Havenly

What was advertised vs what I got were two very different things. The meatballs were so overcooked that I could barely cut them. The rice was good, I will say that. Where is the sauce though? I added tzatziki on top of the meatballs to try to add some moisture but you can't taste any spices in it either. Even a little salt would have gone a long way. I also got the side house salad and it was a flop. The menu looks great, I think there are just some little improvements that could've made things better.

Havenly is one of those places I passed by so often while I was in downtown New Haven and wondered what they served - I always thought the sign was unique but didn’t know a thing about them. We finally made a visit and I’m so glad we did - I had no idea that our meal would be towards a greater purpose! I really loved the space itself. It was super cozy, bright, and inviting. The juices we had were very fresh, and the baklava was a stand out. The wraps were delicious, and all of the menu items were healthy and nourishing. Though overall I feel that I’ve had better Middle Eastern food, everything was still good, and to me, it’s worth it to go knowing that I’m supporting a non-profit with a learning environment. Love this cause and I’m so glad I finally know what Havenly is all about!

Havenly isn’t just a café—it’s a mission-driven space rooted in empowerment, culture, and community. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the care behind every detail. Chef Nieda, inspired by her journey from Iraq to Syria to Turkey and now New Haven, creates wholesome, healthy meals that reflect the love she put into cooking for her own children. The food is flavorful, comforting, and deeply nourishing. It’s amazing to support a place that not only serves delicious Middle Eastern-inspired dishes but also uplifts refugee and immigrant women in the process. If you're in New Haven, this spot is an absolute gem.

Our food here was great as was the tea and baklava, the service and presentation was also fantastic. Love the mission behind the restaurant as well. Will definitely be back again

It feels good to eat here. The food is delicious and it’s for a good cause. We tried one of each thing on the menu and they were all good. I especially enjoyed the lentil soup.

Havenly is such a gem! The space is beautifully decorated, creating a warm and welcoming vibe. The food is fresh, flavorful, and reasonably priced—definitely worth it. I especially loved the baklava, which was absolutely delicious. What makes this place even better is that they support a meaningful cause, so you can feel good about your visit. I’ll definitely be back!

Very fresh food. I ordered falafel and hummus. It was super fresh and tasted good. I would suggest to add salt and some more flavor, it will take it to really next level. Vibe of the place is super cool. Also place is run for the very good cause. Highly recommend! Good veg, vegan and gluten free options.

Such a wonderful restaurant with a wonderful mission in downtown New Haven. The food from the cafe alone is worth your while, but the fact that it supports the community makes it even better. I wish I was local so I could make this my weekly spot (so enjoy a meal for me!).

Amazing!! I wish I had tried Havenly sooner. From DoorDash we ordered two chicken wraps, falafel, babaganoush, tzatziki, grape leaves, hummus, and a few desserts. Even sent through DoorDash, the quality was spectacular and everything was warm and presentable. I'd order everything again in a heartbeat-- the tzatziki, falafel, grape leaves, and the chicken wraps were particular highlights. Amazing value, great portions. I look forward to visiting the cafe in person soon!

I absolutely love the mission of this nonprofit café. I had a hard time choosing from the menu but landed on some stuffed vegetables with pomegranate molasses and rice. It was served with a very fresh yogurt. I also had a date covered in pistachio dessert that tasted like a chocolate truffle. Lastly, I tried the cardamom tea, which was extremely strong and gave me energy for the whole afternoon. My apologies for not remembering the exact names, but everything was delicious.

Delicious! Cozy atmosphere. Friendly service. I don't live in the area or I'd make it a regular spot to dine out.

Havenly isn't just a café--it's a mission-driven space rooted in empowerment, culture, and community. From the moment you walk in, you can feel the care behind every detail. Chef Nieda, inspired by her journey from Iraq to Syria to Turkey and now New Haven, creates wholesome, healthy meals that reflect the love she put into cooking for her own children. The food is flavorful, comforting, and deeply nourishing. It's amazing to support a place that not only serves delicious Middle Eastern-inspired dishes but also uplifts refugee and immigrant women in the process. If you're in New Haven, this spot is an absolute gem.

Great spot to fill up for lunch or early dinner. Restaurant had authentic music, wasn't noisy, was spacious with comfy seats including sofas. The hummus was creamy, and the grape leaves were flavorful. Vegan options available. Plenty of basmati rice with veggies and potatoes with almonds in the New Haven bowl.

