Get a bite of Syracuse at Downtown Dining Week
Get a bite of Syracuse at Downtown Dining Week
For the 16th year in a row, Downtown Dining Weeks is back to Syracuse from February 17 to March 1. The event will host 46 locally-owned restaurants – 18 more than last year – that will be offering special promotions to their customers. Hosted by Visions Federal Credit Union and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, the restaurants will offer three-course dinners for $30 or less and three-course lunches for $10 or less.
As diverse as the population of the city, the restaurants’ styles range from Mexican and Italian, to Thai and Mediterranean and many more. Here are a handful of examples:
317 at Montgomery
This restaurant not only had a funnily useful name, as indicated by their address but also an interesting menu: it changes every season to accommodate vegetables that are fresh in the market. This means quality vegetables at their peak every time.
According to owner Dan Whittles, the American restaurant also offers a wide variety of wine from all over the world as well as a small and relaxing atmosphere.
“We like to say that 317 at Montgomery is Manhattan meets Syracuse,” said manager Natalie Abbott.
Check out 317 at Montgomery’s dinner menu.
The Fish Friar
“We have fried fish, yes, but if you like any kind of seafood, this is the place for you,” said manager Derek Spanfelner.
The Fish Friar cooks with sea food from the coast of Maine. With no middle man between being caught and delivered, the seafood menu always offers fresh food. With haddock, shrimp, and scallops, all kinds of food from the sea can be found here.
Check out the Fish Friar’s lunch and dinner menus.
Epicuse
As a sister restaurant to catering company SKY Armory, Epicuse’s food is created in the same kitchen. Nicole Samolis said the market and café offers a casual environment and the chance to take their food and pastries to go.
Some of their staples include their prepared food, their take out selections, and their menu-favorite Brussels sprouts.
“For the downtown dining room for featuring our Faroe Island grilled salmon with risotto, we’re featuring a chimichurri flank steak with garlic mashed potatoes and eggplant parmesan which is really yummy,” said Samolis.
Check out Epicuse’s lunch and dinner menus.
Lemon Grass
The restaurant, which is connected to Bistro Elephant, specializes in Pacific Rim cooking. This means that they feature dishes inspired by or local to places like Korea and Japan. With an upscale but cozy atmosphere, the room is surrounded by artwork and bright colors.
Owner and chef Max Chutinthranond, who also owns Citronelle, said that one of their most famous dishes for over 30 years is the prig pow with chicken or pork and the fresh fish with chili tamarind sauce.
Check out Lemon Grass’s dinner menu.
Below are the other restaurants that will be participating in Downtown Dining Week:
A Mano Kitchen & Bar: Lunch and Dinner
Apizza Regionale: Lunch and Dinner
ApeThaizing: Dinner
Bistro Elephant: Dinner
Blue Tusk: Lunch
Byblos Mediterranean Café: Lunch and Dinner
Citronelle: Dinner
Clinton Street Pub: Lunch and Dinner
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: Dinner
Eleven Waters: Lunch and Dinner
Funk n’ Waffles: Lunch and Dinner
Gilded Club: Dinner
Jail Hoss Rock Café: Breakfast and Lunch
Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub: Lunch and Dinner
Liehs & Steigerwald Downtown: Dinner
Margaritas Mexican Cantina: Lunch
Maxwells: Dinner
Oh My Darling: Dinner
Original Grain: Lunch and Dinner
Pastabilities: Dinner
Peppino’s Neapolitan: Lunch
PMA Foods: Lunch
Prime Steakhouse: Dinner
ProntoFresh: Lunch
Provisions Bakery: Lunch
Sakana-Ya Sushi Bar: Dinner
Shaughnessy’s Irish Pub: Lunch
SKY Armory: Dinner
Soup R Salads: Lunch
Syracuse Suds Factory: Lunch and Dinner
Talking Cursive Brewing Company: Lunch and Dinner
The Brine Well Eatery: Lunch and Dinner
The Evergreen: Dinner
The Hops Spot: Lunch and Dinner
The Mission Restaurant: Dinner
The Sweet Praxis: Daily menu
The York: Dinner
Water Street Bagel Co.: Lunch
is a Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism graduate student and a digital producer for The NewsHouse.
