Claire’s Corner Copia

I had heard so much about this place before I went. I was so happy to finally come in and have a meal!
I had the BLT which was good, but I wished the «bacon» cooked a little more. I buy that same type of seitan «bacon» and I like it a little more crispy.
The real star here is the Lithuanian coffee cake — HOLY COW… it is delicious… so cinnamon-​y and chock full of raisins… I want to eat some right now!
They have a bunch of deli items also that are ready to go as well as coffee and smoothies.
I would for sure go back and try more things!

Claire’s is a must-​go place for any New Haven visitor, especially vegetarians and vegans! They have a huge menu, and the staff is always really friendly. Claire herself is also often around.
I’ve really liked their Corner Copia Grande burrito, Tostada Frijoles, and California Burger. However, I almost always get the Roasted Organic Vegetable Sandwich on a baguette with hummus, sometimes (usually) with a chocolate loaf.
Also, Claire’s cakes have become a birthday staple. Their vegan chocolate cake with strawberries and strawberry icing is literally the best cake I’ve ever had.

Friendly when you walk in. Girls were very knowledgeable. Went for breakfast and had the Tofu scramble, and the vegan breakfast sandwich. Was soy sausage with avacado, arugula drizzled with chili vinaigrette on house made bread both were awesome !
Asks got the vegan chili to go –with lentil and kale on the side. One downside was it was salty for my liking. The chili was good and not spicy.
Will definitely return. Thank you ;)

I took my husband to Claire’s for his birthday and were very happy with the amazing food selection. Our cashier was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our food was outstanding. I had the California burger with vegan cheese and guac and my husband had the portobello parm. with roasted vegetables.
The carrot cake was outstanding!
We will definitely visit again.

The food was actually pretty decent. And it’s nice having all those vegetarian options.
However, the place is really run down and is in need of a serious renovation. It’s not very clean and things are just really cheap.
The people behind the counter seemed clueless and were spilling drinks all over the countertop and were moving pretty slow.
I ordered one egg sandwich, and waited 20 minutes for it. At the 15 minute mark, I went back up to the counter to ask about it and it was pretty busy. I stood there waiting to ask someone but they all ignored me and kept trying to keep up with their work.
It has potential, just needs a complete makeover and efficient employees.

Wow. I am surprised by the 3 star rating. Not my experience at all. Was an hour early for a business meeting so stopped off to grab a coffee and bite to eat. After wandering around the city for a while looking for a Starbucks. Very friendly staff and super tasty vegan food. I went for a couple of coconut macaroons (not vegan) and a coffee. And a soy-​bacon BLT to go. The sandwich was delicious. The macaroons out of this world. Glad I stumbled across this cool little spot.

Worst place I’ve ever eaten at. The food took forever to come after a long wait to order. I ordered a chai tea and it was under sweetened and had extreme amounts of cinnamon. I ordered Vodka Pasta, which is usually a creamy dish, but nope, it was dry, with no vodka sauce whatsoever, and hard. I also had a cannoli which instantly broke apart when I tried to take a bite. I did not like the service at all and I will not be returning.

Great selection of organic food. I went for the pizza and the cheese was to die for! So fresh-​honestly the best cheese I’ve had in my life. I like that the crust was super thin too.
We went on Sunday at 6:30 pm, and it was super busy, which makes sense.
The one thing I didn’t like was that you needed to ask an employee for a key to use the bathroom. Since it was so busy it was a little frustrating. During crazy times they should leave it out so people can wash their hands before eating (nurse pet peeve).

Great little cozy place for lunch. It took a while for the food to come out, but definitely worth the wait. I got a mediterranean salad, hubby ordered a grilled cheese florentine.

A friend recommended that I go to Claire’s Corner Copia to try the Lithuanian coffee cake. Let me say, the trip was worth it. The coffee cake is moist and buttery. The cinnamon and nut filling has some sort of date/​raisin/​fig (?) mixture and it’s just wonderful. In addition to the cake, I got an iced Chai latte which was also good. I will say that they put real chai seasonings into the latte, so it’s a bit spicy and grainy. However, if you like the taste of a real chai, then this will not deter you. I will definitely be visiting again. Next time, for a meal.

So so so so so so so good.
Came here on a Monday night, before a show at the College St Theater.
It’s a little pricey, but the portions are HUGE. The staff is well educated in many dietary issues. The offering just made my heart sing! It’s always fun to find a place I can eat just about everything at. I also wanted EVERYTHING in the bakery case.
I had the Sheppard’s pie. It came with a mock beef, that was tender and tasty, and capped with sweet potatoes. I also had a glass of unsweetened black tea. Capped all of that off with a Cannoli (Fresh filled right then.) I took home probably half of my pie, and I split a salad with my dinnermate and we took home a good part of that too. Both of our entrée’s came with a mini loaf of fresh baked bead (which was gone so quickly.)
I was full, and happy on a cold rainy day. My part of the tab came to about $ 15.
Fresh. Friendly. Filling.

This spot is definitely popular for those looking for an up-​casual place to snag a bite and catch up. The tables turned over quickly, but it did always seem packed. It has a quirky and fun vibe.
Some friends and I grabbed a few muffins and got a seat. Unfortunately, at the time, the only table we could get was by the bathroom in the back. There was a slow but steady stream of non-​patrons who were coming in to use the bathroom. This is not the seat I recommend.
The muffins were ok. One was solid, but the other was way too dry, and we couldn’t finish it.
Their menu is large, though, and I’d be interested in trying something else — but maybe I would take it to go.

