SoBol of Ridgefield: Newest, Healthiest Eatery in Town

RIDGEFIELD, CT -- A new casual food eatery is opening Tuesday in Ridgefield, but for devotees of super-healthy açaí bowls, the opening can't come fast enough.

SoBol of Ridgefield, opening July 24 at 90 Danbury Road, is the latest franchise of the Long Island-based health-conscious restaurant chain.

Melissa Ferreira, who owns and operates the eatery with her husband Sergio, believes success in Ridgefield is a lock.

"I think Ridgefield is a community that is health-conscious. We do like to indulge occasionally, but we also like to find balance. We have a beautiful Main Street where people are just running all the time, and SoBol is a great pre- or post-workout meal, not too heavy, not too light."

The Ferreiras have no previous food service business -- he's a contractor, she's a stay-at-home Mom -- but they fell in love with açaí bowls when Sergio worked on the construction of SoBol's White Plains and Cos Cob locations. They decided to "jump in with both feet."

"One day he came home and said, 'you've got to try this!'" Melissa said. "There were no stores yet around this area, so we drove out to Long Island last year, and I couldn't get my mind off the taste. There was nothing in this area to compare to it."

Not so much in the U.S., sure, but in Brazil, where the açaí plant is native, açaí na tigela ("açaí in the bowl") is just about everywhere. The dish traditionally takes the form of frozen and mashed açaí palm fruit, served up with granola and bananas, then topped with other fruits and guaraná syrup. SoBol's toppings menu includes such healthy choices as chia and flax seeds, as well as such tasty choices as Nutella and cookie butter.
Their homemade granola is gluten-free and features almonds and cashews prominently, but a hypo-allergenic variation is also available. All their bowls and smoothies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly (when you omit the honey). Every selection on the menu is also totally tweak-able.

The chain is primarily based in Long Island, with the one Westchester location in White Plains, and a recently opened franchise in Pennsylvania. The Ferreiras' will be only the second SoBol in Connecticut, following the opening in Cos Cob earlier this year.

The couple have been married for 16 years and have three children, 13, 14 and 16. All of them are very excited to be in the restaurant business.

"We've always been food lovers. My husband, with his Portuguese background, my mother's Italian, so we grew up celebrating every holiday around food, with fresh ingredients," Melissa tole the Patch.

The food-focused Ferreiras have noticed an evolution in food consumption habits which Melissa thinks SoBol can tap into.

"People, especially the younger generation, are less concerned about the number of calories and more concerned about where their calories are coming from. An avocado is high in calories, but they're good calories."

Along with their fresh-daily food, Melissa hopes that SoBol of Ridgefield will get a reputation for customer service.

"We're hoping to get on a first name basis with our customers," she said.

They'll start taking those names on Tuesday, when they open their doors at noon and celebrate by giving away 50 regular bowls free to the first 50 customers.

Once open, they'll hardly ever close, according to their posted hours of operation of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Melissa doesn't think that burn-out will be an option.

"Ridgefield is a very trendy town that likes to follow 'the new thing,' so I think they will be a great fit for us."