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make yourself at home.

our dining room is your dining room.

arugula bistro and bar is a casual, comfortable, upscale bistro. our dining room is warm, inviting & comfortable where we always strive to treat you as friends in our home. the chef/owner christiane named it after her favorite green. it is a Northern Italian aromatic green, a bit peppery. the name is playful, rolls off the tongue easily, and is fun to say! our menu is diverse, offering plenty of vegetarian options as well. all desserts are made in-house. we look forward to welcoming you into our dining room and cooking for you soon!

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meet the team

 
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christiane gehami

chef/owner

christiane moved from egypt when she was just 6 years old.  as long as she could remember, her life centered around the food her mother made for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  the family never ate out, and the heart centered around the kitchen.  her mother, for three months prior to her marriage, patiently taught christiane flavors and how to marry them with food to create the dishes she loved so much. as Christiane marched down the aisle on that fateful september afternoon, little did she know, she was actually starting a love affair with food.  breakfast, lunch and dinner soon started spilling out of her small apartment kitchen. she even created a fictionalized restaurant - miss marie's...only room for two. at the age of 33, Christiane enrolled at mmc in their culinary program, and entered professional kitchens for the first time, and never looked back. christiane opened arugula with michael kask in 1996, in the back of what was oneta gallery with 8 seats.  after the gallery closed, she expanded, kept adding tables and finally in 1998, closed for a month to remodel, add a kitchen, and reopen as it stands today.  christiane cooks with love, it is evident in her dishes.  she enjoys the complexity and authenticity of food and is passionate about her wine list.  Read more about that here. 

 
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michael kask

chef/partner

christiane and mike's friendship was forged over two decades ago at the Barney House.  after being let go from a prior job, christiane and mike opened arugula in the back of an art gallery with only six seats.  while both christiane and michael create plates, mike is responsible for plating and saucing.  together, they have worked side-by-side for 26 years.  michael is a life-long resident of west hartford.  he has a son, who loves to come to work with his dad and cannot wait to join the team one day.

 

stephen reynolds

bar manager

steve has worked with arugula since 2007, when he joined the team after a long career at many of the area’s finest restaurants. he is responsible for sourcing and stocking a diverse list of beers, liquors and liqueurs, developing our signature and specialty cocktails, and crafting our housemade mixers and infusions. steve has a memory like a steel trap and has an amazing aptitude for history, art, and pop culture facts. he lives in west hartford.

 

scott burns

bar

scotty is a beloved max downtown bar alum and longtime friend of arugula. In his “retirement,” scotty can be found behind our bar making a mean martini, as well as slinging beer at local farmers’ markets for new park brewing. he enjoys long walks on the beach, reading Bukowski, and dancing to disco. scotty lives in hartford.

 
 
 
 
 
 

luis garcia

pantry

lu has been with arugula since 2016, and while his official position is “pantry,” he is always willing to do anything and everything needed. a quick learner and fiercely loyal, lu started in the dishroom, worked his way up to the line, and is now responsible for our delicious salads, flatbreads, housemade desserts, and more. to know Lu is to love him!

 

michael fernandez

server

michael came to arugula from restaurant bricco as a host in 2021, and patiently waited 7 months for the bistro’s renovation to be complete! He trained as a server in 2022, and has quickly become proficient in the art of fine dining service. extremely detail-oriented, knowledgeable, and professional, michael knows our wine list like the back of his hand, loves a good steak, and will stop anything he is doing to pet a passing dog. he is a lifelong resident of west hartford.

 
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our wine list

there's a method to the madness.

a note from christiane gehami, owner of arugula bistro.

"why is the wine list what it is?  throughout my life eating, enjoying, and cooking, I have learned the complexities wine brings to the pallete and the ambiance.  wine can do so many things.  it can entice, excite, seduce - similar to your favorite novel. It can make a joyous occasion even more festive and at the same time, offer comfort in times of sadness.  similar to a “bridge over troubled waters”. what it must always do, however, is refresh.  wine must quench your thirst. if it is unable to accomplish this, then everything else falls to the wayside.

i want, and have always wanted from the beginning of this bistro, a small intimate list.  a wine list that would be easily understood and at the same time, nudge my guests out of their comfort zone.  i prepare food that is wholesome and genuine, and therefore i would be inconsistent if i did not do the same with wines.

there are so many good wines out there that i cannot in good conscience limit the list to the same mass-produced branded wines that dominate so many wine list.  otherwise i might as well serve you spam.  If you like my food, trust me and take that small step and try something you have never tasted before off our wine list!

i want to offer my guests real wines at reasonable prices.  after all,  i want a list of wines that are not only affordable, but “beg” to be drunk.  as much as possible, i try and associate myself with wineries that at least practice sustainable farming.  this is a moving target, as different wineries and regions have different challenges….but I feel it is important to acknowledge on my menu those wineries that respect their piece of earth from which they earn their living, and do not rely on harmful pesticides and herbicides, and the use of unnatural. fertilizers.  i want you to be comfortable buying these wines, knowing that i
am offering you not just value but introducing you to wineries that bring you a responsibly made bottle to enjoy and feel good about.  after all, wine is meant to be enjoyed and. shared with those you love….knowing that they are being produced with a small “footprint” is an added bonus!"

do you have a winery you love? 

we're always looking for new wines to serve in our restaurant.  

drop us a note of your favorite winery and we will be sure to check them out and see what pairs well with our menu!

i look forward to cooking for you!