Our Story

River & Rail Cafe is the shared dream of husband and wife duo, Ethan and Nicky Grivois. Ethan, raised in Virginia, moved to New York to attend the Culinary Institute of America, where he honed his skills from years of working in professional kitchens. While on location for his externship he met Nicky, a literature graduate. During their earliest conversations they discovered they shared the same vision: to open a restaurant and bring people together in an inspiring, warm space over handcrafted food and drinks. They vowed to keep their menu down to earth, familiar, and true—and to always, always greet their guests with kindness and a generous spirit. By the end of their first date, they understood the urgency of pursuing this passion, as they knew they could never spend another day apart. Ethan and Nicky spent the greater part of 2018 bringing their dream to fruition in their beloved building on Bank Street that they restored by hand alongside their family, and are humbled to still be doing what they love as a part of their community all these years later. 

River & Rail Cafe, named for downtown New Milford’s proximity to the Housatonic River and the Housatonic Railroad, offers a full from-scratch breakfast & lunch menu all day, house-made pastries created with their own recipes, and specialty coffee drinks made with locally roasted coffee. Inspired by New England’s beauty and abundance throughout the seasons, new menu items are created throughout the year to highlight and celebrate the flavors that reflect that moment’s harvest. 

Ethan, Nicky, and the lovely River & Rail family cannot wait to warmly welcome you to their little cafe