Villa Lulu Opens In New Haven, Serves Up Tasty Italian Classics

NEW HAVEN, CT — New Haven residents have a new place to sink their teeth into some tasty food. Villa Lulu recently opened its doors to the public at 230 College St. The restaurant specializes in Italian old-school classics in a contemporary yet homey setting.

Located in historic downtown New Haven at The Shops at Yale, next door to the restaurant group’s popular Latin restaurant Pacifico, the Villa Lulu kitchen is spearheaded by Executive Chef Denis Marukovich whose kitchen cred includes cooking with renowned Chef Andy Nusser of the popular Enoteca Tarry Lodge in Westport and New Haven.

According to the owners, the restaurant's cuisine is reminiscent of a neighborhood Italian café. Antipasti includes eggplant meatballs with tomato sauce and ricotta pistachio pesto, Italian salumi and cheeses, and sun-dried tomato arancini with spicy Calabria aioli. Pizza specialties run the gamut from a classic Margherita with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil, to house creations such as the decadent guanciale with a sunny-side-up egg laced with black truffle oil.

Villa Lulu offers a variety of pasta dishes, including a comforting variety of flavors include a rustic style bucatini amatriciana with guanciale bacon, red onions, tomato sauce, and grated pecorino, and fresh ribbons of pappardelle swathed in short rib ragu, Parmigiano and salsa verde.

Market fresh fish and meat dishes hit all the high notes as tasted in the pollo scarparielio prepared with Amish marinated chicken, Italian sausage, red and yellow peppers, Calabrian peppers, and a sweet and piquante sauce.

A bright branzino puttanesca served with shaved fennel salad, seasonal heirloom tomatoes, capers, and olives illustrates the lighter side of the menu.

Traditional and new school Italian desserts are made in-house and feature seasonal ingredients and flavor profiles.

A $20 2-course lunch prix fix is offered weekly.

To learn more about the restaurant, visit https://villaluluct.com/.