I really dug this press release from the Box 63 restaurant a few blocks from my house. I remember the site as Fitzwilly’s—the favored place for Yalies to bring their visiting parents—then as a succession of shortlived dance clubs (one of which was linked to a street shooting in the neighborhood back in the mid-‘90s). Most recently it was Xando, which transformed into the coffeeshop Cosi. I remember being sorely offended by Xando when it opened, because its T-shirts said “Xando Yale” instead of “Xando New Haven.” As a vegetarian, I’m not likely to eat very often at Box 63, but I applaud that they’re inclusive of the whole community and not just the college folk.
Here’s the release:

338 Elm St – A Legacy To Uphold
Carl Carbone of Box 63 Restaurant Continues a Landmark of New Haven

Box 63 sees thousands of patrons a week in its downtown location, few who know the true history of 338 Elm St. For history buffs, here it is: from 1863-1974, the building now occupied by Box 63 bar served as Old Engine House #3. This firehouse was one of three that came to the rescue of New Haven’s most notorious fire started in the woodworking shop of the Old County Prison. On the early spring morning of April 13th, 1910, that very fire was reported first from call box number 63, from which we get Box 63’s namesake.

In 1974, Old Engine House #3 reached the end of its useful service and city planners sold the building, charging its new owner with the daunting task of uniting two diverse neighborhoods and providing a common ground on which all citizens of New Haven could come together as a community. That pursuit bore the acclaimed Fitzwilly’s, a pub that soon became a hugely popular and trendy establishment in New Haven, accomplishing the city’s vision and one that citizens remember to this day.

When Carl Carbone found the three-year vacant building on the corner of Park & Elm, he pledged to restore the property and bring back the community ideals with a new and up-to-date concept that diners could once again enjoy; this was the birth of Box 63. The restaurant is centered on ‘Green Dining’ – a sustainable approach to restaurant management. Starting with the renovations, Box 63 used many recycled parts – 90% of the kitchen equipment is refurbished along side of new refrigerators that are highly energy-efficient. Fully 25% of all you see at Box 63 is refurbished and/or recycled: tables made from wood from a decommissioned old factory, drink rails from the newly remolded Yale Bowl, bead boards saved from a old New Haven multi-family home, even old telephone poles in the bar that uphold 100 year old massive crown moldings removed from a salvage yard, and lots of other fun decorations from historic places in New Haven.

The sustainability didn’t stop with the construction—all of Box 63’s dishes are made in-house with fresh raw ingredients, a pursuit that helps eliminate the green house emissions created during the manufacturing process along with all the post-consumer wastes of cardboard, plastic and aluminum that are the by-product of manufacturing processed-foods. Sustainability isn’t just a manufacturing motive, it’s a moral issue that cousins Tom & Carl Carbone, both of whom have families with children, address at Box 63. “We are sick of constantly having to settle for the processed, frozen, packaged and pre-cooked foods that franchise restaurants offer,” says Carl, a former chef, “we adopt the philosophy that quality doesn’t have to be expensive, unlike its franchise counterparts which opt for the more profitable pre-packaged frozen menu offerings that requires little effort to put on the plate. It comes down to what we wanted for our families: wholesome, fresh, raw ingredients that we process without chemicals and preservatives that have real food taste with all the nutritional benefits. We are not boardroom executives and we stand behind our choices, maybe its because we have to stand in front of our customer and look them in the eye when they dine with us. Call it food that we are proud to serve our families and lucky enough to provide our customers.”
Featuring American comfort food, a 50-plus bottled beer list, and a no-nonsense approach to dining, Box 63 begs its customers to “eat with your hands,” though silverware is of course provided! With value-driven portions and a farm-to-fork approach to its menu, it’s no wonder this restaurant has been creating a buzz in and around New Haven. Located on the corner of Park & Elm streets, Box 63 pays homage to the firefighters that once called 338 Elm Street their firehouse home.