Take your tastebuds for a spin: The student guide to New Haven cuisine

AMERICAN

The recently opened Barkie's Grill and Rotisserie (220 College) offers steaks and a large selection of beer. The vegetarian sausage is another alternative.

Casey's (266 College) serves gourmet pizzas, fresh seafood, and fine continental cuisine. While enjoying the food, take a few seconds to examine the autographs decorating the walls.

There will come a day when you will need to consume beef--a lot of beef. On that day, you will go to Chapel Street. You will enter the dim wooden environment of Charlie B's Steakhouse (1157 Chapel). You will glance briefly at the menu's offerings of seafood and chicken, and you will bypass them until you find what you need: the all-you-can-eat steak and rib dinner, a feast adorned with vegetables and rolls that tests the largest appetites.

Claire's Corner Copia (1000 Chapel) is a vegetarian's heaven. The salads, hot soups, sandwiches, Mexican food, homemade desserts, and convenient location make it a popular restaurant. Try the delicious Lithuanian coffee cake.

Rainbow Gardens Café (1022 Chapel) offers large portions of unique salads, sandwiches, and ethnic entrées, including many vegetarian dishes. Rainbow Gardens' cakes are always particularly tempting. This casual restaurant is a great place to have an inexpensive meal and to take a break from the dining halls.

DINERS, CAFÉS, AND SHOPS

Atticus Bookstore Café (1082 Chapel) is a novel experience--dining amidst stacks of books. The homemade desserts, scones, and muffins are huge, and are among New Haven's best. Enjoy Atticus' unique atmosphere over a cup of cappuccino or espresso, and don't miss the legendary black bean soup.

Au Bon Pain (1 Broadway) offers rather pricey, but tasty, sandwiches, soups, scones, and other baked goods. Reminiscent of a fishbowl, with nearly full-length windows facing York Street and Broadway, it's usually filled with students and shoppers looking for a quick bite to eat. Oddly enough, many people think that the breads are the best things about Au Bon Pain.

Bruegger's Bagels (1 Whitney, 15 Broadway) serves an incredible range of foods, including blueberry and sun dried tomato bagels with good jalapeño and smoked salmon cream cheeses. The new Broadway location just opened last year, and has immediately become a hot spot for quick breakfasts, late night coffee, and casual get togethers in the comfortable and spacious upstairs area.

Bulldog Eatery (1174 Chapel) is a new spot for sandwiches, soups and burgers. You have to try the unique sandwich construction offered by the poster in the window--don't skip the standard cole slaw or french fries on top of the tasty cheesesteak.

Cafe Europa's (99 Audubon) hot and cold grinders, freshly-baked goods, frozen yogurt, and lunch specials set it apart from other afternoon destinations.

The Copper Kitchen (1008 Chapel), located right across from Old Campus, is a good, greasy coffee shop. You can get cheap eggs, burgers, muffins, and milkshakesuntil the wee hours of the morning, though the service is sometimes a tad slow.

The Educated Burgher (51 Broadway) is a great spot for greasy burgers, fries, and anything fried that suits your fancy. Conveniently located along Broadway, it's an easy stop while doing errands or if you just have a craving for something a small cut above McDonald's.

Louis' Lunch (263 Crown) claims to have invented the hamburger as we know it. Though slightly more expensive than similar joints such as the Doodle, Louis' is a must at some point during the year. Make sure you don't ask for ketchup, though--they won't let you spoil their delicious creations.

TJ's Breakaway (24 Whitney) has a well-executed selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads. High quality ingredients are worth

the trip past Grove St. Try their Robby O sandwich, a heaping pile of pastrami dressed with cole slaw and Russian dressing on your choice of bread.

The Yankee Doodle Coffee Shop (250 Elm), commonly referred to as the "Doodle," is famous for its hamburger-eating contest--break the record of 21 and your name will go down in history! You can get a delicious burger for a little over a dollar (you'll probably want more), and the service is fast and friendly.

PIZZA

Brix Apizza (1044 Chapel) serves quality brick oven pizza in a comfortable and interesting setting. It's underground, which prevents the serving of tap water, but just ask for a Cola to complement your meal.

Broadway Pizza (45 Broadway) is convenient with quick service and cheap food. Open late, it's a terrific place to satisfy an evening craving for thick-crusted pizza or huge gyros, subs, and salads.

Elm City Pizza (236 Crown) is one of the newest additions to the pie scene, filling a former '50s-style diner on the corner of College and Crown. Its extended hours and huge portions lure late-night clubgoers to its wide aqua booths and well-stocked jukebox.

Est Est Est Pizza (1176 Chapel) is more than a pizzeria, offering calzones, manicotti, cappuccino, and espresso. The relaxed atmosphere makes it a good place to go on a date.

