The Little Pub That Could

What’s the most recognizable red door in Ridgefield?

If you’ve dined out in the last few months, you probably know it’s the one that draws you into The Little Pub, an eatery so comfortable in its natural habitat—a restored, Tudor-style cottage—that it seems to have Life and Good Cheer and All Heart on tap, with a pub fare menu to match.

Perched at the intersection of routes 7 and 102, the freshly painted entrance seems bright enough to spot from space. And in barely a season, this vintage joint has proven to satisfy a local longing not only for tempting food and drink but also for comfort and camaraderie. Peak in on the happy pubbers. Now enter.

No, Norm is not at the bar, but you can still drink in the "Cheers"-like atmosphere, albeit beneath the rough-hewn rafters and the dangling, crown-like chandeliers that might well have suited King Arthur. Opt for a barstool and a draft, or one of the tables scattered around the stone hearth’s gas flame.

But if it’s wood-burning flames that fire you up, walk through a second red door at the rear and onto the deck, with its own hearth whose glow is contagious. Halls are not the only things worth decking as the holidays approach. At TLP you can dine and drink outside—fireside—under our share of New England’s fall skies.

Even with a chill in the air, the outdoor deck is the perfect place to engage family, friends and appetites. If you’re not within warming distance of the fire, the heat lamps will keep you well toasted, or just warm up to a glass of Italy’s Ego ($9) or a bottle of Frances Coppola.

Consider starting with a menu newcomer, a mound of cheesy, chili-laden nachos ($9.95), perfect for table-sharing fun. Other new TLP fare—a revised menu just launched on Monday—are Ship’s seafood bisque ($6.95) and British faves Guinness beef stew and shepherd’s pie (both $12.95). My personal pick, so far, is the Little Pub fish and chips ($14.95), crisp and flakey in all the right places. (Yeah, I’m fussy.) The fresh, Bass ale-battered Atlantic cod is plattered with slaw and a heap of fries ($14.95). Service is friendly and meals arrive promptly.

Daneen Grabe, co-owner along with husband Doug Grabe and Kevin McCue, says she plans to alter the menu slightly every couple of months. 

“We have the same clientele, and they bring their friends, and I want them to have something new. For comfort food, we’ve got a turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sandwich," she says, describing the Thanksgiving turkey wrap ($9.95). "And we’ve added a spinach and artichoke dip,” adds the vegetarian, who also ensures a handful of salad options are available.

She alludes to McCue’s success in opening Match and The Loft in Norwalk, and also Auction House, a Manhattan bar: “When Kevin has a vision, you know to go with it.”

Some TLP faithfuls will tell you that, yes, there is often a wait, and this was true on two of my four visits. Last Sunday, memorably mild, my party waited a mere 10 minutes for a table alongside the deck hearth.

Next to us sat a family with three kids, possibly in church finery, and next to them an out-of-town biker and his wife who just happened to ride by, they said. When a restaurant attracts—and retains—a varied clientele, it's clear the owners have business savvy. In The Little Pub's case, patrons can appreciate not only the restaurant know-how but also the owners’ obvious labors of love invested in this establishment, not to mention their dedication to their guests’ contentment.

“You try to make everybody happy. That’s what draws them out,” Daneen Grabe says.

So grab your fisherman’s sweater and hit the deck. There’s no place for a cold stout or a hot toddy like our very own Little Pub that could… be a little bigger, if good things came in big packages. And as for the red doors, by the time you leave you’ll realize that no other color would work.