On opening day at Overton’s in Norwalk, co-owner Mike Gavrielidis hauled up a bucket of clams and cracked it open.
Extra recent seafood sat behind an outsized fridge door, bread buns have been stacked tall overhead on storage carts and ice cream in a dozen flavors sat in a buzzing cooler. Staff manned their stations and some prospects waited in line on the order window for his or her seafood lunch. As orders got here in, Mike took to the grill, putting big clumps of lobster meat and claws onto the recent floor. He layered buns with butter so that they’d be toasted on the within, gentle and chewy on the skin.
Late winter storms had delayed a hopeful early-March opening date for Overton’s Seafood, which sits proper on the water, so the Gavrielidis household was particularly desperate to kick off the seasonal restaurant’s seventy fifth 12 months in enterprise Friday.
“Everyone will get excited when Overton’s opens, as a result of they really feel spring is right here,” mentioned Carol Gavrielidis.
John “Neil” Overton, the previous proprietor of Overton’s Seafood Stand, scoops his home made chili onto two scorching canines. Overton died Aug. 8, 2018.
STOverton’s has been a convention in East Norwalk since 1948 when Willis Overton based the Seaview Avenue restaurant with an off-the-cuff menu of fried seafood, scorching canines and hamburgers. Willis’ son, Neil, later took over the enterprise and finally bought it to the Gavrielidis household in 2000. He had one situation, although: that his household’s legacy would not finish when the property modified fingers.
“He mentioned if somebody was going to knock it down, he would not promote it to them,” Carol informed The Hour in 2008, because the restaurant marked its sixtieth anniversary.
A meal from Overton’s in Norwalk.
Frank Whitman / For Hearst Connecticut MediaOn the 75-year mark, little has modified, she mentioned, save for up to date gear and reconstruction that occurred after Hurricane Sandy broken a part of the property in 2012. Company nonetheless arrive by the carload — or by boat, as Overton’s has a dock — for fried shrimp, complete stomach clams, cheeseburgers and scorching canines with housemade chili, and eat at picnic tables overlooking the water. The clouds within the sky didn’t carry big crowds to the opening day, however Mike mentioned when the solar comes out enterprise simply goes loopy.
Lobster rolls are a home favourite, Carol mentioned, served Connecticut-style with scorching butter. A lobster roll dinner with housemade coleslaw and selection of French fries or onion rings additionally comes with a candy bonus: a free soft-serve ice cream.
“All the pieces [on the menu] sells, however our lobster rolls are superb,” she mentioned, noting that Overton’s sells as much as 1,000 rolls every week. The restaurant additionally presents occasional specials like clam chowder and lobster bisque, fried oysters and fried soft-shelled crab sandwiches.
Regardless of unpredictable climate and even the COVID-19 pandemic, the seafood joint has remained a landmark of the group, Mike mentioned. When requested if the opening of neighboring seafood store Knot Knorms had been a priority, he laughed, saying folks come and go on a regular basis. Overton’s has stood sturdy for 75 years and loyalty for the hometown hang-out comes from each outdoors the establishment and inside.
Jessee McGarty, who has labored at Overton’s Seafood in Norwalk since she was 14, calls out an order for pickup. The eatery opened for the season on Friday, March 24, 2023.
Claire Okay. Racine / Hearst Connecticut MediaFor instance, Jessee McGarty, who was taking orders on the entrance window on opening day, has her personal legacy at Overton’s. Now 36 years outdated, she has been working there since she was 14 — and was educated by none apart from her personal mom.
And, when the house owners introduced the opening date on March 15, Carol mentioned they have been instantly flooded with calls, Fb messages and drop-ins as guests drove by and noticed them making ready the constructing. After 23 years, Carol says she loves being a part of the Overton’s custom, and he or she has excessive hopes that it’ll proceed with the following technology. Considered one of her daughters, a Fairfield College graduate, was working in one other business and selected to change gears, stepping right into a supervisor function at Overton’s.
“It is thrilling for me, as a result of at a sure level, you wish to retire…and when your youngsters wish to take over, that is a blessing, additionally,” she mentioned.