New Haven: local rooms, events and more

Photo: Christian David · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Metro area · Connecticut · 576k people

New Haven

Locals say Greater New Haven · “The Elm City”

Home of the apizza and the Bulldogs.

Yale BlueBrick RedElm Green

Welcome to Greater New Haven! Get ready for a city that's equal parts college town, coastal escape, and pizza paradise. Stroll the Green, catch a show, and don't leave without trying a white clam pie.

Clubs for New Haven

No clubs for New Haven yet.

The room

New Haven Quiet now Home of the apizza and the Bulldogs.

One room for everyone around New Haven. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.

Ask the neighbours

All

A good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.

Coming up

No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.

Marketplace

Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around New Haven. Sign in to sell something.

Things to do

New Haven Green Historic central square with churches and events
Yale University campus Ivy League campus with Gothic architecture
East Rock Park Ridge with the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and views
Lighthouse Point Park Beach, carousel, and lighthouse at the harbor entrance
West Rock Ridge State Park Large forested ridge with trails and the Judge's Cave
Yale Peabody Museum Natural history museum with dinosaurs and ancient artifacts

Outdoors Hike East Rock
Outdoors Bike the Farmington Canal Trail
With kids Visit the Yale Peabody Museum
With kids Ride the carousel at Lighthouse Point Park
Evenings Live music at Toad's Place
Evenings Shows at College Street Music Hall
Locals love Apizza parlors
Locals love Independent bookstores

Through the year

International Festival of Arts & Ideas June Two weeks of theater, music, and talks in June
New Haven Jazz Festival August Free outdoor jazz concerts on the Green
Milford Oyster Festival August Oyster eating, crafts, and live music by the shore
Branford Festival June Street fair with food, music, and a road race
New Haven Road Race September 20K and 5K races through downtown on Labor Day weekend

Four distinct seasons: hot, humid summers; cold, snowy winters; and mild, pleasant springs and falls. Best: Late spring (May–June) and early fall (September–October) are ideal for being outside.

Talk like a local

“apizza”: The local style of pizza, pronounced 'ah-beets'
“steamed cheeseburger”: A burger steamed and served on a roll
“the Green”: Downtown New Haven's central park
“the shore”: Long Island Sound coastline

Getaways

Bridgeport Barnum Museum and Seaside Park
Hartford Mark Twain House and Wadsworth Atheneum
Waterbury Palace Theater and Mattatuck Museum
Norwich Mystic Seaport and Mystic Aquarium

Local flavour

Teams

Yale Bulldogs NCAA Division I (Ivy League)

Also rooting for New York Yankees (MLB), Boston Red Sox (MLB), New York Giants (NFL), New England Patriots (NFL)

Eat and drink

New Haven-style apizza (especially white clam) Thin, charred crust from coal-fired ovens; a local institution
Steamed cheeseburgers A Connecticut specialty, popular in Meriden and nearby towns
Foxon Park soda A local brand of soft drinks, especially the birch beer and cream soda

Where people go

Pizza parlors (apizza joints) Coal-fired ovens and decades-old recipes
The New Haven Green
Yale University campus Gothic architecture and ivy-covered courtyards
Long Island Sound shoreline and harbor Beaches, marinas, and the working waterfront

Heritage and traditions

New Haveners are proud of their city's revolutionary history, its vibrant Italian-American and immigrant communities, and being the birthplace of American apizza—a thin-crust, coal-fired style that locals fiercely defend.

This time of year in New Haven

City-Wide Open Studios October Artists across the city open their studios for a weekend.

Say it like a local: “mootz” — Fresh mozzarella cheese.

Festivals

Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival April Celebrates the cherry trees in the historic Italian neighborhood.
St. Patrick's Day Parade March One of the oldest and largest in New England, with a lively procession.
New Haven Pride June A growing LGBTQ+ celebration with a parade and events.
City-Wide Open Studios October Artists across the city open their studios for a weekend.

Landmarks with a story

Grove Street Cemetery Established 1796, burial place of Eli Whitney, Noah Webster, and many other notables.
Amistad Memorial On the Green, commemorates the 1839 Amistad case and the enslaved Africans who won freedom.
Center Church on the Green Historic church (1814) with a crypt and a congregation dating to 1638.
Trinity Church on the Green Episcopal church, a Gothic Revival landmark.
Wooster Square Historic District Italian-American neighborhood with cherry trees, brick rowhouses, and a strong sense of heritage.

Food traditions

Whole-pie ordering At apizza joints, locals order a whole pie (not slices) and share, often with white clam or mozzarella and tomato.
Mootz Fresh mozzarella is called 'mootz' and is a staple on many pies.
Louis' Lunch hamburger Claimed birthplace of the hamburger, served on toast with cheese and onion, no ketchup.
Foxon Park pairing The local soda brand, especially birch beer or cream soda, is the traditional drink with apizza.
White clam chowder A broth-based clam chowder, distinct from the creamy New England style, often served with oysters.

Music and arts

New Haven Symphony Orchestra Founded 1894, one of the oldest orchestras in the United States.
Yale School of Music Prestigious conservatory with frequent free concerts.
Long Wharf Theatre Renowned regional theater known for new works and intimate productions.
Creative Arts Workshop Community arts center offering classes and exhibitions.

A little history

1638 1638
1793 1793
1839 1839
1900 1900
1914 1914

Rivalries

Yale vs. Harvard The oldest college football rivalry in the country
Yankees vs. Red Sox Fans split between New York and Boston teams
Giants vs. Patriots NFC vs. AFC loyalties among football fans

Game day Yale football tailgating
Game day The Harvard-Yale game
Outdoors Sail on Long Island Sound
Outdoors Fish off the pier
With kids Shore Line Trolley Museum
With kids Yale University Art Gallery

Locals speak with a mild New England accent, often dropping the 'r' in some words, and use Italian-American terms like 'apizza' and 'mootz.' They say 'soda' (not 'pop') and 'grinder' for a sub, and refer to the central park as 'the Green.'

Only here

The apizza style, with its charred crust and minimal toppings, is unique to New Haven.
Louis' Lunch claims to have invented the hamburger in 1900.
The city's nickname 'The Elm City' comes from the elm trees planted in the 18th century.
The Amistad Memorial on the Green commemorates the 1839 slave rebellion case.

New here? A few tips

Learn to say 'apizza' with a short 'a' - it's 'ah-peet-za'.
Try the white clam pie at a coal-fired place; it's a local rite of passage.
Use a parking garage or take the train; street parking is tough.
The New Haven Green is a great gathering spot; check for free concerts and events.
Yale's campus is open to the public; don't be afraid to explore the courtyards and libraries.

Make this page better

Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.

Part of Hartford area

Nearby

Every area

BridgeportConnecticutWhere the Sound meets the suburbs.WaterburyConnecticutWhere the river meets the brass HartfordConnecticutWhere the river meets the capital, and the leaves turn gold.TorringtonConnecticutWhere autumn lingers and hills hold their secrets.New London–NorwichConnecticutSalt air and shipyard steel SpringfieldMassachusettsWhere the river meets the mountains and history lives.Hudson ValleyNew YorkRiver, ridge, and orchard.PutnamConnecticutA quiet corner of New England charm

New Haven, CT. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.