Simon's Marketplace

This is a cute town with some nice shops. I started my day with breakfast here. You can get a lunch sandwich or breakfast foods. I got a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese and capers. They hadn’t changed the menu board of specials so I was a little disappointed when I saw listed but couldn’t have the Cuban sandwich. Luckily, I enjoyed what I got. My mom went with a simple grilled cheese. We shared a sugar cookie. There’s also lots of gift and decor items to shop. Service was friendly and it feels like a warm, local spot where you go weekly to meet up with a friend, have some lunch while reading a book, or grab a coffee and sit outside. The lunch specials looked and sounded tasty. If you’re in the area or looking for a nice day trip, check out Chester and start the day here. Maybe get some sandwiches to bring to Gillette Castle which is nearby.

Nice little cafe and gift shop. Coffee was great! Bakery items and sandwiches, wraps, snacks.

Obsessed with this place. Every dish is healthy, hearty, and home cooked, like you’re in a friend’s kitchen. The sweet-and-savory Mayflower “Thanksgiving” sandwich, the meatloaf, the brussels sprouts, the creamy mushroom barley soup, the cowboy “kitchen sink” cookies. Includes an adorable boutique for candle/stationary/creams shopping. Sunlit, calm, lots of windows, peaceful. 5 stars!!!

Absolutely delicious. Wow. I liked everything we ate. My buddy told me about this place and we were in Chester for work that morning. Had an omelet and egg and cheese and cookies and a scone and a muffin. They also have a gf coconut cookie which is yummy. We'll definitely stop here next time we're around. Keep up the awesome work. Had lunch there today with a buddy in town. The meatloaf is delicious.

My friend and I meet at Simon's once a month and catch up for a couple of hours The food is fresh and delicious (a little pricey). They never make us feel like we're taking up space for too long. Everyone is very nice, always with smiles when they serve you. 💗🐦☀️

I had been reminiscing about their baguettes (lovingly called crack bread) for 13 years before finally returning... It lived up to the memory! As did the rest of their food! Such a sweet little market, I can't wait to be back in the area again for another visit... Hopefully less than 13 years from now!

This is a lovely place with a good variety in their menu. I’ve had sandwiches and wraps there and all of them were delicious. The “crackbread”, aka their homemade baguette, is absolutely delicious and true to the French recipe! It can get quite crowded but service is usually fast and friendly.

Loved it here!!! The service was amazing, the iced chai drink was SOO good (especially if u have a sweet tooth), and the French Toast was affordable and had a huge portion size!!! + a wonderful ambient atmosphere, u rly can't ask for more. If u ever want a pleasurable meal & experience, definitely eat here!

Obsessed with this place. Every dish is healthy, hearty, and home cooked, like you're in a friend's kitchen. The sweet-and-savory Mayflower "Thanksgiving" sandwich, the meatloaf, the brussels sprouts, the creamy mushroom barley soup, the cowboy "kitchen sink" cookies. Includes an adorable boutique for candle/stationary/creams shopping. Sunlit, calm, lots of windows, peaceful. 5 stars!!!

Very cute spot with some food and gift items. We got was pretty good. I can see how the seating would be very limited on a busy day. The staff at the front counter where the coffee and the bakery items were was lovely. The younger staff in the back with the sandwiches have mac & cheese were OK But definitely not friendly. We didn't try the sandwiches so we will have to go back to do that .

It's an interesting vibe in here for sure. Some of the staff working were super nice, like the person who went and got me ice to change my super hot coffee that burned my tongue into an iced coffee because I obviously couldn't handle it. Then there were a few others working who really could use a bit of interpersonal communication skills training, honestly. My s'mores latte was delish, once I could feel my tongue again. The PB cookie I got was also pretty yummy. There's lots of cute random gifts for people that can be found in here, as well as holiday cards.

Rude servers, this one adolescent told me that I had to leave right now. I was busy on the phone and that I would leave when I was finished. But NO, she yelled you have to leave right now! We have cleaning to do and I couldn't be there. I replied why do you have to be so bitchy. I've only been spending money there since the day they opened. Later in the day the owner texted me, I was no longer welcome into the restaurant. I apologized. Final decision, not welcome!

Great sandwiches in a cute shop in downtown Chester. They also have prepared hot food and some party favors and other small gifts.

