Bridgeport Legend Named Among US’s ‘Best Independent Fast Food Restaurants’

Who among us dares to compete with Grimace? Wendy? Panera and their bread? Independent fast food restaurants are fighting the good fight against the corporate machines, and one of them who started out as a small hot dog stand in the 1930's has just been listed as Connecticut's representative on a list of 'The best independent fast food restaurants in every state.

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Lovefood.com has just named Tomlinson's Restaurant at 1400 Noble Ave in Bridgeport as Connecticut's 'Best independent fast food restaurant'. According to lovefood.com, we should order 'The Works' on our hot dogs, which is kraut, onions, mustard, and relish, and we should 'Swap our McDonald's breakfast for a Tomlinson's egg platter or pancakes'. I can go a little further thanks to Tomlinson's website, which informs us that Tomlinson's started out as a little hot dog stand at Seaside Park in Bridgeport in the 1930's. The original owner passed in 1947, but the subsequent owners kept the name going. In 1995, Bridgeport gave permission to convert the hot dog stand into a full-size restaurant, which was completed in 1999.

I've never been to Tomlinson's, and I can blame my choice for Connecticut's best independent fast food restaurant - Frankie's. The menu at Tomlinson's is breakfast and  lunch-heavy, with a few substantial dinner choices. Frankie's has no breakfast, but they're stuffed with lunch and dinner options. I'm also going to name Brookfield's JJ Stacks as another of my favorite independent fast food restaurants in Connecticut, and how could you miss Denmo's in Southbury lovefood.com?