You can’t pass through Main Street Market without taking a look inside The New England Emporium. There are always at least a couple of Wesleyan students studying on one of the plush leather sofas, indulging in a savory crepe, reenergizing with a cappuccino, or grabbing a sweet snack on the go. Many students discover The Emporium because it is one of the few establishments on Main Street that accepts Middletown Cash as a form of payment, but the unique variety of food and charming atmosphere is what keeps them coming back.
In June 2010, The Emporium was opened by Michael Stone in Main Street Market, which is also home to FroyoWorld and the It’s Only Natural restaurant. The location is great for attracting new customers, with its large windows facing Main Street and an outdoor seating area.
“We were new, and we didn’t have much experience,” said Executive Chef and General Manager Danielle Vance. “We had never owned or done anything like this before.”
The risk paid off, and The Emporium continues to provide a casual café atmosphere that attracts many Middletown residents and Wesleyan students. The ambiance is unlike any other coffee shop nearby, with distinctive rustic and earthy décor, including leather couches facing coffee tables, a 10-foot piece of driftwood hanging below an amazing stained glass treetop, and a beautiful brick wall adorned with pieces of colorful artwork.
“It’s comfy and cozy,” Vance commented. “You can dress it up or dress it down as much as you want. A lot of students come in their sweatpants and bring their laptops and do work.”
The natural, homey vibe of the restaurant complements the café’s food, which is nearly always made from scratch. The effort the chefs put into everything they create is what gives their products that fresh, high-quality taste. For instance, the recipe for the pumpkin milk in The Emporium’s famous pumpkin spiced chai was difficult to perfect, according to Vance, but now it is one of the bestselling items every fall. Similarly, all of their smoothies are made with whole fruit, yogurt, ice, and just enough juice to get it to mix. The chefs refuse to use smoothie mix, which often contains corn syrup and other additives.
“We try to do everything from scratch as much as possible,” Vance said. “We have a lot of ingredients compared to most restaurants.”
The menu focuses mainly on breakfast and lunch and includes custom-made salads, sandwiches, “adult” grilled cheeses, savory and breakfast crepes, griddle specialties, innovative omelets, and more. The grilled cheeses are a recent addition to The Emporium’s revised menu but still, according to many, cannot compete with the crepes.
“The crepes make us unique in Middletown,” Vance said. “The Italian Love Affair Crepe is our most popular item by far; we sell thousands in a six-month period. You can never go wrong with strawberries and bananas and Nutella and whipped cream on a buckwheat crepe.”
Vance graciously offered us this crepe, along with the Fluffer Nutter Crepe, the Emporium Cutlet, the Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese, the Herbivore Grilled Cheese, the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, the Honey Vanilla Latte, and the Pomegranate Pear Smoothie—all of which we highly recommend. The grilled cheeses are made with Parmesan-crusted bread. The Emporium Cutlet, Vance’s personal favorite, featured a hand-breaded fried chicken cutlet with warm provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, and basil mayo on a crisp roll. Out of the three beverages, the Pomegranate Pear Smoothie was our absolute favorite. The tea used to make the smoothie was not overly sweetened, and the distinct flavors of the fruits were retained in the refreshing icy mixture.
Many people who frequent The Emporium think of it as an eatery rather than a marketplace, but the prepackaged foods and special New England goods they sell make up a huge part of this establishment. As soon as you walk in the front door, you are surrounded by old-time candies, popcorn makers, baked goods, tea mugs, and practically any New England product you can think of. It’s the perfect place to grab a snack or a gift—after a delicious meal at the café, of course.
New England Emporium, on the whole, seems like one of those places that just never gets old. You don’t even realize you’re becoming a regular until the cashier starts to remember your order, and at that point you’re too in love with the place to ever consider going to a different coffee shop.
“Most of our customers are regular,” Vance told us. “I see certain Wesleyan students here every night.”
This is not surprising, considering the many attractions that the Emporium has to offer. To put it simply, once you get a taste, you never want to leave.