The name of this restaurant comes from a house number on a street in Sorrento, Italy, called the Road of the Oranges. The co-owner once lived at number 67, and she brought that memory all the way to Connecticut.
Now the walls glow orange, and huge triptych photos of Sorrento orange groves hang in the dining room. The leather chairs were made in Italy, too.
The kitchen is just as devoted to family and home. A chef born in Naples makes fresh pasta and sauces every single day, and every plate is made to order.
I like how personal it all feels, right down to the homemade ravioli. Can one dinner in a small Connecticut dining room really taste like a trip to Southern Italy?
A House Number In Sorrento Gave This Place Its Name
Orange is the theme here, and it starts with the name. Aranci 67 takes its first word from the Italian word for oranges.
The number has a story too. Julia Perillo once lived on a road called Via del Aranci, at house number 67.
So the sign out front is basically a home address from Sorrento. That’s a sweet way to name a restaurant, and it tells you what matters inside.
Family memory shapes almost everything about Aranci 67. The restaurant’s concept is built on the Perillo family’s traditions, culture, and heritage from Southern Italy.
I believe a backstory like that changes how a meal feels. You aren’t just ordering dinner, you’re eating inside someone’s personal history.
The cooking style follows that same thread. The menu leans Southern Italian and Neapolitan, which makes sense for a chef from Naples.
Even small choices seem to circle back to Sorrento. Few restaurant names carry that much meaning in just two words.
Keep that orange theme in mind once you arrive in Connecticut’s Wilton Center. It shows up again and again, and it’s never subtle.
Three Perillos Keep The Kitchen And Dining Room Running
Thirty years is a long time to perfect anything, and Antonio Perillo has spent over three decades cooking Italian food. Twenty-three of those years came as executive chef at an Italian restaurant in Katonah, New York.
Antonio was born in Naples. Today he runs the kitchen as executive chef, and his roots show up on the plate.
Julia Perillo handles the management side. She was born in Sorrento, and restaurants run deep in her family.
Her family owned and managed Bella Italia Restaurant in Danbury for more than 40 years. That’s a serious Connecticut dining legacy before Aranci 67 ever opened.
Then there’s Paolo, their son. He manages the front of the house, so the family covers both the stove and the tables.
I can’t imagine a more natural setup for an Italian restaurant. Parents cook and plan, and the next generation greets the guests.
That kind of teamwork matters in a small spot. Decisions don’t pass through a corporate office, they pass across the dinner table at home.
It also means the people who built the menu are the ones still guarding it. Quality control doesn’t get much more personal.
Fresh Pasta Gets Made Every Single Day In This Kitchen
Daily is the key word in this kitchen. Executive Chef Antonio Perillo makes fresh pastas and sauces every day at Aranci 67.
The menu splits pasta into two camps. Pasta Fresca covers the homemade shapes, while Pasta Secca covers dried pasta dishes.
Having both is a smart move. Some sauces cling best to fresh ribbons, and others shine with a sturdy dried shape.
Look at the Pasta Fresca names and you’ll notice how specific they get. Ravioli della Casa, Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe, and Scialatielli Vongole e Carciofi all appear.
Scialatielli is a classic from the Amalfi Coast area, which fits the family’s Sorrento roots. Pairing it with clams and artichokes sounds like a coastal postcard on a plate.
Ravioli della Casa means house ravioli, which is a fun promise to put on a menu. The house, in this case, is a whole family.
Every dish is made to order, too. Nothing sits around waiting for someone to claim it.
My advice is simple. Pick at least one Pasta Fresca dish, because that’s where the scratch cooking shows off the most.
Good Luck Ignoring The Pappardelle Bolognese
Wide, flat pappardelle is built for a hearty sauce. At Aranci 67, it gets a Bolognese made with beef, veal, and pork.
Three meats in one sauce is a lot of commitment. Then the dish adds imported fresh ricotta, which gives it an extra layer.
It’s a classic that feels made for a family kitchen. Bolognese usually takes patience, and a scratch kitchen is the right place for patience.
The rest of the pasta lineup keeps the pressure on. Linguine allo Scoglio brings a seafood mix to the table.
Risotto ai Funghi is another option for mushroom fans. It’s a nice pick when you want something cozy without a noodle in sight.
Gnocchi Cacio e Pepe deserves a mention here too. Cacio e pepe means cheese and pepper, a simple Roman combo that leaves no room for shortcuts.
Simple dishes are sneaky that way. With so few ingredients, every one of them has to pull its weight.
Choosing is the hard part here. Every option sounds like a reason to come back next week.
If you’re bringing a group, consider ordering several pastas to share. That way nobody has to suffer through choosing just one.
