BEST RESTAURANTS IN SYRACUSE NEW YORK
Ah, Syracuse! Known for its university, snow, and—believe it or not—its culinary scene. We want to show you the best restaurants in Syracuse New York!
When hunger calls louder than a freight train, it’s easy to find an eatery that answers with an opera of flavors.
Strap in, because we’re taking your tastebuds on a ride across 15 of the finest dining spots Syracuse has to offer.
This section features several affiliate links, meaning we’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through these links.
Table of Contents
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: A Smoky Affair
Atmosphere
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que combines rustic charm with Americana flair. Wooden tables, live music, and a wall adorned with vintage posters and knick-knacks make it feel like a sanctuary for barbecue lovers.
Menu Highlights
The “Wango Tango Chicken Wings” are worth the sticky fingers. Smoked and slathered in their famous Wango Tango sauce, they’re a fan favorite.
Pair them with the mac and cheese, which comes in a skillet so hot you might just catch fire (not literally, of course).
Unique Offering
The restaurant boasts its own range of bottled barbecue sauces. Choose your favorite and take a little bit of Dinosaur home with you!
Pastabilities: Italian Comfort Food
Atmosphere
Pastabilities showcases an open kitchen and an elegant bar. With exposed brick walls and warm lighting, it feels both modern and cozy, like an Italian trattoria revamped for the 21st century.
Menu Highlights
“Spicy Hot Tomato Oil” served with house-made stretch bread has been a local obsession for years. Move on to their house-specialty pastas; the Carbonara is laced with pancetta and offers a creamy texture that dances in your mouth.
Unique Offering
They have a seasonal menu that showcases local produce, ensuring you get the freshest ingredients on your plate.
Alto Cinco: Mexican Cuisine with a Twist
Atmosphere
Alto Cinco restaurant is a vibrant, eclectic, and full of life. The restaurant showcases contemporary art and bright colors that are sure to lift your spirits. It’s the kind of place where Frida Kahlo might enjoy a margarita.
Menu Highlights
Alto Cinco makes a killer “Chipotle Tempeh Taco.” Tempeh might sound like something straight out of a health food store, but believe us, this is sinfully delicious.
Unique Offering
They serve up an exotic selection of tequilas and mezcals, making it an ideal spot for an adventurous night out.
Apizza Regionale: Pizza Perfection
Atmosphere
It’s a quaint spot that brings together rustic and modern elements. With its wood-fired oven as the centerpiece, it’s clear that pizza-making is the sacred ritual here. Apizza Regionale offers alot of variety as well with pastas, salads, sandwiches and specialty cocktails!
Menu Highlights
Their “White Pie with Truffle Oil” is an extravaganza of flavors. Fresh mozzarella, garlic, mushrooms, and truffle oil combine in a heady mix that will leave you craving for more.
Unique Offering
They mill their own flour for the pizza dough, ensuring you get the crispiest, fluffiest base possible.
Phoebe’s Restaurant and Coffee Lounge: An Elegant Experience
Atmosphere
When you step inside Phoebe’s Restaurant, it’s like entering a different era. With its plush seats, vintage chandeliers, and a piano often graced by local talents, you’d almost expect to see Fitzgerald and Hemingway debating at the bar.
Menu Highlights
The “Duck Confit with Cherry Sauce” is a culinary masterpiece. The duck is cooked to perfection—juicy and tender—with the cherry sauce adding a rich yet tangy flavor.
Unique Offering
Their wine selection is exquisite, catering to both newbies and aficionados.
Rise N Shine Diner: Breakfast Galore
Atmosphere
The ambiance is vibrant and colorful at the Rise N Shine Diner, with murals and decorations that reflect the youthful spirit of Syracuse University nearby. It’s like breakfast in an art gallery.
Menu Highlights
The “Unicorn Milkshake” is a fantasy in a glass. Topped with a rainbow of whipped cream and sprinkles, it’s a must-try for those with a sweet tooth.
Unique Offering
They have an “All-Day Breakfast Menu,” ensuring that you can have breakfast for dinner, because why not?
Francesca's Pizza: A Slice of Liverpool's Best
Atmosphere
Francesca’s gives you the authentic neighborhood pizzeria vibe—complete with a brick oven, cozy tables, and checkered tablecloths.
The air is thick with the comforting smell of fresh dough and melting cheese, creating a sensory experience that’s as welcoming as a hug from an Italian nonna.
Menu Highlights
The “Francesca’s Special” pizza is not your average pie. With a medley of pepperoni, sausage, peppers, and onions, each bite is like a mini flavor explosion.
The crust? Let’s just say it’s the kind of crispy, chewy perfection you write culinary odes about.
Unique Offering
What sets Francesca’s apart is their “Pizza by the Slice” menu, offering a selection of their best creations available by the slice.
It’s an excellent way for indecisive foodies or pizza newbies to sample a variety of flavors without committing to a whole pie.
Lemon Grass: Thai Cuisine and Beyond
Atmosphere
Lemon Grass exudes sophistication, blending Thai artifacts with modern architecture. Intricate lanterns and Thai sculptures add an exotic flair.
Menu Highlights
Their “Pad Thai” isn’t just a dish; it’s an event. Each flavor profile, from sweet to tangy, is perfectly balanced.
