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History
1986
Max on Main Opens
Max on Main opened its doors and immediately became one of Hartford’s most popular restaurants. This innovative bistro-style restaurant offered a chic and relaxed dining experience with an eclectic repertoire of flavors borrowed from around America and the world, including the innovative “stone pies”, shellfish appetizers, “Max A Penne” and other more sophisticated dishes.
1991
After Max on Main success, Max a Mia opens in Avon
As the success of Max on Main grew over the years, Max a Mia opened its doors in 1991 in the quaint suburb of Avon, CT. This authentic Italian “ristorante” quickly became another hit with local food connoisseurs and was named “Best New Restaurant” by Connecticut Magazine the following year.
1996
Max on Main moves and becomes Max Downtown
In 1996, Max on Main moved to Hartford’s City Place building in the business district of the downtown area. Since it was no longer on Main Street, Max Downtown was born and instantly became the showplace for fine dining in Hartford. Over the years it has won numerous awards and provided diners with outstanding service and first-class cuisine.
1999-2001
Max’s Collection of Restaurants Continue to Expand
Over the next few years, Max continued to grow and flourish in the Greater Hartford area. In 1999, Max’s Oyster Bar opened in West Hartford Center with a food menu that offered modern renditions of classic American seafood and a raw bar that featured bi-coastal oysters and other shellfish. Two years later, Trumbull Kitchen was added to the collection. This contemporary and inventive restaurant featured an eclectic menu that showcases progressive cross-cultural dishes that span from tapas to sliders to sushi rolls.
2002
Max Looks Beyond Connecticut and into Springfield, MA
Max Tavern opened its doors in the new home of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA in 2002. Its innovative menu features a wide variety of dishes and “chophouse classics”, such as St. Louis Ribs, filet mignon and NY Strip steaks, fresh seafood, and more. Max Tavern is also the exclusive catering partner of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
2007-2009
Max’s Collection of Restaurants Continues to Expand
For the years that follow, Max Hospitality continues to open new innovative and exciting restaurants to the Greater Hartford restaurant scene. In 2007, Max Fish opened in Glastonbury and focused on the freshest, sustainable, and highest quality seafood for their menu. Two years later, Max Burger opened in West Hartford Center and capitalized on the growing trend of upscale burger joints.
2014
Max Moves into Palm Beach, Florida
In 2014, its first location outside of Connecticut and Massachusetts opens in Palm Beach, Florida. Capitalizing on the still-growing trend of farm-to-table restaurants, The Cooper Craft Kitchen & Bar specializes in fine foods and beverages sourced whenever possible from local farms, food artisans, small-batch distillers, and craft brewers.
2016
Savoy Pizzeria Opens on LaSalle RD. in West Hartford
In 2016, Savoy Pizzeria opened its doors on in West Hartford and began serving traditional Neapolitan pizza. In keeping with the Max tradition of using the highest quality ingredients, we turned to the centuries-old tradition of artisanal bread making to produce the best dough for Savoy's pizzas. The menu also includes award-winning meatballs, fresh salads, craft beer and creative cocktails.
2022
Max Restaurant Group rebrands as Max Hospitality
In 2022, Max’s founder and former CEO, Richard Rosenthal sold his shares to Scott Smith and Steven Abrams, who took over as CEO & President and Vice President respectively. With this transition, the Max Restaurant Group rebranded as Max Hospitality.
Today, Max Hospitality continues to be committed to the philosophy and values Richard Rosenthal put in place over 35 years ago. We look forward to a bright future for each of our restaurants and additional endeavors and are excited to continue to give our loyal customers high-quality, innovative food and exceptional service.