New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and home to Yale University. Being the thriving college town that it is, it is home to a wide range of restaurants. The cuisine is as varied as the people that live in the city, which has a diverse population, and the restaurants range from casual to upscale.
Bespoke is a casual upscale restaurant with different dining rooms cordoned into various rooms, such as the Moroccan Room. Every room goes by the same menu, though. The lunch menu offers light fare like chicken soup, olive oil poached tuna, and paprika shoestrings. The dinner menu is separated into Amuse and Satisfy sections. Amuse, or starters, include crisp pork belly, grilled merguez sausage, stuffed crepes, and salt cod fritters. Satisfy, or main courses, include habanero pork ribs, spiced scallops, horseradish crusted salmon, and coffee cured hangar steak. For dessert, finish off with a frozen banana flambé or hand picked berry crisp. The restaurant uses organic and local produce when possible. It also has an extensive beer, wine and cocktail menu.
Bespoke
266 College Street
New Haven, CT 06510
203-562-4644
bespokenewhaven.com
Claire’s Corner Copia has been around since 1975, serving vegetarian, organic and sustainable cuisine to the New Haven area. Today, the restaurant continues to serve healthy food and also acts a place to relax with free Wi-Fi or check out local art. In fact, they even sponsor their own artist in residence program to help local talent find a place to show their work. Some breakfast items, like quiche, huevos or tofu rancheros, and granola are served all day. There is also a wide choice of sandwiches, such as the grilled cheese Florentine, soy bacon BLT, and Fire Island sandwich (roasted spicy buffalo soy chicken, organic bell peppers, mozzarella, cheddar, and queso blanco). The rest of the menu is rounded out with veggie burgers, burritos, pizzas, quesadillas, salads, and Mexican favorites like nachos and Mexican lasagna. There are even plenty of gluten-free options here.
Claire's Corner Copia
1000 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06510-2402
203-562-3888
clairescornercopia.com
Foster’s is a chic restaurant located just a few blocks from Yale University. They serve comfort food with an elegant twist, making meals both familiar and exotic. For example, the appetizers served here include grilled calamari steak, shrimp dumplings with a roasted garlic chili sauce and buttermilk fried quail legs. Entrees include ostrich meat soft tacos, twin breaded wild boar chops, pork filet mignon kabobs, buffalo flat iron steak, and lobster-crab-shrimp lasagna. For dessert, there is a s’more crème crulee, cappuccino tiramisu, and chocolate raspberry torte. Foster’s also serves a pre fixe dinner for two with a bottle of wine as well as wine flight and small plate specials daily.
Foster's
56 Orange Street
New Haven, CT 06510-3107
203-859-6666
fostersrestaurant.com
