Former Parisian, former New Yorker, and former Chowhounder here, relocated to Connecticut. Recently rediscovered this forum.
A French Culinary Institute and Per Se alum opened a bakery in charming downtown Guilford some time ago.
Note that the date on the article is 2013. The offerings have since changed (there was not a croissant to be found on any of my visits). That being said, we have found this to be a reliable source of fabulous Salted Butter Caramel cream puffs, as well as other desserts, including a memorable Pina Colada cream puff.
There is also always an assortment of interesting pantry items in store, such as Mariage Freres teas, various sweets, both sweet and salty condiments, etc. I will forever be grateful for my discovery of Umikah Passion Fruit Curd through this shop.
There is limited seating inside and a nice, small patio outside where one can enjoy a cold drink in nice weather.
Their Instagram feed is both informative and incredibly tempting. Note their limited hours. http://henandheifer.com/
This place looks amazing! I’m a Bostonian with in-laws in CT, sometimes on the southeast CT coast. Bookmarking for the next trip down (alongside a trip to Clinton’s Taste of China for SiChuan fare …)
@DrJimbob We’re in a similar situation (we’re in Greater Boston, family is in Westchester-adjacent towns). I don’t have a sweet tooth but the rest of my family in Westchester does so it’s nice to bring a treat when we visit. Thanks @bebemoche!
@digga and @drjimbob I hope you enjoy your visits. For me, it is really all about the caramel puffs. No need for $100 cakes yet, although we have sampled some of the smaller desserts. I just can’t stop driving out of my way to eat cream puffs…
If you stop by in summer, the Guilford Lobster Pound is just down the road, and, while parking is difficult, the roll I had last summer was delicious and the view is spectacular. (Warm buttered lobster roll - what’s not to like? Although a cousin and I have a more scientific lobster roll study planned for later this summer. To be continued…)
If you’re in the area and want to explore another option for CT style lobster rolls when doing your study, the Lobster Shack in East Haven is great. I think they have been the #1 ranked place for several years in the CT state magazine. Used to be a bike ride away from our place when it was really a shack then they moved to East Haven to an actual building. So good that we still go but now have to drive.
Thank you for this recommendation, which is relatively close to my home. I will definitely try this lobster roll over the weekend, long before the study has officially begun!
Moving into the realm of Lobster Rolls, I would recommend visiting Ford’s Lobster in Noank. We would stop there for a meal break during our treks up and down the coast. Good and picturesque. www.fordslobster.com
Went to Lobster Shack for the first time since last fall. Its changed. No longer a lobster roll place but a full service sit down restaurant. Had the lobster roll. It was good but not what it was before as the singular focus on lobster has been diluted with other seafood and Italian food items on the much larger menu. We were sorely disappointed. Not sure its worth coming back now. Really sad for us as we have been going since it was a tiny trailer in a parking lot next to the Branford River.
Just even worse after what we heard about Clam Castle in Madison. The seafood shacks are under pressure to turn into something else. Why I don’t understand as the business as a shack was booming.
Guilford Lobster Pound was good last summer, although the menu is bare bones, assuming that is acceptable to you. I’m fairly certain that there is not any indoor seating, only picnic tables and umbrellas outside. The setting is lovely. I recall feeling as though I had walked into vacation when I popped in last year:
The other spot I tried was Lobster Landing, but I have not been back for a few years so can’t vouch for its quality these days. It has a slightly longer menu, but I recall that it is also outdoors, partially covered by a tent. The chairs and tables were plastic, so not quite the same atmosphere as in Guilford. It is also further away, in Clinton. Once upon a time, I visited multiple times and enjoyed the lobster rolls. https://lobsterlandingct.com/
