Chester’s Grano Arso, a new seasonally inspired Italian restaurant, came together quickly and fortuitously for first-time owner Joel Gargano. The chef, a native of Branford, became familiar with the charming community a few years ago while buying produce at the town’s popular farmers’ market.

In the years following, he lived and worked in New York City, met his wife, Lani, and eventually returned to his home state, looking for new opportunities. During a “1 a.m. moment,” he says, he scrolled through property listings online and zeroed in on a new available building — a former bank in the center of Chester, which had previously housed Six Main, a vegetarian and vegan restaurant.