Cast Iron Chef Opening Date Set In New Haven

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

NEW HAVEN, CT – The owner and chef of Cast Iron Chef Chop House & Oyster Bar said his opening day at his new, New Haven location on State Street at the site of the former Carmen Anthony’s will be on Thursday, Nov. 30th.

The Cast Iron restaurant has been operating in Trumbull for two decades where it was known as Marisa Ristorante for the majority of its run. It also existed in Bridgeport a decade before. Its Trumbull location closed Oct. 24th.

Carmen Anthony, which operated in New Haven for over a decade, closed its doors in 2015.

Marini, said he left Trumbull because the location where the restaurant is located is being sold.

“My real estate agent was scouting around for new places and we had opportunities to go other places,” Marini said. “But when I heard about the State Street location in New Haven, I knew this would be the best place for our brand.”

Marini described his restaurant “as a unique dining experience.”

He said: “We are number one, a steakhouse – that’s what we are known for. Our steaks are all cooked on premises and cooked in cast iron. What I’m doing, nobody else does.”

Marini said besides steaks, his new restaurant will also have “lots of fish dishes.”

Marini said New Haven is the perfect location for him to take his restaurant “to the next level.”

“People from all over the state, and the country know about the dining in New Haven,” Marini said, adding the fact that Yale is located nearby doesn’t hurt in attracting clientele.