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

A delicious spot in downtown New Haven for yummy Italian food! We stopped in for dinner and got the vegetable 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! read more

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Absolutely terrible experience, felt completely ignored and disrespected. I came here with my Korean friend and had one of the worst dining experiences. We waited an unreasonably long time to even place our order, and even longer for something as simple as bread. Meanwhile, the staff--especially an older woman who seemed to be the owner or manager--was going around chatting warmly with every other table except ours. And also the waitress ignored our request for paying the bill for several times. What made it worse was how obvious it was. She looked directly at us multiple times, walked right past our table, and went on to talking with others. It's hard not to feel like this treatment was racially motivated, especially when every other table (non-Asian) received friendly service while we were completely ignored. Absolutely never coming back. read more

Excellent food and service. Family style dining can be fun but also a bit crowded. Interesting, authentic Italian dining.

Food, service and ambiance. Michael was attentive and knowledgeable. Had the Porketta. Fabulous and not usually served in restaurants.

I usually take a bite of the food and then take time to 'analyze' it only when I love it. With Skappo's fettuccine in basil pesto, however, I started appreciating it before I touched my fork. As soon as it was served, its AROMA drew my attention at once. I could but stop chatting and start eating. The pesto smelled fresh and heart warming (a word I don't usually use to describe food aroma). I inhaled a few breath before turning my fork, and it was somehow soul calming. The TEXTURE of the fettuccine was perfect, literally. Al dente but not hard, and certainly not soggy with water or the pesto. The TASTE was superb. The basil pesto and the fettuccine did not 'stand against' each other but rather complemented one another like clouds in the sky. According to my dear friend, his pasta al norma was good, too. The cranberry and glazed walnut salad was not bad, either. As for the service, it was really like home. It took a while for us to get an Uber, but the chef(s) and the waitress (she's so kind and elegant that I would say she's the waiting lady) kindly let us stay until the Uber came. It was past their closing time. I'll absolutely revisit to try other dishes, but I don't think I could forget the fettuccine. read more

Best family owned Italian restaurant in town. Freshly prepared food and great atmosphere with owners always there chatting with customers.

What a fantastic gem of a place. Simple menu. Not overwhelming. Very delicious authentic homemade pasta. The reason you go here though is the small Italian family that owns and operates it. The mom (aka Nona) has a daughter and two sons and together they run this place. The Nona is so heartwarming and kind. All the family is nice. The main cook also plays the guitar with classic Italian songs to entertain guests in a cozy environment. This place is a MUST! read more

This is a wonderful small restaurant with fresh and delicious food. Even the simplest-sounding dish is elevated by the flavors. We still talk about a dish we had there a decade ago. The Italian-language music is a nice touch that we enjoyed during our meal. read more

Heed my warning, this review is coming from a guy whose only Italian experience is more akin to Olive Garden than it is to backpacking through Europe for a year. My party of two came during the first "Annual NH Night Festival" (quick aside, can you call yourself an "annual" fair if you've only had one?) where the restaurant was advertising a free glass of house wine with a meal. I expected something pretty cheap when it came to this mixed red, but still was not half bad honestly. This was also the first time I've ever had rabbit, but I would have to say it was delicious although I don't have any past experiences to compare it to. So take my opinion and this pun with a grain of salt. Overall, Skappo is incredibly charming, and does not try too hard to be "authentically Italian" to attract its patrons. Skappo is merely a place where the owners and their family create their sense of home and invite you to join in over dinner. I have to add that the matriarch of the restaurant Anna is the best! She was incredibly warm, so funny, and made us feel like we were part of the family while dining. I would come here again just to say "hello!" read more

