Maggie McFly’s will bring its upscale casual approach and ‘local and craft’ menu to Westfarms later this year.

Interior of Maggie McFly’s in Albany. Courtesy of Maggie McFly’s

By Ronni Newton

The “upscale casual” restaurant Maggie McFly’s will open its sixth Connecticut location – the ninth location in all – in West Hartford by the fall of 2020, the company announced Monday.

The restaurant will be located in the former Ruby Tuesday’s spot on the lower level of Westfarms. Carrie Koscal, marketing manager for Maggie McFly’s, said they will also be taking over several adjacent spaces, creating a brand new 10,000 square foot eatery.

Maggie McFly’s, which opened its first location in Middlebury, CT, in 1993, and is still owned by sole founder Ray Harper, and operates a “scratch kitchen,” with an extensive menu that includes “epicurean entrees as well as signature burgers, large-portioned salads, speciality pizzas, and fresh pasta dishes, as well as an innovative and trending rotating seasonal specials menu,” the company said in the announcement. The restaurant has a commitment to use locally-sourced ingredients and also offers a wide selection of options for diners with dietary restrictions.

“As part of our commitment to create a unique retail experience for our shoppers, we are pleased to welcome Maggie McFly’s to Westfarms,” Kevin Keenan, Westfarms general manager, told We-Ha.com. “The restaurant category continues to be a top priority for our center. The Maggie McFly’s brand and its distinct craft menu is a great compliment to our existing restaurants.”

Maggie McFly’s notes their commitment to local and fresh products and ingredients wherever possible, including use of farm-fresh local honey in baked goods, salad dressings, and glazes, as well as local produce, pastas, and meats.

The extensive menu – 24 page with 180 items – offers many all-natural and organic options, and vegetarian and vegan selections that include trendy “plant-based meats.” A separate fryer is used to ensure that gluten-free items are truly safe for those who have allergies and sensitivities. Fifty of the items on the menu are gluten-free, according to Maggie McFly’s.

The beverage menu is also extensive, and Maggie McFly’s notes that its wines-by-the-glass program is “environmentally-conscious” through the use of a nitrous system that allows use of a keg (instead of 29 glass bottles) while preserving freshness.

Social media-worthy specialty cocktail incorporating a light-up ice cube from Maggie McFly’s in Manchester. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

The beer list includes more than 100 local craft brews.

Maggie McFly’s also offers single-malt scotches, small batch bourbons, and high-end tequilas, with a specialty cocktails menu that incorporates local spirits into “social media-worthy” drinks.

“Our philosophy is to find or develop delicious and innovative recipes and serve them to the dining public at reasonable prices,” Harper said in a statement. “People should not have to go to a pricey seafood restaurant to enjoy fresh salmon cooked to perfection, or to a high-end Italian restaurant to enjoy fresh pasta.”

The interior design will be similar to other Maggie McFly’s locations, created by Boston-based Sousa Design, and is described by the company as “bold and modern yet family-friendly,” incorporating mixed materials and “one-off visual graphics.”

Harper, a self-described fan of pop culture, has developed his own customized playlist for background music, with an upbeat sound that incorporates 80s rock and alternative music.

Harper expressed his excitement about the soon-to-open West Hartford location. “I believe that we fit into a niche the restaurant-goers in West Hartford will truly appreciate. Unlike national chains we can purchase from and cultivate relationships with smaller, local purveyors that are always striving to provide the best ingredients.” He noted that “the scratch cooking and the high quality of food served at Maggie McFly’s is a departure from some of the national chains that are available in that market, while the restaurant’s price points and casual atmosphere make it more accessible than some of the area’s high end restaurants.”

The existing five Connecticut locations include Middlebury, Brookfield, Glastonbury, Manchester, and Southbury, and there are two in Virginia (Springfield and Virginia Beach), and a newly-opened restaurant in Crossgates Mall in Albany, NY.

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