Haven Hot Chicken Offers Sneak Peek At New Middletown Location

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Haven Hot Chicken Wednesday offered a special sampling of its Nashville-style cuisine and a sneak peek of its latest digs three days before it formally opens on Main Street in Middletown.

Saturday will be the first official day at 524 Main St. Co-founders Etkin Tekin and Jason Sobocinski said the 1,800-square-foot Middletown location was an easy choice not only because of its old-school storefront charm, but because Main Street in Middletown has become "a destination" for Central Connecticut residents.

Middletown is the sixth store for Haven Hot Chicken in Connecticut. Haven also operates locations in New Haven, Orange, Norwalk, North Haven and Storrs. Steve Barichko, the general manager of the new location, said Saturday's opening is slated for 11 a.m. and the chain will give away 203 THE Sandwiches to the first guests in line. THE Sandwich is the chain's signature dish and features a combination of pickles, slaw, the and chain's double-fried chicken on a potato roll.

Tekin said is the "perfect" combination of flavors.

Before ordering, one must be educated. Options range from Country (not spicy) to Haven (extremely spicy). Those ordering the hottest will "start seeing things," Tekin said.

The new Middletown location will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Middletown store will have seating for in-house dining and offer online ordering with curbside takeout and UberEats delivery, in addition to catering services.

Patch sampled The Sandwich, prepared at the first level of hot, at the Storrs opening, so it was time for the Tendie Trio in Middletown, just cooked country. The tenders were just as juicy as they were on THE Sandwich and the fries went nice with the sweet sauce.

Shelby Jones, a member of the Cromwell Recreation Department staff, was making his first visit to Haven Hot Chicken. He admittedly is not a slaw guy, but was coaxed into trying The Sandwich.

"Ok ... I'm hooked," he said. "I hate coleslaw, but this I like. The chicken is juicy and the level of hotness was just right."

He ordered a second sandwich to bring home.

Meanwhile, two Wesleyan University basketball players ordered their sandwich Haven style and were a little nervous.

Also on the menu are chicken and waffles and The Not Chicken, a cauliflower-based "steak" served as a sandwich. Sides include the slaw and fries, along with garlic dill pickles and mac and cheese.

Oh there's banana pudding.

"Order the banana pudding," Tekin was telling customers. "Order two and bring one home.

Sobocinski said people have been known to dip their fries in it.

"After all, it is considered a side dish," he said.

The banana pudding is connected to the brand's long-term partnership with Connecticut Foodshare. Haven Hot Chicken donates $1 from each banana pudding sold to the organization. In 2023, Haven Hot Chicken donated more than $30,000 to the organization, officials said.

Tekin and Sobocinski said Haven Hot Chicken evolved from "the need" to bring their love of Nashville-style chicken to Connecticut.

"We wanted to share the experiences we have when visiting Nashville," Tekin said. "We fell in love with the chicken there."

Sobocinski said they sampled every imaginable level of hot while visiting Nashville on test runs. Some things were so hot, they had tears in the eyes, all in the name of research, he said.

The Middletown location also features a Haven trademark — a customized mural depicting local themes.