Unique Offering
Their cocktail list includes a selection of Thai-inspired drinks that beautifully complement their dishes.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT DEAL ON THINGS TO DO?
Strong Hearts Cafe: Vegan Heaven
Atmosphere
Strong Hearts with its comfy, laid-back vibe and a mix of indie rock and folk tunes, it’s the perfect backdrop for your plant-based feast. Organic, much?
Menu Highlights
The “Tofu Scramble” takes vegan breakfast to the next level. Loaded with veggies and spices, you won’t even miss the eggs.
Unique Offering
Strong Hearts Cafe offers an extensive list of vegan milkshakes, each named after a different social justice cause.
Varsity Pizza: The Student Favorite
Atmosphere
Varsity Pizza is a wall-to-wall sports memorabilia and TVs broadcasting games create a vibrant, youthful atmosphere that can turn anyone into a Syracuse Orange fan.
Menu Highlights
The “Varsity Special” is not just a slice; it’s a full-fledged meal. Loaded with toppings and cheese, it’s an ode to everything a pizza should be.
Unique Offering
They offer a “Pizza Eating Challenge” where brave souls can attempt to eat a giant pizza slice within a time limit to win prizes.
The Fish Friar: A Seafood Serenade
Atmosphere
If you’re looking for an oceanic oasis amidst the bustle of Syracuse, look no further. The Fish Friar offers a clean, minimalist environment that puts the spotlight squarely on its seafood.
The color palette is neutral with splashes of ocean blue, setting the stage for the real star—your meal. Picture this: You, in a coastal haven, without even leaving New York.
It’s like a beach vacation for your senses.
Menu Highlights
The “Crispy Monkfish Cheeks” are a revelation—tender inside, crispy outside, and perfect all around.
They’re paired with a mouthwatering aioli that would make a sailor blush. And let’s not even talk about the “Lobster Roll”; it’s so fresh, you’d swear they have a private line to Maine’s fishermen.
Packed with succulent lobster meat and just a hint of mayo, each bite transports you to a seaside picnic.
Unique Offering
The Fish Friar features a seasonally changing menu, relying heavily on local suppliers. That means the fish on your plate was probably swimming yesterday—talk about fresh! They also offer a “Catch of the Day,” ensuring there’s always something new and exciting for frequent visitors.
Darwin on Clinton: Sandwich Royalty
Atmosphere
Combining a modern and vintage design, it’s a spot where comfort meets taste, and the chalkboard menu changes regularly, keeping locals on their toes. Darwin on Clinton offers a great range of sandwiches and sides in their easy to access location.
Menu Highlights
The “Evolutionary Chicken Sandwich” is made with freshly baked bread, high-quality meats, and homemade sauces. It’s Darwinism you can eat!
Unique Offering
They feature a “Sandwich of the Week,” making sure that regulars always have something new to try.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT DEAL ON PLACES TO STAY IN SYRACUSE?
AWESOME! CLICK DOWN BELOW!
Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse: A Symphony of Flavors
Atmosphere
Delmonico’s captures the grandeur of a bygone era, merged with the energy of a modern eatery. Dark wood, plush leather seats, and vintage chandeliers evoke a Rat Pack vibe.
It’s the kind of place where you half-expect to see Sinatra himself, seated at a corner booth, crooning away.
Menu Highlights
The “Delmonico Steak” is, of course, the shining star. Juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection, this is steak that even an Italian nonna would approve of. Don’t overlook their “Fried Calamari,” crispy and tender, served with a side of marinara that is a tangy counterpoint to the squid’s sweetness.
Unique Offering
What sets Delmonico’s apart is their “Tableside Caesar Salad,” prepared right in front of you. The spectacle is almost as delightful as the taste.
And for wine lovers, their carefully curated Italian wine list is a journey through Italy’s finest vineyards without ever leaving your seat.
Stella's Diner: Classic American
Atmosphere
Stella’s Diner interior features classic diner aesthetics—checkerboard floors, retro jukebox, and neon signs. It’s like sitting in your grandma’s kitchen, only with more strangers and less unsolicited life advice.
Menu Highlights
The “Meatloaf Dinner” tastes like nostalgia and Sunday family dinners, but better because you didn’t have to cook it.
Unique Offering
Don’t miss their rotating “Pie of the Day.” It’s the sweetest form of gambling you’ll ever partake in.
Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub: Cheers to Good Food!
Atmosphere
Kitty Hoynes has its rich wooden furnishings and traditional Irish music in the background, it’s a jovial Irish pub where even leprechauns would feel tall.
Menu Highlights
The “Fish and Chips” are so good, they make you want to practice your Irish jig. The fish is crispy, the chips are fluffy, and the atmosphere is golden.
Unique Offering
They have weekly Irish music sessions where you can tap your foot to the beat while enjoying a pint of Guinness.
Conclusion: Why Syracuse Is a Gastronomic Wonderland
Alright, buckle up your seatbelt and loosen that belt buckle, because Syracuse just served up a smorgasbord of deliciousness you won’t want to miss.
From divine pizzas and authentic ethnic flavors to comforting breakfasts and even gourmet vegan options, Syracuse has laid out a banquet table that dares you to walk away hungry.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your reservations now and embark on your foodie odyssey in Syracuse, New York. Cheers, or as they say in fine dining circles, Bon Appétit!
