Syracuse, N.Y. — This is the heart of it. The plates that arrive, stop the conversation and make you forget how long you’ve been sitting there. The entrées that linger in your memory well after the check is paid.
Over the past year, Jared Paventi, Jacob Pucci, Danielle Benjamin and Charlie Miller chased those moments all over Central New York. We ate in polished dining rooms and no-frills joints, at neighborhood staples and brand-new spots still finding their footing. We followed tips, trusted instincts and occasionally ordered the thing the server said they’d eat if it were their last meal.
What follows are the entrees that defined our 2025 coverage — dishes that delivered, surprised us or simply nailed exactly what they were trying to be. As always, this list reflects only the restaurants we featured on syracuse.com and The Post-Standard this year. The map is big, the scene is deep and there’s always more waiting for next year.
Avicolli’s Coal Fire: Italian Pot Roast
Italian pot roast with potatoes and carrots over creamy polenta at Avicolli’s Coal Fire, Fayetteville, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | jaredpaventi@gma
Address: Avicolli’s Coal Fire, 104 Limestone Plaza, Fayetteville
From Jared Paventi: Italian pot roast reads a lot easier on a menu than steak pizzaiola, but it’s the same dish. Beef chuck, potatoes, carrots and onions were slow-cooked in this dish, just like the American comfort classic. Instead of beef stock, everything was braised in an herbaceous tomato sauce. It was all served over a rich polenta packed with cheese, creating a hearty, filling dish that was among my favorites of the past year.
Grotto: Pork Volcano
Pork volcano with brown butter gnocchi at Grotto, North Syracuse, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | [email protected]
Address: Grotto, 101 S. Main St., N. Syracuse
From Jared Paventi: Pork shanks are a cheap cut of meat, but a flavorful one when cooked slowly. Grotto’s pork volcano was full of umami, having been braised in a soy-spiked broth, which also left it fall-apart tender. It was paired with brown butter gnocchi, which was a natural accompaniment to the pan sauce. It was a simple dish that was full of flavor.
Inka’s: Pulpo a la Parilla
Pulpo a la parilla, or grilled octopus, is served with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables. Dinner at Inka’s, Syracuse, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | [email protected]
Address: Inka’s, 201 S. Salina St., Syracuse
From Jared Paventi: A truly excellent dish marries style with substance, and the pulpo a la parilla is at the exact point on the diagram where they meet. Grilled octopus is not an uncommon find in the area. Inka’s ups the ante, by serving it with grilled potatoes and vegetables on a sizzling platter on a raised platform shaped like a Japanese torii gate. Each forkful brought with it grill smoke, citrus and natural flavors of the mollusk, while the presentation drew every eye in the dining room to our table when it was served.
Brickyard Barbecue: The Trinity
My lunch from Brickyard Tavern and Barbecue in LaFayette: The Trinity (ribs, sausage and brisket with sides of BBQ beans, mac & cheese, and an order of wings). (Charlie Miller | [email protected])(Charlie Miller | [email protected])
Address: Brickyard Barbecue, 2611 U.S. Route 11, LaFayette
From Charlie Miller: This plate is Central Texas barbecue turned up to 11. Brickyard’s Trinity brings together thick slices of pepper-crusted brisket, a smoky house-made sausage link with a loud snap, and an absurdly large rib. Each piece stands on its own, but together they make a bold statement about fire, patience and not cutting corners.
Pitmaster Davey Rickenback handles the meats with zero shortcuts: long smokes, careful trimming and sausage made from rib and brisket trim. My sides of mac and cheese and beans were excellent, but clearly secondary to the main event.
This is an aggressive amount of food. The kind of plate that makes you reassess your lunch plans and clear your afternoon. Rich, smoky and deeply satisfying, it’s the dish that defines what Brickyard is trying to be. It’s also the reason why people still line up until they sell out.
Mr. Pho: Pho Bo
Pho with steak and meatballs at Mr. Pho, Syracuse, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | [email protected]
Address: Mr. Pho, 216 Walton St., Syracuse
From Jared Paventi: It stands to reason that if you name your restaurant after a dish, it better be good. Thankfully, Armory Square’s Mr. Pho threads the needle with its pho bo. My order was pretty traditional — thin-sliced steak and garlicky meatballs with rice noodles – but the base broth was stunning. Charred ginger, onion, cinnamon and clove added depth to the slow-cooked beef bone broth. This soup was so darn good that I didn’t mind eating it on a 90-degree day in August.
At Long Last: Crème Brûlée French Toast
Crème Brûlée French Toast from At Long Last diner in Auburn, the seventh stop on our Diners of CNY tour. (Charlie Miller | [email protected])(Charlie Miller | [email protected])
Address: At Long Last, 3193 E. Genesee St., Auburn (just west of Skaneateles)
From Charlie Miller: An entrée doesn’t have to arrive at dinner. Sometimes it shows up at breakfast and refuses to be treated like a side thought.
At At Long Last, the crème brûlée French toast earns that status. Thick slices of house-baked bread are soaked in custard, cooked until rich and tender, then finished with powdered sugar and fresh fruit. It’s indulgent without being over the top. It’s also sweet, comforting and substantial enough to anchor an entire meal.
Chef Zach Piraino treats it with the same care you’d expect from a dinner plate, which is why it belongs here. Proof that some of the year’s best entrees happen before noon.
