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NOLO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - NOLO

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Beets and Carrot Salad
Angel S.

This restaurant has one of the most impressive spaces in NEw Haven. Reminiscent of a Williamsburg NY restaurant. The menu is eclectic and impressive. Trying a few dishes out just to get a feel of the menu. My God! There burger was amazing with flavors galore to savor. The meatball appetizer was outstanding! Could past it up. The beet and carrot salad was flavorful and intense! The Salumi plate was outstanding with a wide arrange of cheeses and meats. Our waitress Lacy was attentive but not too intrusive. A great balance in customer care. Great place to unwind after a long work day or week. Don't past this place up.

Michael S.

I really hate leaving reviews. But this restaurant served raw chicken to my pregnant wife so I need to this time. We came here a few times and it was always good. We specifically liked their chicken and the pizza was pretty good too. This time was different. When we arrived at the restaurant we weren't greeted for a few minutes. When we were greeted there was an awkward exchange with the hostess, which resulted in us cutting each other off back and forth. I just wanted to tell her that I had already grabbed a menu but she seemed visibly angry with me that I didn't first tell her if I wanted to eat outside or in. This was just mote awkward than anything. But when we sat down, we weren't brought drinks for about ten minutes, which was pretty much how the rest of the service for the night was. It looks like they may have been understaffed because many of the tables didn't look like they had been bussed for a while. When we've seen this at other state street restaurants, for example (Dashi), they went out of business soon after. I would've given them more of a pass if it were busy but even on fathers say, there were maybe only 6 tables filled. Also for a place charging $14.00 for an artichoke appetizer, which consists of 3 hearts only, I would expect a better ambiance. (The artichoke dish was very good but small). Finally we placed our order. About 40 minutes later our food came. The chicken my wife and I previously raved about was different. Rather than being charred on their wood fire grill and deliciously salty and savory, it was rubbery and shiny looking. When my wife tried to cut it open to share with her mom, it was tough. This should have been a sign that maybe it was undercooked. My wife and her mom ate most of the dish but as they got down towards the bone, it was clear that the meat wasn't cooked at all. Bone-in chicken can sometimes have more of a pinkish hue so at first we didn't think much of it, but as you will see in the attached picture, this was just raw! When we complained to the waiter (who not once had checked in on us) she expressed surprise that it was cooked that way as well. She said she would talk to the chef about it. Boy am I glad I took a picture first, because when she came back, she didn't offer to take it off the check. My wife and her mom ate most of the dish so on one hand I understand this, but they also didn't really notice it was raw until they got to the center. We're not ones to make a scene so we got the check paid and left. I will say their pizza (the Olli) was good but if going for pizza on state street, I would always go to modern. I would be willing to try this place again and am saddened by the downturn. It was probably just a bad night for them but ended up being a really bad night for my wife.

Burger
Sa-kiera H.

Thoroughly enjoyed eating here. My fiancée and I decided to check out this place since we live so close. There was adequate parking and indoor and outdoor seating. We chose to eat outdoors and wasn't unduly bothered by bugs. Our server Alejandro was amazing! Checked in constantly without being intrusive. We chose to get separate entrees and split a pasta dish. That ended up being the right amount of food for us, as the portions are a bit small but delicious! I got the grilled octopus and my partner got the burger. We split the cacio. Everything was great and the beer selection is awesome (three of the items on draft are made in house). The apple crisp wasn't particularly good (homemade ice cream was too sweet and the crisp wasn't hot) but overall we had a good time. Can't wait to go back!

Left over vegan bacon pizza for next days lunch!
Ramsh K.

My 5 friends and I went to celebrate a birthday and omg the pizza is phenomenal!!! I ordered the vegan bacon pizza. The bacon is made of Smokey tempeh! The tomato's on the pizza were super fresh and delicious ! The best part was the crust it was absolutely scrumptious with charred edges! Will be back for sure! My friends rated the pepperoni as best, followed by honey pot, and the state came in last! Outdoor seating is safe and 6 ft apart for parties of five or less. Service is impeccable! Private parking lot next to the restaurant. Due to Covid Nolo is not making their own beers but plenty of options on draft list.

Mexican street corn
Katrina D.

Husband and I came to NOLO for the first time tonight for date night. We heard about Meatless Monday's and were SO excited! My husband is a vegetarian and sometimes it's difficult to find a nice restaurant that has options for him besides a salad. This was such a great choice! We ordered the State St Pizza (veggie special) for dinner as they were already out of the chickpea curry! Clearly Meatless Monday's here is popular! I'm happy to hear they sold out, shows that meatless Monday's are worth it! While waiting for our main dish to arrive (pizza), Chef Chrissy came out and greeted us! She is so passionate about her meatless Monday menu and it shows! Highly highly recommend! I can't wait to see what's on the menu for the next meatless Monday! This might be our new date night stop!! (Oh and we enjoyed the Mexican street corn for an app, too. It was yummy, but MESSY! As expected haha)

Clark Street Pizza
Shanonda N.

These folks were a little slow out of the blocks, but they finished nicely. We decided to try this place on a Sunday evening (after we couldn't get outdoor seating at L'Orcio). We were seated quickly and a waiter brought us menus and bottles of water right away. And then began...the wait. We had the pleasure of watching pie after beautiful pie be walked past our table before anyone even asked for our drink orders. Once a waiter FINALLY asked if we'd been served, by beau replied "not at all." The waiter was most apologetic and brought our drinks about five minutes later. Then, we blinked and one of our pizzas magically appeared. I'm relatively certain the server gave us another patron's pie to keep us from leaving. And it worked. We're SO freaking glad we stayed! I never thought I'd say this, but these guys easily give Pepe's and Sally's a good run for their money. The crust is superbly crisp and thin. The combination of toppings on the specialty pies is ambitious (as it should be). I plan on making my way from Orange to New Haven REGULARLY for this pizza. Nicely done, Nolo.

