Four Truly New Haven First Date Spots

So you’ve found someone to go on a date with you. First, pat yourself on the back, because that’s impressive. You’ve scoured dating apps, begged your friends, whatever. Now you’re going to need to meet somewhere, because you don’t know, this person could be a serial killer. And with the state of queer dating in New Haven, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Theoretically there are a lot of options for a date, but it truly depends on a couple of things:

  • Length of date
  • How hungry you are
  • Do you want to get drunk (or even tipsy)

Claire’s Corner Copia

Mmmm fake meat.

When you’re underemployed and hoping that you’re going to find that special someone, you’ll probably say yes to a 3:00 pm coffee date at Claire’s Corner Copia.

3:00 pm is a weird time for a date, so you’re hungry. My advice is to get there first, so you have the pleasure of awkwardly waiting and looking at your phone to see if the person that’s sitting there is the person you were hoping to meet. 

Either way, you grab your food (not a coffee because one, you hate coffee, and two, you haven’t eaten lunch) and you have to wait for her to get her coffee and then you sit. 3:00pm on a Tuesday isn’t a crowded time for Claire’s, so you’re able to stay for a couple of hours. 

Claire’s Ranking: ★★★★ out of ★★★★★

Yale Art Gallery

Maybe, just maybe, you have a Sunday off. So you arrange to go to the Yale Art Museum to see the exhibit on Indigenous art. Super cool, right?

No. It’s awkward trying to make conversation when you’re in a quiet museum and security guards are trying to make sure that you don’t touch the art. Understandable, but it makes for a weird atmosphere. 

(Also, I want to touch the art.)

Yale Art Gallery Ranking: ★ out of ★★★★★, mostly because there isn’t an open bar and I can’t touch the art

Barcade

You have to provide your own hipsters, though.

Once in awhile, you ask the person you are going to meet up with where they want to go. Your date suggests Barcade.

You’ve only been to Barcade once, but this is before you got really jaded, so you agree. You’re not really interested in playing games, just hanging out, so you suggest ” Oh, why don’t we sit at the bar.”

Somehow, you manage to pay for the other women’s drink and because its happy hour you seem nice without actually having to pay a ton of money. (thanks Barcade) Thankfully, you have a good conversation and don’t actually have to play any of the arcade games. 

Barcade Ranking: ★★★★ out of ★★★★★

Koffee?

When you’ve first gotten back to town and you met someone that you have a lot of mutual connections with, the only place to go is Koffee? 

Koffee? is a beautiful spot with great chai lattes and lots of options for food. They even do alcohol at night time. What a score!  You get there early, get your drink and make sure you know what the person looks like. 

They arrive, and after the initial fuss over getting drinks and confirming connections, you chat, and finally you leave together in search of good pizza. 

Because any date worth going on in New Haven, no matter who you are trying to connect with, has to end in pizza.

Koffee? Ranking: ★★★★★ out of ★★★★★ (of course)

Whether you are secretly having a date while hanging out with your family or trying to fit your second date into your busy schedule, dating is tough, so good luck out there.

1 thought on “Four Truly New Haven First Date Spots”

  1. You are way wrong. Have you ever been on a date? I bet you’re single. Who goes to the yale art gallery? I’d rather watch my mother beg for mercy. Obviously the best spot is Toads Place, followed by your mom’shouse or where you live currently aka the same place. I hope you’re not offended by my post, I’m currently listening to rap music which is making me aggressive. So take it.

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