Vespino Pizza + Restaurant Opens in Fairfield

Nestled in a quiet corner of a shopping plaza located right off of the hustle and bustle of Fairfield’s Black Rock Turnpike is Vespino Pizza + Restaurant. Located in the space that was formerly Stefano’s, Vespino fills a void in the area’s restaurant scene. 

Best described as elevated casual in a stylishly modern setting, Vespino is an ideal choice for a quick neighborhood lunch, casual dinner with friends and family, or an after work cocktail. Vespino has already established a loyal clientele and has earned praises for their pizza, pasta, appetizers and main dishes. Sister restaurant to longtime local favorite Quattro Pazzi Café, Organika and the newer kid on the block, Pizza Lyfe in Westport, we came in with high expectations, eager to try a few dishes ourselves.

Named for the smaller version of the well-known Italian moped, Vespino is zippy, colorful with pops of bright yellow against a pale wood and black steel backdrop. The bar has a modern and equally colorful vibe. The interior is dramatically different from its former self, updated and brighter and seemingly larger, if by appearance only. A nicely sized covered patio has been added for those who prefer to dine al fresco.

Nunzio Detommaso (who many recognize from Il Palio) is co-owner and partner with Gino Riccio, and welcomed us with open arms, eager to show us the Vespino experience. We were excited to try a few things from the menu and asked for a few recommendations. We started off with the Stacked Eggplant which was melt-in-your-mouth tender and deeply flavorful with layer upon layer of gently battered eggplant, Stracciatella, tomato sauce and basil.

As soon as I took a bite I understood why The Buffalo Calamari Salad is as popular as it is. A generous serving of crisp calamari dressed in Buffalo sauce is mixed in with a mixture of Romaine, radicchio and Frisée lettuces dressed in a lemon vinaigrette which offset the heat nicely. On a scale of mild to spicy this ranks right slightly left of medium (in my opinion!) Other salads include Greek Tomato, Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese, Chopped and Caesar. 

Those with heartier appetites will thoroughly enjoy The Kicked up Pork Milanese as it is all it promises to be on appearance – tender breaded pork topped with pesto, burrata cream, prosciutto and arugula all deliver on flavor. Other popular choices include Chicken Parmigiana Vodka, Chicken Française, Chicken Marsala, Grilled Salmon and Shrimp Scampi to mention a few. There’s a nice selection of gourmet pastas which include Penne Vodka, Gnocchi Sorrentina, Rigatoni Bolognese, Fettuccini with Shrimp and Burrata Ravioli. We tried the Linguini with Clams. Colorful, attractively plated, this dish didn’t skimp on clams that were so beautifully prepared and brimming with flavor. Fresh pepperoncino, toasted bread crumbs, spec and prosciutto really elevated this dish. 

Is it pizza that you’re craving? Well, pizza they have! If you’re a fan of Neapolitan style, you’ll certainly be a fan of theirs – We very much enjoyed the Murgia Pizza made with mushrooms, sausage, cherry tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella and shaved Parmigiana. You can build your own or select from a nice assortment of regular and gourmet pizzas –Diavolo, Burrata, The Works, BBQ, Buffalo Chicken, Truffle Mushroom and Pizza Salad to name a few all available in personal and large sizes. These very well may become your new favorites.

Work or live locally? Vespino has a great lunch and prix fixe lunch menu. Sandwiches include: Chicken Parmigiana, Meatball Parmigiana, Eggplant Parmigiana, Italian Combo, Vespino Burger, Buffalo Chicken, The "Bronx" chopped cheese. 

The Prix Fixe menu offers the following:

Choice of  Soup of the Day or Salad Mista. The entrees currently featured are Mezzi Rigatoni Amatriciana with Guanciale, Onions, pomodoro sauce, pecorino cheese, Grilled Shrimp & Calamari with Red quinoa and Seasonal Vegetables, Chicken Scarpariello over Spinach with Sausage, Hot cherry peppers, white wine sauce, Sausage & Rapini with Beans, garlic white wine sauce and broccoli rabe, Piadina Sandwich – Caprese eggplant, mozzarella, pesto, red peppers, fries.

Enjoy Gelato or Sorbet as a dessert option.

Whether for lunch or dinner, Vespino needs to be on your radar!

Vespino is located at 525 Tunxis Hill Cut off, Fairfield CT
203-334-1344