There’s a phenomenon I call “the bubble,” where a restaurant’s food, drink, service and atmosphere are executed so seamlessly that you forget about everything beyond your table. This immersion is what hospitality professionals strive for when they subtly dim the …
Coffee Medicine

Nestled behind the Yale athletic fields in a mostly residential part of Westville, there’s a corner garden called BLOOM, whose many growing things include a cozy little coffeeshop called Café Flora. Owned and operated by Jacob McElligott, the …
Fall or Nothing

As fall begins to feel like fall, I find myself craving warm spices, dark spirits and late harvest fruit flavors. And I know I’m not alone. …
Third-Time Charms

I closed my eyes as the wash of gin and honeydew hit my tongue. It brought me back to June, when the first rays of the season were crowning our little inlet city. The rush of Aperol carried me through …
Means, Motive and Opportunity

The folks at Ordinary like to be anything but. Over the past half-decade or so, they’ve hosted one themed popup after another: explosions of Christmas cheer, one-off tiki nights and prolonged yearly makeovers. The latter, timed for midsummer and fall, …
Airport Bar

For our vacation this week, we’re traveling back to some favorite recent stories, including this grounded flight experience. …
’Go-To

When I first moved to New Haven and a bartender recommended the Owenego, I thought he and his Irish accent were having fun at my expense. …
Merry Time

There’s a bar I’ve really fallen for. She’s beautiful, confident and an expert in her field. Though Michelin guides tend to give me a terrible case of the eye rolls, I’ve always secretly appreciated their 3-star standard: “exceptional cuisine, worth …