New Haven Travel Guide

"Bring a fire extinguisher" to this "classic" "gastronomic adventure" in Downtown New Haven and prepare to use it: the "wonderful" Malaysian fare comes with "lots of spice or none at all" – but "hot is hot"; "famously slow service" lets you "rub elbows with the Yale hipsters" and admire the "simple but elegant decor" longer.

"Bury me with a slice in my hand" declare devotees of New Haven's "pinnacle of pizzerias" and its offshoots, voted Most Popular in this year's Survey for their "always perfect fresh tomato" pizzas, "transcendent" white clam pies and other offerings on a menu that "hasn't changed in 84 years because it hasn't had to"; cognoscenti caution that service can be "bipolar when it gets crowded", which it often is, and the waits can be "intolerable"; N.B. a Yonkers branch opened in November 2009.

New Haven's "premier Spanish" "might as well be in a little villa in Spain" attest amigos agog over the "exquisite", "authentic" cuisine, including a weeknight $59 six-course tasting menu "worth fasting for"; the "well-coordinated" staff "manages to be both meticulous and warm" in the "comfortable, spare" contemporary space, all of which makes it an "experience to savor – and especially to repeat"; P.S. "for a less pricey alternative", it's open for lunch on Fridays.

Splashes of real "creativity" abound in chef-owner Rafael Palomino's "beautifully presented" Nuevo Latino fare starring "lots of spicy" seafood at this New Haven haunt, which is somewhat "expensive but worth it"; "colorful ocean" decor and "attentive" staffers fashion a "welcoming environment", while "terrific drinks" (especially the mojitos) make it "best if you're not the driver."

"Rude service", "no atmosphere" and "stunningly long, slow lines" in which "regulars can cut in front of everyone else" – "it's all part of the experience" at this "classic" "New Haven pizza joint"; fans say you learn to "manage your expectations", because the "amazing" "fresh mozzarella" pies with "thin, charred, lightly seasoned crust" are "worth it"; foes simply say "forget it"; N.B. cash only.

"Despite a down economy", "sophisticated" Yalies and "high-society" types shell out "hefty" payments for "well-trained" chef Jean-Pierre Vuillermet's "perfectly prepared classic French cuisine" (augmented with "some twists, so it never bores") at this "grande dame of New Haven"; vintage stained glass, mahogany and other "elegant" appointments lend it the feeling of a "formal" "private club", while the "remarkable service" comes generally "without pomposity."

"Stylish and well located right on the green" in Downtown New Haven, this "hip" New American attracts a "trendy", "black-wearing urban crowd" with chef/co-owner Denise Appel's "innovative", "Asian-influenced" cuisine emphasizing "local seasonal" ingredients and pastry chef Alba Estenoz's desserts that are "worth every single blessed calorie"; the "ultramodern" setting has a "city-chic" ambiance, and while the service is "excellent", some report a bit of "attitude", not to mention tabs that'll cost you "serious money."