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Casual
ABC Cafe
308 Stewart Avenue, Ithaca
607-277-4770
Collegetown
Hours: 9:30am-11pm Sat & Sun, 11am-midnight Tue-Thu, 11am-1am Fri.
At the foot of Ithaca's Collegetown neighborhood, ABC Cafe is Ithaca's only meatless restaurant. The atmosphere is casual, to say the least; you'll be more comfortable in tie-dye than in black tie. The menu, all vegetarian and mostly vegan, caters to a variety of tastes. Those accustomed to meat might enjoy the delicious ABC-made veggie burgers, on a bun or in a pita. There are stir-frys, salads, interesting pastas, delicious calabacitas burritos, and an entire page devoted to beverages. The appetizers include fine french fries and great nachos. Prices are reasonable and portions are large, but nothing beats the nightly specials for value, such as Mexican night with half-priced Dos Equis beer and two enormous burritos for under $9. Service varies, but the food is worth the occasional annoyance. [ALR]
(Web Site)
Aladdin's Natural Eatery
100 Dryden Road
607-273-5000
Collegetown
Aladdin's offers passable Greek-style food, so-so service, and an unfortunate inattention to detail. The high points are the desserts and their extensive selection of bottled beers.
Applebee's
2300 North Triphammer Road
607-257-6200
Ithaca Northeast
Hours: Daily for lunch, dinner, and late-night fare
Considering the disdain with which “cookie-cutter” establishments are viewed by some, I was very impressed with how smoothly this trendy, yuppie-oriented chain restaurant has fit into the area.
Applebee’s offers very speedy and friendly service, a pleasant surprise to anyone expecting anonymous or uncaring treatment. The food is good, reasonably priced, and plentiful, as well. Hot, tasty soup and a grilled chicken sandwich made a good lunch, and a recent visit for dinner yielded an excellent “Bourbon Street Steak,” their 10oz. sirloin with Cajun spices, all cooked perfectly as we’d ordered them.
(Web Site)
Asian Noodle House
204 Dryden Road, Ithaca
607-272-9106
Collegetown
From the folks who brought us Little Thai House, Asian Noodle House (formerly "Tap") is a classic noodle shop with a substantial variety of noodle and rice dishes and soups, plus gourmet Asian pizzas, with plentiful portions and reasonable prices. The curry puffs appetizer were a treat, and Thai grilled chicken with noodle was served with a perfect Thai peanut sauce. Our entrees came with a small salad, generously adorned with bean sprouts and bits of tofu.
Boatyard Grill
525 Taughannock Blvd
607-256-BOAT (2628)
Ithaca West End
This restaurant was opened by Mark Campagnolo, a former partner at Joe's Restaurant. The beautiful building with its nautical theme is a great setting for the quick and friendly service and the exceptional, hearty food at this comfortable restaurant. Naturally, there's lots of fresh seafood (brought daily from Boston), but the Texas Cowboy Steak (a porterhouse with a chipotle glaze served on the bone) and Boatyard Angus Sirloin (smothered with fresh roasted garlic) aren’t to be missed. Be prepared to wait for a table.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Capital Corner Restaurant
118 West State Street
607-272-7350 (fax 272-9398)
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 11am-10pm 7 days a week
This new establishment where Asiatic Garden lived for decades has a lot to live up to, and is off to a very good start. We were impressed that our egg rolls came out of the kitchen almost as soon as we’d ordered them, hot and fresh. The steamed dumplings appetizer didn’t arrive in quite as timely a fashion, coming after the first of two entrees. Our beef satay, with chunks of fresh tomato, was a pleasant surprise, and the sesame chicken (a Chinese restaurant staple) was good. They have affordable combo dinners and lunch specials, and deliver free with an order of $8 or more.
Chariot, The
420 Eddy Street
607-273-0081
Collegetown
Like the Nines, the Chariot offers great pizza and a variety of entrees and sandwiches. The entrees lean toward an Italian theme, and there’s a good selection of beer on tap at the full bar. The Chariot’s round pizza is its forte, with a broad array of toppings and several “specialty pizzas” with pre-selected combinations. The crust is crisp and a little bit sweet, and we love the Chariot’s sauce. We recommend the corn nuggets as an appetizer.
