This Connecticut City Is Famous For Pizza, But It's Also Home To One Of The Best Mexican Restaurants In The State

A roughly two-hour drive from Manhattan's Little Italy is Wooster Square, New Haven's own Italian-American enclave, where Connecticut's unique style of pizza was born. "Apizza," the mozzarella-free pie with an ultra-thin, chewy crust, may be Connecticut's most famous contribution to New England's culinary heritage, but its twist on an Italian-inspired staple isn't the only delicious thing the city is known for. Following the 2020 opening of Camacho Garage, New Haven also became home to one of the state's best Mexican eateries.

Located in an expansive, industrial space in the city's Westville neighborhood, Camacho Garage serves up contemporary Mexican street food with a high-end touch. Complete with garage doors and retro decor and furnishings, the space is a personal nod to the childhood of co-owner and executive chef Arturo Franco-Camacho, who grew up eating tacos in his father's garage in Baja. "I always wanted to celebrate my dad," Camacho explained in an interview with the New Haven Register. "He had a garage in Mexico and gave me tacos every week in there." 

Almost as soon as it debuted, the restaurant garnered praise from the locals. "Camacho Garage in Westville is a spectacular new addition to the New Haven restaurant scene ... it's a Mexican restaurant as envisioned by [one] of the greatest chefs to work the New Haven area," raved one Yelp reviewer in 2020, dubbing the experience "perfection from first bite to last." concluding that "Apizza aside, it's as good as food gets in New Haven." 

Years after its 2020 debut, Camacho Garage is still hailed as a must-stop in New Haven, both for its lively atmosphere and flavorful cuisine. "The quality of ingredients is top-notch, and the drink selections are both wide and strong," wrote a Yelper in 2025. From unique tacos like an octopus and chorizo combo to wild mushroom and huitlacoche quesadillas, chicken tinga tostadas, and chicken mole enchiladas, the menu is full of elevated takes on below-the-border street eats and sit-down classics. One of its standout dishes is the Mexican Hot Dog. This street food mashup consists of a Hummel's beef hot dog in a brioche bun, stacked with minced escabeche, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, and cotija cheese, with the option to add bacon to the mix. 

"It was fantastic ... The chipotle mayo was put on between the bun and the meat, letting it moisten the dry toasted bun and kept it off my hands. And this might be the first time I actually enjoyed mayo on a doggie!" wrote one Reddit user of the hot dog, though they did note that the pico de gallo made a bit of a mess. Even so, you can't beat its one-of-a-kind blend of flavors — or its discounted happy hour price. On that note, Camacho Garage has cemented itself as a New Haven favorite for after-work drinks and nibbles, though its dinner and brunch lineups (hello, Mexican breakfast chilaquiles) are no doubt just as impressive.