New Haven is a hidden coastal treasure

Now that summer is officially in full swing, our thoughts are turning to beach days, lobster rolls, and open-air arts festivals. For many New Yorkers, that means fighting the traffic on the Long Island Expressway to get to a certain string of towns out east. But if you’ve been following The WeekEnder, then you know that we are drawn to the unexpected. Welcome to New Haven County, which has everything you could ever want for a summer weekend — minus the crowds and the high prices.

There’s much more than meets the eye here. At the heart of it all is New Haven itself, which is famously home to Yale University, founded in 1701. This coastal Connecticut city is also an emerging hub for arts and culture with a thriving, globally inspired food scene. Stretching beyond the leafy urban center, you’ll find charming small towns like Guilford and Branford, plus hiking trails and lighthouses, breweries and kayaking.

This mix is what got Yale grad Karl Franz Williams to return to his collegiate roots and transform an historic New Haven dive bar into a cutting-edge cocktail lounge called The Anchor Spa. Karl is considered a cocktail heavyweight: His sexy Harlem speakeasy, 67 Orange Street, regularly makes it onto lists of the world’s best bars. His reaction when a friend told him he should open another cocktail bar...in New Haven? “I just don’t see it, bro.” But after spending more time here, he was sold. “The thing that surprised me was how much locals care about the quality of their food and drinks,” says Karl. “Plus, New Haven has a strong arts scene and when you get artists together they tend to inspire each other.”

Another passionate resident is Roxanne J. Coady, whose RJ Julia Booksellers in nearby Madison is a regular stop for high-wattage authors on book promotion tours. What appealed to her: “The shoreline towns are old-school, with a sense of connection that many communities have lost,” she says. “And New Haven has all the things that you want in an urban environment: a diverse community, music, and a rhythm to this city that is pretty fabulous.”

Let’s explore.

-Laura Begley Bloom, New York's Senior WeekEnder Writer

A big part of the appeal of New Haven County is that you can stay (affordably) in New Haven itself and dip in and out of the neighboring towns, but there are also some charming inns and hotels nearby.

Tucked away off a bustling street in downtown New Haven is this sleek stay with a clean, industrial design. The rooftop bar and restaurant, High George, is a garden oasis with spectacular city views.

Just steps from Yale University, an 1894 hotel was updated in a thoughtful way to become the Graduate. The designers preserved historic details (checkered-tile floors, pressed-tin ceiling, century-old elevator) while bringing the property into the modern era.

This literary-themed hotel is set right in the heart of Yale’s Arts Campus. There’s a library of new, used, and rare books curated by The Strand in New York City, and each room has a comfy armchair that’s made for curling up with a good read.

This secluded waterfront inn is run by a pair of innkeepers who spoil their guests with home-cooked breakfasts and afternoon wine and cheese.

Everyone in your brood will love this beachfront resort where all the rooms have water views and a balcony; some even have fireplaces.

Ask any local about New Haven’s food scene and they will wax poetic about the pizza, the ethnic cuisine, and even the things that were invented here — from the hamburger to the lollipop. So why is this city such a culinary hotspot? “New Haven is a place of creation and food and learning and trial. People try new things here all the time,” says Colin Caplan, an historian, architect, genealogist, author, and founder of the food tour company, Taste of New Haven. Here are the places not to miss (and keep reading for Colin’s insider take on New Haven’s pizza scene).

Chef Claire Criscuolo has been called “the Alice Waters of New Haven” and can still be found in the kitchen cooking up creative vegetarian and vegan dishes. Didn’t make it for breakfast? Lunch is top-notch, too.

Coffee is taken as seriously in New Haven as it is in Seattle. The place to go is this micro-roaster, which has several locations in and around the city.

Other restaurants try to make the claim, but the Library of Congress has certified that this historic diner is the actual birthplace of the hamburger. Pro-tip: Lunch is in the name, but Louis’ is also a worthy destination after dark.

You don’t have to be a bookworm to appreciate this café with simple soups and sandwiches right near Yale.

Planning a picnic? Bishop’s has farm-fresh bites to go, plus bottles of (decent) locally made wine. You can also pick your own fruit.

The Connecticut shoreline is known for its hot buttered lobster rolls and this is the best spot to try them.

Sit on logs under a tent at this open-air seasonal restaurant while the staff cooks your fish and lobster over an open-hearth fire.

Colin Caplan knows a thing or two about pizza. He’s the author of the book Pizza in New Haven, produced the film Pizza: A Love Story (which tells the tale of three spots in New Haven), and runs local tours that combine history and eating. One insider tip: Many restaurants in town have the word “apizza” (the original Neapolitan word for pizza) in their name, and you want to pronounce it correctly. It’s “AH-beets.” We got Colin to give us the download on five of the best New Haven locations.

“The fifth oldest continuously run pizzeria in the country is widely known for its white clam pie, which it invented and perfected over 70 years ago,” says Colin. “My favorite is the native tomato pie with freshly chopped Connecticut tomatoes on a white pie with mozzarella.”

