Atticus Bookstore & Cafe

They are just too slow during the day. Food is good otherwise and they kindly give away leftovers at night.
Edit: they gave me a free lemonade for my wait, so I increased the review another star!

Best black bean soup I’ve had! The service and quick and great if you need to get in and out on a lunch break. The menu has something for everyone and the option to get soup paired with a ½ of sandwich is a great lunch!
The bread is AMAZING. I’ve never been disappointed. The specials are a nice change up if you go there a lot and I’ve been very happy with all of them.
Perfect lunch and coffee spot!

I haven’t had such poor service in a long time, if ever. I could hear our waitress loudly complaining about three different customers while I was there for lunch. I was seated at a table by the stairs while she was standing by the kitchen, and I was still able to hear every word that she was saying. Not only was she loud and rude, but she was also just a bad waitress. I could see that the salads my friend and I ordered were ready for 5 minutes before she brought them to us, and then she never came back to clear our plates until we signaled to her that we were ready for the check after 15 minutes of waiting. I created a Unilocal account just to write this review, although if I had realized how many reviewers already addressed the poor service I probably would have avoided Atticus altogether. I don’t know why anyone would choose to come here and experience poor service when there are several better options in New Haven.

Don’t order to-​go!!!
We ordered two salads with chicken for to-​do and paid about $ 27 in total, but they gave us this clearly unfinished, raw vegetables that don’t qualify to be called «salad».
When I went there and ate in the restaurant, it was much better and different. I cannot believe that they gave us these lettuce leaves uncut!
NEVER ORDER TO-​GO.

Bookshops and brunch. You cannot beat it. I had a delicious egg dish and salad, which wwas the perfect brunch/​lunch combination. They have some great unique sandwich options, plus the atmosphere is a ton of fun. I will say they do need some more brunch options but overall I would settle for a more lunch geared meal eating here.

Came in here around 115 on a Wednesday. Was definitely busy but I was by myself and sat at the bar no problem.
I got the hummus sandwich and added beets. I loved it. Thought it had great flavor. It included Avo and cucumbers (pickled onions that I took out) and beets I added in. I was definitely full post sandwich which is nice.
The only thing I think that could improve is have the servers take down personal talk a bit. I watched my server talk to another for 10 minutes with my credit card in his hand. Although I wasn’t In a rush so I didn’t care much at the time.

This is a bookstore … with a small, and often quite packed, little café. This is neither a joint for fast-​food (though you certainly CAN grab some delicious pastry-​to-​go) nor is it a «dining» destination.
I’ve been coming to Atticus Bookstore for decades and evvvery time I actually sit down with a friend for a meal in their café it is ABsolutely/​POSitively delicious. (When you take in the reality of the «kitchen» from which these plates arrive, which is on full display, you’ll REALLY be impressed.) Perhaps it’s because i’ve known this place so long… but i’d simply never consider it, or ANY indie «bookstore café,» for a wham-​bam meal-​on-​the-​go nor look to be served by career wait staff.
In the BOOKstore is where you’ll get the super-​excellent and efficient service — in the café is where you’ll nab one of their limited seats to then be able to saunter through a visit with a friend and/​or your book whist waiting for what will likely be a delight of a dish. For service-​personality, expect simple «diner,» and nothing more. The person taking your order is not a restaurant pro: this is a teeny café inside an independent bookstore in New frikkin Haven. AND IT’s FANTASTIC. However, if you’re looking for a «particular» restaurant experience… I’d suggest a restaurant vs. a bookstore with a limited café and makeshift kitchen. YES, what that kitchen puts out is amazing (though i do admit i don’t know why everyone goes so nuts over their black bean soup)… but if you’re in a hurry and/​or need a waiter who is invested in you having a fastidious «restaurant-​experience,» New Haven has pLLLenty of that in every direction.
Pop into Atticus when your blood sugar is under control and you have time to sit — with a friend, and/​or yourself — and enjoy a nice little hang at a Bookstore-​Café. Chances are you’ll have an amazing meal too :):):):)

I’ve been here twice now with more or less the same results — really tasty, down home fare with perhaps less than stellar service. Perhaps the service can be blamed on my high New York standards though.
They have an excellent selection of salads and sandwiches and I love that you can order a half of either to paired together or with soup. It’s the worst when you see two dishes you really like but can’t pair them together — especially with something as simple as a salad and a sandwich. The half a sandwich is also enormous, total bang for your buck on that one.
They also have killer bread — super fresh with a crusty exterior and springy interior. Don’t skip it.
Also, conveniently located right across the street from YUAG.

Atticus was one of my favorite places to swing by if I had a long lunch when I worked in New Haven. You may have to fight for a parking spot, but it’s worth the effort once you’re inside. There’s a cute little bistro serving light lunch-​type food (sandwiches, pastries, etc.) where you can sit and read your book, catch up on the internet, or chat with a friend or two. While Atticus doesn’t have much in the way of square-​footage, there is a great selection of books and gifts that would satisfy any and all.

