Arezzo Ristorante on the Saugatuck River in Westport CT

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Everyone has a restaurant that they visit because of its atmosphere.

Winter or summer we all have our favorite places. Whether it's a restaurant with a roaring fire in the winter, or a flower bedecked patio in the summer. We all go to them for reasons beyond the food.

I have one special restaurant in particular that I love to visit because of its location on the Saugatuck River.  It's the Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut. Their beautiful patio overlooking the river offers amazing views and a special waterfront ambiance. The atmosphere is relaxing and casually elegant.

Dining at Arezzo Ristorante
on the Saugatuck River in Westport Connecticut

The restaurant features a menu highlighting Chef / Owner Vinicio Llanos' favorite regional Italian dishes in a Tuscan-style atmosphere.

I was recently invited to a media dinner at Arezzo and it was one of those balmy warm nights this summer perfect for dining al fresco. Besides the great atmosphere, I also was able to meet a wonderful social media influencer from New York, Irene, who publishes  I on The Valley, featuring great places and events from the Hudson Valley, and New York's Westchester County to Connecticut's Fairfield County.

Great conversation with friends, both old and new, over dinner always makes for a great dining experience!

We started with some cocktails and I went with a summery Limoncello Martini! Nice and crisp and with strong lemon flavor that I loved.

Limoncello Martini

We then sampled some starters, a savory tomato bruschetta and a delicious eggplant crostini.

Eggplant Crostini

Bruschetta

We were then seated where we began our wonderful dining experience over a fabulous charcuterie board before moving on to more appetizers and dinner selections.

Charcuterie Board

For our appetizers we sampled a salmon tartare, watermelon salad, and a three-pasta combination platter.

Salmon Tartare

Watermelon Salad

Three Pastas
orecchiette pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe ,
Gnocchi with cherry tomato marinara and shaved cheese, and a hearty seafood risotto

Next we moved on to our entrees, some great seafood and chops!

Halibut with clams and mussels
in a light tomato broth

Pistachio Encrusted Lamb Chop
with Roasted Baby Vegetables

For dessert we enjoyed a Tiramisu while the lights twinkled across the river...

Tiramisu

...and over coffee we concluded our dinner with a beautiful moonlit night in Westport Connecticut at Arezzo Ristorante!

Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut
View of the Saugatuck River

I know you will enjoy the views, food, and atmosphere as much as I do at the beautiful Arezzo Ristorante in Westport Connecticut.

Be sure to visit them soon!

Arezzo Ristorante

5 Riverside Avenue
Westport, CT 06880
203.557.9375
http://www.arezzowestport.com/index.php

Open Monday through Friday 11AM to 10PM
Saturday and Sunday 11AM to 11PM

Disclaimer: I was invited to the Arezzo Ristorante by members of the management and marketing team, however, all views are my own.


© Home Place 2016

The Arezzo Ristorante: Fine Food with a View in Westport CT

Media Sampling

Now that spring is here, as well as warmer weather, I can't wait to share one of the best places to have great food and delicious cocktails with a view --- the Arezzo Ristorante in Westport CT.

The Arezzo Ristorante in Westport CT

Located on River Street in Westport CT, the restaurant is situated on the Saugatuck River, and promises to be a hit for those who want to dine and drink al fresco this summer. Just look at that amazing view!

The Patio overlooking the Saugatuck River

The views are spectacular, as is the food. And service is just as amazing. Everyone from the fabulous bartender to the servers are knowledgeable and full of information about the restaurant history, food, ingredients, and preparation. 

We started our sampling with some cocktails and appetizers at the bar. The restaurant is currently in the process of re-vamping their specialty cocktail menu, but here's some of the items we tried.

The French Kiss Martini, the Cucumber Cocktail, and the Lemon Pop Martini. Although I loved both the martinis I have to admit that the Cucumber Cocktail with the Cracked Black Pepper on top was a refreshing way to start the evening. This will be a great cocktail to sip on on a warm summer evening.