Ebay excellent cooking. The chef id outstanding Middle eastern food with fresh ingredients . Supports a good cause too

I love EVERYTHING about Havenly from their mission, to their food, to the vibe inside. I wish I lived in New Haven because it would definitely be a place I visited more often. Havenly is a true community where refugee and immigrant women can feel safe, heard, and loved. The employees are a part of the program as well. The menu is written in the wall beautifully and there are photos of the owner Nieda and students throughout the years. We got Nieda's chicken wrap, the Istanbul street bites, Turkish coffee, carrot juice, and baklava. They had a sign out front saying their baklava was the best so naturally we had to try it! I have to be clear and say everything was phenomenal! The chicken wrap had the perfect chicken to hummus ratio. The flavors combined so well and it was filling. The Istanbul street bites... oh, wow. I love the burek. I want a burek all the time now, not even kidding. The dough is amazing!! It's so crisp in the outside yet soft on the inside and the flavors of the meat are just right too. It comes with fries and I got tzatziki. The baklava was perfect!! Not dry or too flaky but the perfect crunch! The carrot juice was perfectly sweet and refreshing, it's probably in my top 2 of the ones I've tried. I've never had Turkish coffee so this was an experience. I loved how rich the flavor was but was definitely shocked by the coffee left at the bottom. While it was yummy, I don't think it's something I'd pair with lunch in the reg. All in all, this is such a wonderful space in New Haven. Everyone on the staff is so kind and I really applaud Nieda for all that she's doing to help her community. Check it out!

So glad we stumbled upon this wonderful, centrally located cafe. Great vibe, food, and mission. "Havenly's mssion is to build the community power of women seeking refuge from colonized or occupied lands." Wow. Great place to work and meet people.

Havenly is one of those places I passed by so often while I was in downtown New Haven and wondered what they served - I always thought the sign was unique but didn't know a thing about them. We finally made a visit and I'm so glad we did - I had no idea that our meal would be towards a greater purpose! I really loved the space itself. It was super cozy, bright, and inviting. The juices we had were very fresh, and the baklava was a stand out. The wraps were delicious, and all of the menu items were healthy and nourishing. Though overall I feel that I've had better Middle Eastern food, everything was still good, and to me, it's worth it to go knowing that I'm supporting a non-profit with a learning environment. Love this cause and I'm so glad I finally know what Havenly is all about!

The staff/service was wonderful. Food was delicious and the restaurant was very cozy with comfortable chairs. Definitely a place where you can meet up with friends for a meal.

Great service, vegetarian and meat options, coffee, juices, sides. They have it all. Decent prices l. Best of all, their mission is to "build the community power of women seeking refuge from colonized or occupied lands".

The food was excellent, I had the Istanbul Street bites. The burek was a new tasting experience. The mini baklava was drier than the Greek style one but still tasty. Yoghurt drink was refreshing though less ice would have been easier to sip.

I love the vibe and the mission! The space was a wonderful place to relax and catch up with a friend. The baklava was pretty good, as was my friend's wrap. We both ordered lattes and were disappointed to hear that they only had decaf espresso, so we switched to Turkish coffees. With a bit of milk and sugar, they were quite yummy! My only two complaints were that the food and drinks were quite slow to come out, even though we were the only people there, and they didn't refund us the $2 difference between the lattes we paid for and the coffees. Not a huge deal though, everything was good and I would come back!

The food is great! We ordered several bowls and the baba ghanoush was creamy and delicious. We enjoyed ourselves with the atmosphere and music. The mission is refreshing and humanistic. We were so happy! It brought joy.

Happy to have learned about this place. Great mission. Very nice people and professional interaction. Beautiful space. A nice addition to what always looks like a run down strip of under garage retail. They have a nice mix of traditional and not so traditional middle eastern dishes. To take out we got the falafel wrap, Mujaddara (Damascus Bowl) and a few desserts. Not a traditional falafel you get most places, it was chock full of falafel balls and was supposed to have hummus, Amba vegetables, tabbouleh and a cucumber, tomato, parsley mix. Unfortunately, my wrap had nothing other than falafel. It was extremely dry, but what was there was delicious. My wife was bit luckier and had some vegetables but still very dry. The wrap was missing a sauce of some type. The mujaddara was excellent. It came with a side of tzatziki sauce, which seemed odd, but it was excellent. For dessert we got Asabe, Nutella Asabe and Tamriych sesame and pistachio. All seemed fresh and were delicious. The hours are odd, closing at 7, but I hope to get back to sit in the wonderful space and enjoy a few more things including some of the tea, coffees and juices.

Havenly, which has a fascinating story and mission focused on refugee and immigrant women, was a great find today when my choices were to wait 80 minutes at Union Station between trains, or head downtown for some brief Instagramming then go right back. The baklava was outstanding. Could definitely envision a dessert-for-dinner situation here. The Arabic coffee was great. I was about to guess mint as an ingredient but after Googling I wonder if it was cardamom? The service was superb; they were welcoming and well-informed as I deliberated over the options. I hope to return soon for dinner items and various beverages like apple tea.