Skappo - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Early January is dead time in New Haven; lots of businesses go to limited hours, and the city feels empty. Tim M and I stumbled upon Skappo after, admittedly, other places we planned on going were closed. But we are so glad we ended up here! While we rarely go out for Italian, this meal was very memorable. Skappo is cozy and rustic, and it has a family-owned feel. The menu is perhaps on the smaller side, but there is something for everyone on the list. I got the La Porchetta con Insalata di Farro, which was absolutely scrumptious. I loved the rosemary and fennel on the pork belly roast, and even the farro was to die for. Tim M got the Polpette di Manzo e Zucca con Funghi Trifolati, which had melt-in-your-mouth meatballs of beer and butternut squash and a delicious portion of mushrooms. The portions overall were on the smaller side, but it was definitely filling. Anna came by and was lovely to talk to. It was a nice, friendly touch. I have to dock one star for two minor things: my porchetta, while delicious, was definitely a bit lukewarm, especially compared to Tim's dish on the table. I don't usually care so much, but the temperature difference was notable. Also, our waitress was a bit short with us - nothing major but just nowhere near as personable as Anna was. Nonetheless, this spot is definitely now on my list of recommended spots. I can't wait to come back! read more

Skappo - Dessert time! - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Have u looked at their pr I ces? I could buy an awful lot of spaghetti for that kind of price. They were owned with Merkato on Orange that has finally closed. read more

Everything about Skappo is amazing. The atmosphere is romantic. The food is delicious and the staff makes you feel like family. The portions are pretty big. The antipasto is a good portion and a bowl of pasta can absolutely feed 2 people. 5 stars all the way! read more

Skappo - so good. - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Amazing food. The service is some of the best you will find. The chef comes out and will talk to you. Go you will not regret it

No idea why this place has not updated their hours. I drove 30 minutes to find out they were closed. Closed Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. And closed by 3pm the other days. NOT 11PM. Ideally places should update their hours when they change them. read more

Incredible Italian food from a legit family-run small kitchen restaurant. The ambiance is cozy and the service is outstanding. But most of all, the food is just amazing! Make the effort. You won't regret it. read more

Felt like we were eating at Momma's house! Talk about welcoming! Food was delicious. Definitely going back.

Very friendly but food was ok. Bread was good but the dish I had was ok. Will go back to try again. As the owner was great!

Home cooked Italian food, pleasant wines, friendly staff. It was all delicious. We especially loved the figs appetizer. read more

Skappo - Interior is small with communal tables. - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I've been sitting on a gift certificate to Skappo for the past few years and finally remembered to pay them a visit - the first of many, as it turns out. My husband and I sincerely felt transported back to our honeymoon in Italy. This charming family run restaurant boasts an authentic Umbrian menu that nothing (I've seen) in the area compares to. We started off with an antipasto plate, which arrived piled high with prosciutto di Parma, grana padano and mozzarella. I deeply regret not ordering the toasted walnut bread topped with mozz and truffle spread but that'll have to wait for next time. This time, meat and cheese won out. For an entree, I settled on a fabulous housemade pasta with truffles - simple, classic, and delicious. My husband loved his dish - rabbit braised with pancetta, carrots, celery, onions and white wine, served alongside French beans. Hearty and flavorful, both dishes were especially satisfying on a rainy evening. Great Italian wine list too! Wonderful service, friendly owner (who came around to each table!), well-priced menu... I can't think of a single thing that wasn't perfect. read more

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Shoutout to Skappo during the covid_19 pandemic and feeding the frontline by providing free meals for healthcare workers. The pasta was decent and I can only imagine how tasty they'd be when eaten fresh! read more

Skappo - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Adorable seatings outside, on the street that is now closed (temporary?) for the traffic. The food is fresh and really good. Simple dishes, but full of taste. This is a family run restaurant where family members cook, serve, chat with you and perform. Yes, perform. As tables move from main courses to delicious, in house made desserts, one of the family members comes out of the kitchen with a guitar and starts singing. Great voice, great performance and really nice atmosphere. Skappo is a place to come when you want to relax and enjoy family style cooked meal. It is a restaurant that you keep going back to. read more

I've been wanting to come here. Visited for my birthday and we just fell in love with it. The food is delicious but it's the feeling of family that's so special. Such a warm welcome. You feel like you're having dinner with a family in Umbria which is, by the way, where the family is from! Highly recommend! read more

Such a wonderful evening introducing new residents to some of the more unique dining experiences in town. Italian in New Haven is more than just pizza wars. Skappo reminds you to slow down and makes everyone feel like a valued customer. read more