Naples Pizza (90 Wall) is infamous for its Thursday night frenzies and better known for beer than pizza. Carvings of past and present Yalies' initials on big wooden tables and a jukebox full of cool tunes that span the ages make Naples a Yale tradition. The pizza is greasy, the grinders are great, and the lunch menu is excellent. Take advantage of Naples' free delivery policy.

Pepe's (157 Wooster) and Sally's (237 Wooster) are musts! These are the parlors that made New Haven famous. Pepe's gave birth to the modern pizza--the ultimate thin crust, a special sauce, and creative toppings will make your mouth water.

Yorkside Pizza (288 York) is a social center with great, cheap pizza and a large Greek menu. The huge Greek salad with feta cheese is a favorite, and the garlic bread smothered in sauce and mozzarella is the best way to start your meal. Its late hours make it popular on weekdays and weekends alike.

ITALIAN

Consiglio's (165 Wooster) is located in New Haven's Italian district. Try all your Italian favorites in a comfortable atmosphere. It's been around for 50 years, and has deservedly earned a fine reputation.

 Delmonaco's (232 Wooster), also in the famous Italian district, offers excellent pastas and traditional Southern Italian fare at expensive prices. Portions are large, and the atmosphere is pleasant--definitely worth the trip.

Although a bit far from campus, Geppi's (113 Grand) complements its excellent Italian cuisine with live piano music on Friday and weekend evenings. The ambiance and incredibly friendly service make Geppi's one of the best Italian restaurants in New Haven.

Scoozi's Trattoria (1104 Chapel) serves fairly pricey contemporary cuisine in a modern setting. Reservations can be hard to come by; if you can make one snag the spicy, warm, and fresh garlic bread or the scrumptious tri-color tortellini. Sample the antipasto at the bar while you wait, but save room for the delectable desserts.

Tony and Lucille's (150 Wooster) is another restaurant in the Italian district. With its red-checkered tablecloths, it is a charming place to eat bottomless dishes of pasta and spicy pizza at decent prices.

MEXICAN AND SPANISH

Baja's Authentic Mexican Restaurant (148 York) recently opened this second location (the first is in Orange), making its famously hot salsa bar and fresh ingredients much more accessible to the average student without a car

Voted "Best of New Haven" year after year in this category, Chavoya's Mexican Restaurant (883 Whalley) lives up to its reputation. Lots of choices in appetizers, entrées, and margarita flavors make for a lively dinner. Don't miss their Cinco De Mayo celebration.

Pika Tapas (39 High), a charming café with a great atmosphere, offers a variety of Spanish dishes. The portions are small, which allows you to try different kinds of foods--be prepared to be adventurous unless you know Spanish foods, in which case, just prepare to enjoy.

Viva Zapata (161 Park) is a favorite Yale hangout for cheap Mexican food. Exposed beams, sawdust on the floors, sangria, and free buckets of nachos attract large groups.

EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN

Asia House (1150 Chapel) offers a menu that can squelch the potentially violent squabbles between roommates who can't decide between Chinese, Thai, or sushi. Asia House's three-cuisine menus should satisfy all your friends and prevent full-scale warfare.

Bangkok Gardens (172 York) is Yale's top choice for Thai food. Since it is small, however, there is often a wait. Although some entrées can be pricey, the menu is extensive and the atmosphere makes it a great place to take a date.

China Hut (245 Crown) is small but nearby, with fairly good Szechuan and Hunan-style food. It's inexpensive and offers speedy service and take-out.

While its exterior may not be particularly attractive, Hunan Wok (142 York) serves some of the better Chinese food around campus. If you don't want to trek down York Street, take advantage of Hunan's free delivery.

The Indochine Pavillion (1180 Chapel) has excellent Thai food, and a good combination of Vietnamese dishes for the offering, which distinguishes this restaurant from its other Asian food counterparts in the area.

Main Garden (376 Elm) is known as much for its late hours as it is for its inexpensive (albeit greasy) Chinese food. A large portion of fried chicken wings and fried rice is $2.99, and other prices are just as appealing. General Tso's chicken, complete with rice and brocolli, comes highly recommended. If you're feeling lazy, you can get it delivered right to your dorm.

Miya (68 Howe) features Japanese cuisine in a traditional setting. With its reasonable prices, fresh sushi, and friendly waiters, Miya quickly becomes crowded, especially for weekend dinners. Miya has the best broccoli tempura maki and udon noodle soup around.

Pad Thai (1170 Chapel) serves good Thai food at prices better suited to a student's budget than those of Bangkok Gardens. Try the Pad Thai, but ask for extra peanut sauce. Don't forget to bring your ID for an extra 10 percent off.

Samurai (230 College), located across from the Shubert Theater, is a popular, pricey Japanese restaurant, known especially for its fresh sushi. For some variety, drink some sake (hot Japanese rice wine) with your meal.

