Happiness Lab At the Grove

Hood dicey still despite fresh paint wash but vibe is good, especially in co-​work space adjacent to café. Location trying to bring in teas of interest and entice customers with lots of gaming options. This is a good locals option and could be a mainstay for those working near as well.

This place is super hip. I love how you can play games or work! They have a large back room where you can play board games. The menu is simple but that’s what makes it great. I had the lychee black tea with a green tea cupcake. The tea was refreshing and the cupcake was light and delightful. Very hip place but it’s kind of in a sketchy area.

Fantastic location. Solid food and coffee, great as a spot to both work and socialize.

Good food, good coffee, good atmosphere – great place!
Reccs: blueberry scone, cappuccino, quinoa salad, iced lychee black tea
They’re much more reasonably priced than other cafes in the area. They’re friendly and there’s board games too. Plus they have food specials, and I hear they’re getting a liquor license!

Wonderful little place. We got vanilla lattes and they were delicious. There are lots of sitting areas which is nice

Super cute spot with board games, good coffee, sandwiches, great pastries (try the amazing apple cider muffins), and a chill atmosphere. Can’t ask for much else. Definitely worth coming with some friends to sit on a couch and enjoy a game and a bite.

I am such a fan of this space. They small-​batch roast their own coffee. So, the quality is fantastic. Espresso beverages, pour-​overs, a tea selection, as well as fresh pastries are always good. Moreover, this is a great spot for working and even interacting with a local community.
Did I mention that they’ve also started a game night?

Great little place I happened to pass while walking from the train station towards the downtown. I meant to take a picture of my Cuban sandwich but it was too good to not eat immediately. The cold brew is legit and strong, just like it should be.
There’s a board game space in the back that looks to have a decent selection and will provide you with something distracting while drinking some awesome coffee. Ony is a pleasure and friendly as can be.
Glad I stopped in.

This place is easy to settle into! Come in from the cold, mean streets of New Haven, to the warm and inviting atmosphere of Happiness Lab! Besides the coffee and limited, but delicious, food options, the space is what makes this place. They have a large picnic table in the front room near the window, a few lounge chairs and a few tables for two. Towards the back of the space there are more large tables and several meeting rooms.
We saw signs about day-​passes and stuff, but didn’t really know what was meant by it all. We just had drip coffee, warmed cider, and some monkey bread while doing our taxes (don’t tell anyone we were doing taxes at the Happiness Lab!). The drop coffee was good which is great as I agree that blue state coffee is gross.
I like the atmosphere here and I’ll definitely be back!

I’m impressed by their coffee and service. Starbucks and Blue State quality falls far behind them.

There is such a relaxing feel to this place — especially with the pretty latte art that comes with your cappuccino/​latte. I personally prefer to escape my dorm room sometimes and head to a coffee place to do some studying, and this place is perfect for it.
The best part is how friendly all the staff seems to be and the patrons that come in. I feel safe leaving my things (including my laptop) sitting on the table and walking away to use the restroom.
I find it difficult to focus on doing work anywhere else but here now!

Such a good place to sit down for a latte and an egg sandwich, definitely stop by when you’re in the area!

Cute place to stop by on a cold day for my much-​needed caffeine fix. The drip coffee was nothing to complain about, and my friend’s latte was yummy (no latte art on his, sadly). Didn’t have any food, though what was out looked good!
They also have board games in the back, so I could definitely see myself coming here and staying awhile if I lived in the area.

Coffee was amazing. Staff super friendly and kind. Choc chip oatmeal cookies SUPERB. Great place to study, very large space (which they can do so much more with!)

Been here a few times.
The pastries are great.

Finally, an excellent coffee spot in New Haven. Really large space– perfect for doing some work. Bold and perfect latte and moist, flavorful blueberry scones.
Feels like a hidden treasure of New Haven!

Since my review got review of the day (go on, brush your shoulders off), several key changes have happened at the Happiness Lab that cause me to re-​evaluate my initial rating, as they’ve more than adequately addressed my initial «areas for improvement.»
+ First off, they’ve really stepped up the game in the food department, adding wraps, egg sandwiches, and the legendary quinoa salad bowl — an astonishing melding of quinoa, black beans, cilantro, tomato, onion, and avocado into something much greater than the sum of its part. It’s filling without leaving you feeling stuffed — a perfect weekday lunch.
+ Significantly more consistency in what’s on offer„ as they’ve worked out a steady stream of food options that appeal to their regular customer base.
Plus, they’ve added some new cool features:
+ Cold brew coffee that is refreshing and delicious. It has a significant chocolate mouthfeel.
+ A side fridge of bottled waters, seltzers, soda, etc., for folks who don’t understand that they’re in an artisan coffee shop.
+ Several interesting specials to note (and to punctuate your workweek):
$ 2 Thursdays — «You bring your cup, they’ll fill it up» †
Morning «Happy Hour» — An egg sandwich and a medium drip coffee for $ 4.75 (normally $ 6).
And several other forthcoming specials (I’ll update again when they decide what they’ll be).
Come on by and join me at the Happiness Lab!
–K
† Within reason, fools. Don’t bring an urn.

Newly opened since March
Staff is nice
Good coffee and more importantly for me Lots of great space for working with good natural light

Thank you, Unilocal,for bringing me to Happiness. Literally. Happiness Lab has some of the best coffee I’ve had in Connecticut. The focus is definitely on coffee, sustainability, and creativity; and its mission definitely resonates with the space. I had the drip, and it was smooth and very tasty with a splash of cream.
I can’t wait to come back here and have more coffee, take in the space longer, and experience the community that grows here.

Skip that place you’d planned to go for coffee, and go to the Happiness Lab.
The pour-​overs are super-​tasty, the music is always something you didn’t know you needed to discover, and the coffee scientists at the Lab are awesome, interesting people.
And it doesn’t hurt that the space is a great place to do just about anything.
Except be unhappy.