Not really digging the New Haven club scene, but want to go out and enjoy a drink with friends at a classy joint? Try Nikkita’s, Kudeta, Bottega Lounge, Fosters, Geronimo’s, and/or Soul de Cuba.

Soul De Cuba:

I was first introduced to Soul de Cuba by a good friend of mine that I met while working on the Ned Lamont Campaign. Her significant other at the time was good friends with the owner(s) of this eclectic restaurant. At first we would just go there after hours and have some impromptu meals and drinks. However, I soon started going to Soul De Cuba on a much more regular basis during their normal business hours; there was something about this Spanish/African atmosphere that kept drawing me to it. Whenever I have friends visiting from out of town, I try to make sure that I take them to this spot at least once and I am constantly referring co-workers, friends, and other Yale students to this place.

Soul De Cuba sits on the corner of High Street and Crown Street; just about one block from parts of Yale’s main campus. It is a rather small, tight, and enclosed establishments but its size helps contribute to the intimate atmosphere and home-like feel. The owners of the restaurant have not missed a step when it comes to what they have incorporated in order to make the restaurant have an authentic international feel. The food is tasty, some spicy some sweet — evoking tastes of real home-cooked African and Cuban foods. The music is usually more Spanish in tempo, but it definitely adds a nice touch to the entire atmosphere. The staff is warm and friendly and really tries to get acquainted with the customers.

—Thameka Thompson