We were on our way back home and wanted to give New Haven spots another try…read more The usual spots had a line of people. We laughed at them and moved on. We don't do lines. Found this spot and were glad we did. Pizza was absolute perfect. We tried 3 different pies.

Delicious FRESH food! 4.5/5.0. I wish Yelp would allow for the .5 in reviews! Went here yesterday…read moreto meet up with an old friend. We had the ricotta and honey on toast, meatballs, prosciutto/mozzarella to start, some white wine and of course PIZZA! The pizza was light and cooked perfectly. We had the Dolce Salato and the Diavolina. We loved the Dolce Salato! The Diavolina was good, but I think some more spicy salami or maybe an additional spicy component would have been a good addition to the pizza. It needed just a little bit more on the flavor side. But still everything here is high quality and I would recommend! Service was excellent. We were immediately seated and had the option to sit inside or outside. I first sat inside, then we moved to a larger table outside. What I really appreciated as a new mom, was their openness and flexibility for coming in with a stroller. I was nervous to be a burden to the restaurant, but they were super accommodating. Thank you On room for improvement, I think on a hot day, having the inside space being much much cooler, than the outdoor seating (especially for newborns/really young kids/elderly) would be beneficial. Yesterday it was cool inside to start (and remember I chose to move outside), but they started to leave the front door open to allow for easy movement of staff and guests between inside and outside, which made the indoor space get warmer over time. And I totally get that for the ease of movement for staff/guests, but maybe consider keeping it super cool on the inside, so that kiddos/elderly have a cool space on a really hot day to not overheat. The vibe here is great. Chill, warm and light! Come with family and/or friends and enjoy!

We came this past Saturday night for a nice meal out…read more Table of 8 (4 couples). We were promptly seated at our 6:30 reservation time. I got an Old Fashioned and asked for extra cherries. Who knew I would be charged $4 for that, wasn't told until we saw the bill at the end. (See picture) We started with family style platters of broccoli rabe and sausage, oysters, panecotto and a scungilli salad. The portions were generous for everything that was ordered. For an entree, I had the Pollo Fantasia. Chicken breast topped with crab meat, spinach and mozzarella. It came with mashed potatoes and zucchini along side. The mashed potatoes were a bit odd. More air and water, less potato. All of the food was fantastic though. I think everyone really enjoyed what they had.

We had an early reservation as we had an event to get to. We were first customers to arrive that…read moreevening, and at least 6 of the staff were there to greet us--quite a welcoming committee. All four of us were happy with our meals! The eggplant tower and Caesar salad were starters, and for main meals one had pasta bolognese (big appetite), one chicken (there were leftovers), and TWO shared the orecchiette (AND took some home). Two glasses of wine. It was a lovely meal, and came to just over $40 per person with tip. Would go again to this charming restaurant any time we are in New Haven.

I'm newly gluten free and struggling - during a visit with some friends who needed to eat a lot of…read morecarbs we came here knowing that they had GF pasta. They said any of the pastas could be modified and offered a few noodle variations which made me really happy, the noodles tasted so good I thought I maybe got gluten'd hahaha but felt fine. Their gluten free noodles are made with rice and corn so it balances out and doesn't feel mushy. Between our group we ordered risotto, pappardelle, and a shrimp pasta which we were all ecstatic with. Highly recommend!

A bit pricey, but delicious pasta! One of my favorite things to do is go to Italian restaurants in…read moreNew Haven and this one is one of the best! Their pasta is made from scratch and tastes so fresh. The texture is perfection. I got pappardelle w/ sausage and porcini mushrooms and it was delicious! My friends also enjoyed their meals. They were also very good portion sizes. As stated earlier, it's a bit pricer than other places but worth it. And you get complimentary bread. The service was also good.

Our group came to Encore to celebrate a birthday, we all came and left happy with our choice. We…read morewill definitely be making up excuses to come back here. It was the first time some of my group had experienced a pre fixed menu and it's safe to say they're sold. If you're celebrating anything special or even coming on a date or a time with family/friends this environment will 100% elevate the occasion. It's in a good area, the place is decent sized. I enjoyed that it wasn't huge because it wasn't at all overwhelming. The workers are very quick, helpful and resourceful. Everything from ordering the food on went very smooth. Not one mistake in our order and everyone enjoyed their meals. I felt that usually other places make small mistakes that make dinners go on forever but the night went so smooth that I was shocked. Thank you Encore team for a great time! PS: Dressing a little nicer than usual is recommended as I felt the place was classier than most.