Seoul Restaurant (341 Crown) provides traditional Korean dishes at moderate prices--it's a tasty alternative to the myriad of Thai places you can find in New Haven.

INDIAN

One of New Haven's quirkier features is the high concentration of Indian restaurants within a two-block radius. India Palace's (65 Howe) weekend brunch quickly banishes thoughts of YUDH's rubbery scrambled eggs and stale bagels. The Palace's walls are covered with prints that make for lively conversation, and its naan is among the best in the Elm City.

Tandoor (1226 Chapel) offers naan baked with your choice of garlic, onions, or other tasty ingredients. The juxtaposition of '50s-style decor and chicken tikka masala can make for an interesting evening.

The sound of sizzling tandoori chicken can also be heard on the corner of Howe St., with Royal India's (140 Howe) delicious entrées and elegant interior, complete with gilded ornaments and decorations. They offer a reasonably priced buffet lunch and dinner on weekends without allowing quality to suffer. Portions are extremely large and completely satisfying.

AFRICAN AND MIDDLE

EASTERN

Aladdin (260 Crown) is a new contender in the hummus arena, with the added feature of quick dorm delivery late into the night. It's coupled with Crown Pizza.

Caffé Adulis' (228 College) Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine are perfect for a fun meal with friends or for an intimate evening out. The entrées are placed on a platter in the middle of the table atop a layer of sourdough pancakes. There are many vegetarian options. And any dish can be ordered mild to spicy.

Mamoun's Falafel Restaurant (85 Howe) serves great Middle Eastern favorites at low prices. It's open every day until 3 a.m., so stop by for kebabs, falafel, and baba ghanoush for an alternative to pizza.

FRENCH

Union League Café (1032 Chapel) offers excellent French food prepared by a native French chef. It's too expensive for the typical student budget, but try to convince your parents to treat you to its elegant atmosphere.

GOURMET COFFEE

Casbah Coffee House (166 York) has cramped, intimate, and scarce seating, so come with someone you love to be close to. Loud flamenco music, blinking lights, and mannequin body parts fill the interior, distinguishing this place from Atticus or the Daily. The house coffee is served in china you might expect to see at high tea in London, but it reveals its plebian roots when you taste it. The espresso, however, is strong and sweet.

The Daily Caffé (316 Elm) bears the motto," Great coffee, fine pastries, and decent people." To blend into the urban, artsy scene, wear black and bring your cigarettes. Some TAs hold office hours here.

Koffee? (104 Audubon) is the anti-Daily. Brightly lit and spacious, with a beautiful courtyard in back, Koffee? boasts friendly service and huge cups of the best- brewed coffee in New Haven.

Taft Caffé (263 College) recently opened in the first floor of the Taft Apartment building. Sister restaurant to the nearby Caffé Adulis, its charming interior offers fruit smoothies, tempting pastries, and internet service.

Willoughby's (three sites: 1006 Chapel, 258 Church, and 276 York) boasts 38 varieties of coffee and an espresso bar. Sit inside or, relax at a small table on the sidewalk if the weather's nice. The cakes and pastries compliment the coffee well. The store on York Street is the one most frequented by Yalies, although you might find the one on Chapel more convenient, even if cramped.

Behind Davenport and across from the Daily, XandO (338 Elm) is the latest addition to the Yale late-night coffee scene. The two-story building offers plenty of room. Be careful not to sit in the 21-and-over section, but do try a coffee cocktail if you can." You'll always remember your first kiss"--Mocha Kiss, that is.

SWEETS

Ashley's Homemade Ice Cream (278 York ) is known to have the best ice cream in town. The long list of flavors always varies, but the coffee-oreo and chocolate-banana constants are sublime!

The aqua-blue counters and swivelling stools at Clark's Luncheonette (74 Whitney) enhance the thrill of choosing from an extensive selection of ice cream and frozen creations overflowing with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and peanuts. A great place for a study break, especially for residents of Silliman and TD.

Durfee's Sweet Shoppe (basement of Durfee Hall) is open from 11 to 1 a.m., Sunday to Thursday, and offers gourmet coffee, fresh-baked goods, and a candy counter fit for any sugar freak. You can also whip your favorite topping into an amazing yogurt flurry. Meet friends for a study break here and bursar-bill your parents for the snack.

Libby's (139 Wooster) serves up Italian pastries and Italian ices at really cheap prices. Among their best treats is the cappuccino gelatto. Be sure to stop at Libby's after a meal at Pepe's or Sally's; it's right down the block.

Sugar Magnolia (1042 Chapel), across from Vanderbilt Hall, offers a broad selection of gourmet candy and sweets. If you have a fetish for Godiva chocolate or Italian ices, this is the place to go.

Rosa Gonzalez, Andrew Krause, and Kenrick Ou contributed to this article. Graphic by Josh Meyer.

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