What you may see (or not see) in the dark shouldn’t hinder your opinion of one of the closest and most cultural cities to Quinnipiac. New Haven has more to offer than Toad’s Place, including tons of restaurants, places to visit and sites to see. While these are some suggestions, walking around New Haven on your own can be fun—especially around the Yale area. Take the shuttle or drive and explore!
Restaurants:
*York St. Noodle House: 166 York Street
The Noodle House is a little misleading at first glance: A house-like building with dingy walls, small tables and a door with a draft doesn’t seem like it would be home to delicious food and drink, but give it a chance—it is. If you are a fan of Thai food, the Noodle House should be your number one stop. The menu features noodles of different sizes and makes all with different sauces, meats and extras among other things. They also offer a multitude of rices, appetizers and bubble teas. The food is also cheap: for a noodle dish with chicken, you’ll be paying under $7. If plain, spicy, veggie-full or noodles in general make your stomach growl, definitely head over to the Noodle House to get your fix.
*Froyo World: 46 High Street
It doesn’t truly classify as a restaurant but Fro-yo World will fill your stomach like any food would. Upon arrival into the brightly colored and tight space, you choose a cup and fill it with the frozen yogurt of your desire. Incredibly enticing, it’s easy to fill up the cup all the way but similarly to QU’s ice cream system, they charge by the ounce. After filling up the cup, you then move on to the toppings bar where everything from fruit to cereal can be placed atop your cup of fro-yo. At 59 cents an ounce, Fro-yo world can be incredibly cheap or quite expensive but it’s worth it. Find a seat at the stools or try and grab a table and enjoy this delicious ice cream alternative!
*Geronimo: 271 Crown Street
As an upscale alternative to Aunt Chilada’s, try Geronimo for some delicious Mexican cuisine. The place looks expensive with their sparkling lights and heated outdoor patio but dishes run about $10 a plate. If you’re over 21, they have a large selection of alcohol and the atmosphere is relaxed. If the much awaited birthday isn’t for some time, get some guacamole made fresh at your table—it’s just as, if not more, entertaining!
Alternative Entertainment:
*Yale Art Gallery: 1111 Chapel Street
The Yale Art Museum is free to the public and has floors of beautiful art in all different forms. The gallery is the perfect place to walk around on a rainy or cold day and meander in your thoughts. Every day the museum has different events that may be interesting to check out and they have traveling exhibits often. Heading to the museum is different and interesting and it’s a place everyone should go to at least once.
*Yale Repertory Theater: 1120 Chapel Street
If you are into theater at all, check out the Yale Rep. As one of the great theaters in Connecticut, you are sure to get something out of a performance. Coming up in March is the classic “Romeo and Juliet”. The plays are well done and many offer Q&A sessions for free with the performers afterwards and talks before hand. Tickets run about $35 but if you call, you may be able to grab a student discount.
*The Grove Street Cemetery: 227 Grove Street
A cemetery isn’t usually on a “Places to Visit List”
but then again, most aren’t like the Grove Street Cemetery. This old plot is “the first chartered burial ground in the United States” according to its website and came after the New Haven Green became too full to bury any more bodies. The grounds are well taken care of and it’s definitely beautiful among other things. Some of the headstones date back to the late 1700’s which are somewhat crazy to see. Eli Whitney is only one notable buried here and there are still plots available to people who wish to be buried among some greats.
Shops:
*Group W. Bench: 1171 Chapel Street
It’s stuck in between restaurants and close to The Study Hotel but Group W. Bench is a store with a separate personality. Filled with cool things, this store is a place to look in whether you’re wanting to buy or not. Its tiny quarters are filled with clothes, toys and interesting little things you wouldn’t find elsewhere. They have crazy figurines and tokens, incense and postcards. They don’t have a website so you can’t look online beforehand but take a look the next time you head down that end of town—you’ll probably find something incredibly cool.
*The Broadway Shops: Broadway
Broadway has some of the best stores in the city for the college student. Urban Outfitters, Thom Brown and Leila Rowe are only three that line the block. Urban is two floors of chic clothes and accessories, fun books and toys and great dorm decorations. Thom Brown has a girl covered in the shoe department and Leila Rowe has tons of cute accessories to match any outfit. There is also a J. Crew and American Apparel to fill any clothing need that might have been missed at the others.