Fabulous food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. Noise was a bit loud, but being in a booth made all the difference. Our waiter was great, but very busy and he had a lot of tables so it took awhile to order. He was great after that - very attentive and many other helpers. Our 3rd time there and definitely my favorite spot in New Haven!!!
Alisson P.
I wish I had a pic of the lasagne.. everything there is amazing. Also, the gelato is just amazing, go for it! I do recommend this place!
Lauren H
We love it here- the staff/owners/chefs are so friendly and passionate about the place and it shows. We love that it’s different from the other options on Wooster street while still feeling right at home in the Italian neighborhood- handmade pastas, wood fired options, and don’t get me started on the desserts and cocktails (amazing- and love that they have NA options as well) beautiful ambiance, we can’t wait for the rooftop to open! Definitely our new date night spot.Vegetarian options: Stuffed acorn squash was great as well as pasta selections!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marissa Latshaw
Fabulous, authentic Italian food in a beautiful space. The entire staff is warm and friendly.Must order: the broccolini, any pasta dish…and save room for pistachio gelato. It is divine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mary Banas
It’s really cute inside—the photos I saw online before don’t do it justice. There is a small market inside with very aesthetically packaged Italian imports—great spot for finding a gift. We had a larger party and the service was impeccable. Our table ordered several different dishes off the brunch menu and they were all fantastic! The polenta was perfect. Your Italian grandmother will approve of the tomato sauce. The pizza has a thicker crust which is a nice compliment to the neighborhood. Gelato is rich & creamy, full of flavor. Highly recommend this place!Parking: The restaurant has a small lot off Wooster Street. (There’s a lot of Brown St that is private.)Street parking is 2 hour, free on Sundays. This is a residential neighborhood, so much of the street parking is zoned for that.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rigatoni Carbonara
DinnerDiner
We were there on a Sunday evening; it was quiet. I've heard Friday ms and Saturdays are very busy. All the staff was friendly and helpful. The small dishes were tasty and plentiful. The small pasta dishes were a perfect serving size. We enjoyed the wine selection by the glass; Howie was very knowledgeable in making recommendations.
Jen K.
I am not sure where to begin describing my 5 star experience. Maybe it starts with the passion from the owner, which trickled down to the staff but it's a rare occasion where I get to feel so much care and intention is put into every aspect of a dining experience. The food is fabulous AND they will always ask about allergies and will adapt accordingly. I had ordered a few appetizers to share with my date and really enjoyed my main course which was a butternut squash stuffed pasta. I hadn't had anything like that before and will be back soon for seconds. Special shout out to Victoria? I think that was my server. And Avi, the owner came and spoke to me about his extensive knowledge surrounding the plastic straw crisis and what he's doing to replace the use of plastic straws in his business. Because this place was packed I will say if you are hard of hearing this is not a place for you to enjoy a conversation with someone if it's busy. But this should be a go to place for your next date night.
BostonTravelLady
Gioia is a genuine joy. It is a lively but uplifted space. The food is really delicious. We liked having the option to order smaller portions. They were flexible in making a pasta dish vegetarian for me by substituting vegetables for pancetta. I have gone twice in two weeks and was delighted each time.
jarrett rousseau
From the moment we walked in we were treated like family. The server was awesome, drinks and food matched the service. Bathrooms are all gender which as a plumber I appreciate as it is a shared space that just works for everyone. A little extra was the leftovers were boxed and bagged and brought to the hostess station and we were given a coat check ticket. On our way out we handed the ticket to the hostess and she handed us out leftovers. First time I have seen it done this way and that kind of detail speaks volumes. Go, go now before it has a line out front!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Garlic Rolls, Panna Cotta
Margot Broom
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for!Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven.- and they have a parking lot!