Crystal S.

Never sure what a new place is going to offer Nolo is not what I expected. The beer is brewery prices, which is awesome, and the food is high end. The Pizza was creative and perfectly cooked. A good mix of California styling with New Haven cook and bake. The Burnt Honey Lamb Ribs were Heaven. It joined the clean plate club. The Ribeye was spot on. Beautiful taste. Texture and cook. The cocktails will kick you when you're down. It was a perfect experience and already planning what to eat next time.

The sit down,you must try

One red pizza - The sit down ,I had picked up. It smell goooood before I went home ! Pizza is thin and very juicy , everything match very Very excellent!! Thank the chef, Continue to make excellent food !!

Apple crisp.
Steph Q.

11/15/19: The vegan cheeseburger pizza is now on the menu as the Beyond Good. I would get it sans tomatoes but it is still good. Came here for a birthday party. The pizza is basically the same pizza as Da Legna's, which makes sense because they moved operations over here. First the meh/bad: If you are vegan, the only consistent option for you here is the pizza. The sauce of the vegan pizza was way too sweet and really heavy with oregano. It clashed heavily with the cheese. I don't remember any of the vegan pizzas I've ordered at OG Da Legna ever tasting like that. The cheese melted and the crust wasn't insanely blackened, so I appreciated that. They didn't advertise the special (vegan cheeseburger pizza) though, it was leaps and bounds better than any vegan pizza I've had at Da Legna's. If I had know about it sooner I would have ordered that instead. The good: service is much better here and the staff is more attentive. The space is absolutely beautiful and accommodating for everything from dates to groups. The mixed drinks are ok, martini wasn't anything to write home about, it was perfectly serviceable. Honeypot remains a huge favorite for the meat eaters. Desserts looked tasty, again a fine carryover from Da Legna. Beer menu looks fine, though didn't try any. Vegan and GF items are labeled clearly (thank you for that). If I were really in a pinch for a group all diets friendly option I would come here and try to get the vegan cheeseburger pizza. Otherwise, solid meh.

Funghi pizza (mushroom, truffle, ricotta)
Vee R.

This location is nice! It's relatively new, only been around for two years, the inside is newly renovated and the service is great! The staff is very friendly and attentive. Would def return here!

Vegan Pizza and Salsiccia Pizza

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

This is the good addition to the area... The food is pretty good but the portion is a bit small for the price tho.

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6 years ago

BOMB vegan pizza and plenty of good options for vegans too! Love the aesthetic of the restaurant

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7 years ago

Idk where y'all are at but it best be here food was on point, service was a1 and the place is a beauty.

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7 years ago

The restaurant stated open til 2 am. With full kitchen. This is a lie. Waste of money, time, and effort. 10/10 do not go.

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7 years ago

Meatless Monday is absolutely great! I'll definitely be back!! The BBQ carrot tacos were off the charts, and there brewery was great.

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Ask the Community - NOLO

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This has been our 5th time coming - it's just consistently delicious. Strangely when we pulled up…read moreit looked like it was boarded up, maybe it's to prevent a cold draft but thankfully it's still there! Parking lot was empty. We had our almost two year old that had to tag along for dinner and they were very accommodating- the server was able to adjust menu items as we needed for dietary needs and when our little guy was getting bored they brought over a piece of paper to draw on. We went during a week day and barely 5 couples in there. I was able to walk around with our little guy (which in the past and on a weekend would never happen) - my son took an interest to peek into the kitchen and all the cooking staff were nice let him take a good look at the team in action. Thanks Adriana's again for wonderful food and kind /accommodating team and servers!

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Goodfellas has been a go-to us for years for special occasions, and this was our first visit back…read moresince their remodel and change to Encore. We couldn't believe how different it was inside, but it's definitely a positive change! We were seated upstairs, and we were pleasantly surprised when a pianist began playing. It was a perfect volume where we could still hear each other and also enjoy the music. Our server, Talmadge, was professional and attentive, and each dish we had was delicious. The same quality we knew and loved from Goodfellas, and I was glad to see the desserts stayed the same. One of the most romantic restaurants I've visited in a long time, and we look forward to many more visits!

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Villa Lulu - Pappardelle Bolognese

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I came to Villa Lulu in downtown New Haven for a birthday dinner and the entire experience was…read moreabsolutely perfect. The restaurant is located in a charming historic building, and the stylish decor gives it such a warm and homey feel. It is elegant yet totally relaxed, and the staff is incredibly welcoming and attentive from the moment you walk in. We started with the fried artichokes for an appetizer and they were nothing short of amazing. They were breaded and battered perfectly, and oh so crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. For our main courses we ordered the Chicken Parmesan and the Squid Ink Linguini. The Chicken Parm was completely top notch and cooked beautifully. The Squid Ink Linguini was equally outstanding and packed with flavor, definitely a must try if you visit. Everything from the cozy atmosphere to the expertly prepared food made it a birthday dinner to remember. If you are looking for amazing Italian comfort food with a wonderful neighborhood vibe, this is the spot. I highly recommend it and will definitely be returning!

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NOLO - tapasmallplates - Updated May 2026

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