Chili's Grill & Bar
614 South Meadow Street
607-272-5004
Ithaca Southwest
Hours: Lunch & Dinner 7 days a week
The latest of the nationwide chains to reach Ithaca offers an eclectic mix of American-grill-style entrees and sandwiches and southwest or Mexican-style dishes. The huge rack of signature babyback ribs are an example of the generous portions, and the cajun tuna sandwich features a plentiful piece of tuna steak that overflows the large roll. The bar specializes in good (if pricey) margaritas, and they badly need to add Maker's Mark to the shelf.
(Web Site)
Collegetown Bagels & Appetizers
Triphammer Mall
607-257-2255
Ithaca Northeast
This bagelry and appetizing establishment offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches and simple entrees from 6:00 am until 7:30 pm. It's informal as dinners go, but that's fine. CTB has an excellent selection of retail gourmet items, along with an ever-changing variety of prepared food items. It’s very vegetarian-friendly.
(Web Site)
Corners Deli
200 Pleasant Grove Road
607-257-4019
Ithaca Northeast
Hours: M-F 8:30am-6:30pm, Sat 9-4.
This Community Corners institution is a family-owned delicatessen specializing in Middle Eastern specialties in addition to a wide array of fresh American-deli-style foods. The overstuffed sandwiches and pitas barely leave room for the exceptional baklava and other desserts. Great falafel and gyros, and fresh roast beef whose aroma permeates the neighborhood. In the morning, stop by for a pastry or rice pudding and a cup of flavored coffee.
(Web Site)
Dasan-J Korean Restaurant
104 Dryden Road, Ithaca
607-256-3333
Collegetown
Dasan-J's Korean BBQ dishes are served over sticky white rice, with a side of crisp salad. The menu features a vegetarian selection in addition to beef and pork, wraps as well as platters, and affordable lunch specials.
Dino's Cosmopolitan Restaurant
313 College Avenue
607-273-4563
Collegetown
They’ve got a full menu, but it’s the breakfasts that seem to keep people coming back to “the Cosmo,” attached to the popular Dino’s Collegetown bar. The food’s not that special, and don’t expect expert service, but it’s decent diner fare, and it’s inexpensive and quick.
Doug's Fish Fry (Cortland)
206 West Road (Rte 281), Cortland
607-753-9184
Nearby
Hours: 11am-9pm Sun-Thurs, 11am-10pm Fri-Sat
Doug's Fish Fry is worth the drive from Ithaca. It's a small, privately owned chain that prides itself on simple, quick food, with no table service, no wait staff, and no tipping. Excellent lobster bisque or clam chowder, huge fried fish sandwich that overflows the roll, or even steamed live lobsters.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Doug's Fish Fry (Skaneateles)
8 Jordan Street, Skaneateles
315-685-3288
Nearby
Hours: 11am-9pm Sun-Thurs, 11am-10pm Fri-Sat
Doug's Fish Fry is worth the drive from Ithaca. It's a small, privately owned chain that prides itself on simple, quick food, with no table service, no wait staff, and no tipping. Excellent lobster bisque or clam chowder, huge fried fish sandwich that overflows the roll, or even steamed live lobsters.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Dryden Queen Diner
84 North Street, Dryden
607-844-5060
Dryden
The Dryden Queen is a clean, simple diner, with friendly service, good food, and reasonable prices. What more do you need? Crispy corned beef hash? Yep, they do that pretty well, too.
Felicia's Atomic Lounge
508 West State Street, Ithaca
607-273-2219
Ithaca West End
Felicia's has a very simple menu and a very straightforward lounge philosophy that says a lounge is for lounging. The funky decor, with metal panels and velvet couches, fits nicely. On the menu when we visited were personal-sized flatbread pizzas, salad, and homemade apple pie.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Franco's Restaurant
Route 96B
607-277-6666
Ithaca South Hill
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
What makes Italian-American restaurant fare the ultimate comfort food? Is it the simplicity (and affordability) of a plate of spaghetti and sauce? The sheer ubiquity of Italian cuisine in Anytown, USA? The fact that just about anyone, from carnivore to vegetarian to vegan, can select from a wide variety of choices on the menu? I never expected a shortage of Italian eateries in Ithaca, but with two long-time favorites closing in the last few months, it's nice to have new options.
