Shake Shack's Newest Destination: New Haven

It has been a big two weeks for Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group — first Pete Wells awarded the restaurant chain a star in The New York Times on February 21 (although the review itself was not very complementary), and they announced this morning that the newest addition to the ever-growing Shake Shack family will open in New Haven, Conn. The new location will open in fall 2012 (coinciding conveniently with the start of the new school year at Yale). This will be the second Shake Shack in Connecticut; the original is in Westport.

Just like with the other Shake Shacks, this one will serve a variety of burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, concretes, and fries. The location will also have special menu items that aren't available at the other branches.

New Haven is of course home to the restaurant that claims to be the birthplace of the American burger, Louis' Lunch. Established in 1895, the iconic dive continues to serve flame-broiled hamburgers that are cooked using the restaurant's original vertical cast-iron grills.  

In a statement released by USHG this morning, Meyer said, "My colleagues and I are proud to bring Shake Shack to New Haven, we are incredibly excited to establish roots in this food-loving, bustling city — which some even say is the birthplace of the hamburger. New Haven is staging a thrilling urban renaissance and we are excited for the opportunity to join this community as employers and citizens."