For a good chunk of this year, three storefronts along Sullivan Avenue in South Windsor sat with paper taped over their windows, and plenty of neighbors lost track of which ones had actually opened. It didn't help that earlier local write-ups, accurate when they were posted, have since fallen behind. One midwinter post predicted a coffee shop would open in February, and a summer piece still described a taco spot as under construction.

So here's where things stand as of late September 2026. For the two projects still in progress, my information comes from Patch's report on the September 21 Town Council meeting.

The Current Lineup on Sullivan Avenue

  • Three Amigos Mexican Taqueria, 944 Sullivan Ave: Open since March 20, 2026.
  • The Wicked Press, 948 Sullivan Ave: Open since April 18, 2026.
  • Benson's Bagels, 1014 Sullivan Ave: Cleared its health department walkthrough and is waiting on a final pre-operation inspection.
  • Sally's Apizza, 5 Cedar Ave: Building permit issued, with interior construction expected to begin between mid-September and October.

Three Amigos celebrated its grand opening on March 20 and serves up tacos, burritos, and churros. Just two doors away, The Wicked Press, a bookstore and coffee shop rolled into one, opened its doors on April 18. At this point, those two have been up and running for roughly six and five months, long enough to build a steady lunch crowd and a healthy stack of online reviews. Only Benson's and Sally's are still in the works.

Why the Timeline Got So Muddled

Nobody really got this wrong. A news article is only accurate as of the day it's published, and businesses keep moving after that. The trouble is that searching for something like "new restaurants South Windsor" can bring up posts that are months old. Before you plan an outing around what you read online, take a second to check when it was written.

The Two Still in Progress

Benson's Bagels at 1014 Sullivan Avenue

According to the September 21 Town Council report, the health department has toured the space and given the owner the green light to bring food in. What's left is a final pre-operation inspection by town staff, which is usually the last hurdle before a restaurant opens.

This will be the third Benson's Bagels overall and the second in Connecticut, joining the existing shop on Enfield Street. It's also close enough to Three Amigos and The Wicked Press that you could easily make a walking loop of all three.

Sally's Apizza at 5 Cedar Avenue

Sally's space is a completed but empty shell in the Evergreen Walk development, near Chipotle and Starbucks. The same council report notes that the building permit has been issued and interior work is expected to start sometime between mid-September and October. No opening date has been announced.

Sally's is in the middle of a big expansion, aiming for 255 locations across 12 states. South Windsor appears on its list alongside newly announced sites in Norwalk, Boston Seaport, Newington, Cranston, Foxwoods, and others. A rollout that size tends to move more slowly and less predictably than a single independent restaurant, so patience is probably in order.

The Local Favorites That Never Missed a Beat

While the new storefronts came together, South Windsor's longtime businesses kept right on going. Bordua Farms on Main Street has its CSA pickups and pick-your-own flowers. Jones' Farm on Avery Street has its sweet corn. Petersen's is still a staple, and the Saturday market at 220 Nevers Road keeps drawing a crowd.

That mix of fresh retail energy and steady, long-established farms is pretty unusual for a Hartford County suburb. Sullivan Avenue is gradually becoming a second commercial hub to go along with Evergreen Walk, where Red Heat Tavern and Burtons Grill introduced their fall menus this October, Halloween-themed cocktails included. For the first time, residents have a real choice between two ends of town when they're deciding where to eat.

Planning a Fall Visit?

If you're heading to Sullivan Avenue this fall, The Wicked Press and Three Amigos are both open and ready for your lunch order. Check on Benson's status before you drive out to the Enfield Street location, since it may be open closer to home soon. As for Sally's, there's no date yet.

Curious about which South Windsor neighborhoods put you closest to spots like these? Reach out anytime. I'd love to help you find the part of town that fits you best.