We had a great evening here with Carlos as our server. We told the host it was my parents 30th…read moreanniversary & they kindly put candles & Happy Anniversary on a plate for them! So cute and definitely made this stand out to us. Thank you Carlos & staff, that was so kind of you! We all did the price fix menu which is a great buy - appetizer, salad, entree, & dessert for $49 each! The sauces were very flavorful & each course was delicious. Carlos brought over the bruschetta on the house while we waited for appetizers. Great espresso martini & the pom parade mocktail. Definitely will be returning. Gorgeous downstairs dining room & bar set up.

Can't stop thinking about this place, the food!! Best pasta I've ever had. Very authentic and warm…read morefamily running the place. Live in NJ but want to make trip to go back

A delicious spot in downtown New Haven for yummy Italian food! We stopped in for dinner and got the…read morevegetable coquettes, Gorgonzola figs, lemon pasta, shrimp pasta, and a pasta with tomato and egg plant sauce. The figs are a must! The pasta is cooked to perfection! My favorite was the lemon pasta--decadent and refreshing. We ended the night with biscotti & a ricotta gelato. The service is warm and fast.Can't wait to be back!

Always heard what a great restaurant this was. It's better than that…read more What I did not know is they have a beautiful patio. The tables were not jammed together, you could actually relax and enjoy the meal. And what a meal!! Everything was fresh and well prepared. The ragu for the delicious pasta was key. Many places put some meat in a marinara and call it a ragu or a Bolognese. It's not and you can taste when a meat sauce is prepared separately and cooked slowly that develops flavor. Perfect here. Kitchen clearly pays attention to details. Cannot wait to go back.

Tried L'Orcio for my birthday and was really impressed. We had the formaggi and everything was…read moredelicious, especially the goat cheese and fruit bread. For dinner, we ordered several pasta dishes including Gnocchi alla Boscaiola , Pappardelle Al Ragu, a special and Cavatelli Alla Norma. Everything was incredible, and the handmade pasta really stood out. The gnocchi were especially memorable, very soft, pillowy, and perfectly seasoned. You can tell the pasta is made fresh daily. The staff were kind and welcoming, and the atmosphere felt cozy and charming. Would absolutely return to try more!! Would also love to take a pasta making class if the chef is ever offering

We were in New Haven for a special event and chose this restaurant. Had never been to the charming…read morehouse and had no idea what to expect. At first we arrived but our table wasn't ready and we waited 15 minutes. It wasn't a great start but sitting at the bar and drinking water made the time fly. At that later time point our table was ready and we climbed the stairs. This is an old house converted into a restaurant and we were on the third floor. It was a lovely table and had the privacy that is lacking in many places. There was a bathroom on the level so no need to run downstairs if needed. My irritation for the late start disappeared immediately. I haven;t even started to mention the food. I ordered tapas plates and a salad; others had dinner entrees where the portions overwhelmed. Even now I can remember the salad mista that was incredibly fresh with a fantastic dressing. Tried the Caesar as well and it is a tough choice, BTWl. I had scallops and risotto which was incredibly filling with a tremendous sauce. Presented in a lovely way. I also had the ricotta filled purses with brown sugar and the flavor combination was pleasing. Other dishes included the spicy rigatoni, steak, short rib and bolognese. Rave reviews for all. Dolci included gelato and the chocolate cake. Very important to make sure and try the sweet at the end of the meal. We will return and others should try this restaurant. Make sure you can get to those upper floors or choose a table without climbing stairs for the food and service will be well worth it.

Really nice covered patio. Super nice server…read more I loved the Ferrari rosé. Not too dry, very flavorful, almost like a cocktail but great for a hot day. Beet salad was amazing. House bread is great! Not a fan of the eggplant Parmesan, though. It was neither fried nor roasted but seemed stewed like in ratatouille, which is the least tasty way to make eggplant OMHO. I really could not eat it and just ate the tomato and cheese, which was fine because the salad and bread were filling. So I liked this restaurant a lot... But skip the eggplant Parm!

