Eight years ago, 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 Danbury, 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, who joined the staff last year, 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.

There are also Plexiglas dividers at the bar, tables, and booths.

Sample of the Menu

Appetizers: A customer favorite at Market Place in Newtown is the Ahi Tuna/Avocado “Sushi Roll” for $16. The tuna is rolled with avocado in the center and has a wonton wrapper on the outside then is seared until crispy, and comes with General Tso’s ramen noodles, crushed cashews, wasabi aioli, and fresh scallions. Also, the Brussels sprouts with maple cream, dried cranberries, toasted pistachios, and Manchego cheese are a favorite.

Soups: The Roasted Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup, $10, is both gluten-free and vegan.

Salads: A popular salad currently is the Thai Chop Salad with mesclun greens, red bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, red onions, roasted cashews, crispy wonton, and soy peanut dressing.

Brunch: Brunch is offered on Saturdays and Sundays with a special menu. A favorite brunch selection is the avocado toast with smoked salmon, sliced hardboiled egg, pickled red onions, and sliced avocado on nine-grain toast with house salad and preserved lemon vinaigrette for $18.

Meats & Poultry: There is a wide assortment of meats to choose from, such as the Cajun Buttermilk Fried Chicken with crispy fried chicken, smoked bacon and scallion mashed potatoes, and mushroom white gravy for $22. The Korean Braised Short Ribs comes with jasmine rice, sauteed savoy cabbage slaw, sweet and spicy chili sauce, toasted sesame, and pickled red onions for $22.

Fish: A standout entrée is the Grilled Scottish Salmon with jasmine rice, roasted winter vegetables, and pomegranate cranberry chutney for $27.

Pasta: Among the different pasta options is the Potato Gnocchi with roasted winter squash, caramelized apples, curly kale, walnuts, and sage brown butter for $22.

Handhelds: There are nearly a dozen handheld options available, all of which come with house-cut fries. The Vegetable Focaccia, for $16, consists of grilled zucchini, caramelized onions, baby arugula, provolone cheese, basil roasted red pepper spread, and herb focaccia bread.

Drinks: Market Place in Newtown offers a variety of craft cocktails, including the Parisian with its own gluten-free Marketplace Blank Vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and pink grapefruit juice. Other popular drinks are the Applejack, Jameson Irish Whiskey with local apple cider, cinnamon spice, bitters, lemon juice, and orange zest; and the Smoked Cranberry Mezcalita with xicaru silver mezcal, cranberry compote, Combier, citrus juice, and a sea salt rim.

Dessert: All desserts are made in-house. The Tres Leches Cake and Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake are a couple of the most popular items on the dessert menu. Market Place’s cheesecakes change weekly with seasonal flavors.

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.