Winner of Top Chef Middle East + North Africa, Executive Chef Charbel Hayek Prepares to Open BarVera in Downtown Stamford
New Mediterranean Restaurant Reintroduces the Art of “Fine Dining”
The highly anticipated opening of BarVera, an original concept by Top Chef Winner and West Coast Restaurateur Chef Charbel Hayek, is planned for February 13, 2025. Located on Bedford Street in Downtown Stamford, amid a bustling retail, dining, and entertainment district, BarVera is poised to fill a void in the city’s culinary landscape with Chef Hayek’s modern approach to Mediterranean cuisine.
Rooted in hospitality, BarVera is bringing back the lost art of fine dining—not with social pretense or high prices, but rather with quality ingredients, thoughtful service, a sleek and sophisticated dining room, and a menu that does not take liberties or shortcuts with its dishes. Instead, Chef Hayek embraces the simple nuances that embody Italian, French, Middle Eastern, and Lebanese-inspired dishes, preparing them with the best land and sea ingredients and presenting them in a manner that illustrates a fine dining experience.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Chef Hayek fell in love with cooking in his family’s kitchen. He attended the French School of Excellence and honed his skills cooking at the two-Michelin star restaurant Mélisse in Santa Monica, California, under Chef Josiah Citrin. In 1922, Chef Hayek participated in Bravo TV‘s Top Chef in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he won the fifth season of “Top Chef Middle East and North Africa.” Today, Chef Hayek is an award-winning chef and restaurateur whose California restaurants, Ladyhawk in West Hollywood and Laya in Los Angeles, have given Middle Eastern-Mediterranean cuisine a place among the top restaurants in California. Chef Hayek is the author of the cookbookLemon & Garlic: Middle Eastern Cuisine (2023 Palmetto Publishing).
The BarVera menu is a culinary journey that takes guests on a tour consisting of bright flavors and healthy preparations that allow the ingredients to shine. Menu highlights include house-made za’atar akkawi man’oushe , a Lebanese flatbread made with akkawi cheese and manoushe dough, and muhammara, a spicy roasted red pepper and walnut spread served with fresh pita. Citrus-laced tuna crudo, Spanish white anchovies, grilled octopus, and grilled whole branzino share the stage with their land counterparts, kofta meatballs, braised beef cheeks, shish tawouk (yogurt-marinated grilled chicken), and duck leg confit. Pasta dishes include spicy rigatoni and pistachio pesto orecchiette. A sweet end to a BarVera meal consists of homemade riz bi haleeb (Lebanese rice pudding), Limoncello syrup cake, and a classic Italian Affogato made with vanilla bean ice cream, an espresso bath, topped with brittle.
The beverage program has the same international flare as the menu, including a curated wine list of smaller boutique wines and exceptional grape varietals. Seasonal craft cocktails, premium spirits, and local beer offerings round out the bar menu.
The BarVera space is transporting, elegant, and relaxed, with a vibrant design aesthetic. Dark wood furnishings and ivy green banquette seating are wrapped in original artwork and custom hand-painted murals that take you on a stroll through countryside vineyards and coastal cities along the Mediterranean Sea. BarVera seats 50 inside and 30 on the patio.
Visit BarVera at 148 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT 06901
BarVera plans to be open 7 days a week, starting with dinner and adding lunch and brunch hours in March.
Call: 203-674-1800
Share your Stamford experiences with us by using #findingconnecticut on Instagram
Click here for the latest news in Stamford
Click here for the upcoming events in Stamford
Click here for the latest news in Fairfield County
Click here for the upcoming events in Fairfield County
••••• Message center – Connecticut savings and messages from our sponsors •••••••
Connecticut Merch
If you’re from Connecticut or just love it, then you’ve come to the right place. Show your state pride with our assortment of unique Connecticut merchandise.
Our popular collections 203 • Two o’ Three • 860 • Eight Six O’ • I Really Really Miss Connecticut • Just a kid from Connecticut • Pride • Love & Live • Connecticut Fall
We also have merch by town, not all towns are available yet. You can always contact us and we can order the design you are looking for.