Franco's menu features the expected array of pastas and sauces, parmigiana entrées, steaks, and subs. A bit farther from the beaten path are the grilled veggies with pine nuts and sundried tomatoes over linguini, the shrimp and feta, and the margherita pizzas with fresh garlic and marinara sauce. We were also intrigued by the "Mixing it Up" dinner selections, presented as a matrix of prices that apply when combining such entrées as prime rib, chicken parm, or London broil with add-ons like grilled salmon, shrimp scampi, or a lobster tail.
(Full Review)
Friendly’s
Cayuga Mall, Triphammer Road
607-257-5797
Ithaca Northeast
We’ve never been a big fan of Friendly’s, but they certainly have their place in the local dining scene. This restaurant, across Triphammer Road from the Pyramid Mall, offers decent service. There are also Friendly’s locations inside Pyramid Mall (next to Café Square) and along Fast Food Row on Route 13 south of downtown Ithaca. We find Friendly’s does best at breakfasts (which are inexpensive) and ice cream (expensive but with good variety). For lunch and dinner, we suggest going elsewhere.
Gepetto’s Pizzeria
404 West State Street
607-272-1950
Ithaca West End
Hours: Til 3am, 4am Thursday through Saturday
As far as we know, Gepetto’s is the only place in town that delivers meatless “wings.” And, of course, their pizza reputation dates back to 1959, when the Pirro family opened its Ithaca pizzeria, famous for being the first to deliver. Free soda with pizza. Free delivery.
Glenwood Pines
1213 Taughannock Boulevard
607-273-3709
Ithaca West Hill
Hours: 11-11 Sun-Thu, 11-Midnight Fri-Sat
A casual eatery four miles north of Cass Park on Route 89, with an active bar and plenty of relaxed seating. We highly recommend the fresh fish fry dinner or sandwich (depending on how hungry you are) or the infamous Pinesburger, served on French bread.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Grist Mill Cafe
3825 Main Street, Burdett
607-546-7770
Nearby
Hours: Mon-Sat breakfast & lunch
This tiny eatery, on Route 79 between Ithaca and Watkins Glen, just past Burdett's four-way flashing stop light, offers pancakes and egg sandwiches for breakfast, and delicious fresh sandwiches for lunch. The coffee is top-notch, and a "large" mug is the size of a measuring cup! A warm roast beef sandwich was served on a fresh roll with caramelized onions and garlic mayo -- complete with garlic cloves. Yum! The lemonade was fresh, and went nicely with the quiet outdoor deck, which overlooks a stream with a small waterfall.
Hal's Deli
115 North Aurora Street
607-273-7765
Downtown Ithaca
A Jewish-style deli with good hot and cold deli sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups, and breakfasts that include bagels and lox. The triple-decker sandwiches are named after Hal (the deli’s late founder) and assorted relatives and regulars; the "Ron Mack Special" is a plate of potato pancakes and corned beef named after the late Cornell professor of psychology.
The food's not fancy and the service is friendly and well-meaning, if not expert, but sometimes you just gotta have a Reuben and a knish, y’know?
(Full Review)
Ida May's
21 Main Street, Trumansburg
607-387-3478
Nearby
Hours: Lunch and dinner, 7 days
Creative, tasty, and affordable homestyle cooking. Appetizers include a fun twist on chicken wings... large meaty drumsticks fried with wing sauce, and excellent calarmari. Fruity marinated pork tenderloin medallions were great, and the sweet potato fries were incredible. The sole dessert was fantastic, a thick, warm, toasted slice of pound cake with strawberry-rhubarb sauce and slivered almonds. Should have a wider variety of vegetarian entrees.
(Full Review)
Ithaca Bakery
400 North Meadow Street
607-273-7110
Ithaca West End
When I told a friend in Florida I was going to visit the Ithaca Bakery, she exclaimed, "Oh, I love bakeries!" I had to stop and think for a moment, then explain that our Meadow Street "bakery" doesn't just do bread and pastries. They do bake the fresh bread, rolls, donuts, cookies, and cakes for a staggering number of hotels, stores, offices, and other eateries around the region, but I was there to visit the eatery part of the business. Any time of day, you can satisfy your appetite at the Ithaca Bakery for just a few bucks for a bagel sandwich or deli sandwich, or spend $5-10 for a full meal.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Jade Garden
113 North Aurora Street
607-272-8880
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 11:00-10:30 Daily, Fri & Sat til 11 pm, Sunday opening at noon.
