Ithaca boasts a wide variety of restaurants, from upscale coat-and-tie joints to bare-bones minimalism. As usual, our tastes tend toward overlooked gems, especially in the ethnic food category, and against high pricetags. Still, several of our picks cost a premium, and according to the reviews are worth it. We feel the list below does a good job of representing the best of Ithaca gastronomy, including tapas, “new cuisine”, two ethnic options, and a breakfast/lunch option, but we didn’t set out to do that – that’s just the way it ended up.
Bottom line – like college neighborhoods everywhere, this college town can and will charge a lot for food. Be suspicious. With our list, hopefully you can avoid paying too much for a mediocre meal.
| Restaurant Name | Address | “Vibe” | “Composite” Rating* | Credit Cards Ok? | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Just a Taste  |
116 N Aurora St Ithaca, NY 14850 |
Tapas/Casual | 4.12 stars | Yes | Raves about food. Negative reviews focus on small space, occasional delays in service. |
Saigon Kitchen  |
526 W State St Ithaca, NY 14850 |
Vietnamese/Casual | 4.48 stars | Yes | High marks for Pho, the traditional “canary-in-the-coalmine” for quality Vietnamese food. |
Mercato Bar and Kitchen  |
108 N Aurora St Ithaca, NY 14850 |
Italian Wine Bar/Upscale Casual | 4.08 stars | Yes | Raves about bar, consensus on high quality of food, primary critiques are of limited nature of menu. |
The Heights Cafe and Grill  |
Community Corners Center 903 Hanshaw Rd Ithaca, NY 14850 |
New Cuisine/Upscale/Dressy | 4.08 stars | Yes | Quality of food is undisputed. Negative reviews focus on price, crowds, service. |
Ithaca Farmers’ Market  |
545 3rd St Ithaca, NY 14850 |
Open-air market/Food Stalls | 4.48 stars | No | At first blush a shopping destination, but don’t sleep on the restaurant stalls, especially the Cambodian food and breakfast burritos. |
