Food

A close up of small tomatoes on a vine and bundles of radishes.

Food Forward: The Elm City’s Food Scene

Discovering all of the ways to engage with food in New Haven is one of the most exciting parts of getting to know the city. Beyond the delicious restaurants that source from sustainable farms and suppliers, there are many ways to get involved in the New Haven food community. Learn more about growing, buying, and eating below.

Growing

Community gardensA close up on a raised bed with sprouting green seedlings.

Community gardens are places where individuals have their own plot in the larger area. Each person is responsible for their own plot and takes home all the produce they grow. Request a place to garden at Gather New Haven.

Planting your own garden

Interested in planting your own vegetables outside of a community garden? You should start by testing the soil.

  • If your soil is contaminated, don’t worry! You can still plant fruits and vegetables in raised beds.
  • Do you want to build your own raised bed? Learn how to build a raised garden bed, and reach out with any questions to Make Haven, a local makerspace in New Haven.

Raising chickensFour chickens standing in a line and pecking at the ground.

Did you know that New Haven law allows you keep up to six hens in your backyard? If you like eggs, you might think about raising chickens in your backyard. The Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association has Local Poultry Resources to check out.

Other resources

Yale University has several great resources for people who want to learn more about food systems and agriculture.

  • The Yale Sustainable Food Program (YSFP) is an organization on campus that has a one-acre sustainable farm. They host speakers, provide internship and fellowship opportunities, and have volunteer days.
  • The Yale West Campus Farm has similar programming to YSFP, but is based at Yale’s West Campus. The West Campus Farm also has volunteer days.

Buying

Farmers’ markets

A bundle of small articles and a bundle of carrots with tops still attached sitting on a table next to a crate with zucchini in it.Going to farmers’ markets is a great way to buy fresh produce, locally prepared foods, and get to know local producers in New Haven County. City Seed, a New Haven non-profit, organizes farmers’ markets all over the city.

CitySeed offers double value for SNAP (food stamps) customers. Ask them at the information stand at the farmers’ market.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Subscribing to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a great way to support farmers in Connecticut and eat healthy, delicious food that’s in season. As a customer, you pay upfront at the beginning of the farming season (~April) and then pick up your CSA from the farm, farmers’ market, or another predetermined location each week. Some farms even deliver. You get fresh and diverse produce each week, and the farmer gets some security that they will have a source of income throughout the season. LocalHarvest allows you to search for CSAs available near you.

Grocery Stores

Don’t have the time to make it to the farmers’ market? There are several grocery stores in town that offer organic and local produce and products.

  • Edge of the Woods (379 Whalley Avenue) is New Haven’s main natural food grocery store. They’ve got bulk ingredients, a large selection of organic produce, and a variety of sustainable and healthy brands.
  • Elm City Market is a natural foods coop located downtown (777 Chapel Street). They source a lot of regional and local produce and carry many healthy and sustainable brands.
  • Stop&Shop (150 Whalley Avenue) is part of a chain of grocery stores in the northeastern United States. Make sure to check out their Nature’s Promise line, an in-house brand for organic and natural foods.

Eating

Restaurants

If you’ve spent any time in New Haven, you know that there are more good restaurant options than you can count. The restaurants listed below make a particular effort to source from sustainable and local sources as well as emphasize plant-based dishes on their menus. Check out their websites to learn more.

  • Claire’s Cornercopia– your local vegetarian eatery.
  • Harvest– a modern American restaurant serving local and organic food.
  • Heirloom– a farm to table restaurant that sources from local farms.
  • An image of a hand pouring a pink-colored smoothie onto a bowl of fresh fruit.Junzi– a fast casual Northern Chinese restaurant with many vegetarian options.
  • Koffee?– local coffee shop that offers zero waste catering.
  • Ninth Square Market Too– a Carribbean restaurant offering an extensive vegan menu.
  • Oak Haven– a farm to table restaurant that sources from many Connecticut farms.
  • Salsa Fresca– a fast casual Mexican restaurant with many vegetarian options.
  • And more! Be sure to explore on your own.

Personal Choices

In addition to shopping and eating at the markets and restaurants in this guide, changing what you eat can also make a difference. Eating more plants and less meat and dairy products makes a big impact on your personal carbon footprint. But you don’t have to go totally vegetarian to make a difference. Try skipping meat one day a week, making a plant-based dish your main course, or eating dairy-free products. The Reducetarian Foundation has some good tips on how to balance your diet to make plant-based foods the center piece and animal products the side dish. And here are some good vegetarian cooking blogs: Cookie and Kate, The First Mess, A Couple Cooks, and Oh She Glows.

Conventional farming uses pesticides that can be harmful when consumed. Organic farming prohibits the use of these pesticides. Some foods retain more pesticides than others, so a good first step is learning what foods are in the “Dirty Dozen” (e.g. contain more pesticide residue than others) and buying those fruits and vegetables from the organic section. The Environmental Working Group also has a list of the Clean 15, fruits and vegetables with the lowest amounts of pesticide residues.

Minimize food waste at the source by buying only what you will need. In addition to saving money on the food that you would be throwing out, you’re decreasing your environmental impact. If food waste were its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. Want to learn more about composting in New Haven? Check out the recycling and composting section of this site.

Bring your own coffee mug, bag, and Tupperware when possible. Most coffee shops will give you a discount if you bring your own mug. Don’t forget to ask!

Interested in getting more involved in food activism in New Haven? Visit the New Haven Food Policy Council website to learn more.

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