Jade Garden offers a small but well-stocked Chinese lunch and dinner buffet right off the Commons, plus tasty food prepared to order for dining in or carry-out service. The restaurant is clean and casual, and while they don’t compare to the sheer variety at the larger buffets in town, they don’t seem to have to.
Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches
122 North Aurora Street, Ithaca
607-645-0075
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 11am-3am daily
This sandwich shop offers well-stuffed sandwiches on French bread or thick-sliced whole-grain bread, with delivery available (the prices are higher for each item). The sandwiches are made to order, and they're lightning-fast.
(Web Site)
Juna’s Cafe
146 The Commons
607-256-4292
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 7:30-7:00 Mon-Thu, 7:30-9:00 Fri, 9:00-11:00 Sat, 10:00-7:00 Sun
Juna’s offers a wide variety of fresh, tasty, made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and wraps, and a vegetarian-frendly attitude. (The chef salad, for example, offers tempeh in place of the chicken at no extra charge.) On a cold day, try the chili, and don’t miss out on the coffee drinks.
(Web Site)
Just a Taste
116 North Aurora Street
607-277-9463
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Dinner Sun-Thu 5:30-10 and Fri-Sat 5:30-11.
Catering to an interesting mix of business owners, college students, and everyone in between, this wine and tapas bar offers an ever-changing menu of creative food, and a broad array of wines to sample. Since the menu changes every night we can’t suggest a specific dish, but we’ll tell you that if it sounds like an odd combination, it’s probably exquisite. Try the sangria.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Kelly’s Dock-Side Kafe
319 Taughannock Blvd
607-273-9642
Ithaca West End
Kelly’s, opened in a 28-seat trolley car 28 years ago, is famous for its omelettes and Sunday brunches, and has outdoor seating that’s perfect for a pleasant Saturday morning. The owner, whose full name is Albert Kelly, though everyone just calls him Kelly, does most of the cooking. Try the spinach, mushroom and cheese omelette, with a side of crisp bacon and some home fries. Even the toast was done to perfection.
King Buffet
734 South Meadow Street
607-256-3388
Ithaca Southwest
Hours: 11 am - 9:30 pm daily, til 10:30 Fri & Sat
King Buffet starts out as a Chinese buffet, but ends up with a much broader array of food. Their fresh and flavorful dishes include plenty of vegetarian dishes, sushi, carve-to-order ham and roast beef, and kid-friendly items like pizza and spaghetti.
Kyushu
2300 North Triphammer Road
607-257-6788
Ithaca Northeast
A new Japanese hibachi restaurant and sushi bar in the Tops/Applebee's plaza on North Triphammer Road in front of Pyramid Mall, Kyushu offers hibachi-style dishes (cooked table-side), fresh sushi, and a variety of other Japanese meals. The food is delicious, well prepared, and surprisingly affordable; complete lunches cost $6-9, and complete dinners $12 and up. Things seem vaguely uncoordinated, but on opening day, we won't complain. (The hibachi chefs certainly aren't uncoordinated, or someone would lose a finger!) When the staff has everything down pat, they may well rate a "5."
Lehigh Valley House
801 West Buffalo Street, Ithaca
607-273-4410
Ithaca West End
There’s nothing extraordinary about the dinners at the Lehigh Valley House, unless you consider sheer generosity of portions. You can order appetizers or snacks or a sandwich (such as a burger), but if you order an entree, be prepared for a feast. The entrees come with soup or tomato juice, plus a small salad, plus two side dishes, plus bread and a plate of onion rings for the table. The entrees themselves aren’t small, either. It’s traditional American steaks, seafood, and chicken dishes, and while it’s not the best food in town, you won’t leave hungry.
Ling Ling
Ithaca Shopping Plaza & East Hill Plaza
607-272-0718 & 607-273-1668
Ithaca
Hours: 11-10 Mon-Thurs, 11-11 Fri & Sat, Noon-10 Sun
Ling Ling, a pair of carry-out or eat-in Chinese restaurants, offers quick and inexpensive and tasty Chinese food. They offer a surprising variety of Szechuan, Hunan, and Cantonese cooking a la carte, with several options available as combo dinners ($7-8 or so for entree plus fried rice and egg roll), and a couple dozen lunch special possibilities, where $4.60 gets you an entree with fried rice, plus soup or an egg roll. Make sure you check which one you’re calling, or you’ll go pick up your food at the wrong place!
