Local eateries took the time this past week to participate in the 12th annual Hamden Restaurant Week, sponsored by Bankwell. A celebration of fine dining and the local community, the 14 participants offered a wide variety of discounted meals, prix fixe menus and limited-time deals. Restaurant Week serves as a great opportunity for residents of Hamden to explore new dining options and show their support for local businesses.
HAVEN BEER CO.
Located at 2323 Whitney Ave. Haven Beer Co., a new addition this year to the Hamden area, offers a full menu of Connecticut favorites including New Haven-style pizza, burgers, sandwiches and an array of entrees.
The biggest draw of the restaurant is its full bar, sporting signature beers as well as craft cocktails and a selection of wines. With two separate bars as well as an outdoor patio, Haven provides a great new location to eat, drink and watch a game in Hamden.
Haven Beer Co. also offers an array of events, including “Smokin NFL Sundays” where from open to close, NFL fans can head to Haven to watch the games, eat in-house BBQ and buy drink specials throughout the day.
Haven Beer. Co is open seven days a week, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Ristorante Luce
Located at 2987 Whitney Ave. Ristorante Luce is an Italian-styled restaurant with a newly renovated dining room as well as a cocktail lounge with bar and table-top seating. It also has an extensive, 16-page wine list.
Ristorante Luce, which opened in 1992, has two separate menus for lunch and dinner. You can find your Italian staples like chicken parmesan and ravioli on both.
Ristorante Luce offers higher-end menu items including pork chops, tuna and steaks. These choices elevate what would be considered your standard Italian restaurant.
Ristorante Luce is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Monday through Saturday for dinner from 5-9 p.m. It remains open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Eli’s on Whitney:
Sitting at 2392 Whitney Ave., Eli’s on Whitney is one of the top spots for the Quinnipiac and Hamden community to stop for a bite to eat, drink or wind down after a long day. With a bar placed right in the center of the restaurant, diners can order drinks, watch multiple televisions and order countless delicious dishes.
Posted on a giant board to the right side of the bar sits its monthly calendar of events, including its involvement in Restaurant Week. Some of the events include trivia on Wednesdays, $4 margaritas on Thursdays and live music on Fridays.
There are a host of different options for diners to order. Patrons can choose between classic American meals, healthier options, Italian dishes and Asian fusion starters. No matter what mood residents are in, Eli’s on Whitney has it.
The restaurant also has an extensive drink menu. They have a wide variety of ciders, beer and cocktails that are all reasonably priced. There is a drink for all different types of people depending on their preference.
Frankie’s Bar and Grill:
A hidden gem in the Hamden community sits just steps away from the York Hill Campus of Quinnipiac University. Frankies Bar and Grill is one of the newest restaurants on Hamden’s Restaurant Week. The restaurant on Sherman Ave. has only been open for about a year, but is seeing results since being included on the list.
“It helped put us on the map,” Frank LaDore, the owner of the bar said. “This is our first time on Hamden’s Restaurant Week list.”
Additionally, LaDore said that being a part of the list helped get the word out that it isn’t just a bar. It has a grill with multiple options, like fried mozzarella sticks, wings and chicken tenders.
The best way to describe Frankie’s is your local neighborhood bar, where you feel like a regular all the time.
Despite being steps away from Quinnipiac, the owners want to be a place for the entire neighborhood.
“We don’t want to be just a Quinnipiac bar,” LaDore said.
LaDore owns and runs the bar that’s connected to CFC Arena – an indoor turf field. From the owners to the customers, everyone inside was extremely friendly and kind. The restaurant, aside from being your typical bar, also hosts trivia nights.
Frankie’s Bar and Grill might be considered the “new kid on the block” but it’s safe to say that, with the warm environment and reasonably priced drinks, they’ll be in Hamden for a long time.
Ali Baba’s Kitchen
Tucked near Hamden’s townline, Ali Baba’s Kitchen is a Middle Eastern Halal restaurant located at 986 Dixwell Avenue. It offers a wide variety of meals, such as bowls, Kati rolls and wraps.
The interior includes combinations of greens, golds and yellows. It features large floral window and wall designs. This gives it a calm and warm environment.
Patrons can order at the counter and sit in the restaurant to eat. They can also order food for delivery or pick-up through their website or other delivery services such as Uber Eats. Customers can also order from their catering menu for large events.
Ali Baba’s Kitchen is offering two prix fixe menus for Hamden Restaurant Week– a lunch menu and a dinner menu. Both menus include appetizers, entreé and desserts.
Customers have the option to choose from hummus and pita or falafels with tahini sauce for the appetizers in the $20 prix fixe menu. A lemon chicken wrap and a falafel sandwich serve as the entreé options.
The $25 dinner menu features chicken skewers and samosas for the appetizers, then the choice between a lemon chicken bowl or a gyro bowl for the entreé.
Both menus offer baklava and coconut cake for dessert.
Though the prix fixe menu is only offered for a limited time, its regular menu has items that you would not want to miss out on.
Freskos
Located at 2323 Whitney Ave., Freskos, established in 2016, is a fast-casual Greek-style restaurant that offers an array of choices including salads, gyros, sandwiches, soups and pizzas.
Freskos recently won the CT Mag Readers’ Poll as the best Greek restaurant in New Haven County.
You can also find Freskos on wheels throughout the Hamden area as it utilizes its mobile kitchen-on-wheels to bring its food across the region.
Its top-selling menu items include the chicken souvlaki Sandwich, classic gyro and the classic Greek salad.
Freskos is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m – 8 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Roishi Ramen:
Roishi Ramen offers customers a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Its modern interior design combined with warm lighting creates a coziness that sets the perfect scene for a laid-back evening out.
