NewHavenBIZ

10 n e w h a v e n B I Z | A u g u s t 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m F resh faces. New offerings from old favorites. New ways of preparing, ordering and enjoying food. Downtown New Haven's dining scene, always in flux, has shied again as fall 2021 approaches. e COVID-19 pandemic has taken out a few favorites but brought in some new flavors and concepts. "I have no doubt that our restaurants will continue not only to adapt but lead the way as we move forward," said Bruno Baggetta, marketing and communications director of downtown promoter Market New Haven. "I think that we've proven that no matter what happens, New Haven restaurants are resilient." Talking to downtown restaurateurs, Baggetta is hearing about customers' appreciation for outdoor dining options and the ongoing focus on local, seasonal ingredients and menus. Some adaptations to pandemic restrictions have caught on with diners and will likely continue, he said. "I think there's a lot of trends continuing, whether it's takeout — which was more of a pivot than a trend — plant- based foods, streamlined menus, eco- conscious packaging," Baggetta said. Adaptations old and new can be seen at the heart of downtown at the intersection of Chapel and College streets, where veteran vegetarian eatery Claire's Corner Copia has extended its dining area to the street. Metal barricades with the Claire's logo set off a section of the sidewalk for comfy chairs, and wooden planters chock-full of flowers and greenery set off part of the roadway for pedestrians. Inside, a stylish wooden bar now allows for stand-up eating or waiting for to-go orders. e Claire's menu still centers around vegetarian comfort food but has expanded steadily to include more vegan options like soy milk french toast, tempeh bacon and vegan s'mores whoopie pies. In another pivot, plant-based favorite Caribbean Style at 89 George St. now offers its vegan cuisine for curbside pickup from Wednesday through Saturday, with specialties like jerk tofu, rice and peas and stewed eggplant. Every downtown restaurant has evolved and adapted to changing times, Baggetta said. "When you have so much talent in one city you can really achieve anything," he said. Here are five dining trends you may encounter as you lunch, brunch, snack or splurge this fall in downtown. Brunch, anyone? For the first time in its 27-year history, upscale French brasserie Union League Cafe started offering brunch this year to serve the growing crowd of diners spending their weekends downtown. "Sundays during the day, the downtown is huge," said Christina FitzGerald, Union League co-owner, noting that the public parking lot behind the restaurant fills up early on Sundays. "ere's definitely a lot more traffic." Union League's stylish back patio fills up every Sunday with patrons enjoying eggs Benedict or raw bar items like oysters and ossetra caviar, along with classic French specialties like croque monsieur, duck confit or omelette aux morilles with morel mushrooms. Brunch downtown is catching on: e Shops at Yale website lists options around campus including Pacifico, Harvest Wine Bar and Restaurant, Heirloom, South Bay and Sherkaan Indian Street Food, located off Broadway adjacent to the Yale campus. Union League's brunch has become so popular that the restaurant has to limit reservations due to staffing constraints, FitzGerald said. "People are so happy to be out," she said. Fresh flavors and new options New Haven diners love arepas, those savory South American corn cakes served by the dozens daily from food trucks and eateries across town. But did you know that Venezuelan arepas are the best? at's the joking assertion of Andres Cordido, who opened new eatery Somos on Orange Street with his brother Alejandro last summer in the thick of the pandemic. anks to online ordering and third-party delivery services like Uber Eats, Somos has been thriving, Andres Cordido said. "It's going great, a lot better than expected," he said. At Somos, the arepas are made from unsweetened corn flour, then customized. Dining in downtown New Haven: 5 trends to watch By Liese Klein The outdoor dining area on Chapel and College outside of Claire's Corner Copia welcomes all. Andres Cordido (left) and his brother Alejandro opened Somos restaurant on Orange Street to highlight Venezuelan specialties like arepa corn pancakes and spiced beef. PHOTOS | LIESE KLEIN

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