Many New Haven Eateries Are CT Restaurant & Hospitality Association's 2026 ‘Crazies' Awards Finalists

NEW HAVEN, CT — New Haven is well represented in the Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association's 2026 CRAZIES Awards, an annual event that recognizes the exceptional ability and talent of Connecticut’s hospitality community.

The Luke Brasserie & Bar and ROLi are nominated for the Restaurant of the Year category. Little Lotus is a finalist in the Restaurant Newcomer category, and Roland Olah of ROLi is a finalist for Chef of the Year. See all the New Haven finalists below.

On Dec. 7, hospitality owners, operators, restaurateurs, hoteliers, chefs, industry staff, vendors from across the state will come together at Foxwoods Resort Casino to celebrate the success of their industry and honor winners across more than 20 award categories.

"Connecticut’s hospitality industry is powered by incredible people who bring passion, creativity, and excellence to their communities every single day," said Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association President & CEO Scott Dolch. "The CRAZIES are our opportunity to put a spotlight on the very best of our industry, and this year is especially exciting as we celebrate restaurants, hotels, and hospitality together like never before. Congratulations to our 2026 honorees and finalists, whose talent, dedication, and commitment to hospitality continue to raise the bar across Connecticut.”

The CRAZIES selection process began in July with an online public nomination process and a state-wide group of industry insiders. Subsequently, nearly 35 food, hospitality, and lifestyle media content creators and writers held multiple meetings to finalize the list of honorees and finalists for 2026.

The Association announced more than 75 finalists.

The public can now vote by CLICKING HERE through the end of November for each category: Restaurant of the Year by Country & Overall, Hotel of the Year, Restaurant Newcomer, Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Bar & Beverage Team of the Year, Service Team of the Year, Caterer of the Year, Vendor of the Year, and People’s Choice.

Winners will be selected from not only the public vote but also from our nominating panel members.

New Haven finalists:

NEW HAVEN COUNTY RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

• The Luke Brasserie & Bar | New Haven
• ROLi | New Haven

RESTAURANT NEWCOMER

• Little Lotus | New Haven

CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Roland Olah | ROLi

PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Andrea Corazzini | G Café Bakery

BAR & BEVERAGE TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Sherkaan | New Haven

SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Union League | New Haven

HOTEL OF THE YEAR

• Hotel Marcel | New Haven

The full list of honorees and nominations can be found below. Visit us at www.craziesawards.com to learn more about the finalists, vote for your favorites, purchase tickets and/or become a sponsor. For additional information, please contact us at info@hospitalityct.org.