Wonderful experience here. My husband had the spaghetti carbonara and loved it. My rigatoni con coniglio is the best rabbit I've had since traveling to Ischia. Fabulous! They also had my favorite wine available (sagrantino de Montefalco) at a reasonable price. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! It's family owned and operated and so much love and care goes into everything here. It's cozy, classy, and intimate with two long family-style community tables and a few smaller tables. Our server was amazing, knowledgeable and sweet; the other family members we got to meet were just the same! The food is amazing: delicious, filling, satisfying, and authentic, without being too heavy. We got the pomodoroi appetizer, carbonara, spinach gnocchi, and tiramisu, and they were all amazing, especially the gnocchi! We will be coming back and bringing friends :) read more

Dined at Skappo to celebrate our anniversary. Genuinely one of the most memorable dining experiences of our lives. The ambiance is so cozy and makes you feel like you're in an Italian home. We had the stuffed fig dish, momma's Sunday sauce, The lasagna, and risotto with pistachio. Everything was simply perfect, full of flavor, and brought me straight back to my travels in Italy. The stuffed fig dish especially should win awards. This place is truly a gem that's owned by a kind and passionate family, and that's evident from the moment you walk in. The service isn't just great, it's literally like being invited into an Italian home for Sunday dinner. During our meal, the grandmother came out from the kitchen to introduce her adorable grandson (~8 years old?) who was helping out tonight around the restaurant and to thank everyone for coming. We've never felt this much love at a restaurant ever before, and we cannot wait to come back to try the rest of the menu (and the fig dish again), and keep coming back for more. Thank you Skappo for a wonderful dinner and evening! Please keep doing what you're doing - the world needs more of places like Skappo. read more

The food was delicious and the family is a delight! Treat yourself to a real Italian family experience.

The free bread was delicious, the carbonara was so good. The rabbit rigatoni was good, just a bit too salty. read more

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This is a delightful family owned and operated business with excellent food. The pastas are all handmade and delectable, the salads generous, well composed, and perfectly dressed. We have already recommended this restaurant to family and friends and will be back often. The space is fairly small so you would be wise to make reservations on busy nights. read more

We came in here on a whim because it was late and it was close. The place is very small, intimate, and cozy with friendly, attentive staff. We had the Sunday Sauce and the walnut bread with truffle and mushroom spread and wow! Both were soo good. The sauce was homey, served with warm bread and enough cheese. When we ran out of bread, they brought us more so no sauce was wasted. The walnut topped bread was ao flavorful and aromatic we smelled it coming. As for entrees, the spinach gnocchi took the trophy over the risotto because it was so delectably soft that it melted on your tongue. The risotto had good flavor, but just wasn't our favorite flavor of the night. For dessert we had the chocolate cake and the limon tiramisu and both were great. The cake is dark and rich while the apricot spread on top helped balance it out. The lemon tiramisu though was SO soft and fresh. It has no coffee, so those like me who usually cannot enjoy the layered dessert, do it! Overall, a great meal. We will be back! read more

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We tried this place, after one failed attempt (they don't post irregular closings on their website or answering machine - for example, their closing for a private party on Super Bowl Sunday). It's run by a family (mother and three adult offspring) that is very friendly - the Mom is from Assisi (Umbria). She makes a point of coming to each table and making small talk with customers. Just be aware - this is a wine bar, as advertised, and the wine is interesting and good (no problem there at all). The food, however, is, in our opinion, a side light - and small portions. The sandwiches at its satellite Skappo Merkato around the corner, however, are excellent. read more

Two words: eat here. Some of the best meals we have ever eaten. Aside from the food- the experience is wonderful. We don't feel like we are eating in a restaurant when dining here- it's more like having dinner at the family's home with singing, friendship, and delicious food. We live a bit more than an hour away from Skappo- and it is well worth the drive every time. read more