Left: A French Kiss- the  French martini with Proseco
Middle: The Cucumber Cocktail with organic cucumber vodka and St. Germain topped with cracked black pepper
Right: A Lemon Pop Martini made with Purity Vodka and Limoncello and topped with Proseco

We then sampled some of the bar food available. Items were artfully arranged, garnished beautifully, and were all wonderful. My favorites were the shrimp and scallop skewer served with the perfect grilled sear with aromatic herbs, and of course, the lobster arancini.

The Margherita pizza, made with fresh tomatoes and basil, with homemade mozzarella.

The Focaccia Robiola di Arezzo, so delicious and drizzled with an amazing and earthy white truffle oil.

The Lobster Arancini with a saffron aioli and lemon for dipping. Delicious!

Rosemary Marinated Grilled Shrimp and Scallop Skewers

Italian Sausage and Roasted Pepper on Skewers

We then moved on to the dining area for some appetizers, wine and dinner. We started with Cavatelli ai Piselli, a homemade pea ricotta with hot and sweet sausage ragout, Risotto made with fresh porcini mushroom and truffle oil, and Short Rib Tortellini made with a braised au jus sauce.

Front: Cavatelli,   Middle: Risotto,   Back: Tortellini

Each of these dishes were wonderful! The creamy risotto, the flavorful cavatelli, and the the hearty robust tortelli. So, so, good!

For dinner we sampled both by land and by sea with a New Zealand Lamb Chop and a beautiful Halibut. Two things I rarely attempt at home and love to enjoy when I'm dining out. The halibut was excellent with a crispy sear, and the lamb was a perfect medium rare enhanced with the fragrance of  infused rosemary.

Paired with our dinner we enjoyed a hearty red and semi sweet Italian white wine.

White: Vento Vermentino Toscana - a semi sweet Italian white wine
Red: Pasetti Fonte Romano

Pan Seared Halibut
Caponata Puree, Fregola, and Vegetables

Roasted New Zealand Lamp Chop
Spinach, Tomato, and Yukon Gold Potatoes

We ended the evening with not one, not two, but THREE happy endings. Two delicious desserts of panna cotta and nutella pizza and a delightful after dinner dessert martini!

The Double Chocolate Martini
Made with Godiva Chocolate Vodka, Frangelica, Creme de Cacao, and Half & Half

Vanilla Panna Cotta
Fresh Berry Compote

Amazing Nutella Pizza
Topped with Powdered Confectionery Sugar

I cannot say enough good things about all the items we sampled, and surprisingly, although I'm not a a Nutella fan, the Nutella Pizza dessert was so incredibly good. I sampled it only to be polite and ended up going back for more.   And more.   And MORE!  Make sure you order it and any or all of the other delicacies we sampled!

My thanks to the wonderful staff who were all so helpful and informative and to the management and marketing team for hosting this delicious event!

See you on the waterfront at Arezzo in Westport!

Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall - Great food and wonderful views!

Arezzo Ristorante 

5 Riverside Avenue 

Westport CT 06880 

203-557-9375 

arezzowestport.com

View more pictures on the Home Place Facebook page - and while you're there don't forget to "like" us! More pictures HERE

Disclaimer: We were invited to this promotional sampling at Arezzo Ristorante by members of  the Arezzo Management and Marketing Team, however, the views and opinions expressed herein are our own.

Arezzo Ristorante Remodels in Westport CT

Arezzo Ristorante and Bar, the newly renovated Westport CT restaurant, presents a beautiful new design for dining Italian Style along the Saugatuck River.

Restaurateur Juan Ceballos and chefs / brothers Vinicio, Sergio and Bolivar Llanos have been working together for over 20 years. Their foray into the restaurant world began while under the guidance of famed Italian Chef Pino Luongo, who in the 1980s and 1990s helped popularize Tuscan food with more than a dozen restaurants throughout the U.S.  Juan’s talents as a front of the house manager and the brothers’ impressive aptitude in the kitchen saw them through some of Pino’s most successful New York hot spots such as Le Madri, Centolire and Coco Pazzo, as well as several other well respected eateries throughout the city.

