offManhattan

SUMMER, when New Yorkers flee to the Hamptons or to their rooftop gardens, recoiling from the swarm of tourists, is finally near. This season, forgo the immediate urge to do the habitual, and consider outer-borough travel; take the train to New Haven.

Smaller, lesser-known cities—yes, even the ones without subway systems—are often hidden gems. This past weekend I had a chance to explore an important connector on the Long Island Sound between New York and Boston. New Haven, Connecticut, a city with a rich history of architecture and industry and home to Yale University, is one Metro-North stop worth checking out.

Many “college towns” are just that—a suburb that houses a large university, which in turn spurs a downtown development with restaurants and shopping, mostly to provide services to the student body and capitalize on their spending potential. The area’s “urban-ness” is often only a byproduct of the academics. New Haven is different. While Yale’s huge effect on the local economy cannot be ignored, New Haven was always an urban area. In fact, its current downtown street grid and central green, laid out in 1638, is one of the first examples of urban planning in the country. Nearly a century before the academia of Yale set foot in the city, New Haven’s downtown was already in motion.

Departing from Grand Central station with a $26 round trip ticket (or $35 peak) on the New Haven line in hand, you’ll arrive at Union Street in just over an hour and a half. Make your way north, walking under the highway, heading towards the main downtown area. Cruising along Union St. take a left on Crown Street—about a five minute walk from the train station. On Crown St, you can make your first pit stop at ArtSpace (50 Orange Street, 203.772.2709, artspacenh.org), a nonprofit gallery space for local and national artists. Visit their website for various wine and cheese events during open house. Across the street is a residential development with ground-floor restaurants and some restored older industrial buildings. This spot is only mid-way between the train station and the New Haven Green—you are not yet in the heart of downtown. However development like this is evidence of the expanding revitalization of New Haven, steadily growing into the outskirts.

Continue on Crown until you reach Temple St., then slip inside Black Bear Saloon (124 Temple Street, 203.562.2327, blackbearsaloon.com). Black Bear, a sports-bar pub that can be spotted in a few other Connecticut and New York State towns, found prime corner real estate in New Haven, which does wonders to make the space feel far from a chain. The front windows open completely and have wrought-iron enclosures while the inside, despite the abundance of flat-screen televisions, exudes an airy, breezy vibe.

After finishing the pub’s own amber brew, Black Bear Ale, take a quick look across the street. The construction site with the sleek glass facade is future home to the new Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School, expected to open in December 2008.

For a string of great restaurants, stay on Crown two more blocks until you get to College Street. The view up College Street is classic downtown—outdoor cafes, beautiful buildings and a thriving atmosphere, bustling with people. On the corner of Crown and College is Latin seafood spot Pacifico (220 College St., 203.772.4002, pacificorestaurants.com). Turn right on College Street for a number of great eateries, or keep going on Crown and duck into BAR (254 Crown St., 203.495.8924, barnightclub.com) a New Haven classic with great pizza.

BAR, housed in a former garage with an industrial vibe, pulls together heavy wood picnic tables for munching, pool tables, a worn steel-top bar with just the right amount of rust around the beer taps, and exposed brick. Together, the elements make BAR just industrial enough to still feel warm. The crowd makes anyone feel at home—couples at the bar, families at the tables, young groups of friends playing pool. Grab some pizza for a snack at the bar and go crazy on the toppings—meatballs, fresh littleneck clams, mashed potatoes, or hot cherry peppers, to name a few.

Across the street from BAR on the corner of High Street is Soul de Cuba (283 Crown St, 203.498.CUBA, souldecuba.com). Sojourn here for mojitos, Cuban and Caribbean cuisine, and a vibrant Afro-Cuban vibe.

If you continue on High Street and make another right on Chapel, you’ll be headed toward the south edge of the locally treasured New Haven Green, a must-see for any visitor. The Green, a perfect sunny spot for a picnic in the grass, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970. It is home to three historic churches, and is the true center of downtown. A live performance is never quite as good as when it’s outdoors on a breezy summer evening—the Green hosts concerts, performances, festivals and events throughout the summer. Check out the schedule of events on the Green and in the rest of New Haven.

Be lazy on the lawn before turning back onto Chapel toward the corner of College Street. The INFO New Haven center is in the corner space—pop in for maps, guides and friendly people who will answer your questions about navigating downtown.

Complete your walk by taking another right on Temple. Café Bottega (908 Chapel St., 203.624.6200, botteganewhaven.com), on the corner of Temple and Chapel, is home to the “Dueling Pianos” on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and a visit to their website can score you some specials and discounts. This spot is not affiliated with the Bottega Lounge around the corner, although the club vibe of the lounge does merit a stop on a Saturday night.

At dinner time, try out Prime 16 (172 Temple St., 203.782.1616, prime16.com)—a delicious place with a devotion to beer (60+) and burgers. The decor is dark, warm and earthy, with trendy undercurrents. Their Apricot Ale is light and tart with hints of fruit. Interesting and eclectic appetizers run the gamut from meatloaf muffins to pork flatbread pizza. There’s something for everyone on the burger menu—even non beef-eaters can eat happy with a mahi-mahi burger, salmon burger, or veggie patty.

Between the downtown restaurants, theaters (historic Shubert Theater is located at 247 College St., 203.562.5666, capa.com), outdoor music and concerts, cafes and great bars, you can easily fill a weekend in New Haven. The Omni Hotel is located just a few blocks from the Green on Temple Street (155 Temple St., 203.772.6664, omnihotels.com). You can also check out visitnewhaven.com for other options.

New Haven has that appealing mix of a preppy college town combined with urban grittiness. It’s a post-industrial city, with revitalization and adaptive re-use of old architecture blossoming at every turn.

How to get there: Take the Metro-North Railroad, on the New Haven Line, to the New Haven station. Visit the Metro-North website for scheduling information. Follow the directions above to get to your destination from the station.

Featured Locations Map

New Haven Green

View down Church St

BAR

Pacifico Restaurant

Streetscape of College Street

Black Bear

ArtSpace

Arts & Humanities HS Under Construction

Arts & Humanities HS

Crown St. view

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