On my last night in New Haven, my roommate and I took three precious hours off from studying for the bar and had a leisurely dinner at Skappo, replete with reminiscence and good food. The place is lovely, tiny and intimate, run by a precious Italian family. The decor is homey, with warm wood and brick, and hung on the walls are coats of arms and little bells and leaves that give off an almost Christmas-like air of simple festivity. The seating involves a couple of long communal tables, so if you bring a date, I would suggest you request one of the few small tables. We sat at the end of one of the communal ones, though, and it was fine, in part because no one sat right next to us. The service was extremely friendly. Our waiter was one of the sons, and it was clear that he loved the restaurant as well as engaging with customers. He told stories, asked questions, and would probably have pushed too chatty for some, but he was so amiable and sincere that he got away with it. The place is a true family restaurant. I believe our waiter's mother was in the kitchen, with his sister making desserts, and another brother's engagement was announced at the top of our menus as well as on a sign in the window. I'm not sure that I've seen such extensive family involvement on the face of a restaurant before. The food wasn't entirely consistent, but on average it was delicious. The bread and olive oil were good, and we kicked off our meal with the crostini made with "salsa tartufata" and fresh mozzarella. The "salsa tartufata," or "truffle salsa," was a spread made with Umbrian black truffles and mushrooms. The bread was homemade walnut. This should have been amazing, but I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped. A large part of this was that the bread was not fresh or warm. It had a great nutty flavor that worked really well with the mushroom spread, but the temperatures and textures were off. I did like the truffle salsa and cheese, though, and each bite gave off just a bit of that heady truffle fragrance. Everything else was better. The risotto del giorno was made with dried apricot, pistachio, and plenty of parmigiano. It was rich and creamy, but still savory with a liberal sprinkle of black pepper. The sweet apricot and crunchy toasty pistachio were fabulous counterpoints to the luscious al dente rice. I also enjoyed the farm-raised rabbit braised in a white wine reduction with pancetta. The meat was very tender and tasty, and the preparation was pretty and rustic. There were plenty of sliced carrots and celery and the flavors were reminiscent of a minestrone, with depth and good salt from the fatty pancetta. My favorite of our dishes was the polpette, eggplant and beef meatballs with a roasted red pepper sauce. Our waiter explained to us that the meatballs were baked rather than fried fo a fluffier lighter texture, and the effect was tremendous. There was no crust to the meatballs, which was just fine, and they were soft and juicy. The eggplant wasn't noticeable, but it was meant to add a little sweetness to the meat and it was successful there. The red pepper sauce was also nice, very rich and earthy. For dessert we asked for our waiter's two favorites, and both were stellar. First was a bowl of what was essentially cannoli filling, lightly sweet whipped ricotta with fig, apricot, and raisins folded in. I didn't know what to make of it the first bite, but I couldn't stop eating it. The ricotta was delightfully airy and the chewy bits of dried fruit added great texture and sweetness. Even better was a warm chocolate cake served with whipped cream and a strawberry compote. I don't generally flip for chocolate desserts, but this one was fantastic. It was moist and fluffy rather than dark and dense, and there was something sweet in the cake itself that was more akin to something like sweet potato than chocolate. The whipped cream was fresh and the compote was a pleasant tart accompaniment. It was a simple and delicious dessert, and I wish I had the recipe. My roommate and I shared glasses of chardonnay and Montepulciano and both were good full-bodied wines that did well with the food. We sat and ate and talked and spent some quality time building a memorable evening. We had a wonderful dinner, and I hope one day to make it back. read more

I was here for Valentine's day. They had different hours set, which is understandable since it was valentines. Honestly, the pre-fixe menu was a very good deal--a four course menu and I remember the price to be very reasonable. My problem is that the food wasn't that great. It's very homey, as in both the food and ambience, so it definitely does not cater to a modern taste. Cannoli was great! I don't know if hey make their own or buy it, though. I had chicken leg, cheese walnut bruschetta, but they were all just okay. Food nothing too special or even great. read more

