
As the annual International Festival of Arts & Ideas returns to New Haven, the celebration of art, music, culture, dance, fashion and history also honors the Elm City’s culinary diversity.
A monthlong schedule of food and beverage-related events spotlights local craft beer and the city’s global cuisine, featuring the flavors of Latin and South America, India, Syria and southeast Asia. Taste products made by Connecticut food startups, sample recipes from ancient times and slurp oysters after a kayak adventure down the Quinnipiac River.
Here’s a look at the highlights:
June 5: Black Hog Brewing Company beer launch party
The Oxford brewery is releasing a special brew, &Beer, for the festival, and marking the occasion with a launch event. Sample the beer, meet the artist behind its labels and enjoy bites from food trucks and music from New Haven’s own DJ Shaki. The party is free and open to guests 21 and over.

Black Hog Brewing Co. of Oxford has benefited from the creative talent of Hamden artist Maximilian Toth, who has created distinct looks for its line of beer. Toth is among a growing group of artists who are finding a new canvas on craft-beer bottles and cans.
David Ottenstein / Contributed photoJune 11 and June 25: Grand Avenue gastronomy tour with Lee Cruz
Lee Cruz, co-founder of the Chatham Square Neighborhood Association and outreach director at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, leads a tour of Fair Haven restaurants featuring Dominican, Mexican, Peruvian and Puerto Rican cuisine. Each tour is three hours. Cost is $40.
June 12 and June 26: BeerFest
The festival on the New Haven Green features tastings from local breweries like Alvarium, Armada, Back East Brewing, New England Brewing Company, New England Cider, No Worries and Two Roads. Cost is $25; guests must be 21 and over.
June 14: Long Table Dinner
At this event held at Hamden’s Eli Whitney Barn, celebrate food and fellowship among friends and family with storytellers Mark Scerra, ChaChanna Simpson and Laconia Therrio, along with music by singer-songwriter Lara Herscovitch. Food is provided by Soul de Cuba, Claire’s Corner Copia, Olea and Olmo Kitchen. Cost is $85.

Pataka, a vegetarian Indian restaurant on Howe Street in New Haven.
Dominic PerriJune 15: Infusion cocktails with House of Naan and Pataka
Sample small bites from fast-casual vegan and vegetarian Indian restaurant Pataka, while mixologists from its sibling restaurant, modern Indian kitchen House of Naan, teach home bartenders to “add pops of flavor to their cocktails.” Cost is $35.
June 16: Connecticut Food Launchpad Expo
The Connecticut Food Launchpad, which helps local food businesses plug into regional supply chains and grow their brands, will showcase startups like Ghanaian sauce makers Oh Shito!, plant-based food purveyors Fire Ox Foods, Asian superfoods Bo-yi Foods, Angela’s Kitchen pasta sauces, KDCROP Farms and Mugger’s Marrow “Stick ‘Em Up!” grilling glaze and marinade. The free event will be held on the New Haven Green.

Bryant Terry is a celebrated chef in Oakland, known for highlighting the flavors of the African diaspora in vegan dishes. His latest cookbook is “Vegetable Kingdom.”
Celeste NocheJune 19: Afro-Vegan Cooking with Bryant Terry
On Juneteenth, James Beard-award winning author, chef and food justice activist Bryant Terry discusses his book “Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora” at the Yale Reperatory Theatre. He’ll also present a cooking demo.
June 21: Recipes From The Oldest Cookbooks In The World
Ready to try a 4,000-year-old recipe? At RAWA Restaurant in Westville, the Peabody Museum showcases 3D replicas of Babylonian recipe tablets, while chefs from Sanctuary Kitchen prepare these ancient foods. After a brief presentation on the tablets, members of Sanctuary Kitchen will share stories and memories of their cuisine and offer insight into the refugee experience. Cost is $30.

From left, Michael Flora and Kyu Tipjak, owners of the Blue Orchid, a new Pan-Asian restaurant on Court Street in New Haven, with Flora’s children Kevin Flora, Michael Flora, Katie Flora and Mikaela Flora
Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut MediaJune 22: Pan-Asian Fusion with Blue Orchid
Michael Flora and Natthawut Tipjak of Blue Orchid will serve dishes that showcase curries, spices and textures from throughout Asia, including its New Haven famous Khao Soi. Cost is $40.
June 23: Gather New Haven’s Urban Farm Tour
Gather New Haven will discuss the seasonal production cycle of its urban farm on Ferry Street, along with the programs that the farm supports.
June 23: Brunch at Pistachio Cafe
Enjoy brunch at Mohamed Hafez’s Westville cafe, with a variety of Syrian dishes. The cafe is known for its Syrian and Turkish coffees and variety of Middle Eastern baked goods. Cost is $40.

Pistachio Cafe was conceived as a community gathering spot to allow “people to discover the Arabic experience through traditional food, drink and conviviality.”
Winter CaplansonJune 26: Cocktail & Oyster Kayak Tour of the Quinnipiac River
Guests will kayak from the Dover Beach launch along the Quinnipiac River, discovering oyster farms and birdwatching spots along the way. They’ll then stop at Fair Haven Oyster Company, the forthcoming oyster bar restaurant by Tavern on State’s Emily Mingrone and Shane McGowan, for oysters and drinks. Cost is $60.