Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Central New York

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Central New York? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Eden

4.9

4.9 (904)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Syracuse

About the restaurant

An entirely wood fired, upscale-causal, dining experience in the heart of Central New York.

Our mission is to highlight the best food producers, farmer, brewers, distillers, and foragers in New York State.

Top review

Karen

Dined 5 days ago

We had a lovely dinner at the bar on a Saturday night. The staff serving us were professional, warm, and fun. The cocktails were excellent and the steaks fantastic. We appreciated the guidance on the menu and the iPad menu format was easy to use and included a very detailed wine section. The restaurant's ambiance was great -hip and warm. Highly recommend.

Discover more

4.9

4.9 (53)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

DeWitt

About the restaurant

The Wedge
A cheese-centric bar & restaurant in Eastwood in Syracuse! We focus on cheese based dishes and highlighting seasonal produce. We offer a new menu daily to honor seasonality.
We are open for dinner service Wednesday through Saturday and we serve Brunch on Sundays!
The Wedge is brought to you by The Curd Nerd, an award-winning cheese shop, located right next door.
We focus on community & highlight it by offering a community table!
We do not take reservations for parties larger than 6 on OpenTable & the restaurant does not accommodate parties larger than 8 without a private event.

Top review

RajaniVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Fantastic meal with great service. Hands down one of the best restaurants in the area.

Moro's Table

4.8

4.8 (75)

$31 to $50

Contemporary French / American

Syracuse

About the restaurant

Good food hinges on quality; fresh ingredients that are properly prepared and cooked. Chef Moro searches out only the freshest, finest product and utilizes the surrounding abundance of the Finger Lakes region whenever possible. His passion for simplicity and purity of flavor ensures that each dish will be balanced and impressionable.

However, a great meal is a multi-sensory experience. It should encompass not only the food but the sounds, aromas, service and atmosphere that surround the diner. A great meal is a memorable experience to be savored again and again.

Top review

Cassidy

Dined 5 days ago

Absolutely outstanding food, every dish and course is a hit nothing left wanting more. Full and satisfied.

Daniella's Steakhouse

4.8

4.8 (328)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Liverpool

About the restaurant

Daniella�s Steakhouse is owned and operated by Charlie. He had named the restaurant after the name of his mother. It was established in 1960. Daniella�s Steakhouse has a comfortable indoor and outdoor seating area. Washed in warm shades of pink and white, the restaurant has crystal glass decorations and chandeliers. The outdoor patio offers fresh breeze from the garden. It hosts parties, birthdays, celebration and corporate events. Daniella�s Steakhouse provides catering services for events, funerals and celebrations. The restaurant specializes in serving fresh and juicy steaks. The hand-selected beef is prepared in blue, rare, medium rare and well-done categories according to the customer�s preference. All steaks are served with different kinds of sauces, grilled vegetables and French fries. The French Onion soup is prepared using the authentic recipe. It has a variety of house salads and seafood. The bar serves craft beer and vintage wine.

Top review

Stephanie

Dined 6 days ago

We don’t live in New York, but when we travel there we try to go to Daniella’s. The food and service are always outstanding!

Krebs 1899

4.7

4.7 (1963)

$50 and over

American

Syracuse

About the restaurant

The Krebs is an historic restaurant founded in 1899 by Fred and Cora Krebs. The restaurant has been a popular landmark in Skaneateles for over a century, serving presidents, dignitaries and celebrities. The Krebs was re-opened after undergoing a complete renovation while carefully preserving the history and ambiance that visitors have grown accustomed to. The restaurant is a farm to table concept that utilizes the freshest hand selected local ingredients and the highest quality meats and seafood. All profits from the restaurant are donated to local women and children's charities of Central New York.

Top review

MaryroseVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Wonderful in every way! Delicious and delightful!!

Discover more

Popular dish

Wedge Salad

Phoebe's Restaurant & Coffee Lounge

4.7

4.7 (651)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Syracuse

About the restaurant

Originally known as Phoebe's Garden Café, the restaurant has a long and colorful history in Syracuse. Local lore claims that the building was originally a brothel, and Phoebe was its madam.
In the summer of 2004, Phoebe's experienced a refreshing makeover with a bright new look in the atrium dining room with fresh paint, new upholstery, and artwork. The coffee lounge also opened that year, and it became an instant hit with the surrounding university and business crowd. Those changes also warranted a new name to reflect the updated attitude and ambiance: Phoebe's Restaurant and Coffee Lounge. Classic elements of Phoebe's remain untouched—the French onion soup and enticing crème brulee, for example, but other menu items change seasonally.
The Lounge also has its own seating area and free wireless internet capabilities. Phoebe's old world charm is right at home in a revitalized area of the city.

Top review

Gail

Dined on Jun 26, 2025

Phoebe's is always excellent! Great food and friendly, efficient service! A fantastic place and experience.

The Tailwater Bar and Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (823)

$31 to $50

American

Syracuse

About the restaurant

For the finest food on the river, look no further than the Tailwater Restaurant & Bar, where rustic atmosphere meets metropolitan flair. Thoughtfully prepared seafood dishes and satisfying comfort-food favorites fill our menu, perfect for savoring after a day outdoors.

Top review

Raymond

Dined 4 days ago

Our waitress Kim was great and the ambience was nice and what I would expect from a northern NY lodge/hotel on the Salmon River. The steak and venison were both cooked perfectly; everything was delicious, including our cocktails.

Oh My Darling

4.6

4.6 (446)

$30 and under

American

Syracuse

About the restaurant

Comfort food & cocktails served in retro-chic digs with a basement speakeasy hosting live music. Across from the Landmark Theater and the RedHouse Arts Center.

Top review

Paul

Dined on Jul 9, 2025

The 4 of us loved it there. The food and service was great.

Discover more

Popular dish

Caprese Flatbread

Moro's Kitchen

4.6

4.6 (48)

$30 and under

Italian

Skaneateles

About the restaurant

At Moro’s Kitchen the focus is on the food including fresh, house made pasta; quality meats and fish; and house made gelatos and desserts.
"THERE IS AN OPTION FOR EVERYONE IN OUR KITCHEN"
-ED & BETH MORO

Top review

Karynn

Dined 4 days ago

Moro’s Kitchen never disappoints! The staff are always friendly and welcoming, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The food is consistently delicious, no matter what you order; fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Whether it’s a casual night out, a family dinner, or a special occasion, this place is perfect. Highly recommend!

Delmonico's Italian SteakHouse - Syracuse

4.5

4.5 (867)

$31 to $50

Italian

Syracuse

About the restaurant

Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse offers a unique, Italian-inspired atmosphere to go with its full menu of Italian dishes and steaks. Dining here will almost definitely mean hearing the likes of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack over the sound system, and this Syracuse restaurant offers delightful décor to give it a big-city vibe. Guests at Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse love the filet mignon and the filet portabella, both of which are nine-ounce cuts of meat served with penne marinara and angel hair pasta, respectively. Other favorite entrées include shrimp scampi, one-pound lasagna, fettuccine Delmonico and veal parmigiana. And, with cappuccino pie, homemade cannoli and other options on the dessert menu at Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, guests always want to leave room for dessert.

Top review

Patricua

Dined on Jul 6, 2025

I can’t say enough good things about my experience. The food was great. The waitress is great and. Atmosphere is just fantastic. Loved it

Explore Diners' Choice best of Central New York

Explore more Diners' Choice lists