The New Blood, Best New Restaurant Nominees
- Justin Morales
- Oct 27
- 3 min read
There’s a special kind of madness in opening a restaurant. You’re equal parts artist,
engineer, gambler, and firefighter. You build something out of thin air, a dream, a menu, a crew, and then you hope it all holds once the doors open.
The CRA Crazies “Restaurant Newcomer” category celebrates the ones bold (or crazy) enough to chase that dream in real time. Every name here represents sleepless nights, maxed-out cards, and the hope that passion can become a business.
This is the year’s new blood, the ones who dared to build something from scratch and make people care enough to show up.
The Nominees, Restaurant Newcomer of the Year
Bar Bushido, Norwalk
Belden House, Litchfield
The Foundry, Hartford
The Laurel, West Hartford
ROLi, New Haven
Why They Matter
Bar Bushido (Norwalk)Norwalk’s been hungry for something with edge, and Bushido brought it. Craft cocktails, Japanese precision, and that low-lit swagger that makes you feel like you’re in on a secret. It’s thoughtful chaos, exactly what a great bar-restaurant hybrid should be.
Belden House (Litchfield)Litchfield’s dining scene needed a shake-up, and Belden House answered with confidence and class. The design feels nostalgic and modern all at once. Their team runs like they’ve been doing this for years, which says a lot for a newcomer.
The Foundry (Hartford)Loaded with talent, front of house and back of house, it’s no surprise The Foundry landed on this list. Industrial bones, elevated comfort, and a team that clearly believes in its city. They’ve made Hartford feel proud again, no small feat in a market that’s been rebuilding its dining identity.
The Laurel is the epitome of intimate hospitality and charm. This one has presence. It doesn’t just serve food, it sets a tone. Elegant, confident, and alive with intention. It’s the kind of restaurant that makes you feel welcome as you are and want to order that second cocktail just to stay a bit longer.
ROLi (New Haven)Creative, bold, and full of rhythm, ROLi is the pulse of New Haven’s new wave. They’ve taken that city’s mix of culture, art, and grit and
turned it into a dining experience that’s both serious and fun. Every detail feels deliberate, every bite like a statement.
My Reflection, From the Trenches
My connection to this category runs deep. The restaurant where I was GM in 2023, Fire by Forge, was nominated for Best Newcomer, and we’d been open for far less than a year at the time, almost unheard of.
We were up against some serious competition, and while we didn’t take home the trophy, we celebrated 29 Markle, who rightfully did. Because anyone who’s ever opened a restaurant knows the truth, just being in that conversation is a victory.
I’ve led the way in opening 10 restaurants, and opening a new spot is riddled with challenges, delays, permits, costs, staff turnover, design headaches, and equipment that never works the way it should. It’s an uphill sprint from the day you sign the lease.
And yet, when it works, when you feel that first night of flow, when guests walk out smiling and your team finally exhales, it’s magic.
If you can make a positive impact right away, you’re already ahead of so many. Because great restaurants aren’t built on food alone, they’re built on courage, on community, and on people willing to light the stove and lead others through the smoke.
Next up in the series, Front-of-House Legends, the faces, voices, and grace under pressure that make guests fall in love with hospitality all over again.
Because food is the reason we come in, but people are the reason we come back.
#CTCrazies #HospitalityClub #HospitalityMatters #ConnecticutRestaurants #ChefLife #ServerLife #RestaurantLife #NewRestaurants #TheLaurel #ROLi #BarBushido #BeldenHouse #TheFoundry
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