Kelly Kong, Contributing Photographer

Claire’s Corner Copia marked its 50th anniversary on Wednesday with a special celebration at the vegetarian restaurant’s iconic Chapel Street location in the heart of downtown New Haven.

Claire Criscuolo and her late husband, Frank Criscuolo, opened Claire’s in 1975. The couple aimed to serve fresh, nutritious food to its customers and support the New Haven community through various philanthropic projects. Over the last 50 years, the restaurant has also grown into a city staple and beloved gathering place for students and residents.

“What began as a dream on this corner of Chapel Street has grown into something so much bigger: a family, a community, a home for so many,” Criscuolo said at Wednesday’s event.

The celebration drew New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and a range of loyal friends, supporters and customers of Claire’s.

In his speech, Elicker recognized Criscuolo for her healthy food, heartfelt care for customers and philanthropic work and presented Claire’s with a plaque honoring its contribution to New Haven. He ​​commended Criscuolo for her foresight in creating “third places” — places outside work and home — before they became mainstream.

“It is a place for people to meet each other, to break down barriers, to understand one another better,” Elicker said. “This other place of connection really didn’t exist 50 years ago.”

The 50th anniversary not only marked an important milestone for Claire’s, but also drew attention to Criscuolo’s Be Kinder Than Necessary, or BKTN, campaign.

Partnering with Linda Mayes, the director of the Yale Child Study Center, Criscuolo launched the campaign last year to raise $100,000 for programs helping New Haven children practice empathy and kindness. Since last year, all net proceeds from the merchandise and cookbook sold at Claire’s have gone towards the campaign.

“It’s completely Claire’s idea,” Mayes said. “She really wants to help children. She wants to try and impact how children think about others.”

In her speech, Criscuolo also announced she will be establishing a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on behalf of BKTN, allowing her to write grants and deposit donations toward the $100,000 fundraising campaign.

After she made that announcement, Criscuolo’s friend and customer, Lindy Lee Gold, pulled her aside to tell her that she plans to match the amount that the campaign has collected so far.

“I can’t even believe it,” Criscuolo told the News. “That means we have double the money now.”

Criscuolo said her interest in helping children came from her experience before founding Claire’s as a psychiatric nurse at the Connecticut Mental Health Center’s drug and alcohol program, where she witnessed many children and parents go through mental and physical health challenges.

“It was just tragic to see that children’s lives were so disrupted,” Criscuolo said.

Rose Hernandez, who has worked at Claire’s since 2006 and is now the restaurant’s general manager, emphasized Criscuolo’s care for her employees.

“On a daily basis, it’s just looking to make somebody’s day better, because you don’t know what they’re going through,” Hernandez said. “That’s her motto: You got to be nicer, kinder than necessary.”

Sandra Cashion ’92 has been a customer at Claire’s since her first year as a Yale undergraduate in 1988. Cashion and other members of Proof of Pudding, an a capella group, celebrated each member’s birthday with a Lithuanian coffee cake from Claire’s. Over the years, as Cashion returned to New Haven for alumni events, she grew into a loyal fan of the establishment, as well as Criscuolo’s friend.

The store is also commemorating its 50th anniversary with a new cookbook, “50 Vegetarian Recipes from 50 Years at Claire’s Corner Copia.” In addition to recipes, the book includes stories and photos from the restaurant’s half-century in operation.

David DelVecchio, director of real estate asset management for Yale University Properties, said he was an avid Claire’s recipe follower.

“My wife was obsessed with Claire’s, so we started buying her cookbooks,” DelVecchio said. “We have the fifth one already. We’re already cooking things out of that.”

DelVecchio said that when he started working in New Haven more than 30 years ago, the restaurant scene looked very different, with fewer options. He described Claire’s as a “beacon for downtown New Haven.”

Claire’s is a tenant of Yale University properties. Its proximity to Yale’s campus has made it a go-to comfort spot for University community members, many of whom Criscuolo has gotten to know.

“I may not be a real Yalie, but nobody loves this university any more than I do,” Criscuolo said. “I love the camaraderie you have. I love the network. I love how you care about each other. I love how you care about the school. I love it.”

Claire’s Corner Copia sits at the western corner of Chapel and College streets.