Location: Ithaca
Top Restaurants in Ithaca
Best Italian food near Ithaca, New York, United States
Reviews on Italian food in Ithaca, New York, United States. "Ithaca is gorges" can be read on proud t-shirts across New York State, and there is definitely truth in advertising. Sitting on the shores of Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes, the hilly town of Ithaca is surrounded by dense forests, towering waterfalls, and many gorges. The natural beauty has a distinctly academic feel, as local universities have filled the woods with museums and education centers like The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which features a 220 acre wildlife sanctuary.
Things to do in Ithaca
10. Circus Truck
Reviewed By efd
We stopped by at noon time and saw a steady stream of customers. The chef owner works alone and deftly balanced cooking, taking orders, serving and chatting with customers. My pasta Alfredo tasted homemade and my friends breakfast burrito was substantially filled with fresh home fries, sausage, and eggs. I think everything is cooked to order and our food was delicious.
9. Thompson & Bleecker
Overall Ratings
4 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By voyagermum7
The atmosphere is warm and trendy. Brick walls, large pizza oven. The service is excellent. The roasted beets were AMAZING. The Panzanella Salad was perfection. The pizza was very good, but the crust was a little soggy (and a tiny bit too blackened for my taste, but lots of people like wood oven pizza like that). Highly recommend!
8. Pizza Aroma
Overall Ratings
4 based on 37 reviews
Reviewed By BWfromIthaca
I've been coming here for years - often with kids after music lessons at nearby CSMA or McNeil Music - and contend it's the best by-the-slice place in town. Toppings are really creative and generously portioned. Love their meat stuffed! As an added bonus, the owners are from El Salvador so they have great Latin American food - carne guisada, pupusas, albondigas, and the like. Ned's and Collegetown Pizza are runners up in the by-the-slice category, but I'll take Pizza Aroma for #1.
7. Joe's Restaurant
Overall Ratings
3 based on 155 reviews
Joe's offers a wide variety of delicious appetizers, traditional Italian dinners, pizza and desserts, all with a Tuscan flare. We offer a full bar with a large selection of wine, beer and spirits. All appetizers are always half price in the bar area! We a
Reviewed By katecN3037JT
We were recommended to eat at Joes by our hotel and we loved it! The fresh calamari with the home made marinara was delicious. The chicken parm topped with fresh mozzarella was a nice touch and very tasty. Their pizza with home made dough was very good and they have a nice variety of specialty pizzas. We will defiantly come back when we return to Ithaca.Thank you for coming in and for taking the time to provide your feedback. Weâre glad you enjoyed everything.Looking forward to seeing you again soon!
6. Franco's Pizzeria
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By ThaneOfLansing
This is hands down the best traditional place for a pie. I'm partial to Thompson and Bleeker for more bistro type pizzae. But Franco's is the tops otherwise. The pies are enormous, good toppings, great crust. It's pricey.... but they do give you what you pay for.
Where to eat Bar food in Ithaca: The Best Restaurants and Bars
5. Mercato Bar & Kitchen
Overall Ratings
4 based on 177 reviews
Open since November 2010, Mercato Bar & Kitchen offers Italian inspired seasonally conscious cuisine, an extensive specialty cocktail program and Italian and New York state wines.
Reviewed By 608dianac
We had 4 meals while in the Ithaca area and the only good meal was at the Mercato. Our waiter was exceptional and the food was excellent. The preparation and presentation were spot onl. I had the chicken piccata, my friend had the swordfish cooked in parchment, and my other friend had the scallops. We were all 100% pleased. For dessert we had the panna cotta which was the perfect ending. I would go back there in a heartbeat.
4. Taverna Banfi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 170 reviews
Tuscan culture embraces a cuisine that is inspired by availability and accessibility. At Taverna Banfi, our seasonal menus reflect this attitude. Located at the heart of Cornell University's campus, our casual fine dining atmosphere is perfect for enterta
Reviewed By LuxeFamilyFun
I was actually quite surprised at the food quality and service of this restaurant inside the Statler Hotel, on the campus of Cornell University. My short rib was great - a couple of the pasta's were also excellent. The Banfi Salad was just okay. But overall this was a worthy dining experience and very convenient if you are staying in the hotel. The wine list is also excellent. I made a math error when adding the tip to the bill which probably excludes me from visiting Cornell again.
3. ZaZa's Cucina
Overall Ratings
4 based on 267 reviews
Hospitality; it is what drives us at ZaZa's Cucina. We provide our patrons the complete dining experience by delivering excellent food, attentive service, and fine wine in an elegantly designed space. Chef and Entrepreneur, Curtis Radcliffe, combines his
Reviewed By 10023mom
We enjoyed our recent meal at ZaZa's Cucina. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that they offer homemade gluten free pasta (which was amazing!!). When discovering that members of our group have celiac, our server was especially careful to make sure that everything was safe (gluten free) for them. We enjoyed the live music (not too loud, so served as nice background music). Overall the food was great.
2. Gola Osteria
Overall Ratings
4 based on 195 reviews
Enjoy our unique and expansive dinner menu that includes homemade pasta, sauces and seasonal ingredients. We have a full bar with a well-curated Italian and Finger Lakes wine list, and a rotating selection of both inventive and classic cocktails. Dine alo
Reviewed By David S
Pleasant ambiance, well trained informed waitstaff. Ordered the Branzini on our visit, came to the table whole, it was cumbersome to eat, the plate wasn't large enough for me to do it neatly without fish falling off the plate, a little sloppy. I understand presentation .... BUT waitstaff should be trained to do a little tableside and debone the fish or sent back to the kitchen, a Big misstep in my mind.That aside it was a memorable meal. The charred octopus was amazing! Clams with squid ink pasta equally good. There are no Salt & Pepper shakers on the table, the Chef's palate is complex but spot on.The desserts selection could be a little larger, some items were sold out.
1. Ciao Wood-Fired Pizza & Pasta
Overall Ratings
4 based on 398 reviews
Welcome to Ciao! Ciao! is a casual fine dining, Italian restaurant that invites all ages. We specialize in Italian food with an authentic Tuscan flare. We also offer artisan pizzas that are hand-crafted and cooked to order in our wood-fired oven, which is
Reviewed By crocuslover
Hubby and I went here on a drizzly Monday in July for lunch. Very nice restaurant! We ordered some Arancini for an appetizer and were served three on a long tray with marinara sauce. Not like in Italy but very good! I ordered a margarita pizza and that was good, though the crust could have been more chewy. Husband ordered chicken fettacini dish that was a special. He really enjoyed that and finished it off. For dessert we shared a limoncello mascarpone cake that was sensational! Very nice meal and we would definitely return when we are in the area.
