Top 12 Best Restaurants in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in New York famous for its tourist sites like the Erie Canal Museum and Rosamond Gifford Zoo. But what a lot of people do not know about Syracuse is the exceptional dining experience of the city. If you’re planning to visit the city, it’s worth experiencing to try different flavors at different restaurants.
You will find upscale pubs, bistros, Italian restaurants, and an American vibe in abundance when exploring the food options in Syracuse. We have researched and enlisted the best restaurants in Syracuse that you should consider. Our listing is based on our research & experience and what the people think about the places to eat.
So let’s get into it.
1. Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse
Let’s start with Italian cuisine, as Italian restaurants are abundant when you go out to find good places to eat in Syracuse. Let’s start with the place’s ambiance, which is very calm and has an Italian flair. The restaurant in Syracuse is just 7 min drive from Erie Canal Museum, and it features some of the best tastes and flavors in the city.
As soon as you enter the place, you’re welcomed with the caricature décor, mob bosses-dressed servers, and jazz music in the background. It’s a gourmet dining experience in one sentence. But it’s not just the atmosphere that enhances the experience; the food is also just on the point.
Italian cuisine, cocktails, and steaks on Delmonico’s menu are perfect for family dinner or a date night. You must try out their Calamari, Gorgonzola wedge salad, Chicken Sinatra, and Cannoli to have an ideal meal!
Location
2950 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13224
Website
delmonicositaliansteakhouse.com
Telephone number
+1 315-445-1111
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday 16:00-21:00
Friday 16:00-22:00
Saturday 13:00-22:00
Sunday 12:00-21:00
About the Food
Italian, American, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Possibilities
Takeout, Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
2. Dinosaur
Bar-B-Que lovers there?
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is probably the best restaurant in Syracuse if you’re a fan of southern flavors with a traditional pub grub vibe. If you are in the city for food, Syracuse, you must keep this place on your list.
Let’s begin with the dining experience and ambiance of this place. The place’s environment is explained by exposed walls, dark-colored details paired with the wooden bar, and the awesome vintage tavern vibe.
Moving on to the food, you will get some of the best barbecue options, from ribs to wings. If you’re not ordering barbecue ribs, you might have to regret it, and Tres Ninos is also a must-try! Besides, the fried green tomatoes, mac & cheese, and cornbread served at the place are also exceptionally good.
Location
246 W Willow St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-476-4937
Opening hours
Sunday-Tuesday 11:00-21:00
Wednesday & Thursday 11:00-22:00
Friday & Saturday 11:00-23:00
About the Food
American, Bar, Barbecue
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Possibilities
Outdoor Seating, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Takeout, Table Service, Live Music
3. Lemon Grass Restaurant
If you’re a Thai food lover, Lemon Grass Restaurant is one of the finest restaurants in Syracuse you can visit. The Syracuse restaurant downtown has an Asian décor and vibe, making it a fine place to have a dinner date or an intimate family gathering. The restaurant has been serving downtown since 1990 and is known for its exquisite menu and ambiance.
The restaurant features one of the rarest and most authentic Pacific Rim Thai foods. When talking about what food to try at the place, starting with House Spring Rolls and Morning Roti can be the best choice. Moving forward, Pad Thai, Panang with Rib Eye, Bangkok Beef, and Coco Shrimp can be your ala carte. Conclude your meal with some of the best wines featured in their bar menu.
Location
113 Walton St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-475-1111
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday 11:30-21:30
Friday & Saturday 11:30-10:30
Sunday 16:30-21:00
About the Food
Asian, Thai, Fusion, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Possibilities
Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service
4. Pastabilities
When wandering around the Landmark Theatre and Atrium Parking Garage, you must stop by Pastabilities to enjoy their sophisticated ambiance, and some of the delicacies served. As soon as you enter the restaurants, the lighting welcomes you to the feeling of a contemporary and expensive place. Whether you choose indoor seating or an outdoor patio, it’s an experience.
The menu mainly focuses on Italian and American cuisine, and this industrial-chic bistro is best known for its comforting food items. You will find it there if you want to try Italian pizza, pasta, or American steaks.
To take our advice, you must try Pasta’s Duck Bacon Flatbread Pizza, Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie, Potato and Goat Cheese Ravioli Braised short rib, or Thai Beef salad to upscale your dining experience.
