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More than three dozen Connecticut restaurants earned Wine Spectator awards for their wine lists.
Stracciatella: cream filled mozzeralla with pan roasted mortadella, pistachio pesto and winter squash at Via Emilia in Mystic, CT on November 24, 2021.
Red sangria from The Griswold Inn in Essex.
At The Essex in Old Saybrook, chef-owner Colt Taylor’s New England clam chowder is an intriguing departure from the traditional preparation.
A lobster roll at Artisan Restaurant at the Delamar Hotel in West Hartford.
Inside of Washington Prime in South Norwalk on Oct. 15.
Tapas and wine from Barcelona Wine Bar
A dish at L’escale at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel.
Viron Rondo Osteria is located in Cheshire.
More than three dozen Connecticut restaurants were recently honored by Wine Spectator magazine for their outstanding wine lists.
The annual Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards recognize restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers, according to its website. More than 3,500 restaurants around the world earned honors, including in all 50 states and more than 75 countries and territories.
Connecticut’s winners are located throughout the state, in six counties:
Hamachi crudo with yellowtail tuna, pickled red onion, jalapeño, wasabi tobiko and ginger soy at Rowayton Seafood in the village of Rowayton in Norwalk, Conn., on June 2, 2021.
Fairfield County: Artisan in Southport, Barcelona Wine Bar (Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford); The Goose American Bistro & Bar in Darien, L’Escale, Rebecca’s, Tony’s at the J House and Townhouse in Greenwich; Nouveau Monde in Sandy Hook, Gabriele’s in Westport, The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood in Rowayton, The Capital Grille in Stamford and Washington Prime in South Norwalk.
Hartford County: Artisan, Barcelona Wine Bar and Union Kitchen in West Hartford; Max Downtown and The Capital Grille in Hartford, Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Newington, 2 Hopewell in South Glastonbury and Millwright’s in Simsbury.
The Wine Bar at The Griswold Inn in Essex.
Litchfield County: Arethusa al Tavolo in Bantam, Fife n’ Drum in Kent, Winvian Farm Restaurant in Morris
Middlesex County: The Griswold Inn Wine Bar in Essex, La Foresta in Killingworth, The Essex in Old Saybrook
New Haven County: Shell & Bones Oyster Bar & Grill, Barcelona Wine Bar and Zinc in New Haven; Viron Rondo Osteria in Cheshire, Vyne Restaurant & Bar in Middlebury
Bucatini with seacoast mushrooms at the Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic.
New London County: The Shipwright’s Daughter and Via Emilia in Mystic, Caputo Trattoria and David Burke Prime in Mashantucket (Foxwoods Resort Casino) and Kensington’s (The Spa at Norwich Inn) in Norwich.
Leeanne Griffin is the food and consumer reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media Group, handling coverage of restaurant openings and closings, trends, events and general news about CT food and beverage businesses.
She’s been working in Connecticut news for more than 15 years, most recently as the food and dining reporter for the Hartford Courant. A native of Worcester, Mass., she holds a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University.