Save 10% on all products with promo code Post10. Always free shipping
Fairfield Theatre Company February Events
2/4 – Jandek on Corwood – Click here for tickets
2/6 – Norwalk Connecticut Firefighters Local 830 Presents Comedy for a Cause – Click here for tickets
2/7 – Big Eyed Phish – Click here for tickets
2/8 – Dookie – Click here for tickets
2/13 – Henhouse Prowlers – Click here for tickets
2/14 – Psychos In Love – Click here for tickets
2/15 – Back to the Eighties show with Jessie’s Girl – Click here for tickets
2/18 – Oscar Nominated Short Film – Live Action – Click here for tickets
2/20 – Oscar Nominated Short Film – Animation – Click here for tickets
2/21 – Pangea – Click here for tickets
2/21 – Friends of the Brothers – Click here for tickets
2/22 – Max Creek – Click here for tickets
2/25 – Oscar Nominated Short Film – Documentary – Click here for tickets
2/27 – Residual Groove & Round Trip – Click here for tickets
2/28 – Yas Queen – Click here for tickets
2/28 – Eli “Paperboy” Reed – Click here for tickets
Gourmet Cookies
Indulge in Keksi gourmet cookies, featuring classic flavors such as chocolate chip and snickerdoodle, as well as new monthly creations. Made with the highest quality ingredients, each bite is a delicious treat. Perfect for any cookie lover!
Hartford Wolf Pack February home games
2.7.25 – Hartford Wolf Pack vs Charlotte Checkers click here to purchase tickets
2.12.25 – Hartford Wolf Pack vs Bridgeport Islanders click here to purchase tickets
2.21.25 – Hartford Wolf Pack vs Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins click here to purchase tickets
2.22.25 – Hartford Wolf Pack vs Providence Bruins click here to purchase tickets
2.28.25 – Hartford Wolf Pack vs Springfield Thunderbirds click here to purchase tickets
Movie showtimes at Prospector Theater
Looking to see a movie. Click here for showtimes
Save on CBD!
My name is Jillian, and I am the editor here at Finding Connecticut. When I came across New England Hemp Farm a few years ago, I had recently had my ankle fused. New England Hemp Farm’s Sports Relief Rub and 500 MG Full Spectrum CBD Oil have helped with everyday and weather pain.
Finding quality products that can improve your day-to-day life can be tough, but with New England Hemp Farm, getting a good night’s sleep or relieving your pain and anxiety has never been easier. Plus, using our code Findingconnecticut35, you’ll save 35% on your first purchase. And don’t forget, returning customers can use code Findingconnecticut20 to save 20% on orders. Let us help you find relief and savings with New England Hemp Farm.
Products we use here at Finding Connecticut include Sports Relief Rub • 500 MG Full Spectrum CBD Oil • Pet Drops • Pet Treats
Let’s create with Victory Designs
Need help with your creative needs? Our team has 20+ years of experience with Adobe, Shopify, and WordPress, and we offer affordable graphic design and web services. Let Victory Designs assist you with bringing your ideas to life.
Connecticut business owners:
Are you a local business owner in Connecticut looking to boost your visibility and reach more customers? Look no further! Our platform provides a unique opportunity to showcase your business to an engaged audience of people who love and live in Connecticut. By partnering with us, you can reach potential customers who are actively seeking things to do, places to dine, and local merchants and service providers to support. Don’t miss out on this chance to grow your business and connect with the local community!
Connecticut with us!
Stay informed with daily news directly in your inbox! Our service is completely free, and we guarantee your privacy – your email and information will never be shared, traded, or sold.
Stay connected with us on social media
Facebook • Instagram • Threads • Tiktok • X • Google News • Newsbreak
Join our Reddit community
Share your Connecticut experiences with us by using #findingconnecticut on Instagram
Click here to return to Finding Connecticut’s home page
Don’t miss our reviews
Concert reviews • Restaurant reviews • Family restaurant reviews
Looking for the latest news by region, topic, and events
Latest news by region
Fairfield County • Hartford County • Litchfield County • Middlesex County • New Haven County • New London County• Tolland County • Windham County
Latest sports news by team
Hartford Wolf Pack • Hartford Yard Goats • Connecticut Sun • Norwich Sea Unicorns •
2025 schedules
Hartford Wolf Pack • Hartford Yard Goats • Connecticut Sun • Norwich Sea Unicorns
Events by region
Fairfield County • Hartford County • Litchfield County • New Haven County • New London County • Middlesex County • Tolland County • Windham County
Events by Interest
Art • Sports • Family Friendly • History • Concerts • Farmers’ Markets
Events by the month
February 2025 • March 2025 • April 2025 • May 2025 • June 2025 • July 2025 • August 2025 • September 2025 • October 2025 • November 2025 • December 2025
Events by venue
College Street Music Hall • Space Ballroom • Westville Music Bowl • District Music Hall • Fairfield Theatre Company • Hartford Stage • The Bushnell • Goodspeed Opera House • Mohegan Sun • Foxwoods • New York Comedy Club Stamford • Westport Country Playhouse • Goodspeed Opera House