The Schoolhouse at Cannondale

The Schoolhouse at Cannondale used to be our favorite date night restaurant. We had two bad experiences where the food was substandard, so we stopped going. Tonight was my birthday and I wanted to give them another try, as I remember the times we had enjoyed our meals. I called and expressed my concern, and they promised us a wonderful evening. What they failed to inform me was that they had an oil burner malfunction and it leaked. The waiter said the whole restaurant smelled because the storm the previous night caused a resurgence of the aweful smell. I immediately started getting a headache. If we had been advised of the issue, we would have given them a try on another night. I knew we would not be able to enjoy the food if we stayed, so we left. We travelled a half hour to get there, and a half hour to get back, and no longer had enough time to go out for a nice meal to celebrate my birthday. Normally I would write it off to bad luck, but tonight was the first time in a long time that I felt well enough to go out to eat. I simply can’t believe they didn’t warn their customers.

This place has become a catering operation that runs a restaurant on the side. It would be appreciated if you mention on the phone or on your website that you are running a Valentine’s Day price fixed «menu» on Friday Saturday and Monday so those of us who wish to avoid the re heated beef and the pre pre pre prepped appetizers can make alternate plans. A reservation here now means that you will be seated eventually and your order will be taken when you ask for the check because you have been waiting for 25 minutes for a very stressed out waiter to notice that your drinks are empty and you are starving. $ 280 for a wedding hall dinner and a $ 65 bottle of cab. My entrée was 3 perfectly cooked scallops. There is a last time for everything. Sorry.

One word. Burger. Get it. Had lunch here on a Saturday and had cheese plate and the burger and branzino. The burger was probably the best I have ever eaten. Super cute atmosphere as well! Will be back!

The food and service was great. There is definitely a charm for the location which is right near a brook and the size of the dining rooms tight. Definitely recommend a reservation.

Wow. Small quiet and quaint with an excellent ever changing menu of fresh ingredients prepared in a unique way with a great wine paring as well. One of the best options for dining in Connecticut and the outlying area.

Everything about the restaurant is A+, except for 2 things (see at end).
From the gracious welcome to the wonderful lighting and the food, it’s top notch. The food is truly delicious, made with care and with great flavor. A real destination restaurant.
But, I wish I could give 4.5 stars and not 5 because:
1– The portions are small. When charging such high prices, you should not be surprised by the little amount of food when the dish is presented to you. For example, I ordered the branzino and in any restaurant I’ve had that fish, you get the whole fish. Here, the plate had half the fish, 3 baby carrots, 2 small beets and half a whipped potato. Beautifully presented and the fish was perfectly cooked with a wonderful crispy skin… but not filling.
2 — Tried to make a reservation through OpenTable for mid-​week at 7. Only available times were 6:30 and 8, so I selected 6:30. At 7:15 on the day of the reservation the restaurant was half emtpy. Why not allow guests to reserve times when tables are not booked? Trying to turn-​over a table twice? Not cool.
Overall it’s one of the best meals in Fairfield county, but those two experiences made us leave The Schoolhouse with an uncertain return.

Are you kidding me? Anti-​hospitality!!!
Don’t bring your appetite or expectations. The food is B+ the ambiance B+, I’ll reserve the rating for ‘meet expectations from a basic hospitality standpoint’. It proves that there is a genuine expectation relating to eating out. We can eat food anywhere, it’s how the experience all comes together. The restaurant business is first the hospitality business.

I went there for my anniversary, the food was well prepared and plated nicely. They even gave us a special menu with our names on it! I would definitely go back here it was sweet and quiet. Make sure you get the dessert and listen to their drink recommendations it is worth it!

Great food. Everything tastes fresh and, while the portions weren’t huge they were still sufficient. We had fish and pork. Both tasted great. Had a chocolate soufflé for dessert, which was amazing.
Drink menu appeared to be pretty deep for wine.
Service was very good. Friendly staff.
The restaurant was a bit loud but it was tolerable.
We will definitely return again in the near future.

Good food, not great.
Carrot & ginger soup was interesting, burger was average, prices way above average.
If you want to sit in an acoustically terrible box with 12 other people, then this is your spot.
I can see the appeal in a small town like Wilton, but not my scene.
I do hear that their catering is great.

The setting is very quaint. Interior is simple but lovely. Pleasant outdoor patio for dining as well. We ate inside.
My appetizer was the beets and carrots with ricotta. Delicious blend of flavors with the ricotta not overwhelming the dish. I had the Chicken with Summer Succotash for my entrée — simple, fresh, excellent. We split the chocolate soufflé for dessert. It was a bit disappointing as it was neither a soufflé or a molten cake. Regardless, it didn’t detract from a great meal in a lovely venue.
Big wine and beer list. Also some interesting cocktails.
We will go back soon.

Just moved from NYC and am a total food snob.
This place is incredible — food, service, atmosphere. Stunning patio!

This is hands down the best restaurant in CT. And I’m a foodie. I eat out for a living. Tim LeBant has solid control over his kitchen, ingredients, quality, and service… all which make for an impeccable experience, every single time. Don’t waste your time on other farm-​to-​table places… this is the one.

