<p>DS has at last accepted a job in West Haven and will be moving up there in the next month. He hopes to live in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven, though other suggestions would be welcome. Best places to shop? Anything else?</p>
<p>Modern Apizza. Don’t have to wait outside like for Pepe’s. </p>
<p>New Haven has a bunch of decent restaurants downtown and around Yale. And a goodly amount of character. If he checks out some of the coffee houses, etc., he’ll find whatever community he’s looking for. That area, from the Rock itself to downtown along Whitney, Orange, State is interesting. </p>
<p>Shopping? It’s America. Just about any store is in a strip center or mall nearby. Is there a specific question?</p>
<p>What does he need? There is an IKEA in New Haven. Within a short drive, there is just about any other retail establishment you can think of.</p>
<p>I was thinking of local hardware or other stores (as opposed to big box), farmers’ markets or good grocers. I guess that’s the sort of the stuff I’d want to know. Any other neighborhoods that might be reasonable for housing. Thanks for the pizza tip. :)</p>
<p>There’s a farmers market in Wooster Square that’s open - Saturdays, I think - most of the year and other farmers markets more in season. </p>
<p>The Wooster Square area is another neighborhood to consider though I’d prefer the first choice. On top of other advantages, as you may already know, you can get on and off the freeway very easily from the Whitney, Orange, State side of downtown. (BTW, Pepe’s, Sally’s, etc. are on Wooster Street, which as you can imagine is around the corner from the square.)</p>
<p>As for local stores, you have to try around Yale, particularly on Chapel Street and the streets around there up past Park, etc. So for example, there are cute gift stores, etc. If you want traditional mens clothing, there’s J.Press on York, with more stores in that stretch around Broadway and over toward the law school. </p>
<p>There’s always the Anchor Bar on College Street. Its outside is from the 1940’s. Not quite the dive it was but still.</p>
<p>And if he goes to the Wooster Square market, he can go to Pepe’s or The Spot right behind it, followed by Italian ices and cookies at Libby’s next door.</p>
<p>DH grew up in NH and visits his mother several times a year but their house is in a different end of town so he doesn’t know the local stores. He does say that he’s heard more and more young people are moving into downtown New Haven. He can’t think of any neighborhoods outside the downtown/Yale area, certainly not in West Haven. And the restaurants he knows (other than pizza) are the ones his 96 year old mother likes. So probably not for your son! For everyday kinds of shopping, the Boston Post Road will have just about everything.</p>
<p>Thanks! That is all very helpful.</p>
<p>Alas, the local East Rock hardware store is gone. It became a restaurant of which there are several within walking distance, along with grocery stores, and a pharmacy/postal substation. </p>
<p>East Rock is a wonderful place to live, and .5 to 1 mile to downtown. Rents for a 1 bedroom are around $1,000 monthly. </p>
<p>Other places to consider are the Wooster Square area (around the corner from Sally’s and Pepe’s) and downtown itself. Westville is also nice but not walkable to downtown. If you live near Westville Village, you get your own set of shops.</p>
<p>OP, is he going to have a car?</p>
<p>The East Rock neighborhood is a great choice - filled with young people and young families, often walking or riding bikes. There are lots of little restaurants and corner grocery stores, and it has the advantage of being close to downtown New Haven. </p>
<p>I’m assuming he has a car if he’s working in West Haven. For grocery shopping, he can probably get better prices at one of the larger chain stores, either in West Haven, or if he ventures a mile or two north to Hamden. </p>
<p>He should work out an alternate route to work that avoids the I91-I95 merge, as that can get nasty if there’s an accident during rush hour. There are multiple routes using surface streets but it would be helpful if he could find them in advance of needing to be there at a specific time.</p>
<p>Yes, he will have a car but is hoping to commute by bike when weather permits. Thanks all. :)</p>
<p>There are some great places to eat near Yale.
Absolutely figure out alternates to 91/95.
Other neighborhoods to check out include Milford and Stratford. Lots of shopping in Milford.</p>
<p>East Rock is one of those interesting looking older neighborhoods with young people and older Victorian homes and intriguing shops and restaurants. It’s not far from the Yale Bowl – which is how I stumbled across it leaving a lacrosse game at Yale a few years ago.</p>
<p>To be clear, Yale Bowl and the athletic fields are out Chapel Street northwest of downtown. Mile and a half or so from Yale. Gets kind of quiet out there.</p>
<p>East Rock is not Yale. And not (IIRC) walking distance to Yale Bowl and athletic fields. But I have to say it looked like a really cool part of the world when I was driving through it trying to find the Merritt Parkway because I took a wrong term. (The best way to discover new places IMO)</p>
<p>For recreational biking, he will no doubt enjoy East Rock Park which abuts the neighborhood. There’s lots of biking activity in New Haven - this weekend they had the rock-to-rock ride between East Rock and West Rock (there was an 8 mile or a 20 mile option) which includes over 1000 riders who raise funds for a variety of local “green” causes.</p>
<p>It’s a great run up East Rock. I never ran up West Rock.</p>
<p>“he can go to Pepe’s or The Spot right behind it, followed by Italian ices and cookies at Libby’s next door.”</p>
<p>This actually has become family’s ritual during our trips to New Haven. </p>
<p>East Rock area is full of young people and local shops, and safe.</p>