2-year-old Fussy Coffee in Science Park is a relative newcomer onto the New Haven coffee shop scene but already beats reliable go-tos on many fronts. Their inventive food and drink are heavily influenced by international cuisines (especially Korean, thanks to co-owner Dave Negriero’s half-Korean background) and their super modern design is an extremely refreshing change in scenery from the reliable but aesthetically-more-classic coffee shops peppering central campus.
Fussy's attention to detail is striking, both in their menu offerings (the seasonal Tokyo Flat White we tried balanced delicate flavors like miso and salted caramel) and their interior design (they specifically designed two cherry oak community tables to be 28-inches wide, the “perfect width for strangers to strike up conversation”). The founders' commitment to their craft shows in every sense from the food (breakfast, lunch, & all-day offerings) to the personality of the staff (soo friendly), and finally the lively community atmosphere of the space (their walls are covered in art from local artists and rotate monthly). For more study-focused visits, they have plenty of smaller tables and single-seater bar seats lining the floor-to-ceiling windows at the entrance. For coffee, brunch, studying, whatever—we can’t recommend Fussy highly enough. Make that trek up Science Hill!
Scroll to see our spread :)
Tokyo flat white
Espresso, white miso, tamari, honey, caramel, milk
The Tokyo Flat White is Fussy’s fusion take on a flat white and takes inspiration from the flavors of salted caramel. The drink was velvety and sweet but came with a twist from the use of miso and its byproduct tamari, two ingredients typically used in savory soups, sauces, and marinades. We were definitely surprised by how well they worked in the drink and how subtly they came through. The saltiness and earthiness from the Miso and Tamari really complemented the sweetness from the caramel and milk and made this one of our favorite items. A MUST try.
Chai Latte
Chai tea, cinnamon, steamed milk
Classic chai—well-spiced, warm, and reliable. Can’t go wrong with this drink, but Fussy did one better with a wonderful creamy milkiness and adorable personalized Fussy name-tag powdered on in cinnamon.
Fruity Pebbles Macaron
Dave (one of the founders) generously insisted we toss this into our spread while explaining that they rotate their macaron flavors frequently. The flavor was not too sweet (that's a compliment!) and had the texture any well-crafted macaron should—crunchy on the outside but chewier on the inside. We'll be back for more of these adorable treats.
Fried Egg + Salmon
Fried egg, lox, capers, red onions, chive cream cheese
Fussy has a surprisingly expansive selection of small meal items including their Fried Egg + Salmon sandwich. It's made up of lox, capers, red onions, chive cream cheese, and topped with a perfect sunny-side-up that makes for a great picture (@spoon_yale for proof!). Super popular breakfast item and it’s a classic that they render perfectly.
Huevos Rancheros
Two poached eggs, pork belly, black beans, arugula, cilantro, avocado, queso fresca, corn cruda, chips.
From their large plates selection, we sampled the Huevos Rancheros. Dave brings in his half-Korean background by adding grilled pork belly, a staple in K-BBQ. Compared to the Korean samgyupsal, their pork belly was tender and much more flavorful. Fussy also opts for corn chips instead of the traditional tortilla, making this a perfect dish for sharing.
Jasmine Apology
Pinhook tye, grapefruit oleo, jasmine concentrate, st germaine
Fussy also offers...cocktails?! (For when you need a *fun* study break). We’ll leave it to you to try them out for yourself. This one was fruity, just a bit acidic, and fragrant.
Fussy is currently open every day from 7:30am-5pm for indoor and outdoor dining. They have a ton of tables outside where you can do work, catch up with friends, or just enjoy the fall transition weather. BTW, they just came out with their fall drink menu which changes up every year (this year ft. maple chai, your classic PSL, and caramel apple cider), so, yeah, we're going to be there a lot. Meet you there? :)