Little Thai House (Collegetown)
202 Dryden Road
607-273-1977
Collegetown
A tiny, casual eatery for take-out or eat-in service. You can order items from the menu, but your best bet is to select two already-prepared entrees from the steam table as a combo (or one large portion) for $4.95. We recommend the Pad Thai and one of the other entrees. Some dishes are deliciously spicy, and there’s good chili sauce if it’s not hot enough.
Little Tokyo Korean Japanese Restaurant
113 East State Street, Ithaca
607-272-8638
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Lunch 11:30-2:30, dinner 4:30-9:30
Little Tokyo is a promising new restaurant, with a variety of Korean and Japanese lunches and dinners, plus a list of sushi rolls made fresh. Lots of the meals offer a choice of meats, tofu, or vegetables, making this a promising downtown vegetarian destination. The food was very good, and plentiful, though they need to work on better-organized service in this oddly shaped (long and narrow) restaurant; one waitress might well have been enough in a different layout, but ours seemed overwhelmed when the tables were only about a quarter full. They should do well with the $10 business lunch crowd, if not the $5 bargain lunch crowd.
Lost Dog Cafe
106-112 South Cayuga Street
607-277-9143
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Closed Mondays
The Ithaca version of this legendary Binghamton hangout was a long time in the making, but it was definitely worth the wait. It’s both coffee shop and eatery, and dinner was a wonderful array of creative flavors.
Sundried tomato dip with slices of garlic toast, and smoked trout served with crackers and a creamy horseradish sauce, were great appetizers. I recommend the tortellini amore, tricolor cheese tortellini served with a mound of lobster chunks, enormous shrimp, and spinach and mushrooms in a cream sauce.
The Dog has several good beers on tap, including Guinness and the fine Ithaca Stout, and a wide array of coffee drinks.
The Lost Dog is a welcome addition to the west end of the Commons, and to Ithaca’s culinary landscape!
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Lucatelli's Ristorante
205 Elmira Road
607-273-0777
Ithaca Southwest
Lucatelli’s is best known for its plentiful Italian-style entrees. It’s also best known for its juicy steaks. And, it’s best known for its extensive antipasto salad bar. The food’s tasty, the parking’s easy, the pasta and gnocchi are fresh, and if you haven’t been here in a while, what are you waiting for?
Lucatelli's has a surprisingly good bourbon selection -- important to this bourbon afficionado. The shrimp cocktail features four large, juicy shrimp and deliciously sharp cocktail sauce, and the "side" of pasta (one of the choices with each entree) looks like a meal in itself.
Main Moon Buffet
401 Elmira Road, Buttermilk Falls Plaza
607-277-3399
Ithaca Southwest
Ithaca’s original "Chinese Buffet," Main Moon has expanded in response to the arrival of competing buffets in town. They’ve added sushi and a more complete salad bar, in addition to the wide array of Chinese food and such kid-friendly offerings as chicken wings and french fries. There are always vegetarian dishes on the buffet.
Mama Teresa’s Pizzeria
139 Dryden Road
607-272-6262
Collegetown
Hours: Til 3am weekdays, 4am weekends
Mama Teresa’s has adequate pizza, and good dishes such as chicken or eggplant parm. Their regular pizza doesn’t really have enough sauce, but the sauceless veggie pizza has a nice array of vegetable toppings. Free delivery.
Manos Diner
Elmira Road
607-273-1173
Ithaca Southwest
Hours: 24 hours
Dubbed "The Diner of Fate" by those who know, Manos offers the usual diner fare, from breakfasts 24 hours a day to sandwiches, burgers, and entrees, plus a full bar (and the same food menu) in the attached Ichabod's. Manos is perfect for an inexpensive but filling breakfast. Later in the day, try the fries with a side of gravy, and if you’re in the mood for a big meal, the turkey dinner can’t be beat. Ichabod's also features a nice, fresh salad bar, great with your dinner.
(Full Review)
Maxie's Supper Club
635 West State Street
607-272-4136
Ithaca West End
Hours: Sun-Thurs till Midnight, Fri & Sat till 1 am.
