New York City is known for being one of the best food destinations in the world, which means the rest of the state is often overlooked despite being home to some of the best restaurants in the northeast. Cities like Schenectady and Buffalo may not have the reputation that the Big Apple has, but they’ve got their own collection of local hotspots serving up mouth-watering eats for locals and tourists alike. These are a few of our favorite restaurants around New York, from delicious Vietnamese fare to some of the best fried chicken in the state.
City Squire has all the basic comfort food you’d want from a local pub, from Korean-style wings to chicken bacon ranch mac-and-cheese. Add a beer or two, and you’ve got just about as much as you can handle.
Johnny’s is widely known as the premiere Italian restaurant in Schenectady, and you’ll know why that is once you taste the homemade pasta at this local favorite. Then again, when it comes to the menu at Johnny’s, you can’t lose.
Head up to Ithaca, NY, and you’ll find a more diverse food scene than you expected. If you’re up for an authentic Vietnamese meal, check out Saigon Kitchen for pho or house specialties like crispy squid or Vietnamese steak.
Agava Restaurant in East Ithaca used to be a local train station; now it’s one of the most popular restaurants in the city, with gorgeous murals by local artist Bill Benson, and more importantly, a fantastic selection of southwest cuisine.
Chef James Roberts based this eatery on his southern Louisiana roots, and you can taste it in the fried chicken and cornbread. This Buffalo favorite is the epitome of comfort food done right.
The nostalgic charm of Charlie the Butler has been a staple of Buffalo for over a century, ever since Charles Roesch, the former mayor of Buffalo, opened the place in 1914. Visitors can rest assured that Charlie E. Roeash, grandson of the original Charles, still runs the show today. And he’s serving up the best roast beef and milkshakes in town.
The Lost Dog Café has one of the most fun atmospheres of any restaurant in Binghamton, but the apple turnovers will also keep you coming back for more.
Saratoga Springs probably isn’t the first city to come to mind for most tourists when they think of foodie cities throughout the state, but its eateries have some truly unique tastes.
Try Hattie’s for some stellar chicken and waffles, or head to Druthers Brewing Company for a wood-fired pizza and a few of the most delicious brews in the area.
If you’re not near any of those cities, there are tons of great restaurants in Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Utica, and more towns throughout the state. And of course, you can always go all-out and head south to New York City!
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