Best restaurants for 8 cuisines in New Haven

America is often described as a melting pot, a place where different cultures have come together over the centuries to form new customs while maintaining the ones their ancestors have long held dear. For many cultures, a major part of their identity is food.

Walk down any main street in the United States and you're likely to see the cuisines of many countries—despite being nowhere near each other on the globe—sitting side by side. You could start in Egypt with some falafel, get a taste of Taiwan with a cup of bubble tea next door, pick up a side of fries at an old-fashioned American diner down the block, and finish it off with sopaipillas from the Mexican restaurant in town.

Of course, we all have our favorite dishes—a juicy cheeseburger from a local pub, a savory bowl of tempura udon at a beloved Japanese restaurant, or some chicken tikka masala from your nearby Indian spot. But maybe you're looking to get out of your comfort zone a little, whether to try a different restaurant that serves your favorite food or to taste a new type of cuisine entirely.

To help point you in the right direction, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in the New Haven area using data from Yelp for various cuisines: American, Chinese, Cuban, Greek, Indian/Pakistani, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese. Data is as of July 13, 2025. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only businesses with at least 50 reviews, and within a 10-kilometer radius of New Haven, were considered.

Read on to find out if your favorite restaurant made the cut and to get inspired for your next dinner out.

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Tavern On State

1 / 8

American: Tavern On State

- Rating: 4.6/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 969 State St New Haven, CT 06511
- Categories: American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Joy Kitchen

2 / 8

Chinese: Joy Kitchen

- Rating: 4.5/5 (4 reviews)
- Address: 251 Grand Ave New Haven, CT 06513
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

Hot Murga

3 / 8

Indian: Hot Murga

- Rating: 4.7/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 140 Howe St New Haven, CT 06511
- Categories: Indian, Chicken Shop, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

Zeneli Pizzeria

4 / 8

Italian: Zeneli Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.8/5 (629 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 138 Wooster St New Haven, CT 06511
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar

5 / 8

Japanese: Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar

- Rating: 4.6/5 (77 reviews)
- Address: 261 Orange St New Haven, CT 06510
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Izakaya
- Read more on Yelp

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El Poblano Mexican Food

6 / 8

Mexican: El Poblano Mexican Food

- Rating: 4.7/5 (11 reviews)
- Address: 383 Forbes Ave New Haven, CT 06512
- Categories: Mexican, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp

It's Thai Time Restaurant

7 / 8

Thai: It's Thai Time Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 181 Orange St New Haven, CT 06510
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

Banh Mi On Cedar

8 / 8

Vietnamese: Banh Mi On Cedar

- Rating: 5.0/5 (5 reviews)
- Address: 320 Cedar St New Haven, CT 06519
- Categories: Food Trucks, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 284 metros.