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I came to Skappo on a Sunday evening, with seven other people. As soon as I entered the restaurant, I was immediately engulfed in a feeling of rustic charm and homeyness. There were three smaller parties dining on a Sunday evening, and the atmosphere was warm and pleasant. After we ordered, we were presented with two bread plates, with bread broken up into manageable bite-sized pieces. The bread was probably the best bread I've ever had at an Italian restaurant - it was incredibly crunchy and crisp on the outside, but once I sunk my teeth into the bread, it was soft and bouncy. And of course, there was a satisfying "crunch." I ordered the pesto linguini, which is one of their pasta specials. It was absolutely divine!! There was a generous portion of parmesan on top, which, when stirred in with the abundant pesto sauce, tasted utterly delightful and creamy. The pesto sauce itself was wonderful; it was savory, thick but also slightly runny, which allowed for the sauce to be perfectly and evenly coated on the strands of noodles. The ingredients - basil, garlic, pine nuts - were in perfect harmony, and the basil notes were quite pronounced. The noodles were freshly handmade, definitely not pre-packaged. One piece of feedback that I have for the noodles is that I wish they were on the thinner / less doughy side; some pieces of noodles were stuck / melted together (probably during the boiling process), creating a thick chunk of noodle. This is a major pet peeve of mine because it is unevenly cooked, and some segments of the melded noodles are hard and thick to chew through, not al dente like they are supposed to be. Nonetheless, this only applied to several of the noodle strands and the rest of my noodles were evenly cooked throughout. While my pesto linguine was absolutely fantastic and so were the rest of the pasta dishes (according to my friends, who ordered the carbonara, bolognese rigatoni, and shrimp fettuccine), another friend ordered the Tonno con Conserva di Albicocche ed Insalata di Farro and thought it was mediocre. The dish is a seared Ahi tuna with apricot preserves, served alongside a farro and tomato salad. She recommended adding more tomatoes in the salad to make it more tasty and colorful, and did not think the Ahi tuna was very flavorful. My friend's mom ordered the La Porchetta con Patate al Forno (Umbrian pork belly roast served with roasted potatoes). She thought that while the flavor profile was rich and delicious, she wished that there were more to the dish than just pork and potatoes! It was presented as hunks of meat, and perhaps the presentation could look a bit nicer. Again, this is just a minor thing - I will definitely be back again! read more

Skappo - My delicious pesto linguini! - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Great family owned business. Staff was extremely pleasant and greeted us in their own personal style. Mama herself came out from the kitchen to say "hi" and introduce herself. Loved the food and service but was disappointed in the limited amount of drinks. The only served Pepsi and Dr. Pepper for soft drinks. The food was good but was extreme overpriced for pasta. There was a cost bread as well. Our tab was $126 for 3 1/2 pasta dishes, a side of meatballs, which were delicious, bread and 3 sodas. read more

I am going to start off and give this establishment the maximum 5 Stars. I never thought I would do it but Skappo certainly deserves it for our visit on Thursday October 30, 2014. I do hope people will read this review as what I found endearing others might find annoying. I just want to keep it real. My girlfriend has an Irish Accent. Mary, our waitress came out and gave us a warm welcome. She recognized the accent and took an interest in getting to know her. After Mary left Anna the owner came out and introduced herself to us. She had just taken a trip to Ireland and was excited to tell us about it. I enjoyed watching my girlfriend being treated this nice as she is a star. Some people would not like this attention. Mary came out with the bread, water and our two red wines. We decided to order and share two plates. We got the Gnocchi di Ricotta and Risotto Del Giorno. We put the Risotto Del Giorno on the Gnocchi di Ricotta and bread which made for a wonderful meal. Everything was perfect. Shortly after we started eating a group of four sat next to us. They immediately said hi to us and started up a dialog. We talked about restaurants and travel which just made the night even better. This was probably the best "date" night I have ever had. The bill came out to $52.11 and we were both satisfied. I have read some negative comments about Skappo so I wanted to come out and address them. This is a small place which could probably seat about 30 people. The tables are close together so you could find yourself in a conversation with a group next to you. If you are in an antisocial mood and do not want to make new friends this place is definitely not for you. I loved the way we were treated that night and will most definitely be back. read more

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Been to Italy? No? Come here. AUTHENTIC Italian food run by the sweetest family. Mamma comes out to meet you and it the most adorable person ever. Go. Enough said. Phenomenal. read more

Cool mum and pop place. We were the only costumer. The women, owner? Was very friendly. She whipped up her own dessert which was between a chocolate mousse and a hot chocolate and that was delicious. read more