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February 23, 2023

Middle Eastern family-style dining on the menu at second Pistachio Café 

PHOTO | Liese Klein Owner Mohamad Hafez speaks at the ribbon-cutting of Pistachio Cafe 2 on Feb. 23, 2023
By Liese Klein

With a vision to showcase the cuisine of his native Syria, artist and entrepreneur Mohamad Hafez cut the ribbon on his second Pistachio Café in New Haven on Thursday. 

Pistachio Café, at 1245 Chapel St., offers a wide range of Syrian and other Middle Eastern dishes in a nearly 4,000-square-foot space on the first level of The Novella apartment complex. 

The first location of Pistachio Café is in the Westville neighborhood, located in a storefront under Hafez’s artist studio. Born in Syria, Hafez is an artist and architect whose work has been featured in The New Yorker and other national media outlets. 

“We wanted to create a space that is a more intimate dining experience and to celebrate the Syrian dinner menu,’ Hafez said. “This place came to fruition – Pistachio Cafe 2 – to house family-style dinners.

PHOTO | Liese Klein
Mohamad Hafez (center) and his wife, Luisa, and son, Karim, celebrate the opening of Pistachio Cafe 2 as his father, Mouafaa Hafez, cuts the ribbon.

The restaurant seats up to 120 people at tables, banquettes and in a back room that features a large, upholstered group dining area. The new restaurant is designed to accommodate meals that include multiple small plates meant to be shared, Hafez said. 

“The times are not that easy that we’re living in,” Hafez said. “Food and hospitality and sharing our heart and sharing our family values and our country and cultural values with open hearts and open arms is the only recipe I know.”

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said eateries like Pistachio represent part of the upside of the city’s welcoming attitude toward immigrants, including refugees and asylum-seekers. More than 20 different chefs from a range of backgrounds create dishes for Pistachio Café, Hafez said. 

“New Haven is a place that welcomes everyone and you see that that recipe works,” Elicker said. Addressing Hafez, he added, “You haven’t just given us food, but you’ve given us your heart and your culture, and we’re really grateful for you being a part of our community.” 

Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.

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