WOW!!! I love all the positive changes they have made over the last few months! I stopped going here for awhile because I wasn’t fond of the old management. I heard they made some new changes so I decided to give it a try. Let me tell you that I had great service and a wonderful meal. They made some changes to the menu recently, which made me so happy! They still have most of their classics but now there is just so much more to choose from. I had an amazing tofu sandwich special the other day along with the black bean soup… it was to die for! They are even making their own pickles now! I urge everyone to give them a try. Change is good… especially in New Haven where most places have all the same redundant stuff. I will be back more often to see what other interesting things they have cooking!

I’ve had most of their sandwiches and salads and it’s all AMAZING! I highly recommend their chai tea latte– it’s made in-​house and is very cardamom-​y. Much more authentic and delicious than boxed chai.
There are nice little sit down tables and a bar for casual working, reading, or chatting. There is table service, and everyone who has helped me so far was truly lovely!

Love everything in this place. Black bean soup, sandwiches, deserts especially trimisu, all kind of bread and bakery.
Love the way everyone serves and never changing atmosphere over the years.
Well done!

After attending the 2015 Yale College Class Day, I had an urge to spend some time in a bookstore/​coffee shop. Fortunately, I knew that Atticus was only feet away from Old Campus, so I proceeded to the establishment.
Upon entering, I feared that seating would be unavailable because of the influx of graduates’ friends and families that have overtaken New Haven. To my good fortune, it was not crowded during my time at Atticus on this particular afternoon. I was greeted kindly by the host and seated promptly.
What started as a good dining experience proceeded to decline, so upon departure I was disappointed to have chosen Atticus for my afternoon outing.
Things that were good:
1) The espresso was served correctly with an accompanied water and spoon
2) My server (I believe it was Kerry) did try to provide good service, but didn’t have the support to do so
3) The grilled chicken breast was made well
Things that were bad:
1) The espresso itself was lacking in quality. I don’t recommend it as a standalone.
Things that were unacceptable:
1) Cleanliness. Lipstick stains on glassware is not appealing to diners. I noticed it late in my dining experience; it made me fear that my order was being prepared in a subpar/​unsanitary environment. End of the world? No, but infection control is important and poor sanitation of serveware is not good for business.
2) Poor service. Normally, I would list ‘poor service’ under the subheading of «Things that were bad» (versus unacceptable), but the whole experience was terrible. I believe myself to be a reasonable patron; as a principle, I understand that the waitstaff and kitchen can get overwhelmed and I offer a more-​than-​reasonable amount of patience, but Atticus really did provide poor customer service. I’m not sure how their seating sections are divided, but the management should not assign a server to tables on opposite sides of the dining area. This especially true in their setting, because the layout is such that my server couldn’t see me at the café bar from the rest of her tables. This left me waiting around, especially because the rest of the staff was not attending to customers. There needs to be an attitude shift to ensure that all servers are supported, so consequently all customers are attended to. The staff also didn’t read nonverbal language whatsoever and left me feeling deliberately ignored. As an example, being told to «hang on a minute» for 45 minutes (to receive my check) was not gracious, especially when other staff members are chatting about their day and hanging around. I doubt Unilocalers would care for this much information, is more a recommendation to management and a suggestion for improved workplace cooperation.
As a final note, my server (again, I think it was Kerry) was obviously working hard and running back from her tables on opposite sides of the restaurant area. It saddened me to see that the rest of the staff did not offer her assistance unless patrons intercepted them.
Recommendation:
–If you like weaker coffee, you may enjoy their coffee selection — not a bad or good thing, since everyone likes their coffee with different intensities. Personally, I enjoy lots of depth to my coffee, which I found lacking in the espresso and drip. A safer choice may be to get a latte or something similar.
–For dine-​in, ask for table seating (those seated at café bar each had different servers; I suspect the café bar doesn’t have a primary server assignment)
–Inspect glassware and other dining utensils are clean prior to use.
Verdict:
I’d like to give this place another chance, but the residual lipstick markings are weighing on my mind — we shall see.

If I was rating this place based on the coffee, it would get 1 star. They have what I like to call «dishwater» coffee, in that it is so bland/​weak that it seems to be nothing more than brown water. Everyone else I know loves this place and the coffee, but I really don’t get it… Maybe it’s my inner New Yorker, but I like my coffee to taste like coffee, you know? I think that weak coffee appears to be something endemic to New Haven in general, but I digress…
However, the baked goods (especially the croissants) and other food items (sandwiches, salads, etc) are pretty good. I came in the other day and had Mac and cheese with a side of creamy tomato soup which was excellent.
Still, I see this place as mainly a coffee joint, and they really need to work on that part.

