New Haven Food Guide: Spring Edition

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It's hard to believe it's been over a year since I've been in New Haven, Connecticut. I missed out on my last New Haven spring, a tragedy as I think spring is one of the loveliest times on campus.

Flowers blossom all over. Students begin to emerge from the depths of the library into the outdoor courtyards. Heavy coats are shed in favor of lighter jackets. The first sunny day that hits 60 degrees might as well be 80, with students flooding Cross Campus in sundresses and shorts, to lay out on blankets like it's Miami Beach.

To make up for missing my senior spring, here is my final New Haven food guide (you can find my fall and winter guides as well). You'll find my favorite foods to eat in the warming weather. I personally can't wait to get back to New Haven and eat these again, hopefully with some old friends :)

Breakfast: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

The Pantry: 2 Mechanic St., New Haven

If you've lived in New Haven, you know about The Pantry. Located in the East Rock neighborhood, this place is legendary. Well, really the cinnamon roll pancakes are legendary. They're the kind of menu item that you go to the restaurant to order.

These pancakes are huge and decadent and just the right amount of fluffy. The cinnamon swirl is perfectly complemented by that amazing cream cheese icing - close your eyes and it's like you're at Cinnabon. Spread that pat of butter around and you've got yourself the ideal sweet treat. The Pantry has other solid breakfast items (the usual fare), but definitely don't miss out on these pancakes if you go.

The Pantry is currently open for distanced sit-down dining. Be warned, on weekends during normal times this place was popping and there was almost always a line. Might be even worse during Covid times, but the pancakes are worth it.

Lunch: Roasted Pear Salad

Atticus: 1082 Chapel St., New Haven

Atticus is one of those bookstores-that-is-also-a-cafe, except it's more than just a cafe. They are a full on restaurant and bakery (with also a lot of books and cute cards and things). Atticus is particularly known for their bread, and their excellent sandwiches reflect that. They also have a nice black bean soup and a mac and cheese which is supposed to be amazing, but that I tragically never got to try before I was kicked out of New Haven.

My favorite thing to order is the roasted pear salad. Oh my goodness is this salad tasty! I love the rich, sweet flavor of roasted pear and they really don't skimp on it. I swear there's like an entire pear sitting on this salad. Paired with the balsamic dressing, walnuts, dried cranberries, and blue cheese (which I am usually not a fan of, but somehow works in this salad), it is a hearty and delicious meal that you can also feel ~healthy~ eating. Is it actually healthy? Eh, but hey - it's salad!

Atticus was not a common study or hang out spot for students, but students would often eat here or grab coffee and pastries. It's more the kind of place you would bring your parents or a professor or something. It's also conveniently located next to the Yale Center for British Art where I used to work, so I have fond memories of the area.

Atticus is currently open daily for takeout.

Appetizer: Chips & Guac

Geronimo: 271 Crown St., New Haven (also has a location in Fairfield)

Photo taken from Yelp because I never got a good photo of the chips and guac - Geronimo is very dimly lit and I'm always there at night!

People tend to have strong feelings about guac. People who love it often have a very particular guac that is their FAVORITE GUAC. I am not crazy for guacamole, (I tend to go for salsa), but I definitely like it and Geronimo's guacamole is some of the best I've had.

At Geronimo they make their guacamole fresh, right at the table. You can literally see them mashing up the avocado and mixing in the spices. It is served to you in the mortar that the guac was made in alongside really excellent, warm tortilla chips.

The food at Geronimo is pretty good (if not a little pricey), but I would mainly go for the chips & guac and the margaritas, both of which are also pricey, but worth it. It's a good late-night stop or pre-game load-up.

Geronimo is currently open for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.

Dessert: Coffee Oreo Ice Cream

Ashley's Ice Cream: 280 York St., New Haven (also has locations in Hamden, Branford, Madison, & Guilford)

Springtime means warming weather which means sunshine which means ice cream. I mean, I eat ice cream year round no matter the weather, but there's something about eating a scoop outside in the sun that just hits different.

I previously talked about Arethusa's pumpkin ginger molasses ice cream in my fall food guide. Arethusa is good, but sometimes it's a little too creamy if that's possible. Their scoops are also enormous - with my lactose intolerance I struggle to finish one. Ashley's I think is just as good and their scoops are far more manageable.

My favorite flavor of ice cream (possibly out of all flavors ever?!) is the coffee Oreo. DELICIOUS. I get it 95% of the time I go to Ashley's. I like coffee ice cream okay, but the addition of Oreo is just genius. It provides that sweetness and crunchy texture that is simply perfect. Shoot, now I'm craving it and I don't live near an Ashley's 😭

Ashley's also has this wild thing where you can buy a Frisbee topped with like 20 scoops of ice cream. It was one of those things that I always meant to do before I graduated with a bunch of friends, but was never able to before the pandemic hit. I'LL BE BACK FOR YOU ASHLEY'S!

Ashley's is currently open for takeout.

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I find springtime particularly hopeful, especially this spring after the year we've had. Thanks so much if you've been reading my blog over the past few months - I know that writing it has brought me a lot of happiness during a difficult time.

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See you next time,

- Evan