Best of New Haven, Connecticut | 2023

With an eye on what’s new for 2023, Yankee’s editors round up the best attractions, eateries, and hotels in New Haven, Connecticut. For more of our Connecticut, check out our comprehensive Best of Connecticut 2023 guide.

Editors’ Picks: Best Things to Do in New Haven in 2023

Affordable Culture | Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven

It’s free. And it’s spectacular. This world-class art museum boasts over 200,000 pieces from antiquity through current times. Housed in three connected, architecturally significant buildings, the walkable galleries showcase paintings, sculpture, and artifacts from around the world. Plus, some 60 paintings from the temporarily closed Yale Museum of British Art will be on loan through December.

Date-Night Restaurant | Tavern on State, New Haven

Bathed in the warmth of candlelight and lovingly selected music, this State Street eatery delivers on food and atmosphere in equal measure. Chef Emily Mingrone’s award-winning restaurant features a constantly changing selection of small plates. Summertime favorites include peaches and prosciutto, scallop crudo, pan con tomatewith sauteed summer squash, and pan-roasted prawns. Co-owner Shane McGowan works the bar with such inventive cocktails as the gin-infused, Dorothy Parker–inspired “Under the Host.”

Downtown Stay | Graduate New Haven, New Haven

This vintage downtown hostelry radiates warmth, comfort, and Ivy League prestige. Guest rooms are appointed with antiques, plush beds, and Yale Bulldog memorabilia. Three cozy studies off the lobby offer overstuffed sofas and chairs and built-in bookcases—perfect spots to get happily lost in a good read. A convivial coffee bar serves beverages and pastries. And be sure to check out the wood-stained Heidelberg Bar in the basement, one of the oldest taverns in the city.

Japanese Restaurant | Hachiroku, New Haven

There’s no sign out front. Just the day’s menu tacked by the front door. This Japanese speakeasy of sorts exceeds all expectations when it comes to unique cuisine. Hachiroku specializes in dishes plucked straight from the streets of Tokyo. Try the succulent black cod, the salty salmon roe, the marinated fried chicken, and the Berkshire pork tenderloin. And be sure to enjoy a sake flight—there are 30-plus kinds to choose from.

Local Market | Nica’s Market, New Haven

Equally popular with local Italian-Americans and the denizens of nearby Yale University, Nica’s is the social nexus of the colorful East Rock neighborhood. From its robust, meticulously curated produce section to its deli cases brimming with salads and steam tables of fresh-cooked entrees, this market has it all. Be sure to grab a fresh-brewed espresso or cappuccino on your way out to enjoy on Nica’s sun-splashed patio.

New Hotel | Hotel Marcel, New Haven

Calling all environmentalists, architecture buffs, and weary I-95 travelers. Connecticut’s own architect-developer Bruce Redman Becker has transformed a long-vacant landmark, Marcel Breuer’s Brutalist-style Armstrong Rubber Building, into a model of contemporary sustainability: It’s one of only a handful of LEED Platinum–certified hotels on the continent. That eco-cred is abundantly evident, yet what you’ll notice more is how reclaimed materials preserve the ’70s aesthetic. And how peacefully you’ll sleep thanks to triple-glazed windows and blackout shades.

Outdoor Recreation | East Rock Park, New Haven

Need a respite from New Haven’s city streets? Check out the 425-acre East Rock Park, with its stone escarpment towering more than 300 feet above New Haven. Several miles of hiking and biking paths wind throughout, with a few that lead to East Rock’s summit, offering spectacular views of the city below. Rent a kayak on the Mill River, or check out the annual outdoor Shakespeare play held at adjacent Edgerton Park.

Check out our full 2023 Best of New England Summer Travel Guide to find our current editors’ picks in all six New England states.

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