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The restaurants range from pizza joints to top-notch cuisine with famous chefs.
Some restaurants of note in the list include:
Villa Lulu, New Haven: Created by veteran restaurateurs Rafael Palomino and Mo Gad, Villa Lulu opened in August and features a contemporary Italian menu with new takes on such favorites as eggplant parmesan. Other standouts include crispy artichokes with Parmesan aioli; pork belly over Tuscan cabbage with apple mostarda, and squid-ink linguine with shrimp and salmon, according to "Connecticut Magazine."
In addition, drinks have not been forgotten with many magical connections available along with plenty of craft beers.
The restaurant is located at 230 College St., 203-691-7177.
Allium Eatery, Westport: The brainchild of chef Michelle Greenfield who has worked at some of the state's best restaurants, diners have the chance to sample true French dishes both during lunch and Tuesday through Saturday at night.
The lunch menu features gourmet sandwiches, coffee, and local pastries. Thursday through Saturday at 5 p.m., the establishment turns into a sit-down restaurant with dishes such as duck confit rillette and crispy potato pave with caviar and whipped crème Fraiche, plus entrées like braised short ribs and pork belly with lentil ragu, "Connecticut Magazine" said.
The menu switches with the season to allow for locally grown produce, so don't fall in love with any one dish which could be gone the next day.
The restaurant is located at 54 Railroad Place, 203-955-1466.
Nana’s Bakery & Pizza, Mystic: New London County's new premier pizza joint not only received props from "Connecticut Magazine," but was also was named as one of the best new restaurants by "Esquire" magazine.
There's a reason Nana's has been named Mystic's top pizza parlor, mainly due to the yummy crusts and luscious toppings, but also for the fun menu where visitors will find everything from the classics to the wild such as a kimchi cheeseburger pizza.
But if you're not in the mood for pizza, Nana’s menu also features salads, risotto balls, sandwiches, and more. And visitors will also find a full-scale bakery serving scratch-baked goods and bread.
The restaurant is at 32 Williams Ave., 860-980-3375.
Twisted Italian Cafe, Parkville Market, Hartford: You know you are in for a fun night when the chef/owners of this quirky Italian restaurant promise “crazy good food” on their social media accounts.
But apparently, they have been delivering and have become known as the go-to place for everything from small plate dishes to giant grinders and what "Connecticut Magazine" calls the "best meatballs ever."
Located at Parkville Market, the state’s first food hall, the "twisted," is delighting diners with a large lineup of handhelds such as its Ultimate House Made Focaccia Melt (Provolone, Swiss and American cheeses, with bacon and tomato), along with the all-time favorites of such as chicken marsala, Bolognese, rigatoni marinara, and lots more.
Note: Their desserts are worth saving room for and include such choices as Nutella and banana bread pudding with crushed hazelnuts and vanilla bean ice cream.
The restaurant is located at 1400 Park St., 860-470-6988.
To read the entire "Connecticut Magazine" article to check out the full 25, click here.
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