Hospitality and Tourism Students Design Flavorful Culinary Trail Supporting Connecticut Tourism

Three University of New Haven students have turned a class project into a flavorful celebration of community, culture, and connection. Anthony Zambri-Moran ’25, Mansi Patel ’25, and Risako Umekuni ’25 created the CT Taste Train, a culinary tourism trail designed to showcase the diversity of Connecticut’s cuisine—all accessible by public transit.

Developed as part of the Hospitality & Tourism Capstone course in the Pompea College of Business, the project was selected as the course’s winning pitch and has now been launched as an official tourism trail.

“We were inspired by the number of small ethnic restaurants in Connecticut that deserve recognition for fostering a more diverse dining scene, while remaining affordable for college students,” says Patel.

Understanding the needs of students and young adults—many of whom don’t own cars—the team designed the CT Taste Train so that every restaurant on the trail is within walking distance of a train station. The trail features approximately 50 independently owned restaurants near 17 rail stations, highlighting cuisines from around the world including Mexican, Thai, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Australian, among others.

Zambri-Moran explains, “Knowing that many in our age group do not have a car and value spending money on experiences, we decided to have all of our trail locations within walking distance of a train station.”

Affordability and authenticity were also key priorities. “We researched ethnic restaurants within walking distance from train stations, prioritizing those with good reviews and affordable pricing,” says Umekuni.

The team emphasized selecting local “hidden gems”—restaurants that weren’t overly popular or already well known—and focused on those owned by immigrants who are passionate about sharing their culture through food.

“We wanted to ensure diversity in cuisines while narrowing down our choices,” says Patel. “The goal of this trail is to spotlight hidden gems, while ensuring they are within a one-mile radius of a train station.”

Creating the list was no small feat. “This process took several weeks to complete, but it resulted in an extremely eclectic list of 15 restaurants, representing 10 different cuisines,” says Zambri-Moran. “Additionally, the trail features restaurants from each rail line in the state, ranging from one restaurant from each of the New Canaan, Waterbury, and Danbury branches, to five restaurants along the New Haven Line.”

When the CT Taste Train was unveiled as the winning project in the capstone course, the team was thrilled.

“When it was announced our team had won, my reaction was a sigh of relief, followed by utter joy,” says Zambri-Moran. “Hearing our team won was an incredible validation of the countless hours we put into this project.”

Patel adds, “When I found out we won, I was genuinely shocked and deeply honored. With so many creative ideas from other groups in our class, I didn’t expect us to take first place.”

For Umekuni, the experience was rewarding and collaborative. “Our group leader, Anthony, was the driving force behind this idea, and I had confidence in both his vision and our team's efforts. When we found out that our trail had been selected to be part of CT Visit's official trails, I felt both relieved and thrilled.”

The project also shaped the students’ future goals.

“This assignment has helped reaffirm my commitment to being a global citizen,” says Zambri-Moran. “I now could potentially see myself working in a creative role in my professional career, designing unique ways to attract visitors.”

Patel says the experience strengthened her passion for tourism planning: “Through this project, I’ve been inspired to support small ethnic restaurants in my home state of New Jersey—especially those owned by immigrants who bring their culture to life through food. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity and for my teammates, who played a key role in making this project a success.”

From the bustling food scenes in New Haven to hidden gems in Naugatuck and Berlin, the CT Taste Train offers a new way to explore—and taste—Connecticut.