Update* After communication with the owner, who handled this very swiftly, I feel much more confident in this not happening in the future, and therefore am updating my review.

Fantastic food, great service, and a super cute space to eat and enjoy as well. We love Simons!

The center of downtown Chester is truly a treasure trove and Simon's Market is one of its gems. From fresh coffee and baked goods to prepared hot meals and desserts, Simon's Market is the place to fuel up. We popped in for a warm coffee during the Tractor Parade and were surprised how spacious it was. From the outside, it only looked to be a small cafe. A wave of coffee aromas hits you when walking through their door. There was a self serve hot coffee bar and coffee bean dispensers with grinder, serving up a variety of Jim's Organic Coffee. Seating is set up in front, followed by a counter serving up specialty coffee drinks, cookies, muffins and breads. When you walk further into the shop, there is another counter with warm meals for lunch specials, prepared food and desserts. The wall opposite from counters are lined shelving, stocked with Chester souvenirs, gifts, party supplies, greeting cards and other trinkets. Simon's Market had so much to offer, it's crazy that was our first time visiting. We got a few coffees; Americano, Dirty Chai and a staff favorite Tiramisu Latte. We tried a hot meal lunch that was a savory stuffed puff pastry with chicken and mushrooms. It came with a small side salad and slice of bread. The puff pastry was buttery and flaky, chicken was moist and the mushrooms were full of flavor. We also grabbed a few cookies and a baguette for later.

My boyfriend and I stopped here for some breakfast and had a great experience. The food was delicious, the iced coffee and latte was so so good, and the employees were so sweet. I would for sure come here again!

Cute little Deli with a nice variety of vegetarian sandwiches. We got a caprese on a baguette and a roasted veggie sandwich with spinach, artichoke and feta. It's a "counter-service" place with a small table area. The restaurant is in a cute town on a quaint block with a lot of nice shops, restaurants and galleries to walk around and shop at.

Another delish lunch at Simon's Marketplace! The staff are always super friendly and the food is fresh and crave-worthy. I had the Caprese and my husband chose the Boom Roasted. Our daughter gave two thumbs up to the cookie and the salted baguette. We live about 45 mins away but always stop at Simon's when we're in Chester. PS We miss The Blue Oar!

Simon's Marketplace is a super cute spot and is located in the heart of downtown Chester and is certainly worth a stop when visiting the area. They have delicious sandwiches and daily specials. They also have a full display of pastries. The best, hands down, however is the salted bread! If you are in Chester, stop by just for the loaf of bread. It's a long baguette style loaf with salty buttery goodness and even more amazing when it's fresh out of the oven! Simon's is just one of those places that no matter the reason you're stopping in, you'll be super happy you did!

Ok, I thought long and hard regarding this review. This review is actually based on 4 meals over 3 days with 3 actual visits to the shop. I am hoping this is a wake up call to the owners, or at least the managers. First meal, (drove over from Ivoryton) I ordered an egg sandwich for myself, and as I was waiting I noticed some guy with glasses in the back room, coming out and grabbing ingredients to make something, I noticed he kept touching his face, then his glasses, then i noticed he grabbed a tomato from out front for the sandwich he was making. It wasn't until I finished eating, i realized he was the one who made my sandwich, not the lady who was at the sandwich counter earlier, so I got a little grossed out. needless to say. ( If you are touching food, wear gloves! ) 2nd Meal As I was leaving Simon's, my wife called and asked if i could bring her a turkey sandwich, so i ordered it. As the lady was making my wife's sandwich, she answered the phone a couple of times, as they were busy. Once again it didn't dawn on me til later that night, this woman never changed gloves after touching the phone that multiple people had touched throughout the day. I gave my wife the sandwich, I checked in with her and asked her how the sandwich was. She said the bread was stale, and tasteless and proceeds to open the sandwich, and there is no turkey on it! So being annoyed I had her take a picture of the other half, and I brought it back to Simon's, and the girl behind the counter was apologetic and gave me a new sandwich no questions asked. 3 & 4th Meals My wife and I were going to go to the Villager in Chester for a late breakfast, sadly it was too late when we got there, so we said "lets give Simon's another chance". My wife ordered a different turkey sandwich, on a different bread, I ordered a BLT, well once again my wife's bread was stale, she said the turkey was fine. Well, my sandwich was dry, chewy, they didn't cook the bacon enough, so i had to pull my sandwich apart, after each bite. Bread is key, you might want to switch your bread company, as I saw some other reviews that have said the same thing... Now for the inside, there was no A/C, they have a window unit in the back where you pay, and you have to stand on top of it if you want to feel any coolness, and they have a walk in entry rug that was filthy, as if it hadn't been vacuumed in days. The garbage is piled up overflowing, and surprisingly for such a liberal town there was no recycle bin, You need bigger trash bins. ( see pics) Someone who worked there left an uncovered coffee carrier ( see pics), which i am sure is against health regulations. My table was filthy, and my shirt stuck to the back of the seat, ( window seat on the right looking out on to Chester streets) and lastly I was in there for at least 30 mins, people coming and going, and not once did I see anyone walk around and clear off the tables, in fact, as I was walking to the trash bin, i took garbage off 2 tables myself. You can look at my reviews, i don't give bad reviews, and I hate to do it to this one now, but the owners need to close for a day, and deep clean this place. It is a really cute store, and the young people working there were very nice, it just needs some love and attention.

