In 2012, owner Eli Hawli opened the first Market Place restaurant in Danbury. After much success, he expanded to offer locations in Newtown, Woodbury, Avon, Litchfield, Brookfield, and Shelton, as well as his restaurant Mercato in Southbury.

During a visit to Newtown, Hawli saw the Village at Lexington Gardens, 32 Church Hill Road, was underway and knew it would be the perfect spot for a Market Place in town.

“I always loved Newtown,” Hawli said.

In December 2017, Market Place in Newtown officially opened and began serving customers of all ages its American-style cuisine.

Chef Anthony Michelin says the restaurant’s “elevated comfort food” combines a variety of influences, including Asian, Mexican, and Italian.

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., Michelin dedicated the last decade to honing his craft and previously operated his own restaurant in the Hudson Valley that frequently worked with local farms.

Michelin is now using his expertise at Market Place in Newtown to offer customers a dining experience full of high-quality products at reasonable price points.

The restaurant partners with a variety of local farms throughout the year. The diverse menu changes seasonally and labels its gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items.

Market Place in Newtown also has a high standard for its service and hospitality toward patrons visiting the restaurant and bar.

Families, couples, and friends frequently fill the restaurant, which features a main dining area, bar section, patio for outdoor dining with heaters, and private party room.

“[Eli] leads by example and does a great job keeping the staff on point at all locations,” Michelin said.

“We are a family,” Hawli added.

Hawli has also been proactive during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and safety of his staff and patrons. All his restaurants have had their HVAC systems upgraded and now include Winair’s Phenomenal Aire equipment.

Sample Of The Menu

Small Plates: When you visit Market Place in Newtown, be sure to try the gluten-free Charred Beets & Asparagus. It has goat cheese, crushed hazelnuts, and Meyer lemon vinaigrette.

Soups & Salads: A delightfully fresh seasonal choice is the Summer Strawberry Salad with arugula, goat cheese, beets, pistachios, and lemon-honey vinaigrette.

Plant Based: Market Place in Newtown has a vegan section on the menu with four mouth-watering options. The “Impossible” Nachos has crispy blue corn tortilla chips, vegan mozzarella, hot cherry peppers, caramelized onions, impossible “beef,” arugula, vegan truffle aioli, and guacamole. It is also gluten-free.

House Cut Steaks: Each option is served with whipped potatoes, asparagus, and a choice of sauce. The sauce selection is salsa verde, horseradish crème, cabernet reduction, or MP steak sauce.

Entrees: There are nearly a dozen entrees to tickle the taste-buds of any patron. The Blue Crab & Summer Corn Risotto is gluten-free and has shaved parmesan cheese and scallions. There is also the Roasted Airline Chicken Breast with roasted fingerling potatoes, charred asparagus, carrots, and savory pan sauce.

Hand Helds: The restaurant’s signature handheld option is the Market Place Burger with a prime house blend, lettuce, tomato, red onions, VT white cheddar, garlic aioli, and toasted brioche bun. Sandwiches come with shoestring fries and can be served with gluten-free bread upon request.

Tacos: A standout taco is the Short Rib with avocado, pickled red onions, crumbled cotija, on warm flour tortillas.

Craft Cocktails: The Bees Knees is made with Barr Hill honey gin, fresh lemon, honey simple, and citrus zest.

Wines: There is a large assortment of red, white, and sparkling wines that can be purchased by the glass, by the bottle, or by the half bottle. Half price bottles of wine are available every Sunday and Monday.

Market Place, 32 Church Hill Road in the Village at Lexington Gardens, is open daily from 11:30 am to 10 pm. Takeout, catering, and seating reservations are accepted by calling 203-491-2993. For more information, visit markethospitalitygroup.com or e-mail mpnewtown@markethospitalitygroup.com. Follow Market Place in Newtown on Instagram and Facebook @marketplacenewtown.