I am sad to say that i think they changed their muffin recipe! I was in love with their blueberry muffins. They were large, soft, and loaded with berries. This morning i grabbed one. It looked different. It was smaller, dry, and bland, crumbled apart as i tried to eat it and covered with sugar! Sugar does not make up for taste. I have had moister scones! Please find the old recipe!!! Coffee was pretty rough this morning also!

I love this place. The breakfast strata is one of my all-​time favorites in town, the rotating menu of quiches is great, and the books are delightfully curated.
However: every time, the butter comes out cold and unusable and sad. If it weren’t for this one epic blunder.

I love this bookstore.
For the food — I had pancakes here once that were pretty bland.
But then I came back for lunch and tried the hummus sandwich and the mushroom and stilton sandwich. They were both excellent and quite large!
I like looking at the books while I eat.
On the downside, the kitchen looks a little dirty… the ceiling is grease stained acoustic tiles, kind of gross.

I’ve been here twice and am a fan. Combining the restaurant with a bookstore is a creative touch and gives it a charming vibe.
Their brunch fare and coffee make this a decent place to catch up with friends over coffee. It might not be the best place to stay and linger though as there can be a line during the brunch period and the servers try to clear the tables for the next party.
As for the food, the pear salad is heavenly and the yogurt and granola is decent as well. Overall, I would recommend giving Atticus a try if you’re in the New Haven area!

First of all. I asked one of the server who was standing right in front of me where can I get some moleskine dairy and he just put hands up in the air and yelled/​said really loudly «ahhh don’t ask me don’t ask me. Go there go over there». Ok I get it! U’re not in charge of the book area of the book café but you didn’t need to scream.
After buying my diary I decided to sit down and try their famous black bean soup. I was standing there for a long time until someone came up and acknowledge me and it was not even that busy. It’s 4pm during winter. I told him I would like to sit by the bar but he still led me to this table by the stairs. Ok fine.
Then i ordered my soup and they brought me a lukewarm black bean soup (the server even spilt some of the soup) with tough and chewy bread that was not even warm. Neither was the butter warm. Nonetheless, the flavor is alright. A bit too much sour cream for my liking. Overall not a satisfying bowl of hot soup I’m looking for during winter but happy with my moleskine purchase

In town for a stopover between trains, I needed coffee. I walked in here thinking it was the coffee shop/​bookstore down the street I found on Unilocal.
Coffee and a walnut scone for ~$ 3. Both were alright. You know, passable for what they were but not overwhelmingly satisfying. I didn’t find a book for my next train.

My FAVORITE place in downtown New Haven, and my go-​to for brunch with anyone that may be visiting out of town. Love the black bean soup (dark, rich, and earthy) with sour cream and onions, and the arugula salad (bright lemon vinaigrette and sharp shaved parm). Everything is freshly made and everything is delicious.
Time for a confession: have literally been here/​taken out twice a day on multiple occasions. I may love this place too much. It’s an addiction. On another note, I would recommend against the mochas, etc. They are generally just «meh.» Seating is limited to smaller groups. Be prepared to wait cause this place is packed in the morning/​afternoon. Atticus over everything.

Let me elaborate on my last review. Their black bean soup is excellent. There’s no denying that the set up is odd, but I’m reviewing their food, not their design. I love coming here in the cooler months for black bean soup and splitting an Atticus Classic (ham, gruyère, and dijon on warm, crusty bread. Mmmm!) or a hummus sandwich with whatever lucky duck I drag in here with me.
It’s tiny, it’s cozy, and it’s a great place to stop in while you’re downtown shopping with a friend for a delicious bowl of soup and a sandwich. It’s hands down one of my favorite places in New Haven, so if the delicious smell from the sidewalk doesn’t lure you in here, hopefully this review does!

Atticus is a nice little bookstore/​café with above average sandwiches and pastries. The downside is that it has a very strange concentric layout where the dining tables surround the central cooking and food prep area, and the tables are themselves surrounded by the bookshelves. Being trapped between busy servers darting in and out of the kitchen area and customers browsing the books can make you feel a little claustrophobic.
That said, their artichoke and ham & gruyère sandwiches are excellent, as is the black bean soup. The coffee is nice and strong. The food service can be on the spotty side, especially for takeout orders, but on the whole it’s not a bad choice if you’re looking for a quick lunch or light dinner.

Atticus may still appeal to the nostalgic, but it was just a shell if its former self. Four years after graduation, I went there for a breakfast, hoping to find the same sweetness and warmth that kept me happy on my way to class during the college years. This time, however, what I find in my breakfast paper bag is a stale chocolate croissant missing most of the chocolate filling, a greasy breakfast sandwich, a less than spectacular scone, a $ 3 milk poured straight from a gallon into a small cup, and a bagful of grease stains.
Also, we were not allowed to sit by the table while waiting for the sandwich to be ready, even though there was no one in the dining area. And note, we were NOT eating in any form or fashion. And further note, it was empty as hell.
With competition from Starbucks, Panera, and Claire’s all on the same street, I wish Atticus the best of luck.