Union Saloon

"By night, this Wallingford bar serves things like fried chicken, brisket, and open-faced sandwiches. By day, you’ll find all of the above, only topped with an egg or alongside a big waffle. That, plus a never-crowded woodsy space full of large booths makes Union Saloon a great last-minute option. Their braised pork cheek on grilled focaccia is only improved by a poached yolk, and if you’re more of a mix-and-match orderer, you can do no wrong with a side of crispy bacon, fried potato chunks, and the city’s best biscuit." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente

"At first glance, this spot gives off average neighborhood pub vibes. But don’t let the tavern-y ambience throw you; it’s more than worth a visit during daylight hours, when brunch standbys are executed with unwavering precision and the coffee is spiked with brandy and Averna." - Sophie Grossman, Eater Staff

"Union Saloon is a good time catch-all that shapeshifts to your needs based on the time. By night, the bar is dark, moody, and serves excellent bar snacks, as well as a standout caesar salad and open-faced sandwiches. By day, natural light wrestles in through windows while folks eat biscuits or braised pork cheek topped with a poached egg. That, plus a never-crowded woodsy space full of large booths, makes Union Saloon a great last-minute option that never feels like an afterthought. " - aimee rizzo

"The Order: Caesar With Happy Fried Chicken We love this Wallingford bar for a nighttime snacks-and-drinks session or Sunday brunch—though they also happen to serve an outstanding caesar salad. The base is a blend of burly lacinato kale and some milder lettuces, with the occasional bundle of greens and parmesan shavings spackled together by an excess of creamy dressing. But what differentiates this bowl of Vitamin A from the rest of them are bonito flakes that add a dashi-flavored smokiness and crumbly croutons repurposed from the house focaccia. Add some fried popcorn chicken on top for best results." - aimee rizzo

"This Wallingford spot on a residential corner is a good time catch-all that shapeshifts to your needs based on the time. By night, the bar is dark, moody, and serves excellent bar snacks, as well as a standout caesar salad and open-faced sandwiches. By day, natural light wrestles in through windows while folks eat biscuits or braised pork cheek topped with a poached egg. That, plus a never-crowded woodsy space full of large booths, makes Union Saloon a great last-minute option that never feels like an afterthought. Food Rundown photo credit: Nate Watters Chips And Dip These are not so much chips as they are crispy potato paper—they're so thin that they bend, but still have the ability to stand up when shoveled into creamy caramelized onion dip. There are way more chips than dip to scoop them into, but the tasty seasoning shake on top makes them endlessly snackable on their own. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Caesar The base here is a blend of burly lacinato kale and some milder lettuces, with the occasional bundle of greens and parmesan shavings spackled together by an excess of creamy dressing. But what makes this bowl of Vitamin A stand out are bonito flakes that add a dashi-flavored smokiness and crumbly croutons repurposed from the house focaccia. Add some fried popcorn chicken on top for best results. Brisket All of the open-faced sandwiches are served on Union Saloon's focaccia, which is soft and bouncy, making it the perfect candidate for a fork-and-knife operation. While the brisket trends a little salty, a composed bite of silky pulled beef, BBQ sauce, crispy shallot, and mayo is a wonderful bar dinner alongside a cocktail. Pork Verde The forever-tangy pork verde is a celebrity at Union Saloon. Get it on an open-faced sandwich at night. Get it with a poached egg on top at brunch. Whatever you do, just get it. Saloon Biscuit The city's best biscuit. Fight us about it." - Aimee Rizzo