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Popover Bistro & Bakery: A Menu From Acai To Gluten Free, With Everything In Between

  • The 45-seat space at Popover is full of natural light,...

    Lindsay Bukowinski | lbukowinski@courant.com

    The 45-seat space at Popover is full of natural light, with aqua-painted walls and chalkboards with hand-drawn menus and designs.

  • The grilled chicken caprese bowl has grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella,...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    The grilled chicken caprese bowl has grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, chopped basil and grilled chicken over a bed of chopped romaine topped with honey balsamic vinagrette. ($15)

  • The acai smoothie bowl is topped with fresh strawberries and...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    The acai smoothie bowl is topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, chia and hemp. ($10)

  • Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple honey sriracha, applewood bacon and cheddar cheese. ($14)

  • A popover served with honey butter. ($3)

    Lindsay Bukowinski / Hartford Courant

    A popover served with honey butter. ($3)

  • Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free pastries.

  • The interior of Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury.

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    The interior of Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury.

  • A small waiting area in Popover Bistro & Bakery in...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    A small waiting area in Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury.

  • A popover served with honey butter. ($3)

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    A popover served with honey butter. ($3)

  • Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free...

    Lindsay Bukowinski | lbukowinski@courant.com

    Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free pastries.

  • Popeye's Power Bowl is chopped baby spinach topped with pineapple,...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    Popeye's Power Bowl is chopped baby spinach topped with pineapple, blueberries, almonds, grilled chicken and poppy seed dressing. ($15)

  • A seating area and bar at Popover Bistro & Bakery...

    Lindsay Bukowinski l lbukowinski@courant.com

    A seating area and bar at Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury.

  • Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple...

    Lindsay Bukowinski | lbukowinski@courant.com

    Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple honey sriracha, applewood bacon and cheddar cheese. ($14)

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At Simsbury’s Popover Bistro & Bakery, you can eat the rainbow and make your doctors happy, with nutrient-packed, jewel-toned acai bowls sprinkled with chia seeds; green smoothies; and giant salads with quinoa and roasted vegetables.

Or maybe it’s more of a comfort-food day, and you’re thinking about waffles with Nutella and berries, steak and eggs, mac and cheese, sweet potato fries and a little something from the dessert case. Popover’s got you covered there, too.

And if you’re gluten-free? You can virtually have it all.

When Popover first opened in 2014, co-owner Pam Paydos and her business partners were looking to add a “healthy sort of fast food option in town,” Paydos says, with a focus on gluten-free meals and baked goods.

The restaurant evolved, starting out as a quick counter-service spot, “but people didn’t want that … they wanted to sit and dine with us, have waitstaff service.” They also added an espresso machine and introduced beer, wine and cocktails.

Four years later, the sunny eatery on Hopmeadow Street is a fixture in town, and Paydos says not an hour goes by where she doesn’t see a regular customer.

“I think it’s a local favorite at this point. We’ve really gained a little bit of a foothold here,” she says. “A huge amount of our business is people who are literally here every day.”

The 45-seat space at Popover is full of natural light, with aqua-painted walls and chalkboards with hand-drawn menus and designs.
The 45-seat space at Popover is full of natural light, with aqua-painted walls and chalkboards with hand-drawn menus and designs.

THE ATMOSPHERE: The 45-seat space is full of natural light, with aqua-painted walls and chalkboards with hand-drawn menus and designs, one featuring a map of Connecticut and pinpoints of Popover’s local vendors — Giv Coffee in Canton, Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington, Holcomb Farm in West Granby and Pure Love Bakery in Avon, among others.

“A lot of people say we have a West Coast appeal,” Paydos says. The space is also available for private parties like birthdays, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners.

Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple honey sriracha, applewood bacon and cheddar cheese. ($14)
Gluten free waffles topped with gluten free fried chicken, maple honey sriracha, applewood bacon and cheddar cheese. ($14)

FEATURED/NOTEWORTHY DISHES: Popover bridges the gap between über-healthy and super decadent, with plenty of favorites. At breakfast (served all day), there are hearty egg dishes and breakfast sandwiches ($6 to $17); breakfast bowls with quinoa and fruit or black beans, avocado and poached eggs ($8 to $10) and a variety of avocado toasts on sourdough bread ($9 and $10.)

For lunch, big-bowl salads ($9 to $16) feature bases of spinach, arugula, baby greens and romaine, with assorted proteins and toppings. New to the menu: a grilled chicken caprese salad, with tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil and a honey balsamic vinaigrette and Popeye’s power bowl, with spinach, grilled chicken, pineapple, blueberries and almonds.

Two new burritos, with veggies or chicken and black beans, join the sandwich menu ($12 to $15) along with a returning grilled veggie sandwich on ciabatta with goat cheese.

True to its name, the restaurant offers its signature item: big, light, airy fresh-baked popovers served simply with honey butter or maple syrup, or split open and used as a bready receptacle to make a satisfying meal. “Overstuffed popovers” ($9 to $16) at breakfast are loaded with scrambled eggs, veggies, meats, smoked salmon, corned beef and cheese, and at lunch, popovers replace traditional bread in the steak and cheese and tuna melt sandwiches ($14 to $15.)

Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free pastries.
Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury specializes in gluten free pastries.

The popovers don’t have a gluten-free counterpart — “It’s just not happening, we’ve tried it, they don’t hold well,” — Paydos says, but the majority of the menu items do, with gluten-free breads, English muffins and pasta available. Popover’s waffles are all gluten-free, as is its “Southerner” chicken and waffle plate ($14) with fried white-meat chicken, maple honey sriracha, applewood bacon and cheddar cheese.

Paydos says it’s exciting to see guests enjoy foods that may have previously been off-limits in their diets. “The best thing in the world is when you see a kid come in, who’s eating a waffle for the first time, because they haven’t been able to have something like that.”

A popover served with honey butter. ($3)
A popover served with honey butter. ($3)

With its new hours, extending weekday service until 8 p.m., Popover now offers three “After 5” dinner options ($11 to $19): steak frites with sweet potato fries, vegan tofu-stuffed ravioli and mac and cheese, with optional corned beef or bacon topping.

THE BAR: Popover offers beer, wine and cocktails ($9 to $11) including brunch-ready Bloody Marys with Tito’s vodka and mimosas. Specialty drinks feature Wild Moon Liqueurs from Hartford Flavor Company, like the Wild Elixir with Wild Moon chai, carrot turmeric juice, club soda and fresh lemon.

HOURS: Popover is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The bistro hosts a series of monthly motivational seminars with local inspiring women through August, with upcoming events featuring chef-educator Lindsay Perkins, Lelaneia Dubay of Hartford Flavor Company, Ting Luo of Green Tea House and Ayelet Connell-Giammatteo, a natural health expert and holistic physical therapist. Tickets, available on BrownPaperTickets.com, are $15 per session and include coffee and light bites.

Popover Bistro & Bakery is at 928 Hopmeadow St. in Simsbury. 860-413-2392 and popoversimsbury.com.

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