Industry Spotlight: Artisan and Local Food

Here's a selection of the many artisan food businesses in Groton. A recent article discussed the economic impact of this industry and culinary tourism in our area.

Sift Bake Shop

Sift Bake Shop is owned and operated by Adam Young, recent winner of Food Network's "Best Baker In America" competition. Located in downtown Mystic, Sift is a French-focused bakery specializing in artisanal breads, pastries, desserts, macarons, signature cakes, savory items, and more. Every single menu item is made fresh daily within the in-house exhibition kitchen, where guests can watch the bakers hard at work through the glass windows.

Mystic Cheese Co.

The Mystic Cheese Company is a one-of-a-kind collective of skilled cheese professionals blending science, art and craftsmanship into a unique artisanal product line. On a weekly basis, they serve up amazing grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie plates as well as cut to order artisan cheeses to go from the tasting room at our production facility on Leonard Drive. Check the current operating hours before you go.

Barley Head Brewery

Located in the heart of downtown Mystic, Barley Head Brewery is a nano-brewery and bar. Their 2 bbl brewing system allows us to make a wide variety of beers, offering something for everyone. Beers will change each week with four to six beers on tap that showcase the versatility and range of flavors that can be achieved in a brewery. Many of our ingredients are sourced locally, sometimes from the brewer's own garden.

Paul’s Pasta Shop

Paul and Dorothy Fidrych opened Paul’s Pasta Shop in 1988 with the goal of making the finest pasta products in the region and serve reasonably priced meals in a friendly atmosphere. Their pasta is made fresh daily on the premises using only the highest quality ingredients available.

Beer'd Brewing Company

Classified as a Microbrewery, our 217 gallon/7 BBL brew house allows us to be creative, agile and extremely hands on with every ounce of beer we produce. Due to our small production size, you can expect several experimental brews a year and different takes on classic styles on a regular basis.

Our aim is to reincarnate the days gone by when beer was produced by someone on your block rather than a multinational corporation.

Mystic River Chocolate Cafe

Located at 12 Water Street in the heart of Historic Downtown Mystic! Mystic River Chocolate crafts bean-to-bar chocolate from heirloom cacao from small farms, blended with natural inclusions, herbs and essences. Their Organic line of over 52 Mystic River Chocolate Bars features unrefined USDA-Certified organic cacao nibs and rare cacao from around the world. They work with small farms who produce exquisite nibs from around the globe, and also craft the finest Belgian Chocolate.