I went here for lunch (my first time) about a month ago with friends and we ordered the Margeaux and Caprese sandwiches. They were amazing! The bread was fresh and the sandwich was flavorful. So delicious! The staff was friendly too. A cute little cafe with gifts too! I left saying the Margeaux was easily on my top 5 sandwiches I've ever had. Fast forward to 6/14...I went in with a friend after bragging to her how good their sandwiches were. We live 25 minutes away so it's a bit far but I thought it was so worth it. We ordered the Margeaux and Going Hamb. We went in the afternoon for a late (3pm) lunch. We were both so disappointed. The bread was stale. Employees should have toasted the bread after seeing how stale the bread was. The Margeaux was super thin and the ingredients in it were very skimpy. It was terrible. My friend got the Hamb sandwich and the mustard threw off the whole sandwich. It was very acidic. The staff also consisted off younger people working who were not attentive or friendly. We felt as if we were a burden to them by being there. Didn't seem like they took any pride in making our sandwiches. Super disappointed!i

This place had a lot of cool elements. There was a coffee and pasty bar as well as a lunch counter for sandwiches and prepared food items (like the Brussels sprouts I ordered). The vibe was very eclectic and slightly chaotic. In addition to the food counter, the marketplace also have candles, stoneware, and such creating a gift shop feel. Of the food we ordered, my husbands curry chicken salad wrap was the standout. It was so flavorful and had just the right level of moisture for chicken salad! The item I would not recommend was the strawberry scone, it was far too bland for my taste. I would go back but would definitely want to try some different items from the large and varied menu. I also think I will go in warmer weather and sit outside as that seems like it might be a bit more relaxing.

Lovely unique market, family owned and run. This is truly what a neighborhood store feels like. Cozy & welcoming & priced just right. Wonderful lunch spot to get together with friends

It's a true anchor and local hub. I like the energy and buzz of that--this type of place is very important to a small downtown. There is a chaotic feel to the service but everyone is friendly, so it overrides. I'd be at Simon's a lot more if the coffee were better; if I'm looking for good cup of coffee in the river valley area, I venture down to Essex.

Never dined in but their sandwiches are great and the cookies were awesome! They have cute Knick Knacks or gift ideas to look at while you're waiting for your food. They also have cards.

Absolutely love this market. We stop here quite often in the summer as it is a very cute area to visit and love the farmers market on Sundays. The sandwiches and prepared foods are delicious. Grab a salted baguette if they have any leftover. My absolute favorite item to get is a sausage, egg and cheese on a fresh croissant. Their deli sandwich options for lunch are also yummy and enormous. The cookies are also a must try. Grab them to go and heat them up at home for a few minutes in the oven. Just a heads up that everything is made to order so you do wait a bit for your food. It's not a terrible wait but just be prepared so you don't think you are going to run in and out in 5 minutes.

