It All Started in Hartford, CT – Culinary Capitol of the World.
Okay, maybe not according to most travel and leisure magazines. But there are lots of people who say Hartford's dining scene is downright burgeoning – including a group of young restaurateurs with the ambition, energy and vision to put their money (and some really great food) where their mouths are.

The Hartford Restaurant Group is the management arm behind a trio of restaurant brands with roots in Greater Hartford. HRG restaurants include Vaughan's Public House in Hartford, Agave Grill in Hartford and Southington, and the Wood-n-Tap Bar & Grill in Hartford, Farmington, Southington and Rocky Hill.

Carving Out a Name
In 2002, a group of four friends combined their unique backgrounds and skillsets to develop the Wood-N-Tap restaurant brand. In mere months, what started as a rough sketch of a wooden keg on a cocktail napkin turned into the Wood-n-Tap Hartford, one of the most popular new restaurants the city had seen in years. Two years later, HRG opened the Wood-n-Tap Farmington with comparable success. More recently, the Wood-n-Tap wave has broken through in two highly-competitive chain-laden locations, Southington and Rocky Hill.

Key to the success of the Wood-n-Tap is the synergy of the partners' individual skill sets. Mike Hamlin's expertise in real estate and construction is key to finding suitable locations and building out the facilities. Phil Barnett's marketing experience helps give the restaurants their unique personalities and high-visibility throughout Connecticut. Wil Quijano and Ken McAvoy use their extensive food and beverage expertise to create the restaurants' innovative menus and manage daily operations.

Something Different
In 2004, HRG expanded its horizons and crossed culinary borders. The original four welcomed in two new partners – the business savvy Al Ferranti and world-renowned chef Bronislaw Gorski – and offered up "something different downtown," namely Agave Grill. Al, Bernie and partners quickly turned the modern Mexican masterpiece into a favorite haunt for Hartford's hippest and a particular favorite for gathering before and after events at the Hartford Civic Center.

An adventurous menu, extensive tequila bar, live Mariachi bands, authentic Mexican folk art and the freshest margaritas north of the Rio Grande struck a chord with diners and Agave remains one of the most popular downtown destinations. An expansion at the downtown location and a new location in Southington are testaments to the popularity and success of the Agave concept.

Pints and Potatoes
Part labor of love, part savvy business move, HRG developed their third restaurant concept in 2004 – Vaughan's Public House in downtown Hartford. In this venture, HRG welcomed another new partner, Johnny Vaughan. The colorful and outspoken Irish college student came to America to play soccer, only to find himself on the front line of the competitive restaurant business, first as bartender, then manager, then part owner of his namesake establishment.

While not the first or only Irish pub in the area, Vaughan's is perhaps the most authentic, with recipes, furnishings, décor, even management "imported" from across the pond. Vaughan's has quickly become a favorite hangout on Hartford's famous brick-lined Pratt Street. And there's perhaps no better place outside of Dublin to watch a soccer/football match. But the Vaughan's concept has also expanded the very notion of an Irish pub by offering a casually warm and friendly bar scene in harmony with more upscale dining. It's not just a place for a perfect pint. Vaughan's is just as comfortable impressing polished executives and romance-minded couples with an extensive Irish menu and impeccable service.

Group Theory
So, since 2002, the focus, vision and just plain hard work of HRG has resulted in three unique dining concepts and seven of the most well-loved restaurants in Greater Hartford. And in that time, the group has also made giving back a priority, donating thousands and thousands to such non-profit organizations as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Hartford Blooms, Lea's Foundation and the Hartford Arts Council.

HRG has certainly kept their collective plates full in the past four years. But they still have plenty of appetite for growth. Who knows, if HRG keeps going like this, Hartford may truly become the culinary capitol of the world. Well, at least of Southern New England. Cheers.