Ruby Begonia’s: Chicken Fried Chicken
Chicken-fried chicken with pepper gravy over mashed potatoes at Ruby Begonia’s, Chittenango, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | [email protected]
Address: Ruby Begonia’s, 236 Genesee St., Chittenango
From Jared Paventi: If you’re going to call yourself a Southern restaurant, you better have a decent fried chicken. Chittenango’s Ruby Begonia’s has three fried chicken items on the menu, including the chicken-fried chicken that stopped us in our tracks. The kitchen starts by pounding a chicken breast thin, then dredging it in seasoned flour. It gets a dunk in egg wash then it goes back in the flour mixture again before hitting the hot oil. It’s smothered in a savory country-style pepper gravy that added complexity and spice, while keeping the mashed potatoes beneath the chicken from getting too tacky.
K Kurdish Mediterranean: Mandi
Mandi, or Kurdish dumplings stuffed with beef and spices, at K Kurdish Mediterranean Restaurant, Tully, N.Y. (Jared Paventi | [email protected])Jared Paventi | jaredpaventi@gma
Address: K Kurdish Mediterranean Restaurant, 6 Elm St., Tully
From Jared Paventi: Kurdish mandi are like a cross between a dumpling and German spaetzle. At K Kurdish Mediterranean, egg pastry is filled with beef cooked with sumac, garlic and onion, and tied closed like a purse. They get sautéed in butter and are served over a garlicky yogurt and finished with an Aleppo pepper-infused olive oil. There’s so much flavor in this dish that it’s tough to know where to start, with the yogurt and oil offering fiery spice and coolness, both enhancing the manti and its filling.
Stone Creek: New York Strip Steak
My 14-ounce New York strip steak with a loaded baked potato at Stone Creek in Marcellus. (Charlie Miller | [email protected])(Charlie Miller | [email protected])
Address: Stone Creek, 69 North St., Marcellus
From Charlie Miller: This is the kind of steak that reminds you why people still go out for steak. Stone Creek’s New York strip is a 14-ounce cut of certified Angus beef, cooked medium rare and delivered without unnecessary theatrics. It’s just deep beef flavor and a proper sear.
It comes paired with a loaded baked potato, piled high with real Vermont cheddar, sour cream and bacon. It’s classic, generous and satisfying.
Chef Steve Tross isn’t trying to reinvent the steakhouse here; he’s trying to execute it right. And so far, he’s done quite well.
Touché: Shrimp and grits
Shrimp and grits from Touche, 309 W. Fayette St., Syracuse.Jacob Pucci
Address: Touché, 309 W. Fayette St., Syracuse
From Jacob Pucci: The menu at this Appalachian-inspired French bistro is always changing, and the downtown Syracuse restaurant isn’t currently serving brunch, as they were during our visit earlier this year, so it’s possible it’ll be awhile before we see this version of shrimp and grits grace the menu once again. But it should. I’ve eaten shrimp and grits throughout the Carolinas and Touche’s version bested them all. The grits were rich with butter and cream, with not a single lump to be found, and the etouffee sauce that smothered the grits and plump shrimp was one of the single best things I’ve eaten all year. There’s no doubt that Touche has one of the most talented kitchens in CNY and their take on this Southern brunch staple is proof.
Angry Pig BBQ: Beef brisket macadilla
Beef brisket “macadilla”, filled with macaroni and cheese and shredded brisket. Angry Pig BBQ, 2935 Lamson Road, Phoenix.Jacob Pucci
Address: The Angry Pig BBQ, 2935 Lamson Road, Phoenix
From Jacob Pucci: The question is not whether to order the brisket at Angry Pig BBQ, but rather what form you’d like your brisket served. The Texas-style barbecue is good enough to stand on its own, but I haven’t found a food that wasn’t improved by the addition of macaroni and cheese and this overloaded quesadilla is no exception. Even though it’s not the star of the dish, the sharp cheddar mac is a standout. It’s a little over the top in a way that’s fun, indulgent and delicious.
Raj Saffron House: Lamb Shank masala
Lamb shank masala served with tikka masala sauce, a chef’s special at Raj Saffron House in Syracuse.Jacob Pucci
Address: Raj Saffron House, 124 Dell St., Syracuse
From Jacob Pucci: The menu at Raj Saffron House is lengthy, including several dozen entrée options. Yet only four rise to the ranks of “chef’s specials,” including the lamb shank masala – and for good reason. The meat on this bone-in cut was meltingly tender and the tikka masala sauce struck the ideal balance of tang, spice and cream. It’s a simple dish, essentially just meat in sauce, but like so many Indian dishes, the complexity hides in plain sight.
Old Chengdu Café: Mapo Eggplant
Mapo eggplant from Old Chengdu Cafe in Syracuse.Jacob Pucci
Address: Old Chengdu Cafe, 1113 E. Fayette St., Syracuse
From Jacob Pucci: Vegetables are all too often relegated to a supporting role, but at Old Chengdu Café, they’re a star. This variation of the Sichuan staple mapo tofu instead features large pieces of skinless eggplant that are fried until firm on the outside and soft and custardy in the middle. They’re then tossed in a spicy sauce flavored with ground pork, ginger, garlic and chilies, among other things, with just enough sweetness to keep everything in check. Add some white rice on the side and you’re golden.
Bangkok Thai: ‘Peanut Sauce’ entree
Peanut Sauce with Chicken at Bangkok Thai in Liverpool (Danielle Benjamin | Contributing Writer)Danielle Benjamin
Address: Bangkok Thai, 7421 Oswego Road, Liverpool
From Danielle Benjamin: This house special is your choice of protein breaded and bathed in the most scrumptious peanut sauce you can imagine. It was sweet without being overly sugary, savory without too strong of an umami taste, and so thick it hugs every crevice of meat without drying out your mouth. Served over a bed of sautéed vegetables alongside a bowl of rice, this meal earned the gold star of the evening.
