Merritt Canteen on Main Street in Bridgeport has been a Connecticut institution since 1942, serving the hand-formed burgers, fried clams, and fast food classics that have kept a working-class Fairfield County community loyal for over 80 years. It appeared in Season 11, Episode 10 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Fully Loaded,” which aired March 21, 2011. Guy Fieri found a Bridgeport canteen doing honest, no-frills American fast food from scratch in a setting that has barely changed since the war years — the kind of place that survives because the food is right and the prices are fair and nothing else is needed.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Merritt Canteen
City: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Cuisine: Burgers / Seafood / Fast Food
DDD Season: 11
DDD Episode: 10
Episode Title: Fully Loaded
Original Air Date: March 21, 2011
Address: 4355 Main St., Bridgeport, CT 06606
Phone: 203-372-1416
Website: https://www.merrittcanteen.com/
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Merritt Burger — hand-formed beef patty, cooked to order, the same way they’ve been making it since 1942 — is the reason the canteen has outlasted every chain restaurant that has opened and closed around it. The Fried Whole-Belly Clams in a light batter with tartar sauce are the New England seafood option that earns its place on a canteen menu in Connecticut. The Hot Dogs, steamed in the Connecticut style, are the other fast food classic that locals order reflexively. The Onion Rings, hand-battered and fried to order, are the side most regulars add to any order. The Milkshakes, hand-dipped with quality ice cream, are the dessert that has been closing Bridgeport meals since Truman was president. Find a Bridgeport or Fairfield County hotel on Travelocity.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours.
Address: 4355 Main St., Bridgeport, CT 06606
Phone: 203-372-1416
Website: https://www.merrittcanteen.com/
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Fully Loaded episode on Amazon.
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Merritt Canteen appeared in Season 11, Episode 10 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Fully Loaded,” originally aired March 21, 2011. The canteen has been open since 1942.