The menu has a wide variety of dining options that can satisfy any palate or craving. Ranging from small sushi plates to massive bowls of ramen, there is something for everyone.
Not only are there plenty of meals to choose from, the prices are reasonable and affordable. Roishi’s offerings primarily range from $6-$30.
The harumaki (vegetable spring rolls) was one of the menu items priced at $6. The crab rangoons were $7. A third $6, low-cost meal tried was the California roll.
The most jaw-dropping meal was the chicken fried rice. Roishi serves a massive portion – quite literally a mound of rice – for just $9.
Overall, Roishi is a great addition to the Hamden food scene. With its cozy atmosphere, great value prices, and pleasant customer service, it is a must-visit for anyone who loves Japanese cuisine.
Genki Japanese Cuisine
Located at 2300 Dixwell Ave. next to Edge Fitness Club, Genki Japanese Cuisine opened this past April and offers authentic sushi, tempura, soups and rolls.
Customers are greeted by a very friendly staff. The interior features a sushi bar along with Japanese-inspired tables and chairs.
The menu offers an all-you-choose option for both lunch ($15.99) and dinner ($21.99). Genki offers unique salads and specialty sushi rolls with various seafood and garnishes. There are also a number of stir fry, soup and sashimi options as well.
Customers may also choose to opt out of the all-you-can-choose option and order from the extensive menu of appetizers and traditional entrees. For dessert, it offers green tea ice cream as well as tempura ice cream.
It offers pickup through its website and delivery through Doordash and Uber Eats.
The prices are very reasonable and the all-you-can-choose option is a great deal for those who want to experience a number of cuisines.
In a very busy location, Genki Japanese Cuisine hopes to continue its early success.
Ixtapa- Mexican Restaurant and Cantina:
Since 2003, Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant and Cantina has brought friends and families together through good food and drinks. With warm lighting and booths full of laughter, Ixtapa is the perfect lunch and dinner spot to catch up with friends and enjoy some rice and beans.
Offering an extensive menu with all sorts of Mexican cuisine – ranging from shrimp vallarta salad to birria tacos– Ixtapa has options for everyone. Nut and shellfish allergy-friendly, the restaurant can be a favorite for the whole family.
After a friendly greeting, customers are provided with complimentary chips and salsa while they order drinks and food. Ixtapa is most popular for its multifaceted drink menu filled with 13 different flavored margaritas, which are offered in both single servings, pitchers and to-go.
The shrimp enchiladas ($20.99) were a flavorful, well-marinated shrimp filling wrapped in a corn tortilla surrounded by rice and beans. The sides partnered nicely with the entrees and with the complimentary chips and salsa.
Ixtapa also offers an array of appetizer options. The taquito bites ($15.99) were packed with flavorful meat, topped with house-made guacamole and sour cream.
The Ixtapa experience is one special to the Hamden community. Voted “Favorite Restaurant to Go to With Friends” two years in a row by the Quinnipiac University Student Choice Awards, students and community members enjoy their time spent at the restaurant and value its culture and cuisine.
Aunt Chiladas:
Aunt Chilada’s, more commonly known as “Aunchies” located at 3931 Whitney Ave, serves a combination of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.
Aunt Chiladas has everything from nachos appetizers to street tacos to tostadas. For an affordable price range, customers can attend happy hour Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. to enjoy the $3 a la carte taco or a $6 house margarita.
The beer-battered tacos ($16) came with enough food to feed everyone. The corn tortillas were packed with beer-battered, deep-fried cod, fresh pico de gallo, avocado and chipotle crema. The sides came with black beans and rice to bring together a tasty meal.
With excellent food, the restaurant serves as a staple for Mexican food in Hamden. Aunchies has a welcoming staff, great crowd and an outdoor patio to enjoy the sun in the warmer months. It serves as a great place to come together with family and friends to enjoy a nice meal and quality time.
Other than its food, Aunchies is known for its college parties. Friday nights, students from Quinnipiac University and other surrounding colleges go to Aunchies to have drinks and participate in many different themed parties to win prizes and giveaways.
Aunt Chilada’s serves as a great place for both college students and adults to come together and enjoy good food. A family friendly restaurant during the day turned college bar at night, Aunchies is the place to be.
Mojitos Latin Cuisine
Located at 1372 Dixwell Ave., Mojitos Latin Cuisine is a Latin restaurant with menu items ranging from empanadas, soup, rice and deserts.
Throughout Hamden Restaurant Week, the restaurant offered a prefixed three-course menu for lunch and dinner.
Mojitos Latin Cuisine is open Monday-Saturday noon-9:30 p.m., extending to 10 p.m. on Saturdays. The restaurant is open from noon- 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Ibiza Tapas and Wine Bar
Located at 1832 Dixwell Ave., Ibiza Tapas and Wine Bar offers a wide-ranging menu of Spanish cuisine, pairing with an extensive wine list.
Officially opened in Jan. 2018, Ibiza’s menu includes items from seafood risotto, rib steak, scallops and octopus.
The restaurant also has an extensive full-bar menu with beer and cocktails.
Ibiza’s also offers patio seating during the summer months. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. It also offers a brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
The Playwright Irish Pub and Restaurant
Located on 1232 Whitney Ave., The Playwright Irish Pub is an authentic Irish pub serving classic Irish food items.
You’ll find everything from potato leeks, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and bangers and mash. You’ll also find your pub classics, like chicken wings, burgers and mac and cheese.
The restaurant also has staple drinks from Irish whiskeys, gins and Guinness.
The Playwright also hosts banquets and caters events. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 2- 11 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
