BITES NEARBY: Everything You Want in a Soup and More

April 25 kicks off Hamden Restaurant Week: Spring Edition, and as the date gets closer, more restaurants are joining the celebration. 

The Soup Girl is a participant in Restaurant Week, and this vendor is a little different than the rest.

The Soup Girl operates out of a food cart. The person behind The Soup Girl is Jessica Hazen, who previously was a school teacher in New York but always had a passion for soup.

Hazen came to Connecticut when her husband relocated for a job. With 2 small children in tow, she began creating soups. Her husband was a picky eater, she said, so she created soups that he would eat. 

“I always loved to cook," she said.

Hazen barters for kitchen space to prepare her soups. Old School Restaurant in New Haven lets her use their kitchen in return for soup and they also have her soup on the menu.

Her cart is set up every other Saturday at Wooster Square in New Haven at the Farmer's Market in the winter. Beginning May 7, she will be there every Saturday.

In addition, at the end of June her cart will be at the Hamden Farmers Market every Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Miller Memorial Library.

Hamden is where she got her start, she said, and during Restaurant Week her cart will be set up in the evening at the Library.

The Soup Girl offers the following soups: Curried sweet potato, vegetarian matzo ball, vegan lentil, smoked sausage with kale and white beans, her personal favorite, lemon orzo with chicken, and many more. The soups are sold by the pint and quart and her soup menu changes weekly.

Ordering also is available through the website. Order your soup on Monday and it will be delivered on Thursday.

Her soups are very popular at the Farmers Market. One recent day there were lines of happy customers as her soups sold out. 

“I love her soup. I usually buy six pints every week and I finish them in a few days,” said one customer, who identified himself as David B.

Hazen has been in business for more than three years and her business is still growing, she said.

Hazen will be offering a buy one get one free, mix and match deal during Restaurant Week.  For more information visit www.thesoupgirl.com, or email info@thesoupgirl.com. Also visit TheSoupGirl on Facebook.

For complete information on Restaurant Week, visit  www.hamdenrestaurantweek.com.

Hours: Delivery: Thursdays from 9 am – 2 pm.

Accessibility: Cart at street level

Payments: on-line credit card payment, cash or check upon delivery.

Food Options: Vegetarian, Vegan, Regular

Private Events: Yes

Atmosphere: Under the open sky