It’s worth putting up with the cramped feeling and excessive noise in this marvelous oyster bar and Cajun eatery. The food is almost all spicy, and you’ll need to go again and again to try everything that tempts you on the menu. Happy hour until 6 pm means half-price oysters and clams from the raw bar. For a good sampling, try the Cajun Mixed Grill and a side of fresh corn bread with tasty orange-honey butter. Vegetarian options are limited; go for the veggie jambalaya.
(Web Site)
Mi Casita
704 West Buffalo Street
607-273-1113
Ithaca West End
Hours: Lunch and dinner
A new eatery featuring Latin & Cajun cuisine right on the Cayuga Inlet, featuring empanadas, Cuban sandwiches, po boys, and more. Listed only.
Miyake
416 Eddy Street
607-277-6767
Collegetown
Hours: Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week
In the former location of Kayuga, Miyake features attractive new decor and an expanded menu. After we'd been sitting at our table for a while (the restaurant seemed understaffed), we were greeted with a small dish of pea pods to nibble on, and served hot green tea. The steamed gyoza is a bit wilted, but the calamari tempura is exceptional and the sushi very good. The spicy tuna roll seems to carry most of its spiciness in a sauce drizzled over the top, instead of throughout the tuna. We look forward to trying more of Miyake's menu, including the hot food.
Moosewood
DeWitt Mall
607-273-9610
Downtown Ithaca
Moosewood is far more famous for its series of vegetarian cookbooks than for the meals actually served in the restaurant, but the meals are quite creative and popular, too. Moosewood offers an ever-changing variety of mostly vegetarian entrees (there’s sometimes a fish or seafood dish). If the service matched the food, and the prices were a little better matched to the portion size, they’d rate a 5. We recommend Sunday “ethnic nights,” when the offerings fit an ethnic or national cuisine, such as a recent Greek night that offered a “Grecian stew” and a tasty vegetarian Pastitsio. The fresh soups are often great.
Napoli Pizzeria
401 East State Street
607-272-3232
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 11am to 1am (weeknights) or 2am (weekend)
Napoli, at the foot of the State Street hill in the Gateway Center, has some of the best pizza and wings in town, for dine-in, carry-out, or delivery. Hot and cold subs and Italian specialties round out the usual pizzeria menu, but they also have ribs, burgers, and fried clams, shrimp, or scallops in addition to the typical fare.
Nines, The
311 College Ave
607-272-1888
Collegetown
Like the Chariot, the Nines offers great pizza and a variety of entrees and sandwiches. The entrees lean toward an Americana theme, and there’s a good selection of beer on tap at the full bar. The square deep-dish pizza is its forte, with a broad array of toppings and a thick crust. The four slices easily feed two or three people. If you’re not in a pizza mood, try the astonishingly good ribs or the roast chicken. The Nines used to house one of Ithaca’s fire stations (now next door) and offers great music many evenings. They’d rate a “5” if the service weren’t so often slow and inattentive.
(Web Site)
Pie Girl
1006 West Seneca Street
607-273-9800
Ithaca West End
Hours: 7am-7pm seven days a week
Pie Girl specializes in all sorts of pies, including fruit and other dessert pies, quiches, meat pies, breakfast "handipies," and more, plus fresh soups.
Plum Tree
113 Dryden Road
607-256-8081
Collegetown
This Japanese restaurant at the "kneecap" bend of the lowermost block of Dryden Road offers good sushi and sashimi and a plentiful variety of cooked meals with very nice presentation. Now all they have to do is differentiate themselves from Kayuga, just a half block away.
Ralph's Ribs
344 Elmira Road, Ithaca
607-277-RIBS
Ithaca Southwest
Hours: Lunch and dinner
This new restaurant from the owners of Ralph's Momma's Gourmet Sauces offers delicious BBQ ribs, pulled pork, chicken, gumbo, chili, and lots more. There are even a couple of vegetarian entrees.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Rhapsody
Statler Hotel, Cornell University
607-254-2500
Ithaca
Hours: 6-8 pm Monday-Thursday
A student-run eatery at Cornell offering fresh food with a global beat. The fast-casual restaurant has a variety of diverse ethnic foods, designed and prepared by an international team of students. Listed only.
