4 Best Restaurants in Syracuse, The Finger Lakes

More clams are sold here than anywhere else in the region, according to the Clam Bar, which also serves lobster, haddock, steaks, and chicken, plus daily specials. Clams come raw, steamed, in marinara sauce, and with garlic, butter, and wine. A full bar rounds out this comfortable, family-owned North Syracuse spot, which opened in 1959 in an old farmhouse.

Crawl through the little front door built for the "wee people" and you'll understand why this restaurant is the center of Tipperary Hill, Syracuse's Irish neighborhood. (Don't worry: there's also a regular-size entrance.) Green beer flows freely every March 17, and corned beef and cabbage and open-faced Reubens lead the menu year-round. Also available: shepherd's pie, seafood, and burgers. The cozy wood-paneled, two-story pub has several fireplaces. There's a full bar and Irish bands play Thursday through Sunday. Patio dining is a summer option.

What started as a darling of the biker crowd has evolved into a regional hot spot for pork sandwiches, barbecued ribs, and, on most nights, live blues. Chicken, beef, and pork are prepared barbecue, Cajun, and even Cuban style. Try a side of salt potatoes for some local flavor. On Friday and Saturday, waits can run as long as 90 minutes; the full-service bar, with 17 beers on tap, helps pass the time. In July and August, you can eat at one of the sidewalk picnic tables.

A funky, urban feel infuses this downtown Syracuse spot—a former union hall—that attracts a business crowd by day and couples at night. Lunch is cafeteria style, while dinner is full service. There's always fresh pasta with sauces like the ever-popular spicy hot tomato oil. Dinners might include homemade Boursin-cheese ravioli in a tomato-mushroom-cream sauce with pine nuts. The restaurant bakes its own bread daily. In warm weather you can sit outside at a sidewalk table or in the back courtyard.