Life’s a Beach

If you haven't tried Life’s a Beach Shack, what on earth have you been doing?

Started by a husband and wife from New York City, Marco and Sheena Gallegos have brought something delicious to Fairfield Beach Road. When Life’s a Beach Shack (The LAB Shack for short) took residency in the building formerly occupied by Abello’s, their future was filled with uncertainty.  They opened their doors for the first time just as the rest of the world was getting ready to close theirs. When Fairfield University sent home their students for the semester last spring, the once exciting and promising opening season was now filled with doubt. Unsure of what their future held, a company in its youth was forced to adapt to the “new normal” that we have all found ourselves in. With students now out of town, the LAB Shack owners began doing all they could to keep their dream alive. They began offering delivery, catering for local businesses, and utilizing the take-out window. Being a new business, the owners were happy to take constructive criticism, and still look for it on a daily basis. They care so much about every individual customer and want everybody’s experience to be as close to perfect as possible. With students having returned to the beach this past month, they are hoping to build on the momentum they created over the summer, and start building relationships with all of the beach residents. What the family-owned business has come up with is nothing short of amazing.

Using quality ingredients to make both original recipes and old favorites, The Lab Shack puts an emphasis on taste and consistency above all else. Pizza by the slice, delicious sandwiches, and even homemade iced coffee syrups (try the pumpkin spice it is ridiculously good) are just a few of the options on the extensive menu. They have even kept some of Abello's classics, including my personal favorite: The Rachel. The level of care that goes into each sandwich can be tasted in each bite and witnessed in the kitchen. After spending time in the kitchen with the owners, I can tell you first hand that it is the real deal. All of the delicious sauces used on the sandwiches are made in-house. In addition, the mouthwatering chicken cutlets are all homemade and are incredibly time consuming to cook, as they take three hours to make (both the sauces and the chicken cutlets can be tasted on the fan favorite Doc Bob). One bite of their chicken cutlets and you’ll understand why their process is so worth it. The care they put into every option on their menu is extraordinary, this mom & pop (or husband & wife) beach shack turns out some of the best food I’ve ever had in Fairfield. They want to build relationships with their customers, and they truly care about everything they make. I’m sure by now I’ve convinced you that it’s time you go check out Life’s A Beach. The Lab Shack is open every Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00am-5:00pm!

Make sure you mention Jimmy Grubs sent you!

Happy Grubbin’

James Concannon