Tony Pham and Rich Reyes of Mecha Noodle Bar are the restaurateurs of the year, according to the Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA), and voting is now open for several other 2023 CRAZIES Awards categories.
The CRA is set to host its 5th annual CRAZIES Awards Gala on Dec. 4 at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Pham and Reyes will be honored as restaurateurs of the year for their Mecha Noodle Bar, which now has five locations across the state, and several planned for other states like Colorado and Ohio.
Two restaurants, Shady Glen Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor in Manchester and Pellicci’s Ristorante in Stamford, will be inducted into the CRA’s CT Hospitality Hall of Fame.
There are more than 20 award categories to vote on this year, including a few new ones. The “Restaurant of the Year” category has been expanded to include finalists from each of Connecticut’s eight counties. The top restaurant in each county will receive a CRAZY for best restaurant and then one restaurant among the eight county winners will be selected as the overall Connecticut Restaurant of the Year.
Finalists include:
Hartford County restaurant of the year
- The Charles, Wethersfield
- Coracora, West Hartford
- Union Kitchen, West Hartford
New Haven County restaurant of the year
- Hindsight BBQ, Waterbury
- Strega, Milford
- Tavern on State, New Haven
Litchfield County restaurant of the year
- Arethusa al tavolo, Bantam
- At the Corner, Litchfield
- Materia Ristorante, Bantam
Fairfield County restaurant of the year
- Good Old Days, Newtown
- L’Ostal, Darien
- Taproot, Norwalk
Tolland County restaurant of the year
- Camille’s Wood Fired Pizza, Tolland
- Sichuan Pepper, Vernon
- Trattoria de Lepri, Ellington
Middlesex County restaurant of the year
- The Essex, Old Saybrook
- Grano Arso, Chester
- Osa, Middletown
Windham County restaurant of the year
- 85 Main, Putnam
- Elizabeth’s Farmhouse, Putnam
- Stone Row Kitchen & Bar, Willimantic
New London County restaurant of the year
- La Belle Aurore, Niantic
- Port of Call, Mystic
- Via Emilia, Mystic
Vendor of the year
- Box 8 Creative, New Haven
- Earth’s Palate Farm, Warren
- Litchfield Distillery, Litchfield
- Seacoast Mushrooms, Mystic
Caterer of the year
- Café Louise, West Hartford
- CT Cocktail Car, New Haven
- The Eatery, Wallingford
- ONTHEMARC, Norwalk
- The Tasty Yolk, Stratford
People’s choice
- Elm Street Diner, Stamford
- Garden Catering, multiple locations
- J. Timothy’s Taverne, Plainville
- Rein’s Deli, Vernon
- Willimantic Brew Pub, Willimantic
Restaurant newcomer
- 29 Markle Ct, Bridgeport
- Esh, Fairfield
- Fire by Forge, Hartford
- Hachiroku, New Haven
- Trigo Wood Fired Pizza, Willimantic
The public can now vote online through the end of November. Winners will be selected from the public vote and the CRA’s nominating panel members. The CRA’s Board of Directors selected this year’s hall of fame entries and top restauranteurs.
