Chef/Owner Vinicio Llanos of Arezzo Ristorante & Bar, Westport’s charming Italian restaurant and event space situated along the beautiful Saugatuck River, is excited to unveil the restaurant’s new patio bar this week. The new addition is a full-service bar built from the ground up, adding to the patio’s spirited ethos and al fresco dining experience.
Boasting one of the most picturesque views of the Post Road Bridge leading into downtown Westport, Arezzo’s breathtaking all-weather sun deck, open-air patio, and gardens can accommodate up to 150 people. A recent renovation introduced a brick-faced wood-fired oven and an
expansive wine bar wrapped in dark wood furnishings with rich brown leather accents. The main dining room, seating 65, was also refreshed this year and is framed in rustic wood beams and stone archways, Tuscan orange stucco walls, and brand-new furniture. Eclectic artwork from the Westport River Gallery next door and panoramic river views complete the restaurant’s captivating design aesthetic.
Llanos, along with his family members Sergio and Patricia, embarked on their hospitality journey in 2014 when they purchased the restaurant from its former owner. The family reimagined the menu, adopting a more rustic approach to its Italian/Mediterranean influences. Llanos’ culinary vision was to harness the intense heat and smokiness the wood-burning oven could impart on dishes, utilizing the oven for more than the restaurant’s popular Neapolitan-style pizza.
Menu highlights include appetizers such as warm buffalo mozzarella over braised artichokes with roasted Roma tomatoes and prosciutto di Parma, and grilled octopus with marble potatoes, red onions, capers, green beans, fresh lemon, and extra virgin olive oil. Homemade trofie al pesto with shrimp, and pappardelle with braised lamb shank ragout are just a few favorite pasta dishes. Arezzo’s land and sea menu is beautifully illustrated by the grilled prime New York steak served with Tuscan fries, arugula salad, and bleu cheese, the baby organic chicken roasted in the wood burning oven served with brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes, and the wood oven-roasted whole Mediterranean sea bass with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes. Patricia prepares all of the desserts in-house. Indulge in crema catalana with pistachio biscotti, creamy tiramisu, and ricotta cheesecake with raspberry sauce.
The global wine list highlights many Italian varietals and winemakers. Top-shelf spirits, creative cocktails, local craft and imported beer, and a selection of port, grappa, and aperitifs round out the beverage program.
Spring is here, and Arezzo Ristorante & Bar looks forward to welcoming guests to their riverfront sun deck and patio for great food and drinks and that gorgeous view.
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