One of the best restaurants in Connecticut and certainly the best in Fairfield County.
The schoolhouse is charming, romantic, not portentous and is serving up seriously elegant farm fresh food.
Went there for the Thursday prix fixe meal which at $ 45 a person for four courses and $ 75 including wine pairings is literally an unbelievable deal.
We started with the parsnip ansd apple soup and a fresh green salad. Next we had the frogs legs and Asian Slaw and the egg brioche toast with ramps. For our main course we had the Arctic Char with the spring pea tendrils risotto and the lamb sausage bolognese. To finish the meal we had the strawberry rhubarb upside down cake. Each of these dishes presented their own unique well balanced flavor that left us excited to explore and discover new flavors.
Not to mention that the wine pairings were superb, perfectly accenting and enhancing the flavors of each dish.
The service was excellent — attentive yet not pompous. They addressed all needs with grace and without hovering.
This is the kind of food that makes you fall in love with each flavor and appreciate food again. This restaurant represents a glimmer of hope in the desert of bland under seasoned food that sadly dominates Fairfield County cuisine.

Anyone that doesn’t rate this at 5 starts hasn’t really eaten there.
I adore this beautiful little restaurant for everything it is!

The atmosphere is excellent, but not matched by the quality of the food and its presentation. My Eggs Benedict was somewhat tasteless. It was served as a small portion on a plate that was largely empty. A side of greens and a more robust plate presentation would have added character and taste to my order.

Excellent food — typically here for the Thursday evening prixe fixe menu.
Ambiance is small and well lit. Seats about 10 tables.
Wine and beer selection is very good
Expect a 2 hour meal or greater

The one star is for the wait staff. All excellent. So, on to the food.
Sunchoke soup. So salty it was inedible.
Next was winter veggies over lentils. Veggies delish, lentils undercooked. Next the fettuccini. Tasteless, gummy and cold. Finally the cheesecake. Something you could find in a baby’s diaper (sorbet was good). Clearly a bad night.
Edit: just remembered they served margarine with the bread. Yuck.

One of the two best restaurants in Connecticut, The Schoolhouse at Cannondale is an excellent place for a memorable dinner albeit with a few minor flaws.
I am giving five stars because, while I might lean more toward 4 in NYC, for CT this is about as good as it gets. I think Community Table just edges this place out for the true #1 spot in the state but, to be honest, they offer very different types of food and cater to very different types of eaters. i.e. Community Table offers new Nordic fusion cuisine that strives to push boundaries with a head chef who used to work at Noma, while the Schoolhouse at Cannondale serves solid New American cuisine for people who prefer a great foie or steak dish to alder smoked potatoes or uni infused foams. So apples to oranges.
As for the chef at The Schoolhouse at Cannondale, I have to agree with some Unilocal reviews below that it is definitely a 21 or 22 year old kid in there. I sat next to the door to the kitchen so I got a good look in there multiple times. But worry not, the little dude can definitely cook. All the dishes were superb except a chicken that was overcooked, so no real problem. Also, awesome service. As for food:
Sunchoke Soup: Get this soup. It is mind-​blowingly good.
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad starter: Also superb, though not as good as the Sunchoke Soup.
Cavatelli with Lamb Sausage: This was a 5-​star pasta dish and one of the better my girlfriend and I have had lately. Really well done, with the savory sausage perfectly balanced by the use of cheese and caramelized butternut squash. I have to tip my hat to the chef on this one.
Chicken with Bacon, Brussel Sprouts, and Celery Purée: As mentioned, this was overcooked but it was still delicious and I enjoyed it. I would edge more toward pasta or the duck dishes next time I come.
Dessert was a problem but this happens in a lot of restaurants. The «soufflle for two» was in actuality a molten lava cake. It tasted great (thus 5-​stars) but this was not by any stretch of the imagination a soufflé. No cookbook on the planet has a molten cake (which was actually invented in the 80s) under the heading soufflé. I don’t think the kid in the kitchen is generating the recipes, it’s the chef on the website, so definitely not the cook’s fault. The owner just needs to write «Molten Chocolate Cake» on the menu and not mislead diners.
So in conclusion, in a fight between the food at Community Table and Schoolhouse at Cannondale I really don’t know who would be left standing, though just on sheer technique it would likely be Community. However, this is a superb restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere that people from the area are lucky to have. The chef was excellent, the service was excellent, and I will be back.

Anything less than a stellar review is pure silliness.
Idyllic setting and space.
Fresh ingredients always prepared creatively. Whether a dish happens to be a hit or miss, it’s always going to be prepared with beautiful ingredients made with the upmost care.
Stellar, friendly staff.
I personally happen to love $ 100 lunches. They are such a nice little decadent treat to escape the cares of the would. Whatever meal I’ve experienced here — be it lunch, dinner or brunch, I always enjoy my experience.
I have recommended the Schoolhouse to many others visiting the area as a special, unique dining destination.