I've been to Simon's Marketplace twice now. This is an adorable little store and restaurant, in downtown Chester. First of all, I love this tiny, little town. Simon's Marketplace is a store that sells all sorts cool gift items like glassware, mugs, jewelry, tea towels, puzzles and such. It is also a restaurant that serves lunch and coffee. They also have cookies and other pastries. There are seating options inside or outside. This place is very warm and inviting. The food looks really fresh and tasty, but I didn't get anything. I got pumpkin coffee the first time and a regular coffee on my most recent visit. Both times, the coffee was not impressive, very bland and a bit watery, not my favorite. I'd be very interested to come to Simon's again and have lunch, I love the comfort of the store. Seating outside is limited, but seems like a nice spot for the view of the area and enjoying the sunshine.

Simple combination deli, restaurant and shop. Excellent sandwiches. Fantastic avocado omelet. Breakfast served til 11:30 pm Breakfast and lunch only. Highly recommend. Outdoor seating. Very casual.

we ordered soup and a sandwich, soup was delivered but sandwich was never made. paid for two bottles if water and then we were told water is from a jug on the counter. we finally had to ask for our money back for the sandwich and two bottles of water we never received. five people working behind the counter but not doing much of any customer service. very disappointed

This is a good place to grab a bite to eat Sunday's after the farmers market. Simon's has pretty consistently good food, they have an effective ordering style, the wait staff is pretty impressively on top of things considering how busy it gets and how young most of them look. We got our food moments after ordering, I have gotten the southwest sandwich the past few times that I've come here because it's delicious and why mess with a winning system, right? One of our group got the baked mac & cheese, another the meatloaf, and another the margeaux (I might have butchered that name) sandwich. Everyone agreed their food was tasty, a generous portion, and it all tasted like just simple and delicious home cooking. If it's what you're looking for in a restaurant...they also have kind of a strange but unique and cute selection of knick knacks. My only pretty big point deduction for Simon's is that their bathroom the last time I went was honestly, pretty freaking gross. It was weird enough to have to walk through part of the food prep work area to have to get to it, but knowing that a bathroom that yuck was so close to food stuff was really pretty off-putting.

Food was excellent!! I ordered the French toast with bananas and my husband had the western omelette. We both thought they were the best we ever had! Adorable little atmosphere inside with a gift shop. Lattes were excellent too.

Simon's Marketplace stands the test of time (not so for all Chester Village businesses) due likely for its reliable consistency in offering interesting and inviting salads and sandwiches and soups and breakfast choices, and also owing to its energetically cheerful staff of young persons focused on customers. Simon's Marketplace is casual at casual best, with windowfront counter seating, lot's of tables and chairs to arrange to the number of your group, and comfortable corner window-seat tables (think: pillows!) There is nothing pretentious here. Any sandwich, any wrap, any soup is sure to please -- I had a cup of the wonderful 'Rustic Tomato Soup' (presented with a warm wedge of salted baguette) my last visit; do yourself a favor and don't get stuck on a favorite -- come back again and again and try them all. There is free WiFi -- a nice touch. Added to all of the above, Simon's location at the forefront of charming Chester Village completes the checklist of a favorite place.

Simon's Marketplace is nestled in the center of the Chester. Quaint doesn't even begin to describe this place or even the little town. This old storefront is deep with a wall full of fun merchandise. The best part is the food, however. Their sandwiches and pastries are all delicious. The curry chicken salad was tasty and included Granny Smith apples and plump raisins. The Thanksgiving sandwich was exactly that -all the good feels and tastes that come along with Thanksgiving. The giant Russian Tea Cake is very rich and heavy. I loved it with my coffee afterwards. Definitely stop in!

Decent food, couldn't-care-less service. I always get the feeling that customers are a terrible burden to the staff here, and they have better things to do than interact with the people who come in. Never a smile, or "how can I help you", and forget about a thank you. You can stand at the counter for five minutes before somebody says over their shoulder that they'll be with you in a minute, then get a really unenthusiastic offer to get you something to eat.

What an amazing little gourmet market. With a wide selection of fresh and premade entrees, baked goods and coffee, this place basically has it all. I split a turkey, cheese, lettuce, bacon and avocado sandwich with beet salad with my mom and it was definitely enough food. I also tried the quiche, which was amazing, and the southwestern chicken Mac and cheese - incredible. I also had a slice of key lime pie, because, duh. It was top notch. Friendly service and a fun store to browse after you eat (they've got tons of cards and fun gifts)!

