Highest-rated cafes in the New Haven area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the New Haven area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the New Haven area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of New Haven were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. The Neighborhood Cafe'
- Rating: 3.8/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 947 A State St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Crostini
- Rating: 3.8/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 201 Meadow St. Branford, Connecticut
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Italian, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Willoughby's Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 3.9/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 194 York St. Yale School of Architecture New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Common Grounds
- Rating: 3.9/5 (116 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1096 Main St. Branford, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Book Trader Cafe
- Rating: 3.9/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1140 Chapel St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bookstores, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#25. The Juice Box
- Rating: 3.9/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1092 Chapel St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Acai Bowls, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Loose Leaf Boba Co
- Rating: 4.0/5 (80 reviews)
- Address: 46 High St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Deja Brew
- Rating: 4.0/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 763 Edgewood Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Bagels
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Willoughby's Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 4.0/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 258 Church St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Bread & Chocolate
- Rating: 4.1/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2457 Whitney Ave. Hamden, Connecticut
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. East Rock Coffee
- Rating: 4.1/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 49 Cottage St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Koffee On Audobon
- Rating: 4.1/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 104 Audubon St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Beer Bar, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Midpoint Coffee Brewers
- Rating: 4.2/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 248 Crown St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Yellow King Brews
- Rating: 4.2/5 (104 reviews)
- Address: 920 South Colony Road Wallingford, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bars, Beer Gardens
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Cedarhurst Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (318 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 44 Crown St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Fussy Coffee
- Rating: 4.2/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 290 Winchester Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Westies Nutrition
- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 153 Saw Mill Road West Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Crepes Choupette
- Rating: 4.3/5 (299 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 24B Whitney Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Creperies, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Tous Les Jours
- Rating: 4.3/5 (70 reviews)
- Address: 831 Chapel St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Kaiyden's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 595 Chapel St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Ground Up Coffee
- Rating: 4.3/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 2784 Whitney Ave. Hamden, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#9. The Coffee Pedaler
- Rating: 4.4/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 605 East St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cafe Java
- Rating: 4.4/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 59 Elm St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Branford Beach Donut
- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 267 East Main St. Branford, Connecticut
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Olmo
- Rating: 4.6/5 (387 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 93 Whitney Ave. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Sandwiches, Bagels, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Motw Coffee and Pastries - New Haven
- Rating: 4.6/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 296 Crown St. New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Jitter Bus
- Rating: 4.6/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: New Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Food Trucks, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Funcle's Café
- Rating: 4.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 3584 Whitney Ave. Hamden, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Perkatory coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4 Brushy Plain Road Ste 515 Branford, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Crossroads
- Rating: 4.7/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1878 Hartford Tpke North Haven, Connecticut
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
