Highest-rated restaurants in New Haven by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in New Haven, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Skappo Merkato
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 51 Orange St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Mew Haven Cat Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 904 Whalley Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pet Adoption, Animal Shelters, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Somos Handcrafted Arepas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 63 Orange St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Venezuelan, Empanadas
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Haven Hot Chicken
- Rating: 4.5/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 21 Whitney Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Jasmine Thai Cart
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 250 Church St. Food truck stand Front of New Haven county courthouse New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Thai, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Cafe Java
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 59 Elm St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Poppy's Coffee and Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 374 Whitney Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Madeline's Empanaderia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 48 Middletown Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Empanadas, Latin American, Spanish
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Grand Apizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 111 Grand Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#21. G Cafe Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1177 Chapel St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Menya-Gumi
- Rating: 4.5/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 165 Orange St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Ramen
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Delaney's Restaurant & Tap Room
- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 883 Whalley Ave. Ste 3 New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Bar August
- Rating: 4.5/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3 Edwards St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Wine Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Rawa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 838 Whalley Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Tavern On State
- Rating: 4.5/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 969 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Lazeez Indian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 40 Orange St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Big Green Truck Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 530 East St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Sandra's Next Generation
- Rating: 4.5/5 (622 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 636 Congress Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Soul Food, Southern, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Johnny Salami's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 205 Food Terminal Plz New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Delis, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Fair Haven Oyster
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 307 Front St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Next Door
- Rating: 4.5/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 175 Humphrey St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Ninth Square Market Too Caribbean Style
- Rating: 4.5/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 89 George St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Caribbean, Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Rockfish
- Rating: 4.5/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 285 Nicoll St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Hot Murga
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 140 Howe St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Indian, Chicken Shop, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Otaru Sushi Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 21 Temple St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. the LUKE BRASSERIE
- Rating: 5.0/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 261 College St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Brasseries, Cafes, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Zeneli Pizzeria & Cucina Napoletana
- Rating: 5.0/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 138 Wooster St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Munchies
- Rating: 5.0/5 (50 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 957 State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Ande's International Gourmet Deli
- Rating: 5.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 148 Amity Road New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Delis, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Havenly
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 25 Temple St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Desserts, Mediterranean, Community Service/Non-Profit
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.