Chicken Parm Fans And Pork Chop Lovers Both Win Here
Pasta gets the spotlight, but the Secondi section isn’t hiding in the back. It covers hearty main courses that feel straight out of a Southern Italian family dinner.
Chicken Parmigiana is here for the classic crowd. Eggplant Parmigiana gives meat-free diners an equally comforting option.
Pork Chop Scarpariello might be the most fun to say out loud. Scarpariello loosely translates to shoemaker style, a name with a playful backstory in Italian cooking.
Before any of that, the Antipasti section is ready to start the meal. There’s also an Insalate section for anyone who wants greens on the table.
A good plan is to split a starter with the table. Then each person can pick a main without feeling like they’ve overcommitted.
Prix-fixe dinner options are offered too. They’re a handy choice when you’d rather let the menu guide the order for you.
Since everything is made to order, small changes are possible. The kitchen allows flexibility and adjustments, which takes pressure off picky eaters.
All of it sticks close to the family’s Neapolitan roots. You won’t need a translator, but you might pick up some new Italian words.
Vegan, Gluten-Free, Or Under Ten, Everyone Gets Fed
Dietary needs can turn a dinner out into a puzzle. Aranci 67 makes the puzzle a lot easier, with vegan and gluten-free options available.
Made-to-order cooking is the secret behind that flexibility. When dishes aren’t prepped in giant batches ahead of time, swaps become much more doable.
That’s great news for mixed groups. One friend skips gluten, another skips meat, and somehow everyone still eats Italian.
Kids get their own menu as well. Parents can stop negotiating over adult plates and let little diners pick something made with them in mind.
My tip is to mention any needs when you order. A kitchen that cooks each plate fresh is in a great position to listen.
Gluten-free diners at Italian restaurants often feel stuck with a sad side salad. A scratch kitchen opens the door to more interesting choices.
Vegan guests can also look past the usual plate of plain vegetables. Ask which dishes adapt well, since the menu leaves room to adjust.
Families with picky eaters, different diets, or both will appreciate the patience built into this approach. Nobody wants a dinner where half the table orders with a sigh.
Your Own Kitchen Can Borrow This Chef’s Pasta
Homemade pasta doesn’t have to stay at the restaurant. Aranci 67 sells its Homemade Pasta and Sauces to Go, made by the same chef who cooks for the dining room.
There’s one rule to remember. The restaurant asks for orders at least one day in advance.
That makes sense for a kitchen that cooks fresh daily. Planning ahead gives the chef time to make your batch properly.
Treat it like a cheat code for a home dinner party. You boil, you plate, and your guests think you’ve been secretly training in Naples.
It also works for nights when the restaurant is closed. Dinner service runs Wednesday through Saturday, so a little planning keeps the pasta flowing all week.
I like this option for families with busy schedules. Fresh pasta at home beats another round of frozen nuggets any day.
Place your order early and mark your calendar. Pickup day suddenly becomes the most exciting errand on your list.
It’s also a sneaky way to sample more of the menu. Try a new sauce at home, then order a different dish next time you dine in.
Orange Walls And Italian Leather Set A Sunny Mood
Orange doesn’t whisper in this dining room. The walls and accents carry the bright color, tying straight back to the restaurant’s name.
Large triptych pictures of orange groves from Sorrento decorate the walls. They’re a direct link to Julia’s hometown and the road behind the number 67.
A triptych is a picture split into three panels. Here, the format makes the orchard scenes feel big and bold.
The chairs deserve a look too. They’re leather and were made in Italy, which fits the family’s whole approach.
All that effort earned attention early on. In its first year in Wilton, Aranci 67 won Best Italian from Connecticut Magazine.
The same magazine named it Best Dessert in Wilton that year. So yes, save room after the pasta.
Winning both in a single year is quite a debut for a small family business. It suggests the kitchen cares as much about the finale as the main act.
I believe the decor and the food tell the same story. Both point back to Sorrento, sunshine, and a family that refuses to cut corners.
Plan Your Wednesday Through Saturday Dinner Around This Address
First things first, the address. Aranci 67 sits at 142 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT 06897, right in Wilton Center.
The restaurant didn’t start there. Its first version opened in Georgetown, Connecticut, before the family moved it to Wilton.
The Wilton location opened around June 2016. By the following summer, it had already marked a full year in town.
Dinner runs Wednesday through Saturday, from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday are closed, so plan your pasta cravings accordingly.
A short schedule makes timing important. Booking ahead is a smart move, especially if you’re bringing a group.
Wilton Center makes a nice setting for an evening out. You can pair dinner with a stroll before or after your meal.
For anyone driving across Connecticut, the trip is easy to justify. Fresh pasta, family history, and a sunny orange room are a strong combo.
I can’t think of a better reason to circle a weeknight on the calendar. Just leave a little room for dessert, because that award didn’t come from nowhere.
