The Dressing Room

The Dressing Room- A Homegrown Restaurant 203-226-1114

27 Powers Court Westport, CT 06880

Here's to our first review of a Westport restaurant! And a truly great one it is. 

Started back in 2006 by the late Paul Newman and famed chef Michel Nischan, The Dressing Room has quickly grown to be one of the most popular restaurants in Westport and Fairfield County. The vision behind The Dressing Room's owners was to create a restaurant that used fresh, local, sustainable ingredients to make delicious meals that make you think of home. And The Dressing Room has done just that. The Dressing Room also has a non-profit organization that helped to start the Westport Farmer's Market .

But let's get to the food already. They have recently changed their menu, which is composed of almost entirely small and medium sized plates, and they recommend that diners order any combination of three dishes to have a "full meal". Some of the dishes are simple side dishes while others have several components to the dish. The restaurant uses ingredients from several local farms, and you can really tell that they're using fresh ingredients in all their food. 

So I'll start off by saying that almost every dish I tried was at least good enough that I would finish the plate. But I'll give you all some of my favorite must-tries on the menu.

Yellow Grits- If you haven't had this southern classic before, try it now! The Dressing Room does some of the best cheesy grits I've ever had.

Diver Scallops w/ beets and citrus- One of my favorite scallops dishes that I can remember, this dish uses oranges which go great with the seared scallops. 

The Burger- probably their most popular dish, their cheddar, bacon burger with caramelized onions is exactly how I like my burgers. 

Braised Pork Shoulder- One of my favorites because the pork is soft and tender, and the spice of the pork works well with tangy cabbage- a great combo!

Duck and Dumplings- Perfectly cooked gnocchi, braised duck and a fantastic tomato based sauce.

Is The Dressing Room expensive? Yes for sure. But is it worth it? Definitely!

It has become one of my favorite restaurants because of its fresh, local ingredients and the restaurant has a homey feel like few others. Chef Nischan does simple preparations that bring out the best in the food. 

So when you're looking for a "fancy" dinner one of these days, one of my first suggestions would be The Dressing Room, located right behind the Westport Country Playhouse.