New Milford Restaurant Set to Close Its Doors After 25 Years

25 years, and just like that, it's about to be a memory.

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The Cookhouse in New Milford will close its doors on January 2, 2023. In a Wednesday (12/14/22) Facebook post, owner Rob Ryder wrote the following:

IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

We are sad to announce the The Cookhouse will be close on New Years Day, 2023.
We have had 25 wonderful years serving New Milford, Litchfield County & greater Connecticut, but our business has never recovered from COVID.
We are incredibly thankful for our wonderful staff who helped us through the toughest period in restaurant industry history. Please come join us to say farewell. Profits between now & NYE will go to them.
With a heavy heart, I say goodbye and thank you.

Rob Ryder

First of all, the Cookhouse was ahead of its time. Today, there is a slow-smoked Barbecue joint on every block, but when the Cookhouse opened, it carved out its own market and gave folks a different dinner option. When people had run tired of going to Italian restaurants in New Milford, it was on to the Cookhouse for delicious comfort food and a few drinks.

I just cannot believe it. The Cookhouse opened just before I got to the radio station years ago and it became a hangout for our staff, for years. We shared so many laughs and memories inside those walls, it's going to be sad to see it go.

I'm hoping to get out to the restaurant and share some food and drinks with a few of the guys before the end and I hope you will too. That is a great thing that Rob is doing for the staff.

Fans of the restaurant shared their appreciation:

Andy Atkinson: "Thanks for everything over the years."

Elizabeth Marvel: "This is devastating! Thank you for 25 wonderful years!"

Danielle C.: "So many wonderful memories being a part of the Cookhouse crew."

Kathryn V.O.: "Wow! I no longer live in New Milford, but enjoyed eating there for many years and am saddened to learn of the closing. So sorry COVID did this to your business and wish you all the best, moving forward. Thank you, for all your years of serving New Milford."

Luis M.: "This was my first job and I think back on it so fondly! So sad to say good bye to The Cookhouse but I wish you luck in your future endeavors!"

Andrew G.: "I really hope something changes between now and then. I’ve been in New Milford for 13 years and Cookhouse brisket and scary sauce has always been my go-to. The Cookhouse has always been one of my favorite things about this town."

Food of CT: "Where I first really fell in love with ribs! So sad to hear this."

Ann Marie A.: "So sad to see u go always loved getting the prime rib."

I've reached out to the Cookhouse for comment and am waiting to hear back. If I do, you'll be the first to hear about it.

Which Greater-Danbury Town Would be the Best Setting for a Christmas Movie?

Let's make a movie! Even better, let's make a Christmas movie in our area. I've always thought the Greater-Danbury towns would make great settings for holiday films. Our history and architecture lends itself to creating a believable, small-town America vibe. Below are the reasons, I think each town would be good for a Christmas movie, and a potential film we could shoot here.

Exclusive Photos, Videos, and Interviews on the Set of New Milford Horror Movie

"Candlewood" is a horror film that just finished filming in New Milford, CT. This is how the filmmakers described the project on their Indiegogo:

"Candlewood is the first movie of three in the psychological/horror feature film franchise. A blended family moves from the city to a small town in Connecticut, where a local urban legend adds chaos and terror to an already fragile family dynamic. The staunch patriarch, who desperately wants his family to not see him as a failure but as the father that did everything, he could to keep his family together through difficult times. Candlewood follows a family leaving New York City for a simpler life in the country town of New Milford, CT. The haunting and mysterious true stories of missing hikers near a popular state park, Lover's Leap, coupled with the town of Jerusalem sitting at the bottom of Candlewood Lake gives credibility to our narrative. We bring to life the struggle of good vs evil and what happens when lifelong, outdated traditions are challenged."

A while back I got in touch with the folks behind the movie, invited them on the I-95 Morning Show with Ethan, Lou and Dave and talked about the film, and shooting in New Milford. We spoke with Director Myke Furhman and Writer/Executive Producer Victoria Flores-Argue. During that discussion, I demanded to be in the movie, telling the duo that I have some experience acting on TV shows that never actually made it onto TV. Against all odds, they did invite me to participate and I visited the set on October 20th to shoot a scene that is important. I was extremely nervous and I had zero idea of what I was in for. Below are some insider moments from my day on-set and from others.

Source: New Milford Restaurant Set to Close Its Doors After 25 Years in Business

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