Barbecue Blowout

Kick off the holiday weekend at Caseus Fromagerie Bistro (93 Whitney Ave., New Haven; 203-624-3373, caseusnewhaven.com) on July 3 from 5:30–10 p.m., replacing the usual menu with their take on an all-American barbecue: Berkshire pulled pork and aged cheddar, local beef brisket, heritage BBQ half-chickens, Berkshire ribs, slow baked beans with house cured bacon, one-third pound Kobe beef hotdogs, New England clam chowder, BBQ scallops, red cabbage spicy slaw, deep fried house pickles and Mars bars and peanut butter and jelly brioche bread pudding, with beer and wine specials and live tunes from Adam Ezra and Turtle. After the BBQ blowout, Caseus will be closed from July 4–6 to recover.

Farm Fun

Starting on July 8 and continuing weekly on Wednesdays through Aug. 12, Common Ground High School (358 Springside Ave., New Haven; 203-389-4333, commongroundct.org) has a farm stand set up from 1:30–4:30 p.m., selling its own organic veggies, herbs, fruits and flowers. Also, starting on July 11 and happening every Saturday through Aug. 8, it's "open farm day" from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., inviting guests to have some free summer fun on the farm: Visit the animals, take a tasting tour of the garden led by young farm hosts, go for a hike on the trails and bring a picnic lunch. If the weather looks bad, check the Web site for updates.

Ivy Eats

The Ivy Lounge (956 Chapel St., New Haven; 203-562-5566, ivynewhaven.com) invites you to "Wake Up Your Weekend!" every Friday this summer with a live music happy hour series on their newly decorated patio. Also new at the Ivy is a bistro-style menu from chef Gregory Martell, with bar bites (fun stuff like tater tots with sea salt and malt beer vinegar, $6); small and large plates (from salads to prosecco shrimp tempura to short rib panini; $9–$16); cheeses ($3–$11) and desserts (such as the banana trio: bread pudding, tempura and smoothie, $8). The Ivy Lounge plans to extend its hours soon to be open for both lunch and dinner service all week.

Summer Sips

Find two of summer's favorite thirst-quenching tastes, all in one sip: Thomas Hooker Brewing Company (6 Tobey Road, Bloomfield; 860-242-3111, hookerbeer.com) recently re-released its Watermelon Ale: a light, crisp brew with a hint of watermelon essence. The ale debuted last year, but only on tap; this year, you can also find it in bottles at liquor stores across the state (also in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and soon in New York, too). The June issue of Playboy magazine names this "effervescent sipper" as one of its top summer brews, adding: "Looking for a good time? This Hooker is worth every penny."

Send restaurant tips and food-related news to kcei@newhavenadvocate.com