Find more New Haven Museum Events
Description
The comforting warmth one feels on entering Claire’s Corner Copia, the iconic vegetarian eatery on the corner of Chapel and College, will be in abundance in the New Haven Museum ballroom when legendary restauranter Claire Criscuolo is feted for 50 years of good will and great food on Wednesday, December 15, 2025, at 6 p.m., immediately following the Annual Meeting of the New Haven Museum Board of Directors at 5:30 p.m. A reception will follow. The free event will also stream on FB Live.
In conversation with Paul Bass, founding editor of the New Haven Independent, Criscuolo will share memories, heartfelt stories, and some favorite recipes from her latest book, “50 Vegetarian Recipes from 50 Years at Claire’s Corner Copia.” In what she terms as “this crazy experiment,” Criscuolo, a registered nurse, and her late husband, Frank, a musician, opened Claire’s Corner Copia in 1975 simply wanting to bring real, clean food to New Haveners while blending Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and Greek influences. “We believed that if we can eat together, and share our stories, we’ll realize that really, we all want the same things: good health, happiness, purpose, and peace. “
Clearly, leading with the heart has been a recipe for success for Criscuolo. Heralded as “one of the 10 best heart-healthy restaurants in America” by MSNBC, Claire’s has received accolades from national press and fans alike, noting the restaurant’s ability to pivot to meet the needs of the times, and the community, while dishing up delicious healthy food.
“Our mission at Claire's Corner Copia is based on the understanding that we can and will help others who need a hand up,” Criscuolo says. Among the restaurant’s numerous philanthropic efforts are support for: New Haven Reads, Clifford Beers Child Guidance Clinic, Saint Jude's Children's Hospital, All our Kin, Covenant House, Hole in the Wall Camp, Yale Child Study, YNHH NICU, Camp Kesem at Yale, Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut, Marrakech, Friend’s Center, Connecticut Mental Health Center, and other organizations that help those in need. New Haven children are their focus. In 2021, Claire’s started Someone Cares Closet, in partnership with Carolina Perrott, of Yale Child Study Center.
About Claire Criscuolo
A former columnist for “The New Haven Register,” and author of four cookbooks, Criscuolo is a passionate educator and advocate for healthy, homemade vegetarian cuisine. She frequently lectures at Yale University and Quinnipiac University and is an associate fellow at Hopper College.
About Paul Bass
Bass, the founding editor of the New Haven Independent, has covered the city for 45 years.
He is the co-author, with Douglas W. Rae, of “Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale, & The Redemption of a Killer,” (2006, Basic Books) about the 1969 murder of a Black Panther in New Haven and the resulting trials and FBI revelations surrounding the case. His articles from 1980-2004 are in a dedicated archive housed at the Manuscripts & Archives section of Yale University’s Sterling Memorial Library.
About the New Haven Museum
The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the Museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach. As a Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission all year. For more information visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.
Date & Time
Mon, Dec 15, 2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Venue Details
New Haven Museum
114 Whitney AvenueNew Haven, Connecticut 06510
