Offering a selection of coffee types from around the world and freshly cooked, cafe-style meals, Fussy Coffee is a newly-opened, modern-style restaurant in New Haven that has become a popular destination for local students. Phil Lustenader, the head cook of Fussy Coffee, has been working at the restaurant since it opened. Mr. Lustenader formerly worked at another local restaurant but joined Fussy Coffee’s staff when the restaurant launched. The restaurant is open seven days a week and is most well-known for its breakfast, lunch, and, of course, coffee. “The mission of the restaurant is mostly to provide a developing community with an accessible but also affordable restaurant with a popular study space and coffee shop,” said Mr. Lustenader.
David Negraro and Joe Belaro, the co-owners of the restaurant, opened the business in June of 2018. In the initial stages of the restaurant, Mr. Negraro and Mr. Belaro decided to work with local farms and food purveyors to “help shine a light on Connecticut small businesses,” as Mr. Lustenader put it. The name “Fussy Coffee” comes from the restaurant’s meticulous process of making coffee products. The staff weighs its coffee products twice during the process: while the grounds are dry and after the water has been poured. The difference between the weights is calculated to ensure that the coffee distributed meets the high standards of the restaurant.
To draw more of a crowd to the door, Fussy Coffee also holds special events every two weeks. On Saturdays, it hosts art shows for local visual artists. In fact, the restaurant recently hosted the FTS tattoo gallery. “We try to do a lot with other local businesses whose primary focus is visual arts,” said Mr. Lustenader.
Popular varieties of Fussy Coffeee’s coffee originate from countries in East Africa such as Burundi, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The processes of preparing the coffee beans on farms range from being washed or gently rinsed with water to being naturally processed and dried on raised beds. According to detailed descriptions of the coffee on the restaurant’s website, the beans are “meticulously picked on single large farms” and go through particular processes that avoid over-fermentation. Each of the varieties is unique not only in its location and process but also in its farmer, flavors, growing elevation, and other characteristics.
The finely-cooked dishes for breakfast and lunch add to the wonderfully distinctive impression of the restaurant. The breakfast burrito — packed with scrambled eggs, black beans, cilantro, and cheddar and seared with a jicama slaw — is one of the most popular items on the menu. The sweet crepes, another breakfast item that goes well with a vanilla iced latte, is served fresh with an especially robust flavor. It is filled with Nutella and fresh fruit, both of which add the right amount of sweetness in perfect proportion. There are plenty of other great options on the menu, including more breakfast dishes, sandwiches, and salads.
Fussy Coffee aims to provide its customers affordable and well-prepared food, a comfortable workplace for students, and a family-oriented atmosphere. For Choate students, this restaurant can be reached through Uber, Choate shuttles, or train rides between Wallingford Station and New Haven’s Union Station.
