Best Date Night Restaurants

Anyone who knows me knows I love setting people up on blind dates. And because I love food so much, people often ask me to recommend date night restaurants. So! Here are the places I most usually suggest. 

Zeneli Pizzeria e Cucina Napoletana

Neighborhood: Wooster Square, 20 min walk from central campus

Cuisine: Italian

Average cost of meal: $18-22

Zeneli’s might be my favorite restaurant in New Haven. The restaurant serves classic Neapolitan dishes. I usually order the salsicciotta pizza because the dough is exceptional and the ingredients are high quality. The staff is friendly and it feels like a family environment. 

Kasbah Garden Cafe

Neighborhood: Howe, 5 min walk from central campus

Cuisine: Moroccan

Average cost of meal: $15

Kasbah has some of the best food in New Haven. It is a small restaurant serving uncomplicated dishes in a homey setting. The owner is polite, hospitable, and attentive. He also happens to be the chef and the waiter. My favorite plate is the lamb tagine with couscous – it is warm, nourishing, and comforting. The outdoor seating area also makes this a perfect spot for the fall and spring. 

Mecha Noodle Bar

Neighborhood: Downtown New Haven, 7 min walk from central campus

Average cost of meal: $18-22

Mecha is a high risk, high reward spot. High risk because chances are you will bump into someone you don’t want to see, and high reward because the food is delicious (the mushroom dumplings are a gift). The setting is intimate, however the only slight issue is that the music is loud, so if you don’t mind yelling a little bit this is the spot. 

Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar

Neighborhood: Orange Street, 15 min walk from central campus

Average cost of meal: $30-40

Hachiroku Shokudo & Sake Bar is expensive but truly great. The restaurant has Japanese food of the highest quality, a large sake selection, and waiters who are excited to talk about the food. I daydream about the Yaki Kinoko Mushroom plate I ordered the last time I was there often; It is an umami explosion and the brothy tastes of the mushrooms spread and take over your taste buds. Hachiroku is the perfect place for a special occasion meal.

The salsicciotta pizza and the tartufella pizza at Zeneli's