Four stars for the salt bread alone---it's legendary! Get a soup ($5.95 for a bowl) and the bread will come with it...I've had the roasted red pepper (very good) and the butternut squash (ok, but a bit too thick/sweet for my taste). Their desserts and sandwiches are very good as well. My favorite is the Thanksgiving (mmm, that stuffing) and curried chicken wrap but I recently had the Margeaux ($8.95) and it was excellent. It sounds simple (chicken with roasted red peppers, goat cheese, and greens on a ciabatta) but the bread is fresh and the white balsamic vinaigrette makes it very tasty. It's big enough to share. I also tried an interesting s'mores bar for dessert; I would recommend it, but just be ready to share, it's huge. The cafe itself is cozy, bright, and fun, a great atmosphere. I wish I could have lunch here every day.

Stopped by Simon's Marketplace when exploring Main St. Chester. Got two iced Americanos and the Mayflower (gobbled up before I could get a pic)! The interior was super cute, snagged a cozy spot in the back corner. Loved the variety of sandwiches, coffee, and baked goods. I also love that they have fun things to look at/buy while you wait.

Great place for a salad or sandwich. I had Chicken Piccata with multigrain bread . It was in the case along with other salads and dishes. My dinner was delicious and the sandwiches that everyone else had looked good.

I have been coming to Chester since Simons used to be Robbies malt shop and we would go on Sundays after church. This place has good food and it's very fresh, but the staff are robots and could care less if you are there or not. A little smile might get you more tips and repeat customers.

Probably the best sandwich I've ever had in my entire life ... and the place is cute and has little gifts which is always the best

Came to this lovely little cafe the other day with my cousin and we had a lovely experience! You walk in and it is absolutely adorable and rustic. They have a coffee shop and a cafe and plenty of seating! They have a delicious sandwich menu and we were not disappointed with the sandwiches we choose! She had the thanksgiving sandwich and I had the ham and brie! Both are to die for! Another great thing about this spot is they have a variety of gift items you can buy for yourself or others! For example you can buy kitchen cloths, mugs, candles, art pieces and more! Sadly I am not from the area but if I was I would come here probably once a week or more! Would 100% recommend this place for a quiet relaxing lunch or just a cup of coffee!

Had been looking for a deli to grab some sandwiches on our way to the ferry/Gillette's Castle. We pulled in at a diner that had just closed up for the day in Deep River and they suggested that we try this place. Chester is a cute little town and this was a great recommendation. Parking was a little tough on a nice Saturday afternoon. Sandwiches were very tasty and pretty big portions. The hot dishes looked really good too.

Everytime I come here I get a awesome meal for a fair price.. I wish this place was closer to my house. Its a great place to stop and grab breakfast or lunch! Finding parking can be challenging but worth the hunt.

Always consistent. Their sandwiches and specials are great. The blueberry muffins are amazing. Try the crack bread if you havent, especially warm from the oven!

Great combination of cute grocery store, with gift items and excellent kitchen. Prepared foods, panini, soups, etc. I got the Meatloaf and it was moist and delicious. It came with a nice side side. My BF got the Ham and Brie panini and it was also a winner. Many people around us got soups and wraps... Yum.

What a pleasant surprise Simon's turned out to be. Great choices for lunch. I had the Mezze plate-2 premium salads with mixed greens and homemade baguette. I chose the cucumber salad and a pasta salad with goat cheese. Delicious!! $10.95 and perfect serving for lunch. They have wraps- soup- sandwiches- hot dishes too. It's quaint- there is table seating and cute gift shop items for sale. Chester is adorable so give it a try.

Tried this place for the first time during Chester's Chocolate Festival. It's a very cute store. However, we went at a pretty busy time so there wasn't much room to sit. I tried the Montauk sandwich. I first noticed that it didn't have a side. The Wheatmarket (right down the road) provides a side wth every sandwich. The tuna was ok. I thought it was pretty dry and needed salt. Honestly, a tuna sandwich is pretty hard to mess up. My husband had the BLT. He enjoyed it and thought it had some good flavor. He also mentioned it needed salt. I had to knock off one star just for the cleanliness of the bathroom. It was beyond unacceptable. There was dirt and grime all over. Even the toilet paper was on the floor. I would highly recommend cleaning that up before a health inspector shows up. If given a choice, I would visit the Wheatmarket before Simon's.

