House Of Chao Closes After 52 Years

“And an order of pork dumplings — two, if they freeze well,” said Sandy Rodriguez, topping off her final order at House of Chao Wednesday.

That evening, after 52 years in business, the beloved Westville Chinese restaurant closed its doors for the final time. Owner Nelson Chao is retiring to spend more time with his wife, Grace, and their two children.

Rodriguez discovered House of Chao at 898 Whalley Ave. 23 years ago, shortly after graduating from Quinnipiac Law and moving to Westville. Her landlord, Drew Cucuzza — who wrote a rave review of the restaurant in the New Haven Advocate — said it served some of the best food in the neighborhood.

“My parents in Puerto Rico are devastated that House of Chao is closing,” said Rodriguez. Her daughter, a high school junior, insisted that she ​“order everything” on closing night.

Many long-time customers had the same idea. Just ten minutes after opening Wednesday, the restaurant was so inundated with orders that the wait time had already grown to an hour and fifteen minutes.

For Jacob Miller, the wait was worth it. His parents were among House of Chao’s first customers more than 50 years ago. After Miller began singing with Chao’s son at the Choir of Boys & Men at Trinity on the Green, his family became regulars.

“House of Chao is an institution here…it’s a big loss for the neighborhood,” he said.

Elizabeth Donius, executive director of Westville Village Renaissance Alliance, described the restaurant’s style as ​“old-school” and ​“classic.” Long-time customers placing their final orders on Wednesday noted how little the interior had changed over the decades. For Julia Webb, a regular of 15 years, House of Chao’s retro red booths and yellow overhead lighting felt like a ​“slice of a different time.”

Despite its iconic status, the restaurant’s closure came as a shock to many customers. Win Lihar, who has worked at House of Chao for nine years but still describes himself as a ​“newbie,” said that the decision was made over the weekend.

Chao had hoped to sell the business, but the deal fell through when a prospective buyer learned renovations would take three months and cost a significant sum.

Lihar has ​“no idea” what will become of the space, but customers will now have to go elsewhere for handmade dumplings, General Tso’s tofu, sesame chicken, and wonton soup — all of which were some of the best-selling items on House of Chao’s menu.

The food will be missed, and so will Nelson Chao. Known for being ​“quiet, consistent, and hard-working,” said Miller, Chao has become as much a Westville institution as his restaurant.

Frank Morrone and his brother, House of Chao customers for almost 50 years, echoed that sentiment when picking up their final orders. ​“It’s hard to describe him — he’s a staple,” Morrone said.

For Chao, the people in Westville made running House of Chao a ​“pleasure.”

As customers continued streaming in to place their final orders, they offered Chao hugs and heartfelt words of appreciation. As they shared how much he would be missed, he reassured them: ​“Don’t worry. You’ll see me around Westville.”