If you have mailed a package at the East Haven Post Office on Hemingway Avenue, you have parked at Trolley Square. The plaza at 370 Hemingway Ave. is about to get a lot busier. With two new tenants on the way, the plaza’s retail and restaurant space is now fully occupied, according to CT Scoop, which covers new businesses around the state.
One is a sports tavern going into the old Koi Sushi space. The other is a coffee shop with a pretend village for little kids. Here is what is coming and when.
J. Charles Tavern: burgers, bourbon and 10 to 12 TVs
J. Charles Tavern has applied for permits to convert the former Koi Sushi restaurant, a space that earlier housed Mr. C’s Fish & Steakhouse, CT Scoop reported on Oct. 25. The tavern is locally owned and family operated by Joseph and Kristina Moran.
The site plan describes “elevated American comfort food, genuine hospitality, a full-service bar, and a sports-centered atmosphere,” with 10 to 12 large TVs. The planned menu includes handcrafted burgers, signature sandwiches, salads, homemade soups, entrées, daily specials and seasonal dishes. The bar list calls for Connecticut craft beers, premium bourbons, scotches and whiskies, wines and cocktails.
The name is a family one: reports say it honors Joseph Moran’s father. State business records show J. Charles Tavern LLC registered as an active Connecticut company on June 10, 2026. The opening is targeted for early 2027.
Town officials previewed the plan in September. At a Sept. 23 meeting, Economic Development Director Rich Coppola told commissioners a tavern was planned for the former Koi Sushi spot next to the Post Office, with “plenty of televisions” and a menu of burgers, steak and comfort food.
Sponsored Partner
The East Haven Courier may be paid a small commission on partner offers at no cost to you.
Coffee With A Twist: espresso for parents, a village for kids
The plaza’s other newcomer is Coffee With A Twist, a play café for children from newborns to age 8. CT Scoop reported in September that the plan includes a pretend village with a farm, a clinic, a daycare, a firehouse, a construction site and a house, plus espresso, ice cream, dessert waffles and a party room.
The owner is Carla Miranda, a New Haven resident, construction worker and mother of two daughters. State records show Coffee with a Twist LLC was registered on Feb. 4, 2026.
Because the plan mixes a café with a children’s play space, it needs a special exception from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Courier reported this month that the commission continued the hearing on the application to its next meeting. That public hearing is set for Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. at the East Haven Senior Center, 91 Taylor Ave. Residents can speak there.
What’s left at Trolley Square
With the tavern and the play café, the ground-floor storefronts are spoken for. CT Scoop reported that only second-floor office space remains for lease.
For Hemingway Avenue, that means two new reasons to stop besides the Post Office: a place to watch the game over a burger, and a place where toddlers can run a pretend firehouse while their parents finish a latte.
More from our Sponsored Partners
Sponsored Partner
The East Haven Courier may be paid a small commission on partner offers at no cost to you.
Want East Haven news in your inbox? The East Haven Courier newsletter is coming soon. Email news@easthavencourier.com with “Newsletter” in the subject line to get on the list.
Have a tip? Email news@easthavencourier.com