“Sally’s was founded back in the day by Salvatore Consiglio, Frank Pepe’s nephew,” says Colin. “The pinnacle pie for me is the plain tomato with red sauce and garlic. That pie pulls out the original New Haven style flavor — it's all about the tomato and the crust.”

“At this historic pizzeria from 1934, people drool over the Italian Bomb, with three meats and four vegetables impossibly stacked so that you can still pick it up,” says Colin.

"A lot of pizza freaks say the white clam is better than Pepe’s: They crack the clams right on top and cook it with the juice,” says Colin.

“This new-kid-on-the-block has a brewery and a dance club on weekends,” says Colin. “They're known for their mashed potato bacon pizza and their one-of-a-kind creations served on Tuesdays.”

In the Long Wharf area, you’ll find an army of food trucks featuring bites from all over Mexico and South America.

This excellent Ethiopian restaurant also has a food truck that roams around town.

A stoner favorite known for its falafel and other Middle Eastern specialties, from shawarma to kebabs.

Ramen has made a big comeback in New Haven and Mecha has cornered the market. You’ll also find other delicious Asian dishes, from Vietnamese pho to Sichuan cucumbers.

In an old brick building with a patio, this high-end Thai restaurant serves creative twists on the classics (think Thai tacos).

Head to this Japanese restaurant, say “omakase,” and enjoy the chef’s special selection of the best sushi outside NYC.

You’ll feel like you’re stepping into a taberna in Mexico, with mariachi every Thursday and a mean mole.

Now here’s an experience not to be missed: Seasonal dinners on the farm with chef Bun Lai, who used to run a celebrated local sushi restaurant.

This French restaurant has the old-world charm of a Parisian brasserie and dishes that are straight out of the Right Bank.

The fact that chef Jacques Pepin (who lives nearby) is a regular at this Basque restaurant with tapas and wine pairings tells you everything.

The oldest pastry shop in New Haven dates back to 1923 and is the quintessential Little Italy experience, with Italian ice, cannolis, and more.

It’s next-level ice cream at this shop that sources its ingredients from its prized cows located on a farm upstate.

This tried-and-true old-school homemade ice cream shop has locations all over the area.

Mixologist Karl Franz Williams bought this bar that opened right after Prohibition and brought it back to life with his special blend of craft cocktails. The daiquiri-inspired “Yale Beats Harvard” is — for obvious reasons — a fan favorite. There’s also an accompanying menu of Caribbean-inspired bites; don’t miss the Sexy Wings.

Look for cigar and craft cocktail pairings at this cigar and pipe store from 1934 where you can also listen to live music.

New Haven’s oldest tavern makes creative cocktails that are topped with offbeat ingredients like cotton candy. There’s also a cocktail museum onsite.

Set on the Branford River, this brewery has outdoor seating, yard games, food trucks, and live music.

It’s worth the detour to the suburb of Woodbridge for the seasonally inspired craft brews.

In and around New Haven, it's easy to get out and enjoy nature. Here’s where the locals go:

Swimming, nature trails, a bird sanctuary, and an antique carousel set on over 82 acres.

The park is home to a giant rock formation that was carved by a boulder. “I love to go hiking and running here,” says Karl Franz Williams, owner of the Anchor Spa.

You can explore these charming little islands with a cruise aboard the Sea Mist.

A 1.5-mile scenic trail leads to a stone observation tower on the peak of Mt. Carmel with excellent views of Long Island Sound and the New Haven area.

Enjoy a paddle and a brew at this boating and kayaking outfitter located next door to the Stony Creek Brewery.

This picturesque beach overlooks Long Island Sound.

You'll find miles of hiking trails and nature preserves here.

The state’s largest shoreline park has beaches, boardwalks, walking trails, and more.

When you’re in the New Haven area, you meet people like Istvan B’Racz, a composer, pianist, and longtime faculty member at The Neighborhood Music School (which he also attended as a child). It goes without saying that Istvan appreciates this area’s cultural appeal. “Yale draws an international group of people and as a result, you get a really interesting blend of arts and culture and architecture,” he says. Here are just a few of the cultural highlights not to miss.

A world-class museum with pieces by all the heavy hitters, from Winslow Homer and Vincent van Gogh to Jean-Michel Basquiat and Damien Hirst. “It’s my favorite place to go in the whole wide world,” says Istvan. “I sit there in awe.”

Istvan is also a fan of this museum with the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom.

Located in two former manufacturing plants, this art space is dedicated to accelerating the careers of the next generation and supporting artists and curators of color.

For over 30 years, this bookshop has been beloved by both authors and the local community. “It’s our job to be the best bookstore on the planet and it’s the community’s job to support us by buying books here and not online,” says owner Roxanne J. Coady.

Istvan is a fan of this music spot in an old tennis center that has shows on weekends. “It recently opened to rave reviews,” he says.

Get a glimpse of the New England of yesterday at this museum set in the oldest stone house in New England.

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