New Haven is a coastal city located on Long Island Sound. It is said that it has more foot traffic than any other place between New York City and Boston.
With many attractions for tourists and those with active lifestyles, there are also many good restaurants in the area.If you live in New Haven or are planning to visit soon, check out one of the best restaurants in the area. Here is an alphabetical guide to help. Bon Appetit!
16 Best Restaurants in New Haven:
- Adriana’s
- Barracuda Bistro & Bar
- Barcelona Wine Bar
- Brazi’s Italian Restaurant
- Cast Iron Chef Chop House & Oyster Bar
- Consiglio’s on Wooster Street
- Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill
- Goodfellas Restaurant
- Harvest Wine Bar
- Heirloom
- John Davenport’s at the Top of the Park
- L’Orcio
- Olea
- Pacifico Restaurant
- Prime 16 Tap House and Burgers
- Shell and Bones Oyster Bar and Grill
Adriana’s
$$$$ | 203-865-6474 | WEBSITE
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A New Haven landmark, Adriana’s offers traditional Italian cuisine provided by chefs who learned their craft at culinary school in Rome. They are known for their large servings, exceptional service, and extensive wine list.
Their vast menu includes antipasti (appetizers), insalate (salads), primi piatti (first course), secondi piatti (second course), and contorni (side dishes).
Two of their famous staple dishes include their John Dory Seabass and their Stuffed Veal. For those who love great Italian cooking, this restaurant is worth checking out.
Barracuda Bistro & Bar
$-$$ | 203-691-5696 | WEBSITE
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This restaurant was named one of the top Latin American eateries in the state. It is nestled in the Chapel West area of New Haven. The owner and chef grew up in Colombia but trained as a chef in America.
The menu offerings combine authentic ingredients and flavors of Latin America with traditional American comfort foods. Come in for a cocktail during happy hour and enjoy a chorizo flatbread or the Barracuda yuca nachos from their happy hour menu. Weather permitting, they also have outdoor seating.
Barcelona Wine Bar
$$ | 203-848-3000 | WEBSITE
In addition to enjoying a fabulous Spanish meal, you can shop at the Barcelona. Purchase gift cards, wine glasses, books, paella kits, and more.
For your dining pleasure, begin with Charcuterie and cheese. Salad and tapas (small dishes) then follow. Their main dishes can be ordered in half, full, or double portions.
Save room for the flan Catalan or olive oil cake for dessert. Or try an aperitivo board, which is an assortment of Spanish snacks to enjoy with your favorite glass of wine or cocktail from their extensive list of libations.
Brazi’s Italian Restaurant
$$$-$$$$ | 203-498-2488 | WEBSITE
Another delicious restaurant, offering all the traditional fare available in the best Italian eateries. Their dining room has a homey touch, with their staff providing the patrons with a memorable dining experience.
Their menu is extensive, offering a variety of appetizers, main courses, and desserts, sure to please any palette. Brazi’s has a casual bar room for drinks or dining.
The perfect place to enjoy yourself with friends or family. If you are hosting a corporate function, special dinner, or wedding shower, their banquet room can accommodate your needs.
Cast Iron Chef Chop House & Oyster Bar
$$-$$$$ | 203-745-4669 | WEBSITE
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Enjoy watching the chef prepare a sizzling steak in a cast iron skillet. The chef has developed his talent over 24 years and brings his culinary talents and passion for creating new menu items to his patrons.
The specialty of the house is the Porterhouse for 2, its incredible aroma permeates through the dining room and has become a customer favorite. Consistency and excellence are in every meal served.
Not only is steak a featured item on the menu, but they also offer sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads, along with their oyster bar. This unique restaurant is definitely worth trying.
Consiglio’s on Wooster Street
$$$ | 203-865-4480 | WEBSITE
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The owner continues the decades-long tradition that began with her grandparents, father, aunts, and uncles to serve traditional homemade Italian dishes combined with friendly service.
The contemporary interior has an industrial feel and the welcoming patio with umbrellaed tables is available for seating during warmer months. Their menu has appetizers and main dishes that can be made gluten-free if the need arises. All entrees are served with a house salad. Buon appetito!
Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill
$$-$$$ | 203-777-7700 | WEBSITE
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This restaurant brings the authentic taste of Santa Fe, New Mexico to New Haven, Connecticut. Its cuisine is 100% Southwestern, sourcing its Chile peppers directly from New Mexico.
The menu includes award-winning chili (or chilli, depending on preference), Navajo frybread, tacos, quesadillas, and more delicious dishes. Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill has received praise for their cocktails as they have a vast selection of Tequila, which is the largest on the east coast.
They also have a variety of draft and bottled beers and quality liquors. They are open seven days a week and serve brunch on the weekends. Their College Street Taco Cart has a few of their delicious menu selections available to enjoy while you watch a show at the College Street Music Hall.
Goodfellas Restaurant
$$$-$$$$ | 203-785-8722 | WEBSITE
As one of Connecticut’s most highly regarded restaurants, it is the place to be seen! While enjoying your delicious Italian meal, make sure you have your eyes open.