I usually take the time to drone on about meals that I've had…read more I simply wanna say the service was impeccable. Our server was polite, informative very helpful. Our drinks were exactly as described on the cocktail menu and obviously mixed by a professional The ambience is welcoming, classic comfortable. The restaurant stays quiet, even with many people in it. It's a very cozy family orientation, intimate environment. The food was impeccable. I did not have much experience with dishes serve family style, but we were a table of 10. We completely enjoyed her meals having the ability to taste a little bit of each one of the many dishes that were brought out was a culinary treat. These dishes were not only well prepared and well seasoned and well presented, but they easy to enjoy their easy on the pallet. No one dish was over seasoned or overcooked. The ingredients were obviously fresh. Nothing was overcooked. Nothing was tough. Nothing was harsh and the pallet this was excellent food. Cannot wait to go back this is a must go restaurant

BRING BACK CHEFS with ATTITUDE. I had the pleasure of dining at The Luke Brasserie today. Totally…read moreunplanned. I was searching for something that could match up to Maison Bar Vins back home. First off can we talk about the bones of the place. The Taft building which once was a hotel now sits and houses a very charming French restaurant with a chef who could care less who you are or if your camera is permanently to your hand. I sat at the bar and the chef seated me. I opted out for their three course pre fix bar menu. Chef and owner Vincent who had trained under ICONS in the culinary world met me with this good old fashion old school attitude that today's foodie influencers could never understand. Serious poised stern energy that I love so much about old world cooking boh lore. The food was great. The playlist was upbeat, the kitchen had energy. This place should be the hardest reservation to get in New Haven.

Gioia Cafe & Bar is always a great choice, but this was my first time checking out the rooftop with…read morea friend, and it was such a great experience! Our server, Kervin, was absolutely wonderful. He was friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and made us feel welcome from the moment we sat down. His calm demeanor and genuine smile really stood out and made our visit even more enjoyable. The rooftop ambiance was perfect. It wasn't overly noisy, so we could actually relax and have a conversation. I also appreciated how thoughtful the staff was with the shades--they kept them down while the sun was out to keep everyone comfortable, and once the sun went down, they raised them so everyone could enjoy the beautiful view. The drinks were good, although I think they could've been a little stronger. The pizza, on the other hand, was delicious and definitely something I'd order again. If you're planning to sit on the rooftop, keep in mind that it's first come, first served, so get there early if you want a good spot. Overall, I had a fantastic time and will definitely be back. Highly recommend checking out the rooftop if you haven't already!

Was disappointed - it was a 10 minute wait for a slice so I ordered a scoop of ice cream 15 minutes…read morelater they forgot to put the pizza sliced order in they refunded the price of a slice, but not the ice cream I had while waiting for the pizza slice for which they never put the order in. It would've been a great gesture to offer a refund on the Ice cream as well because I really only got it because I was waiting for the pizza. That said the kid work in the counter was working her ass off but somebody backstage forgot about me and was disappointed to Manager didn't offer more to rectify the situation. - I never give a one star review, but wish I could here

I get together with my high school coach and a fellow classmate once a year when he comes up from…read moreFlorida. Each time we choose a different pizza spot. This has to be the best pizza I have ever had!....next to NYC. The service was spectacular and fortunately we got there early because by the time we left the line was down state st! It was just under an hour and a half to get there but I look forward to my next trip! Excellent service Excellent pizza Thank you Modern Apizza!

Heard so much about New Haven's unique pizza style, so we had to give Modern Apizza a try. We…read moreordered a pepperoni pizza for takeout and waited about 25 minutes. One convenient thing about ordering to go is that there's a side door right by the parking lot, so you can order without having to go inside the restaurant. The pizza itself was good and definitely above average, but it didn't quite live up to the hype for us. The crust was very floppy, and the pizza was extremely greasy. The thin cardboard takeout box didn't help either as the oil soaked straight through, making the whole thing pretty messy to handle. Overall, it's a solid pizza, but nothing that really stood out to us as special or unique. Maybe worth trying if you're exploring New Haven pizza, but personally, I wouldn't wait 25 minutes for it again as we have many better options on nyc.