Courtesy of Charles ‘Duck’ Unitas Photography
GVCC President Bill Purcell with Munch owner Cristina Esposito
ANSONIA – Downtown Ansonia’s delicious culinary scene just got a little tastier.
Munch Eatery at 560 Main St. held its official grand opening last month. The family-owned and operated cafe offers a menu chock full of homemade baked goods, breakfast and lunch items. They also do catering.
Owner Cristina Esposito, a UCONN graduate with a degree in math, got the idea to open Munch during the COVID-19 pandemic. She, like many others, caught the baking bug during lockdown.
“My dad in particular enjoyed my baked goods so much that he inspired me to open Munch Eatery,” Esposito said via a press release. “With his construction background, and the help of my family, we have created a place where you can not only enjoy delicious food, coffee and treats, but you can truly feel like you are in the warm company of family.”
Munch is located in a space previously occupied by a dentist office and has undergone a major makeover. The space has several tables to dine in, a curved ceiling with pendant lighting and large kitchen where executive chef Michael Rizzio and chef Mikey Cotela, Jr., along with culinary manager Angela Civitella Rosa, work alongside Esposito, the head baker, to create delicious dishes for all to enjoy.
“Our team has put their hearts into creating a menu that offers something extraordinary for every palate, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to our table,” Esposito said.
“We are not just introducing a new culinary destination, we are inviting you to become a part of our extended family,” Cotela said. “Just like a family, Munch eatery is a place of warmth. We are rooted in the values of unity, respect and support. Munch Eatery is not just a place to dine, it’s a space where friendships can flourish, where ideas are exchanged, where laughter and conversations flow freely, where memories are forged. We want you to feel like you belong here.”
Cotela said some of the signature dishes on Munch’s breakfast menu include the house-made scones, pop tarts, prime rib hash, biscuits and gravy and the Titan‑a breakfast chicken sandwich, with hot honey and cheddar cheese on a homemade biscuit.
The lunch menu boasts chopped sandwiches, where Cotela said you get “everything in every bite.” Some of the top sellers are the Nashville Hot, Eggplant Caprese and Porchetta sandwiches. Cotela noted Munch also makes its own turkey and roast beef in-house for its deli sandwiches.
Esposito’s baked goods include muffins, cheesecake, cupcakes and more, baked fresh daily.
In addition to the breakfast, lunch and baked goods menu, Cotela said Munch does catering. They’re also planning to build a party room in the building’s lower level, with the goal to open in late October or November.
Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell attended Munch’s ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 25 and was impressed with the Valley’s latest culinary offering.
“This is the Valley’s newest culinary destination where every dish is seasoned with love and every guest is family,” Purcell said. “Anthony Esposito (Cristina’s dad) and his crew did a masterful job in creating a space that is warm, welcoming, and friendly.”
Cotela told the Valley Indy via an email that he and the crew are eager to make Munch a Valley destination spot.
“We hope to be one of your favorite places to get coffee and baked goods, we hope to be the place you can’t wait to get up and have breakfast at in the morning, we hope to be the place you love to come and do work from, when you need to get away from the office, we hope to be your go to caterer and we hope to be the place you want to have your most important events,” he said.
For more information about Munch Eatery, visit them online.
