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NEW AND IMPROVED!

4 Posted on 01 / 02 / 2011

Claire's used to snub us vegans by offering very little for us. This has CHANGED.

The default rolls served with everything are now VEGAN.

She offers vegan mayo.

I think she still has yet to offer vegan cheese.

She usually has at least 1 thing in the bake case that's vegan, and several in the daily specials case that are vegan as well (usually half or so).

Way to go Claire!

Now she just needs to (1) stop giving pats of butter by default with every order. (2) start offering vegan cheese!

p.s. The food is stellar. Try the broccoli rabe with soy chicken and soak it up with one of her vegan rolls. ::drool::

Pros: more vegan options, vegan rolls, food is great
Cons: a little bit pricey, needs vegan cheese, can get busy

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come here to enjoy the view out the window

3 Posted on 11 / 06 / 2010

Most other reviewers, especially the vegans, pan this place, which I can understand, but I would rate it "fair" rather than "terrible," and I am a vegan. You simply must pick and choose wisely from among its extensive menu. Claire's only pretends to be vegetarian as it serves fish, and only pretends to be on a street corner as alluded to in its name. Indeed, Ms. Claire is not herself vegetarian, and she even opened a meat restaurant right next door. 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 walking by, and thereby take your mind off the bland food, in which case you can actually enjoy sitting here.

Pros: generous portions, good location
Cons: noisy inside, bland food, uncomfortable seating

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Old fashion cafe

3 Posted on 10 / 28 / 2010

I have been to Claire's Corner Copia on two occasions. It is always nice to have options, but where is the passion?

Pros: drinks are okay

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find out exactly what you are getting first

3 Posted on 07 / 20 / 2010

I ordered the salad with garlic roasted veg, on a bed of spinach, the 3 veg, carrots, practically raw, did not taste roasted, broccoli inedible and courgettes very nice, no hint of garlic on a mountain of far too much spinach. I also had a vegan cup cake very heavy and vegan choc chip cookie ok.

All in all I'm sure there are a lot of good things to be had here, I did enjoy my smoothie, just find out exactly what you are getting first

Pros: lots of choice

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Good Variety, know what you order

3 Posted on 01 / 02 / 2010

I used to frequent this place very often when I moved in to New Haven, since this was the first vegetarian friendly restaurant that caught my attention.

Very conveniently located right in the heart of New Haven, they offer a great variety of vegetarian options all displayed very nicely. But don't go by looks alone. The food is wholesome, but a little bland for my tastes. However, there were some dishes that were to my liking. So my advice would be, maybe speak with the people behind the counter before you order to make sure you like how it tastes. Some dishes are blander than others.

Pros: Good Variety, Nice ambience

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Claire's

3 Posted on 10 / 12 / 2009

I had gone to http://www.clairescornercopia.com/ to print out their menu prior to a trip to New Haven, CT. On the menu it states that they are open everyday at 8 am. Well, not exactly true. If I had looked at the bottom of their website, they open at 9 am on Saturdays and Sundays. I was there on a Saturday at 8 am expecting to get in, along with several other couples and passersby- they probably lost quite a bit of business that morning! I waited until they opened and ordered a vegan tofu scramble in a whole wheat wrap to-go. The wait time was 15 minutes (and I was first in line to order, but others were served first). The meal was very bland. It was basically just cubes of tofu heated with a few undercooked red onions and some spinach, and a whole lot of oil. I ate half and took the rest home to doctor it up with spices. I will give this place another try though, because I would like to experience eating at the restaurant. If I didn't have to order food to-go (due to lack of time by that point), then I would have ordered the vegan pancakes. I did attempt to return for lunch that same day, but after driving by and not being able to immediately locate any street parking and seeing the line was just out the door (this was at 3:30 pm on a Saturday), I passed. I'll post another review after giving it another chance.

Pros: Cute interior, Lots of organic food used
Cons: Hours, Downtown parking

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Great experience- wish for more vegan options.