Great variety and price for a good cause! Had the Baghdad bowl with grape leaves, yoghurt drink, and baklava! Highly recommended!

I feel great about supporting this business and their mission. The falafel wrap and the asabe' were delicious. Service was so friendly and helpful. Cute, clean dining room.

Outstanding delicious food, nimble thoughtful creative organization, serving an important mission for New Haven!!

Great food, large portions, and good vibes! This place is known for their baklava, but their lunch/dinner fare is definitely worth a try as well:)

1. Ambiance What a beautifully decorated space in the heart of downtown New Haven. I was super impressed by the beautiful colors and charming decor. It was very spacious and so chic! 2. Service I was very well cared for! My food was made fresh in a timely fashion. I was acknowledged when I walked in with a warm friendly smile. All of my questions were answered and I felt like the staff wanted me to enjoy my experience. 3. Food The flavors and aromas were so inviting. Fresh ingredients, lovely packaging, and the marriage of flavors! The baklava just melts in your mouth. The potato and egg breakfast wrap delicous. The salads and wraps are so fresh. Please go and enjoy the whole experience!

Good food and good work being done for the community as well. Go and try ! Unusual combos and pleasant space

The mujaddara is SO good. It sounds plain, like what's so exciting about some lentils and bulgar? Um, everything. The spices and seasonings are perfection and the generous serving of caramelized onions give it sweetness and that char flavor. To top it off, the people working there were so incredibly sweet.

Love the mission of providing work for immigrant women. They were so sweet. It was a bit difficult to order because of the language barrier but we eventually got it right. The kids LOVED the burek and chicken sandwiches. I personally enjoyed my rice and meatballs. Come for a cute and cozy layout with some cultural decor and serve ware. Bathroom was clean too.

Tried this place out yesterday. Food was good and the staff were nice. Clean place too. Love the design.

Great background story fro Yale Daily News! https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2022/04/06/if-your-neighbor-is-hungry-the-tenacity-of-nieda-abbas/

I stopped by for a quick bite before my train. I really enjoyed the falafel: it was crispy on the outside and pillowy soft inside. Great seasoning. The hummus it came with was a bit too watery for my taste, but the ingredients tasted very fresh, not like old premade hummus. The baklava was too sweet I thought, but again it tasted simple, fresh, and homemade. The ambience is open, clean, and well lit with great music.

What a gem! Delicious food and experience for low price and best cause! All beverages and food are served fresh and in generous portions. We'll be back!

My wife and I went to havenly last week. We love food from that region, but our prime motivation was to bring business to a restaurant providing such heartwarming services. Helping women in difficult situations to help themselves is such a treat. The food, ambience, and people were wonderful! We had the Damascus Bowl, Baba Ghanoush, Mini Baklava, Asabe', Turkish Coffee, Anise Tea, plus another main dish the name of which I can't recall. The quality was excellent, the portions large, and the service attentive. We ate too much, but enjoyed every bite. We will definitely be going back.

Every time my partner, Suzanne and I are in New Haven, we ALWAYS make sure to get ourselves to Havenly. We love the space, the mission ("Havenly's mission is to build the community power of women seeking refuge from colonized or occupied lands."), the food, the coffee, and of course their delicious, sweet treats! The staff are equally amazing.

Thanks to Yelp, we found Havenly on a trip through the New Haven area, wanting an alternative to pizza or a fancy sit down restaurant. Havenly was heavenly. Read their mission and you'll already feel good and wholesome, but go there and Havenly will embody those virtues. We split the New Haven Bowl and the egg and potato wrap - both delicious. We also split the stuffed eggplant/zucchini, which was actually zucchini, tomato and pepper this night. (Missed having eggplant) It was good but not our favorite. The Masala fries were good but not terrific. Loved the carrot juice, baklava and another date-filled treat. The whole vibe is welcoming, humble, warm and completely unhurried. There are several cozy clean couches with coffee tables in front of them - perfect for conversation or even comfortable isolation like the guest we saw who was contentedly cozied up with her computer. I wish Havenly lasting success for all of its good will, really needed in the universe these days especially.

Large catering order(50 people). All of the food was fresh and tasty. Best hummus around IMO. Excellent for vegetarian options.