Over the years, it has become a celebrity hotspot. Robert DeNiro, Lorraine Bracco, and Al Pacino, along with members of the hit show The Sopranos, have dined at Goodfellas.
While you enjoy your meal, you will be entertained by one of ten flat-panel televisions showing the top gangster movies of all time. You will be serenaded by the vocals of Dean Martin, Andrea Bocelli, and Frank Sinatra.
With all the excitement, the main attraction is still their food – Italian dishes prepared to perfection. Rarely will you experience dining that compares with Goodfellas Restaurant.
Harvest Wine Bar
$$-$$$ | 203-777-2500 | WEBSITE
Guests are taken from the hustle and bustle of Yale and Chapel Street to the unique charm of Harvest Wine Bar. The distinguished history of the area is displayed proudly in the main dining room, which features glass displays and solid concrete walls.
There is also a large open-air stone dining room outdoors which is perfect for al fresco dining. They have dishes that are meant to be shared, snacks, main dishes, and side dishes. Their extensive menu has something for everyone.
Heirloom
$$-$$$ | 203-503-3919 | WEBSITE
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Farm meets coastal cooking at this traditional New England eatery. The inspiration for their menu comes from locally sourced ingredients. Farmers and growers in Connecticut have been supplying them with only the best ingredients that are used in their recipes.
Enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, or brunch on the weekends. Their menu includes appetizers or starters, main dishes, pastas, salads, and bowls. They also have a semi-private event space for special occasions and a private penthouse space for spirited cocktail parties.
John Davenport’s at the Top of the Park
$$$ | 203-772-6664 | WEBSITE
This upscale 19th-floor restaurant offers spectacular views of New Haven’s beautiful historical green and one of the most renowned Ivy League colleges in the United States. Enjoy a light breakfast, an elegant dinner, or a cocktail in Bar19.
They specialize in creative regional cuisine made from fresh products from the Hudson Valley to Prince Edward Island, along with a selection of the finest wines available. Conveniently located in the Omni New Haven Hotel, there are meeting spaces that mimic Yale’s charm, character, history, and tradition.
L’Orcio
$$$-$$$$ | 203-777-6670 | WEBSITE
At L’Orcio you can experience fine Italian dining in an upscale establishment. They serve savory and authentic Italian dishes using seasonal, fresh, and locally grown ingredients. Choose from antipasti (appetizers), insalate (salads), primi (first course), secondi (second course), and contorni (side dishes).
They offer gluten-free ricotta gnocchi and fusilli, both house-made. Weather permitting, you can enjoy their delicious menu offerings al fresco in the midst of flowers and under the sky.
Olea
$$$ | 203-780-8925 | WEBSITE
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Olea provides both inside and patio seating, curbside pickup, and takeout. Located in the heart of downtown, Olea provides an innovative interpretation of Mediterranean and Spanish cuisine in its food, wine, and cocktails.
Many of their ingredients are locally sourced, while specialty items are imported from the Mediterranean region. They offer a unique Chef’s Tasting Menu which is five courses and is available Tuesday through Thursday.
Pacifico Restaurant
$$ | 203-772-4002 | WEBSITE
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Pacifico is located in the heart of downtown New Haven and features delightful nuevo-Latino seafood cuisine. They feature such signature dishes as seafood paella, caramelized salmon, and skirt steak with Chino-Latino stir-fried rice.
For dessert, they offer dulce de leche cheesecake. Their new Tapas Bar & Lounge on the lower level has a fun and lively atmosphere where crafted cocktails, tapas (appetizers), or any menu item can be enjoyed.
Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday and happy hour specials are available from 3 pm to 6 pm Monday through Thursday.
Prime 16 Tap House and Burgers
$-$$ | 203-782-1616 | WEBSITE
Prime 16 brings the highest quality beef burgers and craft beers to New Haven. In a city nationally known for pizza, it is also the birthplace of the hamburger.
Prime 16 began by offering gourmet burgers, and now its scratch kitchen provides more gastropub-style food. Its dressings, sauces, ketchups, and mustards are made in-house.
They use all-natural beef raised by farmers committed to humane and sustainable practices – the result is the most nutritious, delicious, and satisfying burger you will find. Enjoy your burger on their patio during the nice weather.
Shell and Bones Oyster Bar and Grill
$$$-$$$$ | 203-787-3466 | WEBSITE
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This is an award-winning restaurant featuring seafood, steak, and a raw bar (a small bar within a restaurant where live shellfish are shucked and served). Smart casual attire is requested.
There are a limited number of unheated, uncovered tables available on a seasonal basis, and are dependent upon the weather.
As they are located on the water, they suggest that you bring a jacket or covering as the weather can be unpredictable. The beautiful water view makes this restaurant definitely worth trying.
Summary
After a day of sightseeing in the area, make sure you try one of the best restaurants in New Haven. But it will be difficult to decide – these top-notch eateries are all worth trying. Bon Appetit!
Hayden has been a digital director for years. He has five years of experience editing and writing about food, restaurant, and recipe review content. At Birch Restaurant, he’s in charge of scouting, showing up unannounced in different restaurants, and writing a thorough food guide!
