Pistachio Cafe 2 — Restaurant in New Haven

Imagine if a Parisian patisserie had a fever dream after binge-watching both Arabian Nights and The Great Gatsby, then decided to set up shop in New Haven. That's Pistachio Cafe in all its flamboyant, excessive splendor. This place doesn't just break the minimalism rule book; it throws it out a mint-green coffered ceiling window while riding a decorative camel.

The decor is what you'd get if Vegas decided to open a tea room: chandeliers dripping with crystal, enough hanging fake plants to make a botanical garden jealous, and furniture that looks like it was stolen from Marie Antoinette's summer home. The ornate Arabic calligraphy on the walls somehow works perfectly with the Victorian-era tufted velvet seating, because why choose one era when you can have them all?

But here's the thing, beneath all this wild design chaos, they're actually serving up some decent stuff. The matcha lattes are on pt, proving you can judge a book by its cover if that cover happens to be wrapped in gold leaf and sprinkled with rose petals. Their display cases are a treasure trove of Middle Eastern sweets and European pastries that would make any dessert influencer's camera roll explode.

Speaking of their baklava, it's not just baklava, it's baklava that's had a glow-up. The rose version should come with a drag show warning label: "May cause spontaneous poetry writing and excessive use of the word 'divine.'"

The whole experience is like being transported to some fantastic alternate universe where maximalism won the design wars and every coffee break feels like you're having tea with a cosmopolitan aunt who has "stories" from her travels abroad. It's camp meets class, and somehow, in the grit of New Haven, it absolutely works.

Pro tip: Come for the 'gram, stay for the matcha, and embrace the fact that subtlety is so 2023. This is where Marie Antoinette would totally grab her coffee if she were alive and living in Connecticut, and honestly, she'd probably think they could add more gold trim.

Fair warning: You might leave with an overwhelming urge to install a chandelier in your kitchen. Don't fight it. This place has that...

The owner from Syria seemed to act sort of a like goofball US teenager while he talked about Arabic culture and history. It didn't go over well. He stated he's from Damascus Syria and is 84 year old father was in the audience, yet he talked sort of like a goofy casual American rather than a little bit more serious Arab american.Very inexperienced waiting staff. With a little bit of a disorganized attitude.

Very expensive. You would think again when the owner referenced his humble Syrian roots, he would have a reasonably priced establishment. We ordered a small decaf coffee and it was $3.65.

There were many Muslims and Arabs in attendance on this night which was very nice. Many of them directly from overseas looking to hear their ethnic music and cultural display. Yet these musicians were non Arab and non-muslim trying to play to a native Arab Muslim audience. If they didn't play as poorly,that would have been okay. It's almost like if you go to a Chinese restaurant you do expect to see perhaps a Chinese chef and some Chinese employees. However these musicians were non-arab, non-muslim, non middle eastern. The Arabic music players didn't sing at all; the music was low, and they were not attentive to the audience. They just talked amongst one other and the door woman said it's $35 a person plus fees. When I asked what the plus fees were she had no answer. And when I asked if any of this was going to a charity because it was so expensive they said no.

This place is a money grab. And it's one of those scenarios where after a short time you'll see that the establishment closed. In sum , the owner looked like an unkept goofball who tried so hard to act like a ditzy American while claiming he wanted to promote his Arabic / Damascus origin and culture. Which is actually quite the opposite of how he presented. The wait staff presented as nervous and a little disorganized. The music was too quiet, no singing, boring, and somewhat inauthentic.

And we say this as experienced American Arabs and as PhDs in Middle Eastern and...

Disappointing and overpriced for what it is. We ordered a dish that was supposed to feed three people, but it barely came with enough bread for one — and when we asked for more, the manager instructed the server to charge us extra. For $50, you’d expect a quality, freshly made meal and 2 drinks, but instead everything tasted like it came straight from a can. The foul medames wasn’t even smashed, and the metallic taste from the canned ingredients was noticeable. The halloumi cheese tasted off, and to top it off, the server almost dropped the entire tray on us. We barely touched or finished anything except for the hallwa. Overall, it felt like we were being charged a premium for subpar, low-effort food. Definitely not worth it. Just go to Dama Rose if you want Syrian breakfast.

Second Review in response to owner:

If your goal was to double down on arrogance instead of taking accountability, congratulations — your response nailed it. Rather than acknowledging poor service and underwhelming food, you chose to gaslight your customers by framing honest criticism as ignorance of “Syrian technique.”

Let’s be clear: it wasn’t about regional differences. Smashed or not, it was about the lack of freshness, the metallic taste of the ful, etc. Syrian cuisine is vibrant and rich — what we were served was bland, flavorless, and clearly not made with the care or quality you claim. The bread issue alone (charging extra when you’ve barely provided enough for one person let alone three on a $30+ dish) shows where your priorities lie — not in hospitality, but in squeezing every last cent from your guests.

Your patronizing tone — telling people to go elsewhere if they “expected Egyptian food” — doesn’t make you sound proud of your heritage. It makes you sound defensive and out of touch. Great restaurants know how to educate without being smug. You chose smug.

Thanks for confirming that your establishment isn’t interested in feedback or growth. Next time, put more energy into your food...