I took the train from NYC to check out what the buzz was with Gioia. Amazing!!!! The colors, the decor, the vibe are all extraordinary. It was worth the train ride just for that feeling of fun in the air. Then, when the food came, broccolini, carrots, gnocchi cacio y pepe, how decadent. Everything was tasty with the right amount of flavor pop. The branzino whole fish presentation wowed me as it came to the table fully intact, yet fully deboned. The aromatic seasoning was pleasing on the pallet. I thought that was enough, until I tried the burnt honey Panna cotta. All the delicate flavors layered to perfection were a sensual intimate ending to a spectacular meal. This is a gem in the heart of New Haven that you don't want to miss. And I would go out of my way to have the same experience over and over again.Parking: Free ample parking
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Panna Cotta, Complimentary Garlic Knots
Catherine EatDrink & Explore
We have been talking about getting down to Gioia for a few months now! We finally made a reservation with some friends who had been there previously.The restaurant is beautiful! I love the cafe they have on the side as well.The bar is beautiful with high shelves showcasing bottles of spirits.We started with cocktails, I had the "for the bees" which I loved!we ordered a Gioia salad which we shared, it was a perfect shareable portion.For our entree we shared the 1/2 roasted chicken, it was a really great portion for 2 people to share! The chicken was juicy and flavorful, the potatoes were crispy and accompanied it well.I ordered some gelato for dessert, the hazelnuts in the hazelnut gelato was so good, and it was perfectly creamy!The 1 downfall I had was that they apply a split plate charge when they didn't do anything different to the dishes. We split it ourselves.I think that was a bit tacky to add a charge on the bill, I could understand if they actually split it on 2 separate dishes….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Margot B.
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for! Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven. - and they have a parking lot!
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for! Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven. - and they have a parking lot!
Caitlin
Our second time at Gioia! Extraordinary how consistently good almost everything on the menu is. We think this is the best restaurant in New Haven right now! In a time when most restaurants are understaffed, Gioia has a sizable number of people all working together to ensure everyone has a great time. Looking forward to our next visit!
Fabulous food, wonderful atmosphere and great staff. Noise was a bit loud, but being in a booth made all the difference. Our waiter was great, but very busy and he had a lot of tables so it took awhile to order. He was great after that - very attentive and many other helpers. Our 3rd time there and definitely my favorite spot in New Haven!!!
I wish I had a pic of the lasagne.. everything there is amazing. Also, the gelato is just amazing, go for it! I do recommend this place!
We love it here- the staff/owners/chefs are so friendly and passionate about the place and it shows. We love that it’s different from the other options on Wooster street while still feeling right at home in the Italian neighborhood- handmade pastas, wood fired options, and don’t get me started on the desserts and cocktails (amazing- and love that they have NA options as well) beautiful ambiance, we can’t wait for the rooftop to open! Definitely our new date night spot.Vegetarian options: Stuffed acorn squash was great as well as pasta selections!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fabulous, authentic Italian food in a beautiful space. The entire staff is warm and friendly.Must order: the broccolini, any pasta dish…and save room for pistachio gelato. It is divine!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It’s really cute inside—the photos I saw online before don’t do it justice. There is a small market inside with very aesthetically packaged Italian imports—great spot for finding a gift. We had a larger party and the service was impeccable. Our table ordered several different dishes off the brunch menu and they were all fantastic! The polenta was perfect. Your Italian grandmother will approve of the tomato sauce. The pizza has a thicker crust which is a nice compliment to the neighborhood. Gelato is rich & creamy, full of flavor. Highly recommend this place!Parking: The restaurant has a small lot off Wooster Street. (There’s a lot of Brown St that is private.)Street parking is 2 hour, free on Sundays. This is a residential neighborhood, so much of the street parking is zoned for that.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rigatoni Carbonara
We were there on a Sunday evening; it was quiet. I've heard Friday ms and Saturdays are very busy. All the staff was friendly and helpful. The small dishes were tasty and plentiful. The small pasta dishes were a perfect serving size. We enjoyed the wine selection by the glass; Howie was very knowledgeable in making recommendations.