Microwaved chicken and flavorless hummus. Everything we ordered was devoid of salt. I have no idea if we caught them at a bad time or if the reviews are fake? Highly disappointing

One liner: Pretty good, though leave a margin for error with delivery. I really love the baklava and think it's the best in New Haven (yes, even better than Pistachio), and it's truly vegan to boot. All the food here tastes homemade in the best possible way. I feel a warm hug with every sip of soup, a chiding to not waste food with every bite of mujadara and it's ultimate comfort food. The portions are huge and you will have a lot of leftovers, making it an awesome value. Plus getting to support a small business that aids refugees is an extra bonus! Stop in to dine and know the food is just as good with take out, but sometimes the apps mess up, which is not the fault of these lovely people!

a stunning experience. a friend of mine had a private party here and they made her special day even more special. they catered beef sambousek, maaloubeh (chicken with rice layered), cucumber salad, date pastries, and their hot mint tea. we all forgot to take food pics because we couldn't wait to dive in. the ambiance is beautiful and home-like. at the end, i bought a rose and jasmine scented candle whose proceeds go towards their cause, and took some lentil soup to go with chopped carrots instead of pita as my side. it was the perfect light dinner after a heftier lunch. the consistency of the lentil soup was like my grandmother's. 10/10 recommendation.

Love this place! Ordered the carne asada burrito- huge and sooooo good! Also added the churros for a bit of sweetness-perfect toon! Can't wait to try more items!

Food was mediocre at best. Basmati rice and frozen peas with a fried drumstick on top. Yuck

A cute spot with great Turkish coffee and the BEST baklava. Delicate, but flavorful and crispy while tender. I highly recommend a stop just to experience this wonderful treat. I am also a big fan of Turkish coffee, which is not a common find in coffee shops. I was excited to be able to take one away and enjoy on my way home. A few tables and chairs with a counter facing the large window makes it a bright open spot for studying or working while partaking of their beverages and food. You can order online and there is a contactless kiosk near the door to place your order if you prefer. My only regret is not purchasing more baklava.

The best falafel and baklava I've ever had. The mission here is inspiring and we will be coming back again and again and again to support it.

Loved the cause and the food was very good too. We had delivery to our hotel so it would've been even better hot and fresh. I had the curry chicken - it didn't taste much like the curry I'm familiar with, but the rice was flavorful and the chicken was delicious - not at all dry. We also had the falafel wrap and beef pie thing (sorry I don't recall the name!) both got thumbs up.

Wonderful experience ordering catering for an event. Food was hot and ready on time and everyone loved it. The tabbouleh is sooo good!

Havenly is heavenly. The fantastic middle Eastern and Central asian food. The friendly service makes you feel like family. The progressive social mission of the business -- helping, training, mentoring, employing refugee women from middle east and Afghanistan. The convenient location in DTNH. Dina -- sales and communication director --is wonderful Hurry up and dine there or take out!!!!!

Gorgeous atmosphere with pretty furniture and great music. A very welcoming place that seems to really embody their mission of being a community cafe. Polite and friendly staff. Food was extremely good too-- I had some Burek, some baklava and their Iraqi Cardamom Tea, which were all just perfect. I was born and brought up in various locations around the Middle East, so I've had an absurd amount of baklava in my life, and this one still easily sticks out as one of the best. Very fresh and crispy, not too soaked in syrup, just how it should be.

Just ordered from here. The food was so amazing! Then I looked up the restaurant on the internet and found out that it is run by and is a training space for refugee women, which makes this restaurant even more amazing. Definitely will be returning and ordering a lot! It was so so good.

Havenly is amazing. It has friendly staff, great food, and an incredible mission. This is the kind of warm and inviting place where someone could spend a while enjoying the great food and ambiance. I was in a bit of a rush trying to catch a train, and I just happened to be walking by here on my way to the station, so I stopped in to get some food for later. The staff went above and beyond to make great conversation and food, and I can't thank them enough. I will also add, I run a student organization that has ordered from Havenly twice now for about $200 worth of desserts and treats. Each time, the quality has been amazing, and they have prepared the entire orders on time and to perfection. I can't wait to return to Havenly and to do more catering orders.

Everything was delicious and the service was amazing. I also love their mission! We enjoyed their falafel, Iraqi Veggie Bourak (so good!) and baklava and Nutella Asabe. It was all SO, SO good!

Can't believe it took so long to find this spot. First off the cafe space is so open, inviting and beautifully decorated. The most important point is the food is incredible!! I love middle eastern spices and food, have had my fair share of falafels but never a falafel like the one served here! It's a perfect mash up of such interesting tastes and spices. The baba ganoush is also outstanding!! I'm looking forward to trying the cardamom tea. My new favorite NH spot.

I ordered a gift box from here, and it was delivered promptly to my house the next day. The jams and baklava inside were absolutely delicious, and I love the way this business gives back to immigrant and refugee women. I love this business!

delicious and affordable food, cozy space, kind and hardworking women, and a heartwarming cause! ready to turn my first visit into a routine! and grateful they were so patient with my ill-practiced Arabic!