Connecticut

Luca's Pizzeria And Italian Kitchen To Open In Glenville

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

Luca's Pizzeria And Italian Kitchen To Open In Glenville

GREENWICH, CT — The food scene in Greenwich has a new entrant in the form of Luca’s Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen, which will officially open its doors on Friday, April 12 at 11 a.m.

Located in the Glenville Shopping Center at 21 Glenville St., the restaurant is owned by Joe Criscuolo and named after his father, Luca, who founded Pizza Post in Greenwich over 50 years ago.

At the heart of Luca’s is the pizza, and the menu is influenced by Criscuolo’s upbringing in the Bronx, his pizza experience in Connecticut and his yearly family trips to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

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“I wanted to merge the three places — it’s really a reflection of how I grew up,” Criscuolo said.

The pizza crust is thin and crisp and has a bit of a char. The tomato sauce has a pinch of salt, according to Criscuolo.

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“I wanted to do something lighter, and I was inspired by some of my favorite places,” he said, pointing to New Haven and New York-style pizza.

There are a variety of toppings available at Luca’s, as well as some specialty pies, like the Killer Bee, which has pepperoni, hot honey, Calabrian chili, basil and grana padano.

The menu also features a variety of classic pasta dishes, Italian sandwiches, salads and Italian specialties, some with a modern twist.

There’s tagliatelle bolognese with a classic beef meat sauce. Homemade mozzarella sticks are served with hot honey or sauce. Grilled pizza bread is served with whipped ricotta, with the choice of hot honey, or mortadella, or prosciutto. There are also cacio e pepe fried Neapolitan pasta bites.

“My dad taught me how to make pizza, and my mom taught me how to cook,” Criscuolo said, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. “The Sunday Sauce is inspired by her Sunday sauce. It’s not exactly like hers, but it’s pretty close.”

The sauce can be found on the Sunday Sauce pizza or the rigatoni.

Another favorite for Criscuolo is the garlic monkey bread.

“Everybody has garlic bread, everybody has garlic knots. I thought, ‘How could I merge the two ideas?’ A monkey bread seemed like a logical way to do it.”

Pieces of bread combine with garlic, butter and cheese, and it’s baked in a small pan.

“The whole outside gets very crisp, and the inside gets nice and soft, so you just have fun pulling it apart,” Criscuolo said.

Criscuolo has made pizza and Italian cuisine at various pizzerias in Fairfield County, and he’s helped run Pizza Post for years. He has also worked with Lidia Bastianich, the Emmy Award-winning television host, best-selling cookbook author and restaurateur.

Luca Criscuolo and his son, Joe. (Richard Kaufman/Patch)

The inspiration for Luca’s, of course, came from his father.

“Without him, I wouldn’t have the inspiration to do this,” Criscuolo said.

For Luca, he said he was “really surprised” to find out his son named the pizzeria after him.

“I love it, and I’ll never forget it,” Luca said. “It’s really nice.”

When asked if he offered any advice to his son, Luca said Joe didn’t need any.

“I’m very proud of him because he really continued the family tradition,” Luca said.

The first 50 customers on Friday, April 12, will receive a complimentary order of garlic monkey bread with any purchase.

Additionally, a portion of opening day proceeds will go to Abilis, the Greenwich-based nonprofit organization that supports more than 800 individuals with special needs and their families in lower Fairfield County.

Luca’s will be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, and will expand its hours in the future.

Customers can come in and grab a bite at the pizzeria, or order for pickup and delivery. Luca’s also offers catering services.

For more information and to view the full menu, click here.

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Connecticut

Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today

Published

7 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today

Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.

“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network. “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.

“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”

In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care.

“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”

Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut.

“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”

“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”

Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!

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Connecticut

Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

A multi-vehicle crash temporarily close Interstate 84 on Tuesday night.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. and involved four cars, according to the Hartford Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived at the scene and helped one of the drivers who was trapped. The driver was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Four other people reported minor injuries but declined ambulance treatment at the scene, officials said.

I-84 East was temporarily shut down as crews responded but has since reopened.

The Connecticut State Police is investigating the crash.

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Connecticut

Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

As the snow turns to sleet and freezing rain in parts of the state this afternoon, it is causing some treacherous travel on Connecticut roads.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is reporting several crashes.

There are crashes on both sides of Interstate 691 in Meriden.

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the eastbound side of I-691 between Exit 5 and 3, closing the left lane. On the westbound side, a single-vehicle crash closed the left lane.

There is a two-vehicle crash on I-91 North in Middletown between Exits 20 and 21. The left and center lanes are closed.

A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes of I-84 East in Waterbury between Exits 25 and 25A. There is a second crash on I-84 East in Southington near Exit 30.

In Cromwell, a two-vehicle crash closed the right lane of Route 9 North in Cromwell.

On Route 9 South, a crash closed a lane on the southbound side.

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