Location
311 S Franklin St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-474-1153
Opening hours
Monday closed
Tuesday-Thursday 11:00-14:00, 16:00-21:00
Friday 11:00-14:00, 16:00-22:00
Saturday 16:00-22:00
Sunday 16:00-21:00
About the Food
Italian, Fusion, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Possibilities
Takeout, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Street Parking, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available.
5. Apizza Regionale
Another Italian restaurant in Syracuse, Apizza Regionale, is characterized by its sophisticated yet colorful and calming ambiance. Fairy lights hanging from high ceilings, intimate seating arrangements, and pleasant staff makes it one of the best Syracuse restaurants. Like most Italian restaurants, authentic wood-fired pizza is the place’s specialty.
Whether you have a mood for New York Style Pizza, Calabrian pizza, or a mix of both, you will not regret trying at Apizza Regionale. Besides, they have great pasta options and exotic wines to relish your precious moments. You can also try the Loenessa Linguine or Olive & Cheese.
Location
260 Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-802-2607
Opening hours
Monday closed
Tuesday-Friday 11:30-15:00, 17:00-21:00
Saturday 16:00-21:00
Sunday 16:00-21:00
About the Food
Italian, Pizza, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Possibilities
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Table Service, Highchairs Available
6. Francesca’s Cucina
Another Italian one since the city is crowded with Italian or a mix of Italian-American places to eat. Francesca’s Cucina is famous for the most authentic Italian flavors that are hard to find in the town.
The extravagant outdoor dining area is something that will grab your attention just after you enter the place. The patio floor is rustic with greenery-covered walls, and the addition of a fire pit in the dining area adds to the restaurant’s vibe.
For food, you will have a lot of Italian options, from Steamed mussels to signature chicken Riggies and Goat Cheese Fritters to Lobster Ravioli. Their famous delightful cannolis can be the perfect conclusion to the meal.
Location
545 N Salina St, Syracuse, NY 13208
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-425-1556
Opening hours
Monday 16:00-21:00
Tuesday-Saturday 16:00-22:00
Sunday closed
About the Food
Italian, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
Possibilities
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
7. Daniella’s Steakhouse
The list of best restaurants to have food in Syracuse, NY, cannot be complete without some notable steakhouses. Daniella’s steakhouse is an old and trendy place for steaks and seafood, and the restaurant has been operating since the 1960s. The place’s vibe is similar to that of an upscale steakhouse on Madison Avenue.
It won’t be just a meal trip but a perfect opportunity to visit this historic restaurant in Syracuse. The best food to try when at the place is French onion soup, Delmonico, seafood options like shrimps, scallops, salmon, or their signature steaks. Besides, they have some worth-tiring wines and beers that you must consider when visiting.
Location
670 State Fair Blvd, Syracuse, NY 13209
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-471-9874
Opening hours
Monday closed
Tuesday-Thursday 16:30-20:00
Friday & Saturday 16:30-22:00
Sunday 16:30-21:00
About the Food
American, Steakhouse, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner
Possibilities
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Television, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music
8. Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant
An Irish-American pub grub, Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant, is considered one of the best restaurants in Syracuse. The most notable thing about the Syracuse restaurant is the historic building. As soon as you step in, the charming vintage ambiance hits you with a polished dark-wood bar and traditional hanging lights.
The calming atmosphere is pampering enough to make you feel relaxed in the restaurant. They have featured some of the best drinks and flavorful dishes. You can go for Irish meatloaf, Irish porter burger, Kinsale Calamari, and conclude your meal with Bailey’s Irish CreamChocolate Chip Cheesecake or Shepherd’s Pie.
Location
301 W Fayette St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-424-1974
Opening hours
Tuesday-Saturday 11:30-01:00
Monday & Sunday closed
About the Food
Bar, American, Irish, Pub, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
Possibilities
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available
9. Joey’s Classic Italian Dining
Italian restaurants are abundant when looking for food in Syracuse, but not all Italian restaurants offer a gourmet experience. Joey’s Classic Italian Dining is a gourmet place with an upscale ambiance and has been serving since 1982. The bistro décor is soothing and has been paired with carpeted floors and cloth-covered tables. The stained glass lights are just the perfect addition to the whole dining experience and give you the feel of an old Washington, DC.
