Final nominees and honorees for Connecticut Restaurant Association‘s annual Crazies awards have been announced and now it’s all up to the public to vote to choose the winners.
The annual Crazies award winners, ‘the best of the best in the restaurant and hospitality business ‘ according to the CRA, will be announced Dec. 8 at a gala at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The panel of industry experts that worked for months to come up with the finalist list have chosen as 2025 honorees: Spartan Restaurant & Bar in Waterbury and Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic, to join the Hospitality Hall of Fame.
Willimantic Brewing Company was founded in in 1997 by David Wollner, one of the first brew pubs in the state of Connecticut.
They also chose Esaul Rodriguez of Puerto Vallarta as restaurateur of the year and Anthony Anthony, chief marketing officer, state of Connecticut as a friend to the industry.
The finalists are as follows:
Vendor of the year
Athletic Brewing Company/ Milford
Bella Bella Gourmet Foods/ West Haven
Nit Noi Provisions/ Norwalk
Restaurant Equipment Paradise/ East Hartford
Stonington Kelp Company/ Stonington
Caterer of the Year
Bleu on Bank/ New Milford
Distinctive Ideas/ Bloomfield
Nikki Glekas Collective/ Norwalk
Riverhouse Catering/ Haddam
Small Kitchen Big Taste/ North Haven
Bar Beverage Team of the Year
Beauty & Essex /Mohegan Sun
Drift/ Essex
Hartford Flavor Cocktail Parlour/ Hartford
I Know You Know / New Britain
Perfusion Bar/ Newtown
Service Team of the Year
David Burke Prime/ Foxwoods
Gabriele’s of Westport/ Westport
Max’s Oyster Bar/ West Hartford
The Wharf at Madison Beach Hotel/ Madison
Viron Rondo Osteria/ Cheshire
Pastry Chef of the Year
James Arena/DORO Restaurant Group
Stacy D’Angelo/Arethusa al Tavolo
Raphaël DeQueker / Raphaël’s Bakery
Julien Tessier / Julien’s Farm Store
Chelsea Tripp/ Kouign Bakery
Chef of the Year
Ryan Carbone/ Ore Hill & Swyft
Ashley Flagg/ The Laurel
Bolivar Hilario/ Community Table
Johan Jensen/ Whitecrest Eatery
Christian Wilki / The Cottage
Restaurant Newcomer
Bar Bushido/ Norwalk
Belden House /Litchfield
The Foundry/ Hartford
The Laurel / West Hartford
ROLi / New Haven
People’s Choice
Dew Drop Inn/Derby
Paul’s Pasta/ Groton
The Po Café/ Washington
Valencia Luncheria/ Norwalk
Woke Breakfast & Coffee/ Coventry
Restaurant of the Year, Litchfield County
Community Table/ New Preston
Geppetto Osteria e Bisteccheria/ Torrington
Lost Fox Inn/ Litchfield
Materia Ristorante/ Bantam
Restaurant of the Year, Fairfield County
29 Markle Ct /Bridgeport
Allium Eatery / Westport
Çka Ka Qëllu/ Stamford
Restaurant L’Ostal/ Darien
Restaurant of the Year, Hartford County
J. Gilbert’s/ Glastonbury
Le Mazet /West Hartford
Máncora Restobar/ Hartford
Villa Mulino Ristorante/ Avon
Restaurant of the Year New Haven County
Café Melba/ Milford
Fair Haven Oyster Co. /New Haven
Gioia Cafe & Bar /New Haven
Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar/ New Haven
Restaurant of the Year, Tolland County
Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza/ Tolland
Ocho Rios Grill/ Vernon
PhoLy/ Vernon
Trattoria da Lepri/ Ellington
Restaurant of the Year, Middlesex County
The Essex/ Old Saybrook
Grano Arso/ Chester
OSA/| Middletown
River Tavern/ Chester
Restaurant of the Year, Windham County
ANYA/ Thompson
Harp on Church/ Willimantic
Heirloom Food Company/ Danielson
Trigo Wood Fired Pizza/ Willimantic
Restaurant of the Year, New London County
374 Kitchen + Cocktails/ Niantic
Nana’s Bakery & Pizza/ Mystic
The Port of Call /Mystic
Whitecrest Eatery/ Stonington