Only recently in 2014, Claire’s dipped its toes into the 21^st Century and increased its proportion of vegan entrées, as well as began offering vegan cheese as an option to all its cow cheese dishes. Until now, you could substitute cow cheese with blah tofu.
Most other vegan reviewers berate this place, which I can understand, but I would rate it «fair» rather than «terrible.» You simply must pick and choose wisely from among its extensive menu. On the plus side, you can view some of the standard entrees and most of the specials in a display case near the registers, and doing so is more edifying than the inscriptions on the wall boards. You can sometimes judge these books by their covers. For instance, the nut loaf with mashed potatoes looks much better than it sounds, and tastes even better than it looks!
The noise level inside compares to a college dining hall, and the seating is cramped and uncomfortable, so don’t bring your date here. But if you sit by a window you can enjoy the view of the Yale University and New Haven community parading by, and thereby take your mind off the sometimes bland, industrial-​quality food, in which case you can actually enjoy sitting here.

Love Claire’s! It’s a nice cozy restaurant with a good amount of seating, lovely artwork and it’s own little quirks that add to the theme of a small family-​owned vegetarian/​vegan restaurant in downtown New Haven.
Their display cases are inundated with delicious vegan and vegetarian baked goods like cookies, brownies, cupcakes and delicious v-​buttercream frostings. Next to those are the real beans n’ potatoes (no meat here!) of the restaurant. From light dishes like gourmet organic salads to hearty options like vegan lasagna, casseroles and more.
My favorite here is the green goodness cookie and the lemon cake with vegan buttercream frosting.
It is easy to see why the local commuters and students have fallen in love with this reputable establishment as everything from their excellent level of service to their food to the atmosphere is just perfect for pretty much any casual occasion.

Claire’s is a New Haven staple that likely survives due to its proximity to Yale. It’s the only vegetarian eatery in the area and it lives up to its reputation. It’s got a very San Francisco organic, vegan, locally sourced, fresh, [insert buzzword here] vibe. I can get kale and chia seeds in my smoothie without anyone judging me.
It is heaven on earth for anyone with dietary restrictions. To all of my lactose intolerant compadres, you too can have blended drinks without paying extra for substitutions. (If you’re putting vegetables in and don’t want to taste them, I would suggest getting pineapple juice as a base – it is sweet enough to overpower). I was also finally able to eat out at the same place with two of my friends – one of whom is vegetarian, the other has celiac disease. We all had a great brunch.
There’s a personal touch to every element of this restaurant. Items are well labeled and hand lettered, but still completely legible. Their pastries and breads give me life. Fresh baked every morning with coconut milk (heads up to anyone with coconut allergies). And Claire herself is wonderful to talk to.
The only downside is that baked goods tend to be more expensive here. I don’t mind paying extra for quality, but Panera is nearby and also a decent option.

Been here several times as it has many options for my vegan hubby.
Place is always packed. You get in line by the dessert cases, Danger! Danger! many luscious looking options there even though I always say I’m going to forgo the desert they are too good to pass up and waiting in line in front of them always melts my resolve. After placing your order you take a seat and wait for your food to be delivered to your table. My favorite entrée is the grilled vegetable platter which is available over rice or over spinach I usually opt for the spinach (more room for dessert)

Up-​ing my review. New Haven, you’re creating a soft spot in my heart. The longer I live here, the more I appreciate any long-​standing establishments — no easy feat in this city. Claire just celebrated her 40^th anniversary with this place and it was so adorable. I’ve also eaten here a few more times since the last review, so I have a better understanding of the food.
Everything really does have a homemade taste and feel about it. The best thing is that you know what you’re getting is healthy and made with the best ingredients. No, you are not going to get the world’s best, most authentic quesadilla here (as an example), but it will definitely be tasty and comforting.
A lot of people rave about the desserts, especially the Lithuanian coffee cake. The desserts are certainly good. Again, this is not a French bakery (considering a lot of it is gluten free, non-​dairy, vegan, etc etc etc) — picture more like what maybe your grandmother might make.
It’s hard for me to verbalize exactly what I’m getting at, but I think with Claire’s you’re not just really getting food, you’re getting an *experience* and the satisfaction of supporting a local business. And sometimes, that’s really what you need.

Congratulations to Claire’s on turning 40 this month. I ate my first lunch there in reverse order, inhaling a gluten free Lithuanian coffee cake cupcake as my first course. The creamy dollop of frosting is delicious, but the cake itself isn’t overly sweet. Not sure what flour blend they used to make it gluten free, but it was darn good.
Alas the veggie burger that followed was a bit of a let down. I ordered the American, with cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, and onion. The bun itself is a monolith – too large, dry, not very flavorful. The patty itself was pretty good, but lacking an umami salty kick that you usually want when you have a burger craving (veggie or meat). Veggie burgers have come a long way in 40 years, and they don’t have to be so stodgy. My overall advice? Head straight to dessert!

Stopped by on day trip with friends who went to Yale back in the day and had dreams about the Lithuanian coffee cake. It didn’t look very special, but it was moist and the frosting was surprisingly delicious (I don’t consider myself a frosting enthusiast). The day was super hot so I also got a blueberry lemonade blend which I ASSUMED would be an ice blended beverage, but ended up just being a lemonade with blueberries added. No blended ice. Boooo.
Popular place. I like that there’s no minimum order to use your credit card.

In all the years I’ve frequented this place (since a teenager), I have always found the energy off. I suppose it’s the patrons or something. But it’s not a warm, cozy, inviting feeling where you want to stay and linger. It’s shovel in my food and get out.
I started coming years back because of the vegetarian options. In this day and age though, they pale in comparison to true vegan /​vegetarian establishments out there. I still appreciate the salads with some soy chicken. The vegetarian dishes here always leave me too full and feeling bloated.
The dessert case is inviting and delicious but then again, I don’t feel good after eating.
Waiting for my salad to arrive to get in and out and away from the annoying crowd. It’s especially irksome today being Yale’s graduation.