The Joey’s Classic Italian Dining menu has some exotic dishes for vegetarian, non-veg, and vegan food lovers. Bananas foster, salads, shrimp casino, stuffed rigatoni, calamari steak, baked stuffed clams, Antipasto, Minestrone, and Fettuccine Pestofredo, and what not there on the menu list. Choosing one is tough, and you won’t regret trying any of these when there.
Location
6594 Thompson Rd, Syracuse, NY 13206
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-432-0315
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday 11:00-21:00
Friday 11:00-22:00
Saturday 15:00-22:00
Sunday closed
About the Food
Italian, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Possibilities
Takeout, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Television, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine & Beer, Reservations, Private Dining, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service.
10. Stella’s Diner
If you want to experience the local flavors of Syracuse in its true American essence, Stella’s Diner is an excellent place to stop by and have dinner. Located on Wolf St., Stella’s Diner is one of the best American restaurants in Syracuse. The betty boop feel of the restaurant will hit you and take you to the traditional American vibe.
One thing you should know is that it’s a place that will give you a nostalgic experience with the shiny booths specific to the American style. The staff is cooperative and welcoming, and the overall ambiance of the place is calming. The vintage décor with excellent food will upscale the dining experience at an affordable price.
Some food items worth trying are homemade goulash, macaroni salad, buffalo chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bruschetta appetizer, and French Silk Chocolate Pie.
Location
110 Wolf St, Syracuse, NY 13208
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-425-0353
Opening hours
Monday-Thursday 06:00-14:30
Friday & Saturday 06:00-20:00
Sunday 06:00-14:30
About the Food
American, Diner, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Late Night
Possibilities
Takeout, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
11. 317 @ Montgomery
If you want to upscale from the local American flavors to a sophisticated yet vintage American restaurant experience, 317 at Montgomery Street is the perfect place to stop by. The patterned ceilings, historical building, elegant vibe, and linen tablecloths perfected with classic walls provide the perfect romantic ambiance.
The place is perfect if you’re looking for an intimate date with your significant other. Not only that, you can book a place for a business meeting or family gathering as well.
The food served at the place is also just like the restaurant’s atmosphere. Although at a premium price, the Generous portion size and tantalizing flavors are worth paying. You can try their signature 317 Salad, chicken scallopini, beef bulgogi egg rolls, short rib risotto, or duck tacos for your meal.
Location
317 Montgomery St, Syracuse, NY 13202
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-214-4267
Opening hours
Tuesday-Thursday 17:00-20:00
Friday & Saturday 17:00-21:00
Monday & Sunday closed
About the Food
American, Contemporary, Fusion, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner, Lunch
Possibilities
Reservations, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Wine & Beer, Accepts American Express, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Table Service, Highchairs Available
12. Dosa Grill
Last but not least, we will conclude our list of restaurants in Syracuse with an Indian touch. Dosa Grill is a traditional Indian restaurant in Syracuse with many vegetarian options and a classical sub-continent feel. The place’s ambiance is nothing different but a traditional Indian restaurant.
The best thing about visiting Dosa Grill is an opportunity to order the thaal and try all food items in small quantities. The food menu is large enough to feature many Indian food items. So if you’re looking to explore Indian tastes, it’s a perfect deal to have a meal at Dosa Grill.
Location
4467 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13214
Website
Telephone number
+1 315-445-5555
Opening hours
Monday-Saturday 11:30-15:00, 17:00-22:00
Sunday 12:00-15:00, 16:30-21:00
About the Food
Indian, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
Possibilities
Takeout, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Table Service, Reservations
Conclusion
We hope these Syracuse restaurants will help you decide which one you should try for your next dinner date or family celebration. Besides, if you’re coming to the city for the first time, the list will be your guide for trying out the best food in Syracuse.
Do let us know about your experience at these restaurants or if you think we have missed any best restaurants on our list.
Top 12 Best Restaurants in Syracuse, New York
- Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse
- Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
- Lemon Grass Restaurant
- Pastabilities
- Apizza Regionale
- Francesca’s Cucina
- Daniella’s Steakhouse
- Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant
- Joey’s Classic Italian Dining
- Stella’s Diner
- 317 @ Montgomery
- Dosa Grill
