New London County Restaurants, Chefs Honored In CT Awards

NEW LONDON COUNTY, CT — The Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA) hosted a sold-out crowd of 1,500 guests Monday night at Foxwoods Resort Casino to celebrate the restaurant and hospitality industry.

The 21 CRAZIES winners were determined with the help of an expert media panel and over 25,000 online public votes.

Bar Rosina's in Greenwich, representing Fairfield County, won top honors as 2024 Connecticut Restaurant of the Year, presented by Sysco. The Italian eatery edged out the other seven county winners, including The Port of Call in Mystic.

The Port of Call was named New London County's best restaurant. The other nominees were Fat Tuna in Waterford, The Tin Peddler in North Stonington, and Whitecrest Eatery in Stonington.

The Chef of the Year presented by Performance Foodservice went to David Standridge from The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic. It's been a good year for Standridge: In the summer, he won a coveted James Beard Award.

See related: Mystic Chef Wins James Beard Foundation Award

The Pastry Chef of the Year went to Jessica Spivey from Oyster Club in Mystic. Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank was among two restaurants inducted into the Connecticut Hospitality Hall of Fame presented by GoNation.

Other nominees from the area include Jeremy St. Louis of S&P Oyster in Mystic who was nominated for the server of the year award. Dog Watch Cafe in Stonington was nominated for the People's Choice Award.

Patch Editor Rich Kirby contributed to this story.