sister restaurants in Westerly, RI, opened Nana’s in 2020. Quickly becoming famous for its naturally leavened pizza, high-quality ingredients, fermentation, and sourdough donuts, Nana’s was named one of Esquire magazine’s “Best New Restaurants in America” in 2021—just one year after opening.
But how does it taste? Really good. The hash brown egg sandwich is one of the best-looking breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever seen. Layered with perfectly cooked eggs, warm hash browns, garlic mayo, and most importantly, savory pickled onions—a favorite of the restaurant’s, all on a toasted sesame seed bun. We also ordered several of their burritos; the chicken tinga burrito was the standout, with slow-braised chicken and cilantro lime mayo. One of the daily specials, the plum salad (pictured below), was particularly notable: fresh plums tossed with arugula, sesame seeds, and a refreshing cantaloupe puree.
Oh, and let me not forget about the baked goods and drinks menu. If you come to Nana’s you need to try the sourdough donuts. They are famous for a reason. Slightly-crunchy on the outside with a warm and chewy interior. I am not usually a particularly big donut-person, but these converted me. I’d also like to recommend pairing your pastry with one of their fantastic teas or coffees. Perhaps the seasonal fruits matcha with cold foam, or the orange cardamom Thai tea.
With memorable food and drink attracting long lines out the door, combined with beautiful waterfront views, is this restaurant located in heaven? Well, there is one thing pulling it back down to Earth… and that’s the prices.
Ordering a breakfast sandwich, one sourdough donut, and a drink can easily reach $30. Some of the lattes are $8 and some of the sandwiches and burritos sit around $20. The prices would feel right at home if Nana’s was located in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope, NY, I just don’t know about Eastern Connecticut. But with fresh, organic ingredients, and an open-kitchen—letting you see how much love and care goes into each dish, there is definitely an argument to be made that it is worth it. I personally think it is worth it, sometimes.
But let me leave you with one last thing to consider when eating out at any restaurant. The food may be absolutely delicious, but what truly brings a dining experience to the highest level is when it comes to you at a great price. Think of it as dividing the pleasure you receive from eating a dish, by the price it costs you in dollars (PPD, Pleasure Per Dollar). A fine dining experience is not necessarily better than your local hole-in-the-wall pizza spot. Moving forward, I will be in search of restaurants with the highest PPD ratio.
Is a breakfast burrito really worth $16 anywhere…?
