Hidden Gems Of Connecticut

ROCKY HILL, CT — The latest Hidden Gem can be found at a spot along the Connecticut River rich in history. Welcome to the Ferry Grill & Chill on the Rocky Hill side of the river.

Ferry Grill & Chill is located at 277 Meadow Road, next to one of the landing docks for the historic Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry — the oldest continuously running ferry in the country.

The seasonal outdoor restaurant offers fresh seafood, burgers and vegetarian options. Fan favorites include lobster rolls and scallops.

The new owner is just 19 years old — Sarah Bezdelovs, a graduate of Rocky Hill High School. She grew up watching her father cook the family meals and bake many treats. At age 16, she started her own ventures in the food industry. Her general manager and head chef is just 20 years old — Sam Wilder from West Hartford. He just finished his sophomore year at Johnson & Wales in Charlotte, NC, and is majoring in Restaurant Entrepreneurship, while securing the No. 1 spot for the school's NCAA Division III Tennis team. He's a graduate of Watkinson School in Hartford.

Last year, they both worked at the restaurant, but under a different owner, Russell Pellettier. He has continued to be involved by mentoring Bezdelovs during her first ownership experience. Bezdelovs said she chose Ferry Grill and Chill as her first endeavor because she's a native of Rocky Hill, knows the community, and wants to "promote the area as a beautiful, scenic, and peaceful place with excellent food."

She said Wilder was the first person she called after she bought the restaurant.

"He's a great person to have on your team — a very hard and dedicated worker. I can't wait for him to express himself and experiment with different items. There will absolutely be some specials," Bezdelovs said.

The Ferry Grill and Chill is open mid-May through mid-October, seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. View the menu at www.ferrygrillandchill.com.

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The Hidden Gems series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path, all located within Connecticut.

Columns in this series in 2022 include:

• Osborne Homestead Museum
• Lacrosse Unlimited
• The Holy Land Cross
• Jefferson Fry Co.
• Hartford History Center Suffragist Sculpture
• Windsor Locks Canal Irish Workers Monument
• Utsav Indian Cuisine
• The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
• The Rein's Reuben
• Frontier Airlines at Bradley
• Munson's Chocolates
• Connecticut River Valley Wildlife Museum
• LobsterCraft
• Center Springs Park
• MLK Monuments
• The Connecticut Historical Society

Columns in this series from 2021 include:

• The First Decorated Christmas Tree
• Bolton Notch Trail Bridge
• Civil War Drum
• Civil War Powder Keg
• Mile 4, Manchester Road Race
• The West Hartford Armory
• The Capitol's Nooks and Crannies
• Wickham Park Aviary
• 55 West Main, New Britain
• Fox Hopyard Golf Course
• The Dodd Center For Human Rights at UConn
• Manchester Ropes Challenge Course
• 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm
• Fuego Picante Food Truck
• The Amistad
• 9/11 memorials
• Club Champion Golf Fitters
• New England Civil War Museum and Research Center
• Avery's Soda
• Salt 2.0 Restaurant
• The Grave of Jonathan, The Original Husky
• Golden Gavel Auction House
• Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut
• The Cogswell Temperance Fountain
• The Old State House
• BouNom Bakery
• Union Pond Park/Jay Howroyd Fitness Trail
• The Submarine Force Museum/USS Nautilus
• The UConn Dairy Bar
• Grove Hill Cemetery, Vernon
• Backwoods Smokin' BBQ
• The Ranch House
• Connecticut State Police Museum
• Berlin Historic District
• Connecticut Parachutists Skydiving Club
• Tail Winds Ice Cream Shop
• The MLK Mural
• The Hilltop Restaurant and Bar
• Fork & Fire
• Lena's Italian Kitchen
• The Benedict Arnold Trail
• Swank Pearce
• Vernon Depot Historic Park
• Farr's Sporting Goods
• Robs Drivin Diner

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