Today, the  owners have set out on an adventure all their own in the form of Arezzo Ristorante & Bar, a striking restaurant, bar and event space set along the tranquil Saugatuck River in tony Westport, CT. Truly one of the nicest views of the Post Road Bridge leading into downtown Westport, overlooking the Saugatuck River, Arezzo’s stunning stone patio and gardens can accommodate up to 150 people. A recent renovation to the interior of the restaurant includes the addition of a brick-faced wood-fired oven and an expansive wine bar dressed in dark wood furnishings and rich brown leather chairs and ottomans. The dining room, which seats 60, is framed in rustic wood beams and stone archways, Tuscan orange stucco walls, a warming fireplace and that stunning panoramic view. Plush high-back leather chairs and white table cloth seating set the tone for Arezzo’s relaxed environment, thoughtful service and comforting menu.

Arezzo has created a menu that highlights traditional regional Italian fare as well as more contemporary preparations. Antipasti dishes include; warm buffalo mozzarella over braised artichokes with roasted Roma tomato and prosciutto di Parma;     Carpaccio di manzo of thinly sliced seared filet mignon topped with baby arugula and shaved Parmesan; and antipasti misto, an assortment of prosciutto di Parma, sweet coppa,  bresaola, mortadella, sopressata, speck and imported cheeses served with marinated olives.

Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza starts with the classic Margherita with fresh tomato, basil and homemade mozzarella. The “Pizza Contadina” is a tasty combination of organic eggs, mushrooms, Fontina cheese, truffle oil and prosciutto di Parma.   Pizza fans can also look forward to seasonally inspired pizza specials.  Robust and fresh salad offerings include; frutti di mare consisting of shrimp, scallop, and calamari dressed with lemon and extra virgin olive oil; shaved artichokes with Parmesan cheese and truffle vinaigrette;   organic greens with chicory, fresh tomato and red wine vinaigrette; and roasted beets with baby greens, pistachios and goat cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Everyone’s favorite pasta dishes such as gnocchi Bolognese and linguine with Manila clam sauce shares the stage with more contemporary pasta creations as seen with the cavatelli with pea-ricotta and hot and sweet sausage ragout,   homemade squid ink Tagliolini with shellfish in a cherry tomato sauce, spaghetti and meatballs with tomato basilica sauce and shaved ricotta salata, and lobster ravioli with burrata cheese.

Entrées are truly inspired dishes developed throughout the chefs’ years of experience, many of which utilize the fabulous high heat and smokiness of the wood burning oven. From the oven comes baby organic chicken with Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes with fresh herbs and olive oil, and roasted rack of lamb with goat cheese with mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and red wine and rosemary lamb jus.  Market fresh fish dishes include whole Mediterranean Sea bass with escarole, pan seared wild Alaska Salmon with mustard sauce, and a hearty fisherman’s stew bathed in tomato sauce with fennel.   Veal Saltimboca is topped with prosciutto di Parma and fresh sage and a spicy classic of chicken scarpariello is prepared with pork sausage, potatoes and hot cherry peppers. 

Arezzo’s wine bar, a destination all its own, is ideal for late night meals, post work cocktails and a great place to meet with friends and co-workers throughout the day. The bar menu features small bites such as lobster arancini with saffron aioli and lemon, gorgonzola and fig crostini, angus cheeseburger sliders, and rosemary marinated shrimps skewers.  

Pastry Chef Patricia Llanos demonstrates her sweet side with such decadent dessert offerings as warm flowerless chocolate cake, espresso laced Tiramisu, rustic apple tart with olive oil gelato, vanilla panna cotta with fresh berry compote and homemade biscotti and gelato.

The global wine list highlights Italian varietals and wine makers. Top shelf spirits, domestic and imported beer, and a selection of port, grappa and liqueurs round out the beverage program. 

Spring is on the horizon and Arezzo Ristorante & Bar is looking forward to a fresh new start and welcoming their guests to their waterside destination for great food and drink with a gorgeous view to match.

Arezzo Ristorante 

5 Riverside Avenue
Westport CT 06880
203-557-9375
arezzowestport.com