I am not sure where to begin describing my 5 star experience. Maybe it starts with the passion from the owner, which trickled down to the staff but it's a rare occasion where I get to feel so much care and intention is put into every aspect of a dining experience. The food is fabulous AND they will always ask about allergies and will adapt accordingly. I had ordered a few appetizers to share with my date and really enjoyed my main course which was a butternut squash stuffed pasta. I hadn't had anything like that before and will be back soon for seconds. Special shout out to Victoria? I think that was my server. And Avi, the owner came and spoke to me about his extensive knowledge surrounding the plastic straw crisis and what he's doing to replace the use of plastic straws in his business. Because this place was packed I will say if you are hard of hearing this is not a place for you to enjoy a conversation with someone if it's busy. But this should be a go to place for your next date night.
Gioia is a genuine joy. It is a lively but uplifted space. The food is really delicious. We liked having the option to order smaller portions. They were flexible in making a pasta dish vegetarian for me by substituting vegetables for pancetta. I have gone twice in two weeks and was delighted each time.
From the moment we walked in we were treated like family. The server was awesome, drinks and food matched the service. Bathrooms are all gender which as a plumber I appreciate as it is a shared space that just works for everyone. A little extra was the leftovers were boxed and bagged and brought to the hostess station and we were given a coat check ticket. On our way out we handed the ticket to the hostess and she handed us out leftovers. First time I have seen it done this way and that kind of detail speaks volumes. Go, go now before it has a line out front!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Garlic Rolls, Panna Cotta
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for!Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven.- and they have a parking lot!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I took the train from NYC to check out what the buzz was with Gioia. Amazing!!!! The colors, the decor, the vibe are all extraordinary. It was worth the train ride just for that feeling of fun in the air. Then, when the food came, broccolini, carrots, gnocchi cacio y pepe, how decadent. Everything was tasty with the right amount of flavor pop. The branzino whole fish presentation wowed me as it came to the table fully intact, yet fully deboned. The aromatic seasoning was pleasing on the pallet. I thought that was enough, until I tried the burnt honey Panna cotta. All the delicate flavors layered to perfection were a sensual intimate ending to a spectacular meal. This is a gem in the heart of New Haven that you don't want to miss. And I would go out of my way to have the same experience over and over again.Parking: Free ample parking
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Panna Cotta, Complimentary Garlic Knots
We have been talking about getting down to Gioia for a few months now! We finally made a reservation with some friends who had been there previously.The restaurant is beautiful! I love the cafe they have on the side as well.The bar is beautiful with high shelves showcasing bottles of spirits.We started with cocktails, I had the "for the bees" which I loved!we ordered a Gioia salad which we shared, it was a perfect shareable portion.For our entree we shared the 1/2 roasted chicken, it was a really great portion for 2 people to share! The chicken was juicy and flavorful, the potatoes were crispy and accompanied it well.I ordered some gelato for dessert, the hazelnuts in the hazelnut gelato was so good, and it was perfectly creamy!The 1 downfall I had was that they apply a split plate charge when they didn't do anything different to the dishes. We split it ourselves.I think that was a bit tacky to add a charge on the bill, I could understand if they actually split it on 2 separate dishes….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for! Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven. - and they have a parking lot!
Gioa is such a welcomed and needed addition to the New Haven restaurant scene. Avi & Tim, the curators/owners, have outdone themselves with this stunning space and incredible menu. The drinks are the best of the best. The food is the Italian palate the new foodie has been dying for! Date night, special event or just a bite at the bar, this will be one of the best meals and scenes you will find in New Haven. - and they have a parking lot!
Our second time at Gioia! Extraordinary how consistently good almost everything on the menu is. We think this is the best restaurant in New Haven right now! In a time when most restaurants are understaffed, Gioia has a sizable number of people all working together to ensure everyone has a great time. Looking forward to our next visit!