4 Posted on 05 / 19 / 2009

I greatly appreciate the push to using locally sourced ingredients. A great mission. While there were multiple vegan choices on the menu when I visited, I certainly would like to see more.

I have been very happy with everything I ordered, beverages, entrees, and deserts (I LOVE the Lemon Coconut mini bundt cakes!!!). I think the prices are quite appropriate for the quality & quantity that I got.

I'm looking forward to my next trip.

Pros: Great food, Freindly staff, Locally sourced ingredients
Cons: Wish for more vegan choices, It can get busy

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A new lease on Claire's

3 Posted on 11 / 06 / 2008

I have previously had a few experiences with Claire's that made me skeptical, and I realize that this is because to experience Claire's at it's finest, it is up to you to become a wise and skilled orderer. I recommend that everyone peek into the glass case near the registers that shows the specials of the day, and peruse the desserts and see what looks good and is vegan (in my case anyway). If they have the Shepherd's Pie (which is vegan)and the Lemon Coconut Cake (also vegan) you must not look at the rest of the menu, as this will be a perfect meal. They give you a nice portion of the Shepherd's Pie which, if it does not fill you up completely, you can eat the Cake right away, otherwise you can eat the cake later when your hunger returns. Another good choice is the Vegan Meatloaf. If meatloaf is something that appeals to you, they make a nice vegan version and serve a good portion. I heard from friends that the Arnold Palmer drink has been watered down on several occasions. I usually get hot cider which is just fine. But who needs to pay for a drink when you can just have some nice cold new haven tap water?... I've also had a couple of salads that were good featuring a good assortment of veggies and avocado and spicy soyness and they have a good tahini dressing, I usually require a double dressing because i like a lot of tahini. The bread is usually hard but it's good anyway and if you are dipping it it's no problem. They unfortunatley give out butter packets even if you order all vegan food and i'm sure this just gets thrown out so ask for no butter if you don't want it! I like the order at the counter and pay first and then sit down and they bring the food to you method because then when you are done you are free to go as soon as you clear your dishes, there is no after meal payment confusion or delay. I heard the wholegrain pancakes on weekends are really good but have yet to be in town at the right time. I don't really recommend falafel items or mexican dishes because i find that these kind of specialties usually disappoint when you order them at a restaurant that does not specialize specifically in that kind of food. If you have had a bad experience on Claire's, I recommend giving yourself another chance to improve your ordering skills, and maybe it would be a good idea to go with someone who can approve of all of your selections. I gave up on Claire's a long time ago, and friends brought me back, and now I have realized the potential.

Pros: Good Specials, Organic/Fair Trade, Cool Ordering Method
Cons: Haven't realized full vegan potential, a lot of dairy on menu

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Unsurpassed Vegetarian Cuisine

4 Posted on 10 / 29 / 2008

Claire's Corner Copia was my daily hangout over twenty years ago until I moved to CA. I since have found no other restaurant that compares with the unique dishes that Claire provides at a remarkably low price. The large and varied menu of both vegetarian, vegan and organic dishes provide an eclectic combination of ethnic foods in incredibly delicious dishes. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and theview of New Haven Green adds to the charm. Each meal comes with a freshly baked mini loaf of homemade vegan bread. Portions of food are quite filling even for big appetites. claire's is always a must visit place when I return to CT as I've done in 2008. As a vegan let me recommend the avocado salad with baby spinach leaves, red onions, tomato, grapes, large portion of fresh ripe avocado, and vegan chipotle soy chicken topped with Tahini dressing. It can't be beat!!! And after 33 years in business Claire says she still has fun with her little 'Corner Copia'. Her joy comes thru in all the food. Don't miss this gem of a restaurant when coming to CT and be prepared to come back over and over again.!!

Pros: Food Combos, Friendly Atmosphere, more than reasonable prices
Cons: 3000 miles from CA