A wonderful little cafe and market to grab lunch or just get some work done with a coffee and pastry. There are a few tried and true vegetarian classics for the non-meat eaters -- classic egg sandwiches, huevos rancheros, and one of the best Caprese sandwiches I've ever had that builds on the classic with the edition of a sweet and mustardy white balsamic vinaigrette. The croissants are great, too!

Great sandwich place and local business. Thanksgiving sandwich is amazing as well as the pulled pork sandwich. Overall great place if you're in the Chester area to get some delicious food.

Big fan of this place, even though we've only had lunch here a few times and can never remember the name. All the ingredients seem very good quality and fresh. I love the meatloaf sandwich, which has the best glaze on it. The roasted artichoke side is so yummy. I also really enjoyed the one entree I got here, which was campanelle pasta with sun dried tomatoes and a nice side salad and bread. The options may be limited at times, but I feel like a lot of love went into everything, and haven't been disappointed yet. I also really like the casual attitude. Order food at the counter, go grab a drink, sit down, they bring your food over, and you go up and pay at the end.

Spent $9.95 on this sandwich of mostly bread. Staff claimed that they weighed everything...doubtful. Next time I will go around the corner to the Wheatmarket

This place doesn't offer a lot of things, but it does manage to offer a little bit of everything. Breakfast - yes. Sandwiches - yes. Coffee/tea - yes. Baked goods - yes. Place to sit down and eat - yes. Rustic character befitting of Chester - yes. It's an affordable alternative if you don't want to sit down at any of the regular restaurants in town. A turkey sandwich, bag of Utz potato chips, and a bottled beverage will run you about $10. Fortunately they're not so uppity that they exclude Utz potato chips from their snack line up. I love Utz chips, even more so than the fancier brands. The girls behind the counter are pretty liberal in making the sandwiches so if you don't see anything desirable on the menu just ask them to make whatever you want. There's no table service; you simply pay at the register and seat yourself in the front section of the store. There are a few small tables outside on the sidewalk too. Speaking of the sidewalk, Main Street in Chester is great for people watching, particularly the oh-so-trendy New York and Jersey people. They're typically the ones walking around with disappointed looks on their faces almost saying, "Where's the rest of the town? We drove a couple hours for this stuff?" Sorry folks, but that's it. That's teeny weeny Chester. No Ben & Jerrys. No Coach Store. Not even a Starbucks *gasp*. By the way, if you want to see something really interesting inside Simons, take a peek out the side window in the back of the store. You'll find that the Pettaconk River runs directly underneath the rear portion of the store. The building sits on wooden stilts. So Simons gets bonus points from the nostalgic nerd in me for achieving such a cool old-world engineering feat.

Great sandwiches and service. I had The Cali which had warm turkey, cheese, mixed greens and carrots. Reading the menu I thought the carrots were a little odd on a sandwich, but the added a nice crunch. A little gem in a cute vacation town.

Nice small restaurant and retail shop in the heart of downtown Chester. Eat in, alfresco, or take it to go. Their baguette bread is the bomb- it's lovingly referred to as "crack bread". I highly recommend getting a loaf for every 2 people who will be eating it- once you start you can't stop. Not only do they have a selection of coffees but They also have a nice selection of tea!

Great sandwiches, soups, and salads. The sandwiches are big enough for two meals. My favorite sandwich is the Margueax, my favorite salads are the niciose salad and the cucumber mango mint salads. They have soups and daily specials board. Great coffee iced and hot. Iced teas.

My wife and I come to Simon's Marketplace whenever we're in town to visit her family in East Haddam. It averages out to be maybe 3-4 times per year we end up at Simon's for breakfast, and it's always a good breakfast. You can tell that much of what you're eating is prepared fresh in the restaurant with care. I have an allergy to wheat, I'm not gluten-free (not celiac), but have to avoid wheat. In this day and age, many breakfast spots have caught on to the growing dietary needs of us with wheat allergy, and Celiac, so it always comes as a surprise to me when I find a place that doesn't feel the need to take care of us. After several years of coming to Simon's, holding onto the hope that this will be the time when I ask for GF toast, or a GF breakfast sandwich, and they proudly say, "yes we do!" I think I have finally lost hope, and I think we will seek a more amenable restaurant for breakfast in the area. Get with the times, Simon's, have some gluten free loaves on hand, and offer breakfast for all!!!