(Web Site)
Rogue’s Harbor
Corner of Rts 34 & 34B
607-533-3535
Lansing
Hours: Dinner 4-10 Mon-Sat, 3-9 Sun, brunch Sat & Sun
Situated in an old building on the corner of two main Lansing thoroughfares, Rogue’s has a great selection of beers on tap and Finger Lakes wines, and appetizers that fall heavily into the fried category but are worth sampling. They’re known for their prime rib and large portions of everything; we recommend the Chicken Riggies, a rigatoni and chicken dish with vegetables in a delectable cream sauce. Ask about the building’s past as a station on the underground railroad, and its underground tunnel to Cayuga Lake, and check out the antique maps on the walls.
(Web Site)
Rose, The
Triphammer Mall
607-257-5542
Ithaca Northeast
This casual American-style restaurant offers wings and fajitas in addition to an array of sandwiches, steaks, chicken and fish entrees, and salads. The salad bar is a meal in itself.
Sadie D’s Deli
DeWitt Mall
607-273-9027
Downtown Ithaca
This friendly, family-run deli, named after a dachshund, offers tasty sandwiches, delicious soups, and great coffee drinks in a convenient spot in downtown Ithaca, a short walk from the Commons. The usual deli sandwiches are supplemented by house specialties, such as the wonderful “Godfather” sandwich. They have a wider-than-usual selection of cheeses, and such interesting sandwich toppings as artichoke hearts. Try a half sandwich with some fresh soup, and don’t forget a slice of the peach pie.
Sangam
Center Ithaca
607-277-6716
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Open 7 days a week
There are a few select entrees from the main Collegetown Sangam Indian Restaurant here at this steam-table counter in Center Ithaca. The food always tastes fresh, and it's always ready when you walk up. There's also a small selection of Indian groceries and videos.
Sangam
424 Eddy Street
607-273-1006
Collegetown
Hours: Open 7 days a week
Sangam's daily lunch buffet is a good way to sample this Indian restaurant's offerings, though there's not quite enough variety on the buffet from day to day to explore what they're capable of. Come back for dinner, or order lunch from the menu. The mango chicken is excellent, and Sangam offers traditional tandoori (clay oven) roasting. They can cater to vegetarian and even vegan needs.
Shortstop Deli
200 West Seneca St., Ithaca
607-273-1030
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 24 hours every day
Whether you call them subs or grinders or hoagies or whatever, Shortstop Deli specializes in those long sandwiches on fresh-baked French bread, or smaller sandwiches on kaiser rolls. They've got the usual ham, roast beef, and turkey, but they've also got seafood salad, eggplant, seitan, or prime rib. For the last couple of years, the Shortstop hot sub menu has had a selection of the famous Hot Truck French bread pizza subs. Supplement your sub with a fresh hot bowl of soup or chili.
(Full Review)
(Web Site)
Simeon's
224 East State Street, on the Commons
607-272-2212
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 11 am to midnight daily
Simeon’s is a favorite spot for seeing and being seen, at the corner of State and Aurora Streets on the Commons, but it’s also a good place to eat and drink. Long-time Simeon’s fans will be pleased to see the menu still has most of the old favorites, and we’re also pleased at the variety of creative and tasty dishes added to the specials board nightly.
The “sandwiches with a history” are a good fallback if you don’t need lots of food, and the generous salads are a good choice as well. Or, dive in with garlic bread with cheese, a crock of French onion soup, and Jamaican Jerk chicken or pork.
The good wine selection should have more local choices, but the scotch and bourbon offerings are without peer.
(Web Site)
Simply Red Village Bistro
53 East Main Street, Trumansburg
607-387-5313
Trumansburg
Hours: Mon, Thu-Sat 5-10pm; Sun brunch 10-2
Upscale dining in a casual atmosphere, featuring pasta, fresh vegetables, free range chicken, seafood, steaks, and more. Monday is "Southern Night." Listed only.
Souvlaki House
315 Eddy Street
607-273-1650
Collegetown
If you’re a fan of Greek food, you should never move to a town that has none. If you’re in Ithaca, the options abound, and Souvlaki House represents the best combination of good food, reasonable prices, and good service. In fact, Souvlaki House offers both Greek food and Italian food, with the area’s best souvlaki, Greek salad, and stuffed grape leaves, plus very good chicken (or veal or eggplant, etc.) parmigiana. Inexpensive lunch choices include subs, souvlaki and gyros, and Greek-style pizza. We recommend a bottle of Demestica, a Greek wine, with your meal.
Sticky Rice
401 East State Street, Ithaca
607-275-3641
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30, dinner 7 days
Thai and Laotian restaurant at the back of the Gateway Center, just east of the Ithaca Commons. Theoretically open for lunch, but always closed when we try to go. Listed only.
Sunset Grill
823 Danby Road, Ithaca
607-272-1986
This new eatery on South Hill at Rogan's Corner features a full breakfast menu that's a good value, and we especially love the "breakfast sides" section of the menu, which lets you add a single pancake for about two bucks, or a single egg for a dollar, to whatever you're getting. This is a very customer-friendly way of letting you build the breakfast you want, instead of having to order two $6 breakfasts if you want corned beef hash and pancakes. It's a typical but solid American-style lunch and dinner menu, with good food and reasonable prices. Less-scattered service would net them a 4. (Full review)
Taste of Thai
216 The Commons
607-256-5487
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: Tues-Sun, 11am-3pm lunch, 5pm-10pm dinner
With a great fancy Thai restaurant on Route 13, and a great casual Thai restaurant in Collegetown, it’s nice to see something in the middle price-wise, but with top-notch food. The Pad Thai was delicious, and not quite what we were used to, and the Khao Pud Supparod, or pineapple and chicken fried rice, with slices of Thai sausage and raisins, was our first experience with sweet fried rice. Nearly all the dishes can be made vegetarian, using tofu, vegetables, or mock chicken or duck in place of meat ingredients. Our waitress was great, but some of the “supporting cast” in the dining room seemed to need a bit more coordination.
Taste of Thai Express
526 West State Street, Ithaca
607-272-8424
Ithaca West End
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2:30pm lunch, 4:30pm-10pm dinner
This west end eatery, just east of Route 13 on State Street, features the same exceptional food as Taste of Thai on the Commons, but this one delivers as well as having eat-in service. Our food arrived far faster than the promised 40-45 minutes, and everything was correct, fresh, and hot. The cashew chicken, a Vietnamese-style dish, was a delightful surprise, with a marinated wood-grilled flavour and crunchy strips of onion and green pepper.
(Web Site)
Viva Taqueria & Cantina
Corner of State and Aurora Streets
607-277-1752
Downtown Ithaca
Hours: 7 days until 10 pm
This downtown corner eatery features inexpensive and plentiful handmade, fresh Mexican food, focusing on tacos, burritos, nachos, and the like. The fillings include deliciously spiced chicken, beef, pork, or bean-based vegetarian mixes. The next-door Cantina offers table service and a bar that mixes (among other things) a respectable margarita.
Wendy’s
Pyramid Mall & Elmira Road
Ithaca
Wendy’s isn’t Ithaca-specific, but it’s always got affordable, tasty food, usually beats the other chains on quality, and if the staff isn’t the quickest or most talented around, at least they’re not ruining any expectations.
A pair of 99 cent “double stack” cheeseburgers and a soda makes a filling and quick meal, and if you’re inclined to step up to a spicy chicken sandwich or a stuffed pita, so much the better. The fresh and inexpensive salads and potatoes have always edged Wendy’s onto the good side of healthy eating for those who want it, and the grease is of course there for those who prefer that approach.
Wings Over Ithaca
East Hill Plaza
607-256-WING (9464)
Ithaca
Hours: 11a-1a Sun Tue Wed, 11a-3a Thu-Sat, 4p-1a Mon
This new branch of "Wings Over Albany" offers an affordable lunch buffet and free delivery (4pm to close, daily). The hottest "Afterburner" wings are hot enough for Ithaca, if not Buffalo, and flavourful as well. Vegetarians are basically out of luck, unless they're satisfied with fries and macaroni salad. Poultry-eaters, though, might enjoy the 15 varieties of wings, and those who can't stand bones should try the "boneless wings," excellent hand-battered chicken strips sold by the half pound. We have yet to try the wraps, sandwiches, or ribs. Let us know what you think.
(Web Site)
Wok Village
23 Cinema Drive
607-257-8881
Ithaca Northeast
This attractive and casual Chinese restaurant offers lunchtime dim sum on the weekends, a plentiful and ever-changing weekday lunch buffet, and nice dinners consisting of traditional Cantonese, Hunan, and Szechuan Chinese